#lee eul

Arabella Read was my desk mate. Her family moved to South Korea many years ago, her father got a well-paid job and they lived comfortably. Her family was large, she had four siblings each older than herself, and because of this, she had no real expectations of her life. Though she was relieved from the stress of good grades and getting into college, she still tried her best. She just had the luxury to have a little more fun than most of the students.

It was odd coming from a family with different ideals, especially me her desk mate Ryu Min-Hyuk. I was such a studious kid but I was honestly miserable. She had recently learned a few sleight-of-hand magic tricks from her father and she made sure to show them to me whenever she could. In those short seconds, it was like I could forget about the exams and books and genuinely have a good time.

She would playfully pester, but I grew more and more unsettled as the days went on. It was hard to smile when my head was filled with worries. Her family caused quite the commotion, her father’s red hair, had been passed down to all of his children. I had noticed she had been previously bullied, but she never let it worry her.

I sat alone in the hospital bed my legs curled up to my chest, and I heard her step into the room. Her bag had a distinct jingle of keyrings that gave her away before her flaming red hair came into view. “Min-Hyuk?”

I turned to her, my eyes landing on her small form in the doorway and she smiled softly in return. She seemed unable to make a coherent sentence that expressed her care and concern for my condition. Perhaps she was worried that I would think she was pitying me. She stayed silent and cut fresh fruit. I saw the lights of the amusement park illuminate the afternoon sky, the top of the Ferris wheel was just in view from the window.

“Do you want to go to the amusement park?” she questioned, “My mum gets free admission because of her food stall, I can get us in if you want?”

My eyes met hers but I didn’t say a word, “Would you like to see a magic trick?” she asked with a raise of my brow. I watched her shuffle a pack of cards showing me the trick and I felt my lips pulled up in a small smile.”You can have the pack of cards if you like, and you can learn some tricks while you are in the hospital, my dad always says the real magic happens when the audience smile.”

“If you can make them believe…” She held out her hand and with a swish, she was holding a small flower, “then the magic will come to life”

I smiled taking the flower and watching her as she packed up the extra fruit into a small container and placed it beside my bed. She watched me play with the pack of cards, giving pointers and tips. She stopped by a few times and dropped off books on magic and more and I was lost in a world that truly called to me. She told me she would happily be my assistant and stand by my side on the stage. It made me happy to have her support.

As time went on the tricks and sleight-of-hand became something more, it was somewhere between the mix of books and the bump to my head. The magic I performed was different, I couldn’t control it completely. It wasn’t something I could command, but on special occasions, the magic words would make everything come to life.

I dropped out of school and spent my days at the amusement park. It was the night after one of our shows, I was wearing my black and white suit with a big red bowtie and she was wearing a red sequin dress that matched her crimson hair.

We were practicing a vanishing act, except when I said the words “Annara Sumanara” they felt heavy.

—

“You are under arrest for the suspicion of Arabella Read’s disappearance, if you could come with us, sir?” The policeman cuffed me, dragging me out of the theme park past all the children making a scene. I was painted to be a bad guy.

“You were the last person to see her, can you tell us about that night?” The officer questioned

“We were performing on the stage and as we finished we spent the evening trying a new routine,” I said softly rubbing my wrists where the metal cuffs were digging into my flesh.

“We found these in your change room, this is the dress she was wearing the night of her disappearance, can you tell me how they got in your change room.” The officer asked pressing with pictures and pieces of clothing.

“We share a change room, we are one act, so we take turns getting dressed.” I explained, “I didn’t do anything, she isn’t missing. It was a vanishing trick, I was supposed to make her disappear and when I said the words she was gone and I couldn’t find her, I promise you I have no idea where she went. Look at the footage, the whole place has surveillance if she leaves the theatre then you will see where she goes. Otherwise, she is still inside the theatre somewhere.”

“Then where is she, hiding under a sheet, in a box waiting for you to say the magic words?”

“I didn’t do anything.” My words were meek, but I was let free, the park was inspected but there was no sign of Arabella Read. The park was shut down due to the rumors and I had nowhere to go, so I made a home in the theatre.

—

The small music box Ferris wheel was spinning filling the room with a delicate tune, while I was changing my shirt. She gave a few audible kisses and a catcall catching my attention and I turned to face her.

“Ri-Eul, does it hurt?” She asked looking towards my shoulder, the scar was old and silvery against my skin.

“It doesn’t” I smiled reassuringly, it wouldn’t be good to have her fret over such an old wound. I took another shirt and she spoke again.

“Ri-Eul is in pain,” she repeated her voice concentrating on her words.

“Don’t worry. It really doesn’t hurt at all.” I grabbed my shoulder feeling the slight raise of the scar tissue, “It’s just a small remnant of a very old memory.”

I pulled on my shirt quickly, so she wouldn’t have to look at the old injury and buttoned up the shirt quickly.

—

I returned to her calling for me, I walked around the table and saw that meddlesome teenage girl Baek Hana hiding behind the table. I turned on my light and she screamed before collecting herself.

“What is it now?” I asked annoyed that she had broken into my home again. She told me it was because she was interested in me and my magic, but I could see the lies in her eyes. I wasn’t in the mood so I told her to “Come again later.”

Her words got on my nerves and I was unable to stop myself from asking, “Is it really my magic you are interested in, sneaking and peeping around-” There on her lapel was a small camera flashing at me, she was recording. I went to grab the camera and she moved.

“Actually, I am not that interested in magic. Plus if I really was interested I would pay to watch it in a theatre. Why would I come here?” When I pressed for her true reason for entering my home she replied with something I wasn’t expecting. “To get evidence. I thought I should let others know what is going on, in a place like this.”

She showed the video of the old man who had harassed Ah-Yi and in the video, it looked like I was trying to kill him. She began demanding answers, but the final straw was when she said my magic wasn’t real.

“I don’t care if you think I am totally crazy, but my magic?” I hissed clutching her wrist wanting to drag her from my home, so I could finally be in peace. I hadn’t made my best friend vanish with fake magic, I don’t make things come alive with tricks. “My magic is real.”

She threatened me with the footage and when I went to grab it she bumped into the heavy ornate cage on the table. The cage toppled over and the wooden branch inside fell crushing Arabella who had hit her head hard against the top of the cage. Her small body was struggling against the heavy wood her small cries were weak and strained.

In a thoughtless rage, I grabbed Baek Hana by the throat wanting her to feel the same pain as my Bella, but another cry had me letting go and rushing to Bella’s side. I was trying to pull the cage door open but it was jammed in, I tried to shake it free, tried to hit and claw at the cage to free Arabella from her suffering.

“Bella!” My tears were flowing as I struggled and finally, the door came free. I held her in my arms and placed her in a small bed. She must be in shock, but a part of me knew that she was dying.

—

“The police are looking for you, you have to hide someplace else.” Yoon Ah-Yi said softly

“My Bella is very sick right now.” I replied trying to control the shaking in my voice as I looked down at my longest friend “There was just a little accident.”

“I can take her to the hospital, but you have to go somewhere else.” Yoon Ah-Yi began but my tears were unable to stop.

“Bella, are you okay?” I sniffled trying to help her feel safe, her mind was calling out for company, but she was unable to say a word. “Can you hear me? I’m here”

“I will take her to the hospital.”