Do you like stories with mystery and suspense? Strange and “wyrd” ones? Well, if you do, keep reading and enjoy Eggcentricsagas. If you are just joining Eggcentricsagas, you might want to start from the beginning: A La Mano: Part 1-The Treasure
Edward pulled the beaded curtain aside and stepped into the tent of Madame Glass. It was devoid of people. He scanned the darkened area, looking for her personal belongings. The magic man wanted to know if her crystal ball and other props were gone. If foul play is involved in her disappearance, most likely, they would still be here. If she had run off, they would be gone. The tent seemed to be empty except for her table.
Edward bent, lifted the tablecloth, and peered under the table; nothing. He straightened and stroked his chin. It appears that the pretty fortune-teller has run off, he mused. Now, where could she have gone? His thoughts were interrupted by the jingling of the parting beads with their tiny bells. It was Rajiv and Kapi the Monkey. Pulling at his red vest, Kapi appeared perturbed. He jumped off of Rajiv’s shoulder onto the table and then scampered around it, chattering anxiously.
Before Edward could respond to the monkey’s behavior, Rajiv said, “Come quick, Mr. Angel, the travellers have the Strong Man and Arnie tied up. I heard them say that they are going to beat the truth out of them.” The boy signaled to the monkey, and Kapi climbed up his outstretched arm to perch on his shoulder again. Edward followed him and the monkey to the site of trouble. Rajiv stopped short of the commotion and told Edward, “Kapi and I have to leave because he gets too upset.” He added, “Good luck,” before hurrying away from the whirlwind scene with his pet.
The people had taken the two men to the nearby forest and tied them to a tree. The crowd was an angry swarming bee cloud; hushed commentary between members of the group had created a buzzing noise. Debating what should be done to extract the “truth” from George and the advance man had kept violent action to a minimum. Edward leapt on this opportunity to calm the horde. A little smoke and mirrors will do the trick, he thought. Striding through the parting crowd, the illusionist approached their leader. “What’s going on here?” he asked in an easy tone but with an assertive manner.
“These two need to pay for all the trouble they bring on us,” the man stated defiantly. With momentary hesitation, he continued with further reasoning. “Madame Glass is gone. We think these two know where she is and want them to admit it.”
Edward smiled at him, leaned in and said confidentially, “Let’s, you and me, go talk privately and discuss our plans on how to deal with them.” The man’s bravado seemed to lessen, he agreed. After the leader ordered the mass to stay calm and do nothing until further notice, he followed the magic man away from the throng.
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Charlotte turned to Betsy and said, “Don’t be ridiculous and so naïve, Betsy. The fortune-teller heard us talking outside her tent. That old hag just made up nonsense and charged me three dollars for it. I… We, were taken for a ride.”
Betsy turned defensive. “How do you know? Maybe if you would just try harder to believe…”
“Believe what? That I am going to meet a magic man? Another Johnny?” Charlotte snorted harshly at the thought. “Don’t you know that fortune-tellers thrive on gullibility?”
“Maybe if you kept an open-mind,” Betsy said moodily. “You never know what’s going to happen…”
As the girls had been walking and talking, the wind had picked up. The twilight sky had darkened significantly, and raindrops started coming down harder. Charlotte turned to Betsy. “What I do know is going to happen, is that we are going to get wet out here. Let’s go home.”
“No! I’m not ready to leave yet!” Betsy replied emphatically. “Let’s find a place to get out of the rain and stay dry.” As the words came out of her mouth, a sudden cloudburst occurred, and the rain began to soak them. It took their mind off their argument. They started to run towards the nearest tent.
On the blinking sign out front was: Ladies and Gentlemen, Right this way to the Photo Booth. Underneath was a poster board with the message: Find a Prop and Smile for the Birdie. Discover Who you always wanted to Be in the Hall of Mirrors. A large finger pointed the direction. The girls followed the way and entered the tent. There they found clothes on a rack, and a man dressed in a top hat, pinstriped pants, and vest.
Standing behind an old-time camera, he smiled cordially at them. “For some tokens, you get your picture taken and then gain entrance to the Hall of Mirrors to view your new self. ” The man motioned to the costumes, the dressing area behind a curtain, and the doorway to the next attraction.
“Sure!” Betsy said and pushed Charlotte towards the garment stand. She started to rummage enthusiastically through the clothes. Charlotte aimlessly picked at the apparel while Betsy sorted through the carnival clothing. Lacking her friend’s zeal for finding something to wear, Charlotte noted that the wind had started to whistle outside, and the tent flaps were fluttering with the gusts. Finally, very excited, Betsy pulled out two ruffled skirts and shirts. Holding them up, she urged. “Let’s wear these Charlotte!”
Next: The Magician’s Hat: Part 5-The Hall of Mirrors
