It's a new day at the Lockup, and Elizabeth performs one of Doug Henning's classic illusions.
Chapter Seven: But wait, there's more!
Chapter Four: One becomes two, two become one
Chapter Three: Restoration of a Lady
The cold metal shutter of the storage unit rattled as Daniel pulled it up, revealing the dimly lit space beyond. The scent of old wood, dust, and aged velvet filled the air, mingling with the faint metallic tang of the illusion props. It had been a week since their first foray into the mysterious magic set, a week of normality that had done little to dull the curiosity bubbling beneath the surface.
Daniel had been buried in work, crunching numbers and chasing overdue payments for the bank, but now, with his targets met and his weekend free, he was ready to dive back in. He arrived first, dressed in his usual business-casual style: a navy-blue button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, dark trousers, and brown leather shoes. His short, slightly unkempt brown hair hinted at the stress of the past week, but there was excitement in his blue eyes.
Veronica arrived next, stepping out of her car with her usual no-nonsense efficiency. She wore a fitted dark grey jumper layered under a black leather jacket, her dark green jeans cuffed slightly above her sturdy black boots. Her sharp hazel eyes swept over the storage unit, taking in everything with a mix of scepticism and reluctant intrigue. She had spent the past week trying to rationalise what they had seen, reading up on stage magic and illusion tricks, determined to find a logical explanation.
Elizabeth arrived last, moving with her usual energy, her auburn hair loose and catching the light as she walked. She wore a long burgundy coat over a fitted black top and a flowing, pleated skirt that stopped just above her knees. Ballet flats completed her look, her outfit once again reflecting her performer’s nature. Unlike Veronica, she had been caught up in the wonder of it all, spending the week imagining new tricks and even sketching out ideas for a future performance, should they ever decide to take this further.
As the three stood outside the unit, there was a moment of silence before Daniel smirked, rubbing his hands together.
"Right," he said, glancing between them. "Shall we see what else this place has in store for us?"
Veronica folded her arms, arching a brow. "As long as we don’t end up leaving someone in pieces this time."
Elizabeth grinned, stepping inside. "Oh, come on. You have to admit—it was kind of amazing."
Daniel chuckled, flipping through the book once more as he stepped inside. "Let’s find out what’s next."
Elizabeth’s fingers traced the frame’s edges as she curiously pulled at a section of it. A smooth, flexible tube uncoiled from the structure, emerging like a hollow sleeve. The opening at the top was just about the right size for a head, while the bottom had carefully cut slots where toes could poke through.
Daniel, already flipping through the magician’s book, glanced up as Elizabeth experimentally ran her hands along the tube’s surface.
"Found something interesting?" he asked.
Elizabeth smirked. "It’s weird… Kind of like those stretchy tunnels kids crawl through, but—" She gave the material a tug. "—more rigid than it looks."
Veronica peered over Elizabeth’s shoulder, her sharp hazel eyes narrowing as she examined the contraption. "Let me guess… Some kind of squeezing illusion? You get in, the frame compresses, and it looks like you've been flattened?"
Daniel turned a page, his brow lifting. "Actually… it’s called the ‘Disc Creator.’ And, uh…" He cleared his throat. "It flattens the assistant into a single disc."
Elizabeth’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh, now I have to try it!"
Veronica groaned. "Of course you do."
Daniel chuckled, reading on. "Alright, let’s see how this works. According to this, the assistant steps into the frame, putting their head through the top and feet through the bottom slots. Then, the frame is turned, and…" His fingers skimmed the page. "Oh, it says the assistant will feel a ‘gentle pulling sensation’ before being shaped into a disc."
Elizabeth clapped her hands together. "Excellent! Let’s set it up."
Veronica shook her head but followed as Daniel adjusted the frame, making sure it was secure. Elizabeth eagerly stepped forward, slipping her feet into the lower slots and carefully lowering her head into the top opening.
"Comfortable?" Daniel asked, his hand hovering near the first mechanism.
Elizabeth wiggled her toes playfully. "Surprisingly, yes!"
Veronica crossed her arms. "I still say this is some kind of trick."
Daniel smirked. "Let’s find out."
With that, he pressed the first switch. The frame gave a soft whir, and Elizabeth gasped as the tube around her shimmered. The pulling sensation began—gentle at first, then slightly firmer—drawing her inward.
"Okay, that’s definitely a thing!" Elizabeth laughed, her voice already sounding slightly different as her body began to reshape…
Elizabeth’s excited giggle turned into a surprised gasp as the frame began to move. From both the top and bottom of the flexible cylinder, the structure started to contract, slowly pressing inward.
"Oh! That’s—oh wow!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her voice shifting slightly as the tube narrowed around her.
Daniel and Veronica watched in fascination as Elizabeth’s body was gently compressed, her shape flattening inch by inch. Her arms, torso, and legs all seemed to shrink into the narrowing frame, becoming thinner and thinner. Her toes wiggled slightly from the bottom slot before disappearing completely into the collapsing structure.
"That’s not possible," Veronica muttered, stepping forward to examine the mechanism.
"There's no way—"
Elizabeth’s head was now the only part of her still properly visible, framed by the top opening of the tube. She blinked rapidly, adjusting to the bizarre sensation. "This feels so strange—like I’m being stretched and squished at the same time!"
"You alright?" Daniel asked, glancing between the book and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth grinned. "Yeah! It’s actually kind of fun!"
She wiggled her nose, shifting her expression slightly—and that seemed to be the final signal for the device to complete its work.
With a smooth, mechanical hum, the crusher pressed together one last time. Elizabeth's face, which had been slightly raised, adjusted completely into alignment with the frame—
Fwip!
The cylinder flattened entirely, and in an instant, Elizabeth was no longer standing in the frame.
Instead, resting neatly at the base of the structure, was a single, round disc.
Daniel and Veronica stared in stunned silence.
Veronica rubbed her temples. "I need a drink."
Daniel, meanwhile, crouched down, eyes wide. The disc had a glossy, smooth surface, with Elizabeth’s flattened form somehow visible across it—her face still expressive, her hands and feet now stretched along its edges.
Elizabeth’s voice came from the disc, amused and delighted. "Alright, this is officially my favourite trick so far!"
Daniel carefully lifted Elizabeth’s disc form from the frame, half-expecting her to be heavy, but to his surprise, she felt weightless in his hands. Her surface was smooth, almost glossy, with a strange plastic-like texture.
“Whoa,” he murmured, turning her slightly. “This is unreal.”
Elizabeth’s face, stretched slightly across the disc, grinned. “It feels unreal! I don’t even know how to describe it—I feel super thin but still me.”
Veronica crossed her arms, still sceptical despite everything she had seen so far. “That’s ridiculous. You shouldn’t be able to talk.” She poked the edge of the disc, and Elizabeth let out a tiny squeak of laughter.
“Hey! That tickles!”
Daniel flipped through the book, scanning the instructions for how to reverse the trick. “Okay, let’s see… ‘To return the assistant to their original shape, place them inside the restoration chamber. Activate the bellows to reinflate them fully.’ Simple enough.”
Veronica raised an eyebrow. “There’s a restoration chamber?”
Elizabeth, still in disc form, chuckled. “Of course there is! I am a disc right now. How else do you think I get back to normal?”
After a quick search around the storage unit, they found the restoration chamber—a boxy contraption with an open slot at the front. Daniel carefully slid Elizabeth’s flattened form inside, securing her in place.
“Alright, here goes nothing.”
He stepped on the bellows. A rush of air filled the chamber, and slowly, Elizabeth’s form began to expand. Inch by inch, her features regained their usual three-dimensional shape, her limbs unfolding as the air filled her body like a balloon inflating back to its natural form.
With a final whoosh, the process was complete. Elizabeth stepped out, stretching her arms and bouncing on her feet.
“That was amazing!” she said, spinning around. “I felt like I was part of a magic poster for a second!”
Daniel grinned. “Well, now we know that works.”
Veronica sighed. “Yeah. I still don’t believe it, but at least we got you back in one piece.”
Elizabeth patted Daniel’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s see what other tricks we can find!”
Their eyes scanned the room, searching for the next illusion to test.
Veronica’s hazel eyes flicked toward the various props scattered around the storage unit as Elizabeth’s question hung in the air.
“What kind of illusion would I like to try?” Veronica repeated, hesitating. She folded her arms, glancing at Elizabeth with scepticism. “I mean… I wouldn’t like to try any of them, ideally.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. There’s got to be one that intrigues you.”
Veronica huffed but didn’t answer. Instead, as they wandered past the various props, something did catch her attention. Tucked between two other cabinets was an elegant illusion box, its lacquered wood painted in a deep forest green with silver accents forming intricate swirling patterns. The design wasn’t flashy like some of the other stage props—it was sleek, understated, and for some reason, it resonated with her.
Elizabeth, noticing her lingering gaze, nudged her playfully. “Oh-ho, what’s this? Something finally caught your interest?”
Veronica stepped closer, running a hand over the smooth surface of the box. The silver swirls gleamed under the dim light of the storage unit, almost matching the detailing on the jacket she was wearing.
Daniel, still reading the book, glanced up. “You find something?”
“I—” Veronica started, then shook her head. “It’s just a box.”
Elizabeth smirked. “A box that you’re way too interested in for it to be just a box.”
Veronica scoffed. “I’m just admiring the craftsmanship.”
Elizabeth grinned. “Uh-huh. Sure.” She patted the side of the box. “You should at least step inside.
Y’know, get a feel for it.”
Veronica gave her a dry look. “Because that always ends well around here.”
Elizabeth shrugged. “You never know. Maybe this one actually is just a box.”
Veronica hesitated, but something about the cabinet did intrigue her. Finally, she sighed and reached for the handle.
“Fine. But if I end up like a poster like you did, I’m blaming both of you.”