The rain was pouring, drenching everyone who dared set foot outside. This made the streets empty, wet, gray, and mundane. It was as thought human life ceased to exist, except for the sounds of footsteps from a tall, burgundy-haired maiden and her red umbrella as she ascended the stairs to the house of one Apollina Creed.
The footstep came to a complete halt, only to be replaced by the sound of knocking at the door. The young woman rocked back and forth on her heels, looking around, patiently waiting for someone to answer her knocks. Thankfully, her prayers to be out of the rain soon came to pass.
“Alastrina!” squealed a tiny brunette woman. “Oh my, come in, come in!” she exclaimed, seeing the weather bombard her friend. Alastrina smiled at her exuberant friend and walked into the cozy home, shaking her umbrella dry. “Let’s set you up by the fire and see if we can’t warm you up,” Apollina said as she ushered Alastrina into the living room.
The living room itself was quaint, but homey. The walls were tall and wooded, with a fireplace set into the far wall. In the center of the living room was a large green rug with golden embroidery, with elaborate chairs, a small table, and soft cushions set on top of the rug. Set off to the side of the living room was a spiral staircase, leading up to the second story of the house.
Alastrina turned to her friend, who was busy hanging up Alastrina’s coat and umbrella on the rack on the side of the door. She asked, “Apollina, is it always raining over here?”
“Umm, well, maybe just a bit,” Apollina replied, slight embarrassment coloring her face. “At least we don’t have to worry about a drought. Oh, where are my manners? Please do have a seat, Alastrina.” She pulled one of the chairs over to the fireplace, where Alastrina happily took a seat and hugged one of the cushions to her chest.
Alastrina just recently moved into her new house in the neighborhood, which Apollina had aided her in acquiring. It was a nice house, to be sure, but now she was having second thoughts due to the heavy weather. Two days had passed and the rain just refused to let up. At least she had some respite from the dreary weather once Apollina invited her over to visit.
“Are there any sunny days?” Alastrina inquired.
“Why, of course there are! That’s what summer is for!” Apollina said as she poured them warm tea.
“Just summer?” she grimaced. “No other time?”
“Once every so often, but during the summer, it shines like no tomorrow,” Apollina chuckled as she sat down and stirred her tea.
“Well, I can certainly see why it would do that,” said Alastrina, glancing at the window and seeing the rain thundering down. As she stared, she began to feel her mood change to one of agitation and sadness. “Why didn’t you tell me beforehand that the weather was like this? I’m not sure that I would have made the move otherwise.”
“I just think that it’s an adorable little town and just thought –“
“I wanted to start a new life,” Alastrina said, her voice tinged with anger. “I wanted to get away from things like this,” she said as she gestured at the window at the pouring rain.
“I know,” Apollina said quietly, swirling her tea and watching the steam spiral through the air. “I know.”
Alastrina sighed. She knew that Apollina was just trying to help her find a place and though that since she loved it here, her dearest friend would as well. Alastrina recognized that it was her own fault for not putting some research into the area before she decided to make the big move. Lately, however… Lately, her mind was off in darker territories, the pounding rain matching her mood.
“It is an adorable little town,” Alastrina said, turning to her friend with a slight smile, to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault. “I look forward to what this town has in store.”
Apollina returned Alastrina’s smile and said, “Trust me; you’ll love it here.”
Alastrina looked down at her cup of tea, which she hadn’t touched since Apollina had made it and continued to sit on the table. She folded her hands on top of each other on the cushion which she still clutched, fiddling with her thumbs before she said, “Do you think that what I did was right? I’m not in the wrong… Am I?”
Apollina looked at her friend and saw the sadness, anger, and hurt that had so absorbed her during the past few weeks. “There’s nothing wrong with calling off an engagement, especially if you felt that it wasn’t right. Sometimes, doing the right thing is hard, especially when you don’t want to hurt anybody. It doesn’t make you a bad person, dear.”
Alastrina continued to twiddle with her thumbs, the fireplace making her burgundy hair gleam, a lost look in her eyes. “But I feel like I ripped Chad’s heart out and sliced it wide open!” she exclaimed. “You weren’t there! You didn’t see the look that he had on his face when I told him that I wanted to cancel the engagement. I’ve never seen that look on his face before… Not even when we had arguments…”
“There’s a difference between a relationship argument and completely calling the relationship off. One has a tomorrow. The other does not. It’s just better that you called it off before you said your vows and got entangled in something that you would have ended up regretting for the rest of your life.”
Alastrina could see the truth in her friend’s words, but she still couldn’t help but feel guilty for breaking the heart of a human being, especially one that she loved.
“I did love him, Apollina. I remember the day that he proposed to me. I was so happy that I cried. What happened to us?”
“Perhaps you realized that your true love wasn’t as true as you thought it was or was going to be,” said Apollina, feeling her friend’s anguish. Alastrina ran her hands through her hair, stressing over the matter.
They both sat together in silence for a time. They were both startled out of their reverie when a ding sounded from the kitchen. Apollina got up from her seat, but before she went to the kitchen, she put her hand on her friend’s shoulder, trying her hardest to convey her compassion and sentiments through that small gesture. When she came back from the kitchen with a freshly baked apple pie, she saw that Alastrina was noticeably happier. The two friends began to chat amongst the warmth of the tea, pie, and fireplace, choosing to discuss other topics other than the one currently at hand.
“So what is there to do on such rainy days?” Alastrina inquired. She figured that since she’s going to start living there, she’d best find out what there is to do around town to keep her active and happy.
“Well, there’s always something new going on at The Theater. They have a new routine or act daily. For example, a few days ago, they had dancing animals and a comedian. The comedian, interestingly enough, had a parrot with him. I’m pretty convinced that the parrot was the actual comedian.”
“Really?” chuckled Alastrina, picturing a parrot in a bow tie. “A parrot?”
“Yep. A bird that enjoys crackers ends up cracking people up. Who knew?!” Apollina giggled.
The thought of a bird not only having the capability to talk, but telling jokes while wearing a bow tie intrigued Alastrina. She jumped to her feet. “Let’s go tonight. I want to start my new life with amusement.”
“Ruslan is my name/ Alix, was hers/ Her body is in flames/ I am not to blame/ I am not to blame/ For Ruslan is my name/ For Ruslan is my name…”
The odd, somewhat demented chanting was a magician whose name was Ruslan. Ruslan, in his black slacks, vest, and long collared shirt, lied casually in his armchair by his unlit fireplace, letting ash fall through his fingers like sand. However, unlike sand, the substance falling through his fingertips was not innocent. This ash was not wood that had burned for a fire. Rather, this was the ash of what was formerly a human being… A human being formerly named Alix.
Ruslan continued to play with the ash in the fireplace, playing with it as though he was out for a day at the beach, occasionally picking a small bone out of the ash. A single tooth here, a knucklebone there. He enjoyed seeing the white of the bone against the black of the ash; it gave him such a rush. Suddenly, the phone rang out, rudely interrupting his fun. More than a little reluctantly, he got up and proceeded to drag himself to the phone.
“Hello?” he said, rather irritably.
“Hello! Good say, sir! I am the entertainment manager of The Theater. Am I currently speaking to Mr. Ruslan?”
“Ruslan is my name...” he began to chant.
“Wonderful! See here, sir! We are currently in need of an act at The Theater, and I was hoping that you would be able to fill in for this evening’s performance.” Though he certainly seemed like a boisterous individual, he was more than a little nervous and stressed, praying that Ruslan would accept. Due to the current downpour, nobody was willing to accept a gig at The Theater. The last act that he had booked, a troupe of acrobats, cancelled due to the weather conditions.
Ruslan was about to deny the offer, but then looked at his empty fireplace. It had been a while since he had performed for a live audience. “Why, of course I shall, my fellow kind sir! It’ll be my pleasure,” he said, putting emphasis on the last word.
“Wonderful! Simply wonderful! We shall see you tonight, then! Do you –“ Ruslan hung up the phone, choosing to focus on what trick that he would perform that night. A single trick would be all that he needed…
He looked up from the phone and into the mirror. He stared at his reflection, and it stared back at him. If the mirror could, it would shiver at what it saw. Ruslan, on the other hand, saw nothing disturbing. His appearance consisted of half a mustache on the left side of his face, part of a goatee on the right, and one eyebrow lingering on the right side of his face. His hair was disheveled and extremely unkempt, with a scar that ran across his face. Feeling that his appearance was inappropriate and vaguely distracting, he strolled across the room to the fireplace, dipped his finger into the ash, swirled it around, and drew a smiley face on his cheek.
“Wonderful,” he said contentedly after reexamining his reflection. “Now that I’m properly dressed and have my thinking cap on, let’s think of a trick to perform,” he said as he rubbed his hands together with devilish glee. He paced the room, quickening his pace with every rejected idea. “Disappearing rings! … No. Far too unkind… AHA! A levitating chair… WITH THE VOLUNTEER STILL ON IT!! … No. Unfortunately, it’s both too improper and rude. Wouldn’t want to scare the audience half to death.” Ruslan chuckled, but then stopped in his tracks. He just may have come up with an idea. He became pensive, wondering whether he should do it or not. By the time he had decided, he had just enough time to get to The Theater to perform. With a gigantic smile further disfiguring his face and a twitching upper lip, he walked up to the fireplace, where there was a red fur scarf that was hanging up on a rack. He got hold of it and rubbed it against his cheek, like a cat would do to a person’s leg. “Now let’s go get you a friend, Alix, and show them a real magic trick… For Ruslan is my name, my name, my name…”
The moon rose up, as was her duty, but the rain kept pouring as the guests for the evening’s performance arrived. The Theater isn’t a huge place where one can show movies or put on operas; however, it’s just spacious enough for the town’s population to share in the entertainment. The Theater had dimmed lights, with multiple round tables covered with dark red tablecloths, each having a small bowl filled with water, upon which small, floating candles and rose petals floated. The walls themselves were the same color as the tablecloths. It gave The Theater a romantic kind of atmosphere.
“Wow. This place is amazing,” said Alastrina as she and Apollina walked in The Theater, escaping the wrath of the rain.
“Wait until you see the acts!” said Apollina. “Oh! Quick! Let’s grab my favorite table before someone else snatches it from us!” With that, she rushed over to a table in the corner and threw herself into a seat. “It’s the perfect spot!”
Once Alastrina took her seat, a waiter walked up and asked them what they would like to drink. In a minute or five, they had their cups of tea arrive.
“To a new life!” cheered Alastrina, raising her cup of tea.
“To a new life!” agreed Apollina, clinking her cup with Alastrina’s.
On the stage, behind the maroon curtains, Ruslan had a sip of his own tea and toasted his own achievement. Not only was his trick brilliant, but he had cooked up something brand-new, never-before-seen. “This will be the act they’ll never forget,” he said, shivering with excitement and anticipation. He couldn’t wait to perform his new act. Small drips of sweat beaded his brow in anticipation.
“Oh Apollina! This is so exciting! I can’t wait!” No sooner had Alastrina said that than the lights lowered and the voices in the crowd dwindled down to a murmur, and finally complete silence. The entertainer stepped out from the curtains, striding awkwardly sideways towards his audience in his black attire and usual facial look. “Ruslan is my name,” he said in an off tone, turning his body completely towards his audience. “The Great Houdini puts me to shame,” he stated as he walked to the right of the stage. He then turned around and walked to the left. “Tonight, I bring magic’s true fame…” That’s when he noticed a beautiful young maiden in the corner of the room. He kept his gaze on her as he said, “For Ruslan is my name, my name, my name…” almost as if he was solely introducing himself to her only, and Alastrina recognized this, causing her heart to beat rapidly.
Ruslan then jumped down from the stage, the audience puzzled and perplexed by this abrupt action, as no performer in the past had ever done such a thing. “Tonight, I will perform a trick that no magician, no Houdini would ever do, for they did not have the heart to do it.” Everybody’s eyes were wide, itching to see what that possible act could be. What act was it that not even the great Houdini would attempt?
“But first,” said Ruslan, “I am going to need an assistant. Sadly, my own beautiful assistant was recently fired. What I am going to need,” he said, striding through the tables, looking each audience member right in the face, “is a tall, burgundy-haired, young maiden,” zigzagging through the tables towards Alastrina as he stated this.
Alastrina was wide-eyed, her heart beating faster and faster, and it wasn’t because the audience turned their gazes towards the corner of the room. “Would you, fair maiden, be my beautiful, tall, burgundy-haired assistant this evening?” Ruslan asked softly, holding his hand out to her. Alastrina was dumbfounded and nervous, but she did want to start her new life off in a fun, interesting way. She nodded her head and took his hand. Ruslan kissed her soft hands and decided to himself that he had chosen the perfect assistant for the night.
With her hands in his, he guided her to stand up. “And now for the trick that no magician has ever had the heart to do, the trick that doesn’t need to be up in front on a stage, but right where you are. Isn’t that convenient?” This remark made the audience chuckle. “And now, my beautiful assistant… What is your name?” he asked her, slowly circling around her, hands behind his back.
“Alastrina,” she answered.
“What a gorgeous name. It has an… eloquence to it. Now tell me, Alastrina, what do you love to do with your free time?” still circling her, still with his hands behind his back.
“I like to paint,” she responded.
“What animal do you love?” he asked next.
“I love butterflies,” she said, blushing as she knew that a butterfly was an insect, not an animal. The audience caught the error and chuckled, as did Ruslen.
“Hahaha. What would you most love to do one day?” he asked, hands behind his back as he continued to circle.
“To travel,” she answered. In her mind, she thought, “This is an odd magic trick. No wonder no other magicians have tried to do it.”
“And who do you love?” he asked, but stopped right behind her, his back facing her and the audience.
“… Chad…” Alastrina felt her heart go from a pounding heart to a light heart, and then it went numb, and then suddenly froze, her heart stopping before she could realize what had happened. She collapsed onto the floor, no moving, not breathing. There was no sign of life whatsoever in her body. Everybody was shocked. Nobody moved. They appeared to be stuck, frozen to their seats, unable to comprehend what was going on, waiting for Ruslan to do something to bring her back. Everybody stared at Ruslan, who still had his back to Alastrina and the rest of the audience. Everyone gasped in horror at what they saw in his hands. Ruslan heard the gasps and inhaled their reactions, as though there was a wonderful taste and scent to them. Oh, what a rush! He felt the warmth that their reactions caused. He also felt the warmth of what he felt in his hands.
It was squishy, warm, and pumping. He knew exactly what it was, even though he could not see it. “I have your heart now,” Ruslan said calmly, and began strolling out the door as though it was a beautiful sunny day at the park, his hands still behind him, holding Alastrina’s once delicate heart. Everybody was too stunned to even attempt to stop him. Before he exited the door, he turned slightly towards the crowd and, with a sly smile, he mockingly said, “Abracadabra.”
