Ending Shakespeare

The small number of wide eyed gatherers he had sitting on his lawn estimated to be close to at least twenty-five viewers. He noted with full confidence that they still waited for him to make his reappearance from behind the thin piece of covering that was supposed to be a curtain. Their patient stares of anticipation and rainbow colored clothing stained the lawn

Feeling triumphant, he smiled at the success he was getting by doing this quick summer act that he'd wanted to enliven since before school had ended. The more he continued this, the larger his crowd became, and today was the best day of all. He'd convinced himself that it was alright to make it a half off day; Friday was this day.

It was true, soon enough he'd be the most known magician in the neighborhood, popular for his acts that were the hardest to play out. All other upcoming actors and career people would come to him to see his staging. Their first intentions would be to come as critics, thinking he was losing his mind, then they'd leave saying he was a genius and that no other could be as brilliant as he was. The time he'd chosen to start his practicing had never been more precise, he only had ten to twelve more years in order to become the greatest; he'd be The Great Jonstone.

A clap sounded over the boisterous voices of his many viewers. All eyes that had patiently awaited his return of dumping the trash fixed themselves on him. He then situated the tall hat on his head that matched with his black cape. He knew it wasn't the best idea for a magician, they were all supposed to be dark, mysterious, enthralling... and he was none of these things. But he was great, and that was going to be the start of his career. And within time, his dress would change to something better, this though had been all he could get from his parents due to some difficulties with forgotten chores.

"Now boys and girls," he said loudly in his deep voice of an enchanting person, "for the last act," he told them confidently, and the cheering for his sake began.

Over the past few weeks he'd earned respect that he'd never thought he would have, but even now he had it. The audience loved him, they loved his small acts, they loved his funny quirks.. And most important again, they loved him. He wasn't just wasting his time, as his older brother had told him.

Clapping a second time louder than before, his beautiful assistant who was frowning came through. He refused to allow her sour mood to anger him. This was a problem. For the audience, a smile always had to be staged, it was one of the things that they looked forward to. Her tie-dye bathing suit covered by shorts clashing with his dark attire and jeans he'd had no choice but to wear, the mental note he made to fire her later came to him. She'd made the mistake of slipping up twice in one day.

He contained his irritation towards his assistant that was supposed to know her job like the back of her hand. Smoothly he turned his gaze to his fans and outstretched his hands towards his assistant as it had been rehearsed before. "The disappearing act..." He pointed at the eight legged object in his assistant's cupped hands. "I will make this tarantula, well known as William Shakespeare, disappear completel--"

"You can't do that, it's a bug." Disturbed by the loud mouth of a red haired kid that sat in the back, he easily pushed his cape behind him and walked to the edge of the stage to stare at his perpetrator.

His hard stare that he'd learned to cultivate to a level of intimidation made the boy's eyes waver. He tapped his foot on the stage. "You have something to say?" he questioned rudely, then without giving the kid a chance to say anything that would ruin his show, he added, "Good, because I was starting to think you spoke another language."

Flouncing back to where he'd stood prior to being interrupted, he sighed. Jealous, he told himself, they were all jealous of him.

Once returned to his assistant's side and pointing at William Shakespeare, he glanced at the red haired boy before saying, "I will make William Shakespeare disappear, and with Gypsy's help," That was his assistant's cue, she neatly placed the tarantula on the seat of the booth he'd made by himself. "it will be possible."

Intently gazing at his audience, his assistant closed the booth and cast him a worried glance while she stood on the opposite side of the painted box. He spun it twice, and began the chant he'd spent seconds making up of, "Abra cadabra Williamus Shakespearius maketh it disappearus."

A quick movement passing between his legs. The black object which ran from behind the booth in front of him caused him to notice it instantly as William Shakespeare. Uncertain of what to do next, he saw that the only eyes that caught it were all, but his assistant's which were preoccupied with the thought of her pet being in the box.

The liberty of stepping forward used without making it too noticable, while he loudly said his chant of, "Abra cadabra Williamus Shakespearius maketh it disappearus", the popping crunch sound under his foot, made him yell out, "Ta-da!!"

Smooth silence emanated beyond the backyard. The exact response he liked.

All eyes of his audience steadied on the dead tarantula that twitched under his sneakered foot instead of the empty booth. The unexpected scream next to him scared everybody as they watched his assistant run off yelling, "Mom! John killed William Shakespeare!"

Mom? Recalling that mom was the worst enemy of every eleven year old magician, he watched in horror as he heard his sister's muffled explanation. This was ruined, he couldn't make his mother disappear until after she cooked dinner.

Chuckling nervously at the interupption, he looked at his viewers while he avoided moving his foot that would reveal the victim of this homicide. "And thank you all, that's it for toda -"

"Jonathan Stone!" Run!! Bells rung in his head at the sound of his mother's voice, it alerted him that there was some type of trouble headed his way. Deserting his fans that weren't gone fast enough, they received the last true act when the porch that had been a stage was left with all his instruments on it, and he disappeared through the gates of the backyard. The quickest disappearing act in fact that had been made.

And later he'd make it up to his little sister slash assistant by letting her be his partner when they hunted down the killer of William Shakespeare.