Illusion

Becky Owens sat on her bench that warm day. Watching children of all ages coming and going, just as her sister and she played in the park that sunny day, made her feel nostalgic for her childhood. The bright colors of fall filled her eyes making her remember that brilliant orange rose the masked magician gave her some years ago now, and thinking of that rose brought her right back to the white rose that smelled of cinnamon. The man wearing the white face mask with black holes for eyes and the painted on sparkling smile reminded her somewhat of her magician. The one with the most beautiful aqua eyes she’d ever seen.

Since the masked man passed that orange rose to Becky, she found herself keeping a close eye on his movements. He glided through the park giving different things to different children while their parents weren’t looking. As if the real magic was in the parents’ fear of the unknown object he passed along to their children. She saw him give Darcy Barlow a blue rose once then he gave a boy, just a little older than Darcy, a fifty cent piece. He even gave a baby a rattler shaped like a monkey that looked like it could have come from one of the phantom plays.

If he was the aqua eyed man that Becky remembered so well from her childhood, why hadn’t he presented himself to her? Why hadn’t he taken her away from this place yet? No, the more Becky thought about it the more she concluded her aqua eyed man was not wearing that white mask. She stopped paying him attention, although he appeared year after year with the Harvest Carnival.

Becky took the time to wonder about her sister. What would Elsie Owens have to say about this carnival today? About this stranger in a mask giving children presents just to frighten their parents? A little girl with sandy blonde waves ran passed Becky. She glanced behind the little girl, and in the glint of the bright autumn sun Becky saw a tall brunette in a floral print dress that showed off her long legs. She almost saw that bright pearly white smile that contrasted against the black leather jacket that matched the ankle boots.

“Elle,” Becky whispered, but the vision was gone. Instead of the tall brunette in the floral dress, she saw nothing more than the grown up version of the little girl with blonde waves giggling as she chased after her daughter, maybe sibling.

Becky released a deep breath before the white mask neared her. Leaving the little girl with a pink box, he made his toward the woman on the bench. He presented her with a single, long stemmed, white rose that smelled of cinnamon. She breathed in the scent and gasped. He never sat with her. The lanky man in the black suit glided away from her, leaving Becky with only a view of the back of his slicked back hair.

“I don’t believe you,” Becky whispered. She stood from her seat and walked to the black trashcan that held the smokers’ ashtray. Her eyes locked onto the mask before she slipped her cinnamon rose in the trash. If that was him, if that was her man, he would’ve sat down. He would’ve showed some concern for her life; he might’ve asked her about Elsie’s disappearance. The masked magician didn’t care.

“Why are you pretending to be something you’re not?” Becky mouthed as the man kept his eyes focused on her.
He shook his head as if saying, “I’m not pretending.” Becky Owens still did not believe him as she turned her back and walked away from the masked man wielding the cinnamon scented roses against her.

~~~

“Dad!” Darcy Barlow whined through the house. “You promised you’d take me on the first day, but it’s been a week! Come on!”

Caleb cringed at his daughter’s voice. He wanted to take her to the park to see the lights, the clowns, and, her favorite, the magicians. The last few years the man in the white masquerade mask and black suit has been a little too interested in his little girl though. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thought of his Darcy-Girl still being eight years old. No, Caleb Barlow’s little girl officially became a teenager two weeks prior to this moment. Her birthday prompted him to make the promise; he should’ve kept is mouth shut.

“I just need to finish this article, Darcy!” Caleb replied from his office.

“You promise!” Darcy yelled.

“Do you want me to take her?” Elizabeth asked as she popped her head through the door of his office. He shook his head.

“No.” He sighed, meeting his wife’s eyes. The eyes that matched his daughter’s so perfectly. “It’s a father-daughter thing remember. She will definitely throw a fit if I let you go in my place.” He finished typing his last paragraph. “Okay, I’m going.”

Caleb walked down stairs grabbed his keys of the hook and his coat out of the closet. He looked over the back of the couch at his pouting daughter. “I can’t believe you’re having a fit to go out with your father,” he teased. She hit him playfully before she jumped from her spot, grabbing her coat, and beating him out the door.

Parking was a nightmare. It was late in the afternoon. Most people got off work and brought their kids straight to the park this time of year. Laughter filled the air, along with screams of joy and music from the carnival rides.

“Don’t you just love this time of year?” Darcy sighed as she watched the lights flickered to life in the dusty twilight of the day.

The chill whispering in the breeze crept around Caleb’s collar and down his spine. Winter was coming early this year; he could feel it in his aching knees. Joining that track team in college might not have been the best idea for his older years, but Caleb had a blast at the time. He climbed out of the car as he legs screamed at him, but he ignored the pain for the sake of his family.

“Alright, Kiddo, you’ve got one hour! I have to finish that article tonight or I’m in big trouble, okay?” Caleb’s dark eyes bore into his daughter’s sparkling eyes. She nodded, but he didn’t believe she understood. “One hour!”

“One hour,’ she groaned and rolled her eyes. She ran ahead into the park entrance toward the row of booths set up. Caleb walked to his favorite fortune teller’s booth, but unfortunately she was on break.

He glanced around the sidewalk. People of all ages laughed and cuddled into the warmth of their coats. Magicians produced gifts for people who stopped to watch their side shows. Clowns danced and pulled scarfs from behind peoples’ ears. All in all, Caleb Barlow had to agree with his daughter; even though his bones ached, he usually had more work to do, and he always brought her to the carnival every year, Caleb did love this time of year.

Darcy stopped just before a magician. She always loved magic ever since she could remember. She used to watch all the famous magicians on TV with her mother. Penn & Teller, Lance Burton, Val Valentino. They were mysterious and romantic, especially Lance. His doves were her absolute favorite trick of all time.

“Can you make a dove appear?” She whispered to the man before her. He was tall and pale with ash blond hair and chocolate eyes. He waved his lanky fingers before her eyes and shook his head.

“Sorry, Miss. You’ve got the wrong guy.” He pointed toward the magician a few booths down. “The guy with the mask does live animals.”

Without thinking, Darcy feverously set off again after her favorite trick. She stood in front of the magician with the sparkles for a smile and black pits for eyes. She watched him carefully; he twisted his right wrist once and produced a tiny white bird. His gloved hand offered it to her. Darcy smiled brightly at him before she took the dove.

“You’re Caleb’s daughter right?” A tall blonde woman asked. Darcy recognized her as Ms. Owens, they called her crazy bird woman at school, but Darcy liked Ms. Owens. She always seemed to be smiling even though she was always disappointed.

“Yeah, I met you once,” Darcy answered.

“I told you about my magic man.” Becky smiled and nodded.

“Did he ever come back?”

“I thought so, Little Girl, but that man lied to me. He wasn’t my aqua eyed magician, just some fake in a tux.” Becky glanced at the mask before she lowered her eyes. The same white cinnamon scented rose was in her mailbox every day. He watched her throw that rose away.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Ms. Owens. I was really hoping you’d find that guy.” Darcy watched Becky nod. The breeze wrapped around them causing shivers to rack their bodies.

“Darcy-Girl!” Caleb called. He walked through the crowd until he stood in front of Becky.

“I see you’ve found what I’ve been looking for.” Caleb laughed as he patted Darcy’s shoulder. She rolled her eyes.

“Did you hear about that woman?” Becky asked. Caleb shook his head and gave Darcy a wary glance.

“Yeah. It’s really sad, but let’s not talk about that here.”

Becky nodded. “You’re right. I do need to talk to someone about something strange though. I’ve been getting these strange gifts in the mail, and I don’t want to tell the police; they think I’m crazy enough already.”

“You’re not crazy, Ms. Owens,” Darcy reassured.

“What gifts?” Caleb questioned.

Becky Owens told her old class mate about the strange roses, leaving out the details about the masked magician’s insane attempt at identity theft. She was still trying to piece together the reason for his obsession with her, and she did not want to share that information until there was a clear reason for his actions. Caleb listened patiently while Darcy soaked in each detail. She loved to listen to Becky talk, even if the things she said might not always sound completely true.

“You should tell the police, Beck. That’s scary to think about. Someone only sends you roses around this time of year… That doesn’t sound like a very sane thing to do.” Caleb warned.

“I’m just frustrated. My guy hasn’t showed up, and then there are these roses.”

“Do you keep them?” Darcy piped up.

“Of course I don’t,” Becky scoffed. She couldn’t possibly keep the flowers when she didn’t know who she really came from. Who the hell was that man behind the mask?

“You still work for that paper right? Can you get some info for me?” Becky asked. Her eyes wide with hope while she folded her hands over her chest.

“I do work there, but I don’t know about the info.” Caleb retorted. “Call me, the number is in the book, and we’ll talk more about this alright.” He glanced at Darcy. Becky nodded. She understood he did not want to upset his daughter with something that didn’t involve her.

“No, seriously,” Caleb said as he pushed Darcy toward the parking lot. “You should talk to someone about those roses.”

“It’s harmless, I’m sure. I just wish I knew who sent them.” She smiled, waving the problem off.

“You have an idea who though, right?” Caleb nodded. “You want info on someone?”

She shook her head. Becky didn’t want to worry possibly her only friend in town. She knew what all the kids said, what all their parents though. Caleb’s eyes sometimes read the same thing that the others thought. “I’m not crazy, Barlow. I’m just scared of being alone forever.”

“No one wants to be alone, Becky.” Caleb assured her. “We’ll see you later, I’m sure Darcy will be back.” He laughed. Becky nodded.

“Bye, guys. Be safe out there, you know crazies are everywhere,” She shouted behind them. The crowd turned toward her, but her attention faded quickly as she took her seat on the bench and began throwing crumbs. Becky promised herself she would be alright, but she could feel that mask’s eyes on her.

What did someone like that want with a lonely old fool?