The lights came up on a thin, empty table. A red headed assistant stepped out on the stage, carrying some aluminum panels, each about 20" square. Some were hinged together in pairs. She took one pair and placed it on the table, standing up, to make the back and right side of a box. She smiled at the audience, leaned the other panels against the table legs, and climbed up to sit on the table, then pulled the second pair up to make the left side and front of the box. She leaned over and grabbed the last panel, waved, and put it into position as a lid as she crouched down, barely able to fit inside the box. As soon as the lid was shut, all five panels fell outwards and the Magician sprung from the center of the box, to thunderous applauds. The panels fell flat to the floor, leaving no trace of the assistant.

The Magician stepped down onto the stage and took a bow. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, you will be the first to see my new show- magic and illusions that no one has seen before. And what better way to start it off than to give one of you a chance to watch the show in a way nobody has done before! Ladies and gentlemen, may I have a volunteer?"

Hands raised everywhere. Some bolder audience members stood up. The Magician took two steps down and grasped a hand, pulling a slender asian woman, with a short dress and black hair in a pixie cut, up onto the stage. He turned her to face the audience. She smiled and gave a little wave. "Miss, could I ask your name?" She whispered to the Magician. "Meili, ladies and gentlemen." The audience applauded for her, courteously, as the red-head who had vanished earlier walked in from stage left, wheeling another table, on four thin legs. The Magician walked to the new table, and unfastened a latch on the side. The table was split down the middle, and in the center was a hole, about six inches across.

"Meili, if you wouldn't mind kneeling for me?" The young lady kneeled, and the Magician wheeled the table behind her, then closed and latched the halves, encircling her neck. "I hope you don't mind being in the stocks." Meili laughed a bit, nervously. "Either way, it's too late to back out now!" Now the audience laughed. "Any last words, Meili?"
"No," she replied, shyly.
The Magician waved his hand, and a red ball appeared between his fingers. "I only ask, because it's difficult to talk with this in your mouth." Meili's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to protest- whereupon the Magician popped the ball in. "Trust me, Meili, it's best if you don't move too much for the next part, and this will help keep your mouth still."

The Magician pulled out two thin rods and placed them behind her head, standing vertically, close together. "Lean back against these, please." Meili did as asked. Then he placed two more rods in front of her face, so close they touched her nose. She raised an eyebrow, wondering what was about to happen. When the Magician pulled out the large handsaw, both her eyes opened really wide, and she started to shake her head no.

The Magician stepped behind her and the table. "Sorry, Meili, like I said, it's too late to back out now!" He positioned the saw between the rods, over her head. "Now, like I said, please try to hold very still." Eyes wide, she stopped moving. The Magician began to draw the saw blade back and forth. Meili grabbed the table with both hands, and shut her eyes tightly. The saw's sharp teeth cut swiftly and deeply, and soon it was between those eyes. The Magician kept cutting, and the steel had soon bisected her nose. He paused. "The worst part's over, Meili. You can take a look, if you want."

The asian girl opened her eyes, looked around, and immediately tried to look at the half a saw blade extending from her face. The audience laughed as her eyes crossed. The Magician began cutting again, and the blade decended, until it finally rested even with the table. The crowd began to applaud- then the Magician pulled out two thin sheets of glass, and slid them down the guide rods on either side of the saw, separating Meili's head into two halves. She blinked. The Magician slid the saw from between them, and placed it against her neck, then with three swift pulls, cut completely through. He slid two thin blades into the new cut, and carefully pulled each half of her severed head towards opposite sides of the table. The Magician opened the table, placing a collar over Meili's neck. She immediately reached to feel where her head had been. The eye on each half of her head opened wide in surprise. The Magician helped her stand, twirled her around. He waved offstage and the red-headed assistant came out. "Robyn, could you please help Meili back to her seat... Her body, at least."

He picked up one half of her head, and turned it around, showing it from all sides. Gasps of amazement turned into thunderous applauds. He smiled and handed the half to someone sitting in the front row, then gave the other half to someone on the other side of the audience. "Keep those safe, please. I'll need them later- and so will she."

The Magician turned to the audience. "As promised, she's watching the performance in a way no one ever has before! Meili, ladies, and gentlemen, enjoy the show!"

The audience came to their feet applauding as the lights shifted and the Magician began his next illusion.

(To be continued...)