Wasn’t There Supposed To Be a Trick Here?

“All right, I need another volunteer!” Chardonnay asked, then scanned the audience, looking for raised hands. “You, miss…?”

“Mandy!” said the blue eyed blonde who hopped up onto the stage. She smiled and waved to the audience.

“Mandy, have you ever worked with power tools?”
“Um, a bit- I can use a screwdriver.”
Chardonnay smiled, “It was a two drink minimum- why didn’t you already order one? Oh, I’m teasing. You’ll be just perfect for this next trick.” Behind her, the stage hand wheeled out a hand cart with a stack of cut plywood, and a bucket, with some power screwdrivers hanging out the top.

Chardonnay picked up the first two panels and handed Mandy one of the drivers. “There’s a bunch of drywall screws in there. Go ahead and grab some- you’re going to help me build this box.” She held the two panels together at a 90 degree angle. “Don’t worry, the holes are pre-drilled.”

Mandy started putting the screws in the side until the two walls could stand on their own, then Chardonnay grabbed another panel, and helped her screw it in place, to make a three-sided frame, two feet wide and deep, and three feet tall. She grabbed a 24” wooden square and placed it on top of the frame, and the two started screwing it down.

“There we go! Mandy, help me flip this over now- that was actually the bottom.” The two women flipped the box so the square rested on the stage, the three sides making a back and two sides.

“Mandy, now, you’ve seen this is just simple plywood, right?”

“Of course! Nothing special.”

“Good. Now for the next part, we’ve got another prop.”

The stage hand wheeled out a cage on a dolly.

“Ever see rebar, Mandy?”

“Yes, I have…”

“Then you can see the cage is made of it. It’s 20” by 20” and nearly two and a half feet tall. On some pegs- help me move it, it’s a bit heavy.”

The two women and the stage hand worked together, placing the cage in the middle of the frame they’d just built. “Mandy, tell me what you can see about this cage.”

“Well, it’s made of a bunch of crossed rebar, looks welded together. Oh, and the door is hinged with just some bent rebar on one side. It’s really simple looking.”

Chardonnay smiled, then opened the door. “Think you could fit inside?”

“Wow- uh, that would be a tight squeeze. Maybe? Should we find out?”

“That sounds like a plan, Mandy! But you may want to take that dress off. And your shoes. Wouldn’t want them snagged on the rebar.”

Mandy smiled. “I was hoping you’d ask for that!” She reached behind and unzipped her satin dress, then slipped it down her chest and over her hips. She was naked beneath, and the audience cheered as she posed. “This is going to be the highlight of your bachelorette party, Tracy!” she called out and twirled, then bent down and wedged herself inside the cage.
Chardonnay smiled, “Don’t worry, Tracy, I’ll keep her safe!” She shut the door, and pulled out a padlock, locking the cage shut.

Mandy grabbed the bars and pushed against them. “Oh no! Help me!” she said and laughed. “Wow, these are secure!”

Chardonnay smiled. “It gets better, Mandy!” She pulled out a plexiglass panel, and screwed it to the front of the box. “Now, even if Mandy here could manage to pick the lock, she can’t open the door! There’s only two inches of space between it and the walls of the box.”

Mandy waved. “Yep, looks like I’m trapped!”

Chardonnay patted the top of the box. “You may be wondering why we left 2” all around, rather than making the box almost the same size as the cage. Well, it’s related to the reason why I left the top off. Mandy, why do you think that is?”

The blonde shook her head. “I have no idea.”

Chardonnay smiled as, behind her, the stage hand struggled with something large. “It’s so there’s room to pour the cement!”

Mandy laughed and waved some more, not realizing the mixer was behind her until Chardonnay and the stage hand started shoveling the cement into the box, running it down her sides. “Aaah! Hey, that’s cold!”

The level of cement quickly rose to fill the gap between the wooden square and the bottom of the cage, sloshing around Mandy’s butt. “Ooh, it feels squishy, too! All weird, and… Mmm!”

Chardonnay shoveled more cement into the box, covering Mandy to the waist. “And the reason for the gap, of course…” she continued, then dumped more in place, the cement rising to cover Mandy’s elbows and the nipples on her ample breasts.

“Eek!” the blonde shrieked and laughed. “So cold!” More cement was dumped in place, quickly covering her to her shoulders and leaving only her head and hands exposed inside the cage.

“The gap, of course,” Chardonnay continued, scooping a large shovel full of cement from the mixer, “is to allow the cement to completely encase her- can’t have a finger poking against the mold to ruin it!”

“Wait- what?” Mandy cried. “En- encase?! I don’t- mmmph!” The cement covered her mouth as she tilted her head back. The next shovel poured over her face and filled the box to the top of the cage, surrounding the naked girl inside. The last two shovels filled the box completely, covering the cage.

Chardonnay smoothed the top of the cement. Several large air bubbles broke through the surface, ruining her work. She sighed and fixed it with the trowel.

“Now, you may be wondering just exactly what the magic is, here.” Chardonnay smiled her wicked grin. “The first bit of magic was getting Mandy in there completely willingly. I’m amazed how I’ve managed to do that with every volunteer this evening. The next bit of magic was her getting naked, though I’ve noticed alcohol does seem to have that effect as well...” The audience laughed.

The magicienne picked up a sledge hammer. “Now, the real magic is that this is a special mix of quick-set cement I’ve got. Once it stops mixing, It hardens completely and instantly on impact. Now, ladies and gentlemen, since you see through the plexiglass that the level didn’t drop, we know Mandy’s still there in the cement.” Chardonnay smacked each side of the box with the sledge. The first impact produced a dull thud. Each of the next got brighter until she tapped the top gently, making a bright ringing sound.

She and the stage hand grabbed the screw drivers, and unscrewed the drywall screws from the wood, then pried it apart, leaving the block of hardened concrete standing on the stage. She smacked the sides and top with her hands. “Completely set, and practically indestructible! This is going to revolutionize construction,” she smiled, then turned to the audience.

“Ladies and gentlemen, a big hand for Mandy!” Chardonnay said, pointing to the audience. The spotlight shone on an empty seat. “Oh,” the magicienne said, disappointed. “Right- we did that last time, can’t do it again.Oh well!” She turned and waved to the block on the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, a big hand for Mandy, up on stage for her first- and last- time!”

The magicienne turned back and  waved to the girl in the short bridal dress beside the empty seat. “Hi Tracy! Like I promised, Mandy’s completely safe! Absolutely nothing can hurt her now that she’s fully and permanently encased inside a block of solid concrete!”

Tracy yelled something back at Chardonnay.

“What?” Chardonnay replied. “Oh! You can pick her up after the show, along with her dress- though you might need to modify it if you still want her in the bridal party.”

As the stage hand wheeled the naked, helpless, caged, and entombed Mandy off the stage, Chardonnay looked back to the audience. “Any more volunteers?”