Theft
Originally “The Theft,” rewritten for the Halloween series. Starring @MagicalFirefly as well.
Carlie pulled up to the warehouse, still not fully believing it. Sure, last night, her cousin decided to take her to a magic show, something Carlie really loved. Of course, as expected, there were a few old card tricks and stuff, but then there were some things that she couldn’t comprehend.
Matt, the magician, sawed his partner, Emily, in half in full view of the audience, no covering of any kind, and pulled her apart. Emily looked a little bored but also happy before Matt introduced another assistant, sawed her in half, then placed her legs on Emily and vice versa. Both women got up, walked around for a bit, then Matt told them there was a hard, fast rule. “Switched parts have to go back to the original owners sooner or later, so it’s time to switch them back.”
Matt sawed both women in half again, switching their legs back, before Emily and Matt took their bows and the other assistant left the stage.
Matt seemed to enjoy the applause, but Emily seemed a little less enthusiastic. She stood up and made the announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen, we thank you for your patronage during our stay here in your lovely city. But we must soon leave. Before we do, we will invite one member of the audience to visit us at our temporary home here in town. That member is sitting in a particular seat I shall now draw out of this hat Matt’s holding.”
Matt held up a hat, out of Emily’s eyesight, and dropped a list of apparently random numbers on pieces of paper into it. Emily smiled as she put her hand into the hat and pulled out the seat number, the one Carlie was sitting in. She invited Carlie up on stage to introduce herself to everyone and did everything she could to make her feel like she belonged up there before giving her the address of the warehouse.
Carlie sighed, wondering what she was getting into before she walked to the door. Inside, she saw that Matt and Emily had, indeed, made themselves totally at home, but it was Emily’s state that got her attention.
Emily’s bottom half was sitting next to her top half, her head held on her lap. “Oh, hi Carlie.”
Carlie found herself walking over to her, looking for some kind of trick. “Wait, this can’t be…”
Emily smiled a little. “Real? I can assure you, it’s completely real. Matt and I have been doing these kinds of things for how long now baby?”
From behind her, Matt spoke up. “It seems like centuries.”
Emily laughed at that. “Really, though, at 38, you’d think I’d have had enough. But how old are you my dear?”
Carlie sat down; not sure her legs could hold her. “I’m 19. But what does that matter?”
Emily’s grin didn’t tell her much. “And in good physical condition? Not a bad body either.”
Carlie looked down at herself. “No. I guess not.”
Emily suddenly put her head back on her torso, grunting a little at the feeling before rejoining her two halves. “Now, then, I guess you’re wondering something.”
Carlie was. Ever since she’d seen the show, she was wondering something. Now, seeing Emily in pieces, she knew. She’d always fantasized about it, always wanted it done. “Saw me in half.”
Matt showed up, saw in hand. “Okay Carlie. I need you to lay down and bare your waist.”
Eagerly, Carlie did so. She didn’t know why, but she trusted these two. As she bared her waist, Matt introduced the saw to it. She felt a flash of pain when he cut into her, but it was turned to pleasure as he continued to saw into her.
Carlie could feel the saw dividing her body as she looked around, not sure how to express the joy she was feeling at being halved. She started moaning before Matt reached her backbone, then could hear herself muttering “YES!” as he sawed through her.
Carlie felt so good, being in halves. Emily smiled at her, winking. “Just wait.”
She grabbed Carlie’s wrists and pulled her halves apart, the pleasure increasing with the distance. Carlie looked up at Emily. “So, what’s the problem?”
Emily looked away for a moment before coming back. “After so long, it becomes kind of humdrum unless something new is added into the mix.”
Carlie excitedly yelled her next request. “Can we do that bottom half switching thing?”
Emily smiled, laid down and let Matt saw her in half before he switched their legs. Carlie could feel Emily’s legs attached to her, could move them, but she could also feel that they really didn’t belong to her.
It was like borrowing a friend’s fancy jeans. She thought of that before Emily laughed. “You’ve barely used this bottom half of yours. We’ll have to change that. Now, what do you think about getting your head cut off?”
Carlie eagerly agreed to it before she felt the saw go through her neck. Somehow, even though she could feel her larynx wasn’t attached anymore, she could still talk as Emily had hers cut off as well. “Matt, please cut us both in half again. I want my legs back.”
Matt did so, but then Emily seemed a little eager. “Want to see something really cool, Carlie? Put my head on your neck.”
Carlie could still feel her arms as she picked up Emily’s head, placing it squarely on her neck. And that’s when everything below her neck went numb. Emily groaned, moaning as she basked in the feeling of a new body. “Thank you, Carlie.”
Carlie still couldn’t feel anything. She looked around as best she could. “You’re going to switch us back soon, right? I mean, that’s the rule.”
Emily smiled, and Carlie could see something disturbing in that smile. Her face appeared to de-age. “It’s not really a rule if you know what you’re doing honey.”
Carlie gasped as Emily went on. “I’m not really 38. I’m closer to 538. I’ve done this at least 300 times. Matt’s done it at least 200.”
Carlie started to catch on. “You’re becoming younger.”
Emily smiled a sincere smile, the first she saw. “Carlie, when you know what you’re doing, age becomes as old as the heart is. Now, as I said, you’ve barely used your body. I’m going to use it for you.”
Carlie scoffed. “So, what, you’re going to kill me?”
Emily seemed shocked. “Kill you? No. I mean, if you went to the police, they’d probably believe you, but then, you’d have very little proof. They’d probably think you’re just some older loon who only imagines she’s 19. We could do that, but there’s an easier way.”
Matt produced a black sheet. “It’s called dissipation, or disappearance, whatever you want to call it. I’ve experienced it a few times myself, and it’s quite peaceful.”
Carlie glared at Emily. “A few times?”
Emily smiled, still marveling at her new body. “Okay, a few hundred. But, unless you’re brought back by the same magician in the same place, you kind of stay floating forever.”
Carlie started begging. “I won’t tell. I mean, okay, you can have my body, but don’t do this to me.”
Emily bent down, stroking Carlie’s hair with her hands. “We’ve done it so many other times, it’s the only way we know of where the change can be permanent. Now, sweetie, goodbye.”
Matt draped the sheet over Carlie’s head and the two halves of Emily’s former body.
Carlie felt something strange a moment later. It was like she knew her molecules were coming apart, but it didn’t hurt. It felt peaceful, so warming. Carlie could feel something pulling at her, almost tickling her, although she knew she didn’t have a body anymore.
Was she dead? She wasn’t sure. She only knew she felt like she was floating, drifting somewhere endlessly.