The Joker - Chapter 1

“I was so very young the first time I saw real magic.” He rubbed his dry, paper-thin hands together. I could see how the arthritis was bending his wrists, pulling his joints up into hard knobs. It had to be painful. I clucked just under my breath.

“I’m sure you did, Charlie. Of course.” It was meant to be soothing, but he had tar in him yet. The old Charlie came roaring back.

“You mocking me?” he bellowed. His spine straightened, neck cords standing out.

“No, no sir.” I stuttered quickly. I cast my eyes down at my sneakers and kicked lightly at the bottom of the dried corn stalks. It made a soothing “Shoosh, shoosh, shoosh” sound. It seemed to calm Charlie after a spell.

“Well” he said, pushing out some air, “I’ll tell you. It’s past time isn’t it? Your card husking is child’s play. The real stuff is so much….” He stopped, his bright blue eyes considering.

“I’ll keep my word.” I jumped in, trying to tease the trick out of him. “Never pay the chase.” I added for good measure. That was one of Charlie’s favorite savings. It meant that buying or selling a trick was as good as killing it. I meant it too. Back then I still had honor.

“It’s a fever dream I remember. You understand? Not everything. Just…the smell, the flash of it.”

I nodded.

He smacked his hands together, savoring the gleam in my eye. Then, his voice came through as if piped from somewhere somewhen long ago, when he must have been even younger than I was. He spoke lightning quick, the words running together.

“Carnival-entranced children swarmed the barn.” He started. “Swamp gas hung in reeds. Lightning bugs circled. She stood on tiptoe, peering around handlebar mustache, who barred the door. The burnt-caramel aroma sickened me and I pulled at her, begging for the salt breeze. But she shoved in, tugging me behind, the wood-fire heat swirling her hair, a sweat lodge nightmare painted alive on the slats. As the children turned, the twisted dreamscape danced, enveloping them. The warlock stood, head brushing the rafters, and offered me a pint. “She’ll always be yours,” he winked. The merry-go-round sped. She stilled, eyes aflame, her hand disappearing.”

I blinked twice and stood for a moment in stunned silence. Where was the trick? It was as if I’d poured myself a pop and came up with milk.

After a minute, I snapped out of it. “Charlie, what was that? What the…what the hell did that mean?”

He shook his head side to side, slowly. “That was just the beginning. There’s so much more, Ellie. If you’ll hear it.”

I never considered saying no. I turned my hands palm up, our signal. The sun was just sinking behind the hill leading to the farmhouse. He laid the joker in my right and began to talk, leaning into my ear as we headed away from the house deeper into the corn.