A Magic Trick Gone Wrong

“I can’t just sit here and wait like this,” Henley said, shoving herself up from the chair. She made her way over to the receptionist for the umpteenth time in the past six hours.

The other Horsemen watched her careful, their eyes following her movements. Fixated once again on the lips of the receptionist, they whispered, “Damnit,” in unison.

Henley’s shoulders slumped farther yet as she sat down in her seat. “She said there are no updates since I last asked.”

“Maybe if you wouldn’t ask every fifteen minutes, they would tell us something,” Danny whispered.

“Fuck you, Danny,” Henley snapped. “At least I’m trying to find out what is happening behind those doors to (Y/N)!”

“You two need to relax,” Merritt pointedly stated. “Why don’t we go for coffee and some food? I think we all need a break.”

“What if (Y/N) wakes up?” Jack asked, groggily rubbing his eyes. When he removed his hands, his eyes were bright red with dark circles becoming even darker underneath.

“I’ll have the receptionist call for us over the intercom if there are any updates,” Henley stated simply, rubbing Jack’s shoulder as she walked over to the counter. The nurse kindly agreed to her request.

In the hospital cafeteria, the group ordered their food and slid into the seats of their table. They ate in silence, taking sips of coffee every so often. Once finished, the team sat, the steam from their coffees seeming to speak the conversation they did not want to have.

~~

They had practiced it hundreds of times, making sure everything was in place. It worked every time, (Y/N) safely escaping with no issues. It was too easy that the Horsemen were not sure if the audience would believe it was actually magic.

“What happens if they find the escape fake?” (Y/N) asked, whipping her hands on her pants.

“They won’t,” Henley consoled her. “You make it look easy which makes them think it really is magic.”

“Besides,” Merritt spoke, “who is really going to question the Horsemen at this rate?” The group laughed, the tension slowly rolling off them.

“Let’s go, my money makers!” Arthur Tressler called from the stage. “Time to get you all looking pretty for your audience!”

The Horsemen waved to Tressler. “Anyone else want to punch him in the face?” Jack asked, a fake smile plastered where his usual real, pleasant smile would be.

“Face?” Danny questioned. “I was thinking along the lines of kicking him right in his-“

“Woah!” Merritt exclaimed, hands shooting up in the air. “A little too graphic, even for me, Daniel!”

~~

That night, the stage was set. Everything throughout the night was leading up to this point in the performance- (Y/N)’s escape.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Danny’s voice echoed, “it is now time for the moment you have all been waiting for!”

The audience’s cheers roared throughout the building. (Y/N)’s heart pounded to the beat of the roars. Adrenaline was already pumping through her veins along with her nerves. Shaking out her limbs, (Y/N) continued to listen to the words of her fellow Horsemen.

“This is a new trick we have been practicing for some time now,” Merritt explained.

Danny continued, “This is a trick you need to think about before you judge it.”

“Hey,” Jack’s kind voice whispered behind (Y/N). “Nervous?”

(Y/N) chuckled. “What do you think, Wilder?”

Jack smiled, the light bouncing off his beautiful teeth. “I know you have everything under control. Just stay calm like I know you can and everything will be fine.”

(Y/N) nodded. “Thanks, Jack,” she said, pulling him into a tight hug which Jack gladly returned.

“If you can all put your hands together for the bravest of our group, (Y/N) (Y/L/N)!” Henley announced.

The lights shifted over toward (Y/N) and Jack. The two waved toward the crowd. Jack helped (Y/N) into the standing wooden box. As she stood inside, Jack gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I love you,” he whispered. “You got this.”

(Y/N) breathed in and out deeply, nodding her head. Jack closed the wooden door, locking it tight.

~~

A crackle came from above the Horsemen. “Will the family of (Y/N) (Y/L/N) please come to the waiting room? Thank you.”

The Horsemen looked at one another knowing that this could go either way. Regardless, they hustled to the nearest elevator. When they reached the floor, they rushed out, meeting the receptionist who pointed them toward the doctor.

“The surgery went better than expected due to the amount of burns (Y/N) suffered,” the doctor explained. “Right now, she is sleeping. She may be asleep for a little bit yet but you are more than welcome to go in and stay with her if y-“

There was no waiting for the rest of the doctor’s spiel. The Horsemen were getting in that room and not leaving until they saw (Y/N)’s eyes open. When they entered the room, the escape artist was hooked up to IVs and other machines. (Y/N)’s body was wrapped in bandages from head to toe.

As if it were planned, the Horsemen each swallowed back their fears. (Y/N) was alive, yes, but she would not be the same when she woke up.

“How are we going to help her when she wakes up?” Jack spoke, his voice cracking.

Henley wiped her tears. “We are going to take a break from magic, that’s what we will do.”

“How is that possible?” Danny asked, his voice filled with concern for both the plan and (Y/N)’s life.

“I have a plan,” Merritt spoke. “We do the last show as it is written out.”

“No way!” Henley and Jack yelled, angered by the fact that Merritt would even say such a thing.

“Hear me out,” the mentalist begged. “The last show has us going into hiding. The world thinks (Y/N) is dead from a magic trick gone wrong. Jack was supposed to “die” anyway, so we can go on with everything as planned.”

“And what about (Y/N)? Where will she be this entire time?” Jack asked, concerned for his best friend. The team sat in silence for a moment, knowing fully well that (Y/N) would not be able to be alone.

“Go now,” a small voice spoke. The Horsemen looked up. Despite the bandages and the amount of pain she must be in, the team saw (Y/N) smiling back at them.

“(Y/N)!” the Horsemen yelled, crowding around her bed. They were careful not to touch her out of fear they would hurt her.

“As much as I love you all,” (Y/N) spoke, “I need you to go and finish the plan. Jack can come get me when his part of the plan is over.”

The Horsemen chuckled. “You never stop thinking about magic, do you?” Merritt asked.

“Not as long as I have a family like you guys,” (Y/N) smiled.