THE ILLUSIONIST

What is it that pushes a man to commit a crime of either rape or murder? Who is really behind the art of magic? Is it the devil?

He vanished from the cheering crowds and appeared at the countryside under the drizzling rain. He walked as though the world was under his feet. He remembered how he was left stranded by his mum under the heavy downpour ten years ago. He was literally a man without background, a man who found solace in magic. How he started he couldn't understand but one thing was clear, he was in love with the art.

He was by name Adam but was widely recognized as Trickster. He grew up in the ghetto and had to hustle to survive since the age of eight. He was regarded as a devil due to his strange behavior and the strange things he does. He was in all ways weird and that was the reason his mum left him all alone by the road in front of some closed stall, it was dark and he walked looking for his mum all to no avail. He slept under the bridge eating leftovers and looking haggard. He was recruited into the young boys squad where he was the youngest, they are used for street hawking. He was nicknamed weirdo due to his strange abilities of controlling cards, and doing some unthinkable. Some regarded him as a devil while others referred to him as a hero.

He sat and puff out the cloud of smoke stored in his mouth from the cigarette as he rocked his chair to and fro in his sanctum. His slender neck standing out straight as he looks at nothing in particular, his leg crossed and his fair skin blended well with his black hoodie and black jean. He was an introvert and no one knows how he makes his money he only goes to anywhere he wants to amuse them with tricks and return back to his house. There was a loud knock on his door and before he could open it he felt the person was already inside , "who are you?, show yourself", he said standing up and a man in a black overall dress, wearing a cap that won't show his face appeared behind him then Adam turn to look at him, "what do you want from me? "

"Be calm, am here to help you discover who you are", the man said in a calm tone filled with wisdom and experiences

"I know me, am a magician whose mum left him to die by the roadside ", Adam said trying to figure out the mysterious man in front of him

"She was never your mother, you have her to thank for been alive" as if reading the questions in Adam's mind he continued, "you are living in an illusion, an illustration captioned out by the illusionist ", the strange man said still calm

"Why should I believe you? ", Adam asked frowning and sitting back on his rocky chair

"Because in this world only I have the answers to your questions ", the man said with a calm voice

"And who are you? ", Adam asked standing up back

"To find the illusionist you must find a murderer and a thief and know the reason why they are into it, only then would you be able to go back", he said ignoring the question

"Who are you? ", Adam asked again

"With time you will know", the man vanished into thin air leaving Adam with thousands of questions running through his mind.

Save a rapists, save a murderer, in an illusion. All these seems crazy to him but it made sense still. He wasn't just a magician, he could feel something bigger inside him. Who was he? The question rang in his ear as he sat back throwing away his cigarette remains.

He decided to save a murderer and a rapist so he could meet the illusionist, some told him the illusionist has more answers to his question than the stranger who dropped by.

Adam walked in a locality hoping someone will steal something and he would save him and he would be done with his first mission. The blazing sun seems to make his skin shimmer and just like his prediction he saw a guy running with some guys chasing after him with different kind of batons, he need not do much he caught hold of the thief and for a second the thief thought he was done for and maybe the chasers also thought so but 'puff' Adam vanished with the thief.

He brought the thief to the balcony of his house, he made the thief sat down and got him tied in the blink of an eye, "who are you? " the thief asked, fear clearly visible in his eyes

"Let's say, I am a magician ", Adam said as calmly as possible sitting on a chair opposite the thief

"Why did you save me? ", clearly he was less afraid but still stuttered as he asked

"Not the way to thank a savior ", Adam said with visible disgust in his eyes as he brought out a pack of cigarette

"Thank You ", he said bluntly, "but there is a reason why you saved me", he said looking at Adam who lighted his cigarette with a lighter and puffed out a smoke

"Yes, why do you steal? ", Adam asked and the thief went numb his bulgy eyes commemorating with his bald head which toned well with his dark skin, "I asked why do you steal? "And this stroke the numbness off

"I was hungry, I had to eat", he blurted out as he looked down

"That is not a reason, you could have chose to die hungry than steal, work or beg but you chose theft", Adam said looking at the guy with more curiosity

"I don't want to die, I looked for work but couldn't find any", the thief said and Adam stood up with the cold looks still in his face

"You will be here till you tell me the reason why you stole", Adam said and before the thief could talk he vanished.