I decided to stay professional and went with the evening gown I wore to the last Christmas party I went to. It was tasteful, but it also hugged my curves deliciously. I took a deep breath and took a few shots of myself. I uploaded the one I like best and after rechecking all my information. I clicked the send button.
 
Well… That's that… 
 
The next few days were a blur. I had almost forgotten all about it when my phone rang. It was the same girl that had answered me when I called about the ad. She told me I had met all the requirements and that I was invited for a special interview. She told me when and where and part of me was happy I was finally getting a call back. But another part of me was a little nervous…
 
Was I really going to do this? Parade myself on stage with that fake smile as I look "amazed" by the "magic" performed by my boss?
 
My interview or test, as she called it, was this coming Friday night. I wasn't going to perform or anything, but she told me he wanted to test out my stage presence. She said to wear something elegant, but functional. 
 
I decided to wear a one of my work dresses. It may not be the most revealing outfit I had, but it was professional and certainly functional. I made my way to the address I was given and I was a little surprised when I finally stood in front of the building. It looked like an old broken-down theater. Signs were posted in every window that said it was closed. From the look of it, it had been closed for awhile. I checked the e-mail I had received with the instructions and finally noticed the note at the end that said to enter through the back door.
 
I sighed and went in the alley. My mind kept imagining horror movie scenarios as I made my way past a few smelly dumpsters. And was that a rat? Oh god… What the hell am I getting myself into?
 
I finally came to the red door that was mentioned in the instructions. A sign was posted on it that said: "The Great Manciny". I sighed with relief. At least I seemed to have found the right place. I knocked and waited.
 
After a few seconds, an intercom came to life to my right and a distorted voice called out to me.
 
"Yes? How may I help you?"
 
"Huh… Hi! My name is Anna and I'm here for the interview." I said, suddenly nervous.
 
The voice on the other end of the intercom was not the lovely female voice I was used to. No… This was clearly a man's voice. Was this the magician? What would he be like I wondered…
 
"Ah yes…" he finally said."Zelvida told me you'd me coming tonight… Perfect… Come right in!"
 
The intercom cut out and a loud buzzer can to life. I quickly grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. It was pitch black inside and I took a few steps. As I let go of the door, it closed behind me with a loud bang, which made me jump a little. I looked around, letting my eyes adjust to the lack of light.
 
But I could see nothing. I mean NOTHING!
 
How rude was that? I took a few tentative steps, trying to find a wall or something. Don't panic… Why would he let me in and then NOT turn on the lights? This was either very poor manners, or…
 
Was this a test?
 
How could this be a test? Did he want to see how I acted under weird conditions? I had looked at a few videos of his shows on YouTube and there were pretty standard. Some disappearing acts… Was this to see how I handled being in the dark? Surely the assistants I had seen disappear were hidden in some cramped-up space.
 
Weren't they?
 
I took a calming breath. Whatever the reason, it made no sense to freak out. I took another careful step. Then another…
 
I started to feel a weird tingling on my skin. I couldn't place it… But it felt like I was having goose bumps… I didn't muse on it for too long though. Everything went bright white as a million lights seemed to turn on.
 
"Welcome!" I heard the male voice say from somewhere in front of me. 
 
I was trying to shield my eyes with my hand. So much light! My eyes had trouble adjusting to brightness. It was almost painful!
 
"Huh… Hi there… huh… Wow… That's bright!" I said as I started to finally see my surroundings.
 
"My apologies Miss Morgan… I sometimes forget the effects my entrance has… But then again… Getting used to bright lights is all part of stage life!" he said.
 
I could see his silhouette now. He was tall. He was standing at the edge of the stage. Wow… I had wandered on a stage! That was weird… Had I taken THAT many steps? How did I get here?
 
"My my…" he continued. "Your picture does not do you justice my dear."
 
"Huh… Thanks…" I said as my eyes finally adjusted. 
 
He was smiling at me. He didn't look anything like the videos I had scene. Then again… He was wearing some type of costume for his shows. Now he was wearing a plain white shirt with jeans. I could clearly see he was fit. Broad shoulders… Muscular arms… Dark hair with… Hahahhaha… White hair around his temples...
 
And I thought that would be part of the make up!
 
"So my dear, tell me about yourself. Why do you wish to become my assistant?" he said as he started to walk to the left.
 
"I just love magicians and the stage." I said, trying to be confident.
 
"If we are going to become a dynamic duo, so to speak, we need to be honest with each other. You are lying." he said as his steps traced a circle behind me.
 
"I…" I said, suddenly cursing myself. How could he know that? "Ok… I'll be honest… I'm a little desperate for a job. Any job… This is not my ideal employment, but I really need the money."
 
He was at my back now. I couldn't see him properly.
 
"I see… Desperation… Such a poor sentiment to live through… I can certainly understand that… But tell me… If you are just here as a type of last resort, why should I even consider you? Magic requires complete trust and passion. I need to know that you won't change your mind half way through your training. It takes a lot of time and… Energy… To properly train a good assistant. Why should I bother?"
 
Straight to the point. I had tried to come up with an answer before I got here. I didn't come up with anything earth shattering.
 
"The only thing I can promise is that I am very determined to work. And KEEP working. I can't afford to lose my next job and I certainly don't want to be kicked out on the street. If you decided I am worthy, I can promise I won't shy away."
 
It wasn't the best thing to say to a potential employer, but I was about a week away from being kicked out of my apartment. That much was true. He didn't need to know my financial situation or my desperation. But for some reason… I felt I could tell him. Trust him…
 
"I see… Well you do seem determined…" he said as he came into view on my right. "And what about work hours? Are you ready to work your ass off to prepare for my shows? Dedicate yourself to the performance?"
 
"You said to be honest. So I'll be straight with you. I'll work all the hours you require of me. I'm a hard worker and I always do my best to get my work done efficiently."
 
That much was true. Which I thought was a great asset for any employer.
 
"I see…" he said as he came up in front of me. "And what about secrets? Are you good at keeping them? I need to know I can trust you if I'm going to let you in and show you all my tricks."
 
"I am very trustworthy. All my friends can attest to that." I said confidently.
 
"I see…" he said as he continued to walk around me. "Tell me Anna… Do you believe?"
 
What type of question was that? I wasn't prepared for that… What did he want to know? Did I believe in god or something? Magic?
 
"I'm not sure I understand what you wish to know."
 
"Magic…" he said as he moved out of sight on my left. "Do you believe magic is real?"
 
"I…hahahhaa…" I said laughing. "No… I'm sorry… I don't believe in magic."
 
"Why not?" I heard him say from somewhere behind me. "Can you see magic in the world? All those little miracles of the everyday… A flower blooming through a frosty morning… The silent beauty of the milky way on a clear night… The wonders all around you…"
 
As he spoke, I felt a weird sensation in my eyes and I rubbed them a little. As I did, I could almost see the scenes he was describing. It felt so real… But it was just my imagination following his words. I opened them again and of course, I was still on the brightly lit stage. He was standing in front of me again. When did he get there?
 
"Science can explain it all… As for the philosophy of it all… I can't argue… We live in a fascinating world. But no… I still don't believe magic is real. Not in the Harry Potter sense." I said, trying to lighten the mood.
 
Which seemed to work.
 
"Dear heavens!" he said with a chuckle. "I think you'll come to find that magic is not like in the novels."
 
"So… You are saying you can do real magic then?" I asked. Partly curious as to what he would say. Was this guy unhinged? Did he believe in his own gospel?
 
"I do in fact…" he said. "You see… I come from a long line of magicians. Gypsies… I was taught that all the wonders of the world contain magic. And if you are lucky enough to feel it, you can channel it…" he said.
 
I looked at him and he seemed oddly confident. A grown man was actually trying to convince me that he believed in magic. He didn't look deranged or anything, just confident.
 
"And you believe you can do this?" I asked. "Channel it I mean?"
 
For the briefest moment, I swear I saw him crack a smile. Just barely… But he suddenly burst out laughing.
 
"Heavens no! Just a little test my dear… You see… The audience comes to see magic tricks. To be amazed…" he said as he started to walk around me again. "They come to be fooled into believing magic is real…"
 
"I know…"
 
"So it stands to reason that a good magician should nurture that belief. Understand it… Make it his own… All to better fool the audience. If he believes it… They will too.." he said as he disappeared to my left."
 
"Makes sense…"
 
"Can you do this?" he said from behind. "Make them believe in magic?"
 
So here was the test… 
 
"I believe I can."
 
"Really… How can you make them believe if you yourself can't seem to believe?"
 
"But you just said you didn't believe in it!"
 
"That I did… But right before I spoke… Did you not think I would say yes?"
 
Well that was certainly true. His eyes held so much… Intensity…
 
"I did." I admitted.
 
"And there you have it… So I will ask again… Anna… Do you believe in magic?"
 
He wants me to tell him yes. He wants me to make HIM believe I think magic is real. Ah well… I guess he has a point.
 
"Yes." I said solemnly. "I believe that magic is real. I believe that a lucky few can tap into this hidden wonder and channel it to create wondrous things."
 
I wasn't sure if he believed me. I wasn't sure I believed myself. But I put all the conviction I could into my words. 
 
"Not bad… But not enough… Something is missing… There is no wonder in your eyes… Think back when you were a child. When things fascinated you… Left you in awe…" 
 
Where was this going? Was this the start of my training? Was this to see if I could make the audience believe?
 
"I can see you are still hesitating… What if I showed you something wondrous? Would that help?"
 
"I… huh… Sure." I said, not fully comprehending what he meant.
 
He had walked into view and stepped right in front of me. He was a few paces from me and he just stood there. He looked at me for a moment before closing his eyes. He brought his hands up, extending them to the ceiling and started to mumble to himself. 
 
What was he saying?
 
I didn't have time to wonder for too long. The bright white light suddenly pulsated and a million colors came crashing towards me. I couldn't explain it any other way. The light beams seemed to be REAL… They lashed out like ribbons from the darkness behind him. Like a rainbow separating into all its different shades. The light seemed to envelope the man and it got so bright, I had to look away.
 
As soon as I did. I could see that the lights had stopped. The room was calm again. Only the simple white light from before was visible. I looked up and he was gone. I looked around the stage and he wasn't there. I looked behind and nothing.
 
"Huh… Hello?" I said loudly.
 
"Yes?" I heard him say next to my ear. I turned and jumped back. 
 
He was standing barely a foot from me! 
 
"H…" I said. "How did you do that?"
 
He looked at me with his satisfied smile. 
 
"Magic of course." 
 
He looked so sure of himself. I started to believe… At least… That HE believed it was real.
 
"Wow…" I just said as I looked back at the spot he had been standing in. If nothing else, he wasn't a 2 bit magician. He was good…
 
"Now there is the wonder I was looking for…" he said, making me look at him again. "I've seen what I needed to see my dear. You have a gorgeous body and a sharp mind. But you can still be amazed…"
 
"Thanks…" I said.
 
"You will do nicely…" he said as he looked me up and down. "How would you like to be my assistant? I assure you, you'll find that working for me is rather… Rewarding…"
 
I GOT THE JOB! I screamed in my head.
 
"Oh god really? Of course I would love it!"
 
"Marvelous…" he said as he turned his back to me. "But there is one last thing I need from you if I am to let you see all my tricks. One thing before I tell you all my secrets…"
 
"Not a problem! What is it?"
 
"Like I said… I come from a long line of magicians… I have this little ritual… A tradition of sorts… It's mandatory for all my assistants to participate in it before I bring them into the fold… Call it a little eccentricity… It will tell me… With no other doubt… That you may be trusted."
 
I could see his face. Was he serious? What the hell… I really needed this job.
 
"Well what would I have to do?"
 
"Simple really… Just let me place a rune on your body…"
 
"A rune? What the hell is a rune? And why would that convince you?"
 
"Well… It is said that once you accept to be branded…"
 
"BRANDED???" I said, showing a little more fear than I liked. 
 
"No no!" he quickly said. "No hot irons or heat required! Just a little invisible tattoo… With some special ink… It becomes visible under a black light. No one would see it. But if you accept… It is said that it was used to seal secrets and create bonds of trust between 2 people. A little eccentricity I know…"
 
"Why would you choose this over a non-disclosure contract?"
 
"Oh you'll sign one of those of course…" he said. "Just call it a quirk of mine… Belief in its so-called powers is irrelevant. If you are ready to let me tattoo something on your body… It tells me you are more than ready to be trusted."
 
A tattoo? Man he was a weird one… But then again… It would be invisible… 
 
"Well… I always wanted a tattoo… What does it look like?" I finally said.
 
I almost laughed. I couldn't believe I was even considering it. The things I'm ready to do for a job…
 
"Does that mean you are willing?"
 
"Sure… Since it won't be visible and all. I'm game."
 
He twirled around and had the biggest smile on his face. He had a piece of paper in his hand, which he gave to me. I took it and looked. There was an elaborate design on it. It almost looked like a Chinese character, but I could clearly see hints of Viking runes. I had never seen such a symbol before.
 
But for some reason… I felt I could guess at its meaning… Like it was some type of knot… Tying the rest of itself together… Keeping the center part in check…
 
It looked pretty cool.
 
"Ok sure. So when do we do this?"
 
"Right now, if you have the time…" he said, taking back the piece of paper.
 
"Ok… Huh… So where does the tattoo go?"
 
"Well… It can be placed in 3 spots… First, right here on the back of your neck." he said as he placed a finger behind my neck.
 
His touch felt electric. I got hot shivers all over. Calm yourself Anna…
 
"Then there is on the inner wrist…" he said as he took my hand and placed his thumb on my left wrist, like he was taking my pulse. Which had started to race...
 
"And finally… You can place it in the small of your back…" he said as his hand moved towards my lower back.
 
I felt I should move, but I for some reason, I felt I shouldn't. His fingers pressed my lower back, just above my ass… I felt a jolt of heat course my body. It had been a while since I last lay with a man… What was I thinking? Calm down Anna…
 
"I'll let you choose…" he said as he removed his hand.
 
He was certainly bold! I looked up at his face and he was all smiles. I couldn't see any malice in them. I had gotten this far… So where WOULD I let him tattoo me?
 
Choice 2
 
A- On the back of the neck.
B- On the inner left wrist.
C- On the small of her back, just above the ass.