Magnifico the Great

Magnifico the Great had the hardest job in the world, in this very moment, in Andrew’s opinion. 

Not only did he have to fool a group of toddlers into believing in magic, but he had to keep the parents entertained enough to not ruin the show.

Andrew had been running the kids program at the library for a few months. And it had been pretty smooth running for the most part. 

But the kids Summer reading program was wrapping up. And this was the big show. Where librarians are made.

He had planned everything out perfect- had an event for the kickoff with balloons and crafts, as well as live music. Weekly contests with prizes for the kids and adults. And once a month, he had scheduled a special appearance from a local performer. 

Everything was going great. Balloon Bob had killed it in June. Wild Tony had brought some wild cats and a couple lizards for kids to see and pet, and they ate that shit up. 

And to end the program, he had hired Jen-triloquist- an up and coming ventriloquist that was killing it on the kids scene and cost half his budget for the summer program.

The hype for her appearance was unreal. 

And the bitch had the audacity to cancel the morning of because “her Nan Nan was on the way out.” 

Her Nan Nan couldn’t have chosen a worst time to be dealing with cancer. 

So what did Andrew do? 

He put on his big boy pants, stopped crying, and called every act he could to replace her last minute.

Of the 100 acts he tried calling, only one was available. 

Fucken Magnifico. 

His reviews were non-existent, and his web presence was limited to a wonky site that looked like it was made in the late 90s.

 The glitter text gave Andrew a migraine. 

But he was cheap, and he was apparently nearby (according to the vague information he could find on the page). 

The phone call didn’t give him much to work with either.

“Hello”

“...”

“Um, I was looking for Magnifico the Great? I was hoping to hire him for an urgent event I have for today.”

“Yes, I am he. Where is the event?”

“You're available?! That’s amazing! You won’t believe how ma-”

“Where. Where is the event?”

“Oh. Uh, yes. It’s going to be at the Oarlito library. Are you nearby? I wasn’t able to find out exactly where-”

“What time is the event?”

“Yes, straight to business I see. Can you be here at 2pm?”

-click-

The guy wasn’t the most fun chat, that was for sure. But he just needed to make it on time and Andrew wouldn’t give a damn. The Summer program might not go out with a bang, but it needed something to wrap it up. 

Or it would be his ass.

 His boss had told him the kids program needed to be a success if there was going to be any chance of him getting a raise.

Jen-triloquist, had really fucked him on this one. 

Andrew had been seating people into a packed auditorium for the performance, breaking it to them real gentle-like that there had been a change in the performance. Though most of the parents seemed upset, nobody was upset enough to leave. 

What were they going to do, turn down free child entertainment? Not a chance. 

Ten minutes before the show was set to start, Andrew saw the Oldsmobile pull into the parking lot from one of the auditorium windows. He hadn’t smoked in years, but the itch to light up was calling him. Andrew stopped mid conversation and walked to the parking lot to meet the guest of honor.

An old man in a grey suit, with a dark cape, emerged from the car. Both looked worn out, and nearing the end of their run. But the man seemed to have a spry step, and quickly bounded to the back of the car. He popped the trunk, and pulled out a small duffle bag, and a large black case that somehow seemed bigger than the trunk it came out of. Though it was big, it must have been empty. Magnifico lifted it out like it was nothing, slammed his trunk closed, and locked eyes with Andrew. 

Andrew’s heart froze

Magnifico’s eyes were  covered in a milky white haze. He appeared to be blind. 

“Hello, you must be Magnifico. My name is Andrew, I spoke to you earlier. Apologies, sorry to be abrasive, but are you blind?”

“For the powers that I bring, I can see just fine.”

“Im sorry, but how the fuck were you able to dri-”

“Sir, did you bring me here to perform? Or to ask me questions?”

“...did you need anything else, besides your bag and empty trunk? A water bottle or a chair? Maybe-”

“The trunk is not empty.”

Magnifico strode towards the library.

“Good afternoon children, parents, friends, and family! My name is Andrew, I run the kids program here at the Oarlito Library, and we are so happy to have you all here!”

A few claps went through the audience.

“Again, I apologize for the change in schedule. But we send all our wishes to Jen-triloquist and her family during these times. Today, I’d like to bring to the stage a man who needs no introductions- because he will be doing his own introductions, as requested. So without any further delay, please welcome- Magnifico the Great!”

The auditorium sat just under a hundred people, and was damn near filled for the first time since Andrew had started working there. As long as nobody made too big of a mess, then the program would be a success. Which meant Andrew could finally afford to buy a Costco membership again. 

Jen-triloquist better not cost him his Costco membership. 

Magnifico walked onto the stage, his head angled down. He carried his bag across his body, and walked with the trunk in his hands. He dropped the trunk with a loud boom that brought the auditorium to a silence. 

“I, am Magnifico the Great. And I am from a far away place, not much unlike this. Today, I bring with me a few of my personal things that I would like to… share with you all.” 

As Magnifico pulled his bag off his body, Andrew realized he had never really asked about what Magnifico planned to do for his performance. He had assumed some simple stage magic. 

Something in his stomach sat uneasy.

What the fuck is in the trunk.

“You see, where I am from, there are rules and common courtesies that you must follow. For example, always bring a welcome gift for the host.”

Magnifico slowly bent over, his back to the audience, as he reached into his bag. He searched for only a moment.

A few kids snickered to each other, while parents attempted to keep the kids quiet. 

Magnifico turned around, his hands behind his back, shielding the audience and Andrew from seeing what he was holding. He slowly side-stepped to the stage where Andrew was, before handing Andrew…

A bouquet of burgundy and black flowers. 

The crowd awkwardly clapped. Andrew stared, momentarily confused. 

“Flowers are a simple gift. A way to give proper thanks to someone who has invited you into their domain. Thank you.”

Andrew’s stomach turned. A sour small wavered in the air, something he couldn’t quite place. 

“For the rest of us, shall we begin?”

Magnifico pulled out several candles from the bag, setting them on the foot of the stage.

“Sir, if you would be so kind as to dim the lights.”

“Uh, if possible I would prefer if we left the lights on. For safety reasons, we can’t-”

“Sir, the lights. Please.”

Andrew flipped four switches, leaving only the handful of lights on the floor of the stage. 

Though it was the end of Summer, Andrew noticed that it seemed much darker than it should have in the auditorium.

“I come from a long line of those invested in magic… and the occult. My great grandfather, a simple man, documented much of the history of our family.”

There was that fucken smell again. It was like entering a stale locker room.

Magnifico, having lit the candles, reached into the bag and pulled out a small wrapped bundle. He walked to the center of the stage and set it on the floor.

“I’ve read the books that my great grandfather has written many times, studied them for many years. I have met and communed with many followers, and do you know what the consensus is between us all?”

The crowd remained silent.

“The consensus is that the time is near.”

“Magnifico, sir, I’m sorry but I think some of the kids and parents are getting a bit uncomf-”

Magnifico shot Andrew a look of contempt.

The room had been silent. With only the candles to light the auditorium, Andrew realized he couldn’t see a single person from the stage.

Magnifico walked to the center of the stage and unwrapped the bundle, revealing a small statue figure about the length of his arm. He gently placed the figure down, and continued to kneel in front of it. With a quick movement, a small glint of light flashed briefly as Magnifico withdrew a small blade from his pocket. The blade traced his hand, with Magnifico’s arm jerking slightly as he pricked his thumb.

It’s not stale air. It’s moisture, like … like being in a room that had been flooded or something.

Magnifico traced his bleeding thumb across the top of the figure. 

“Okay, Mr. Magnifico, I think that's enough. Clearly this ‘performance’ of yours wasn’t what I expected. Parents, I apologize about the mix-”

“SIT. DOWN. DO NOT INTERRUPT ME AGAIN.”

Andrew, who had been half way to center stage, sat down shocked. 

But he wasn’t shocked from Magnifico. He realized, as he had turned to the auditorium to speak to the parents, that he still couldn’t see anybody.

The auditorium was full of darkness. And the smell of salt and sweat.

Thats what it is. The room smells like the pier, those restaurants that serve fried fish.

“As followers, we commune and wait to awaken the Great Ones. Having waited for many centuries, the time has come. Things are finally aligned.”

Magnifico paused to glance down at Andrew, no longer with contempt. With a small smile, he said: 

“I awaited your call.”

Andrew felt nauseous, the scent of stale moisture filling the room. He looked away from Magnifico, his eyes dropping to the small figure he sat near.

What he thought had been a crow or bird of some sort (like a dumbass, he had assumed he might pull it out of a hat?), he realized the figure was some sort of tentacled creature. It had large wings, and was hunched onto all four, with tentacles appearing toemerge from all over it’s body. 

The figure was carved from some sort of ivory. And almost seemed to move as he stared at it. 

“Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.”

Magnifico stood behind the figure and chanted loudly. The room echoed, more loudly than an auditorium should.

Andrew could hear a small humming sound.

“Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.”

Jesus Christ, our lord and savior. Please, please, PLEASE, protect me. Im sorry what I said about Jen-triloquist. Just pleaseee …

Thunk. Thunk.

Andrew looked behind Magnifico. Had the trunk moved? He stood up slowly, eyes locked on the trunk, watching. 

Magnifico paused his chanting. 

“I’d like to thank you all for being here for this momentous day. As we draw closer to the end, I'd like to again thank our host for this evening.”

Andrew looked down at his hands, as he realized he was still holding the bouquet. But what he thought had been flowers, he realized were some sort of small tentacles that had been covered in blood. 

And they had started to squirm. 

“Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.”

Andrew dropped the flowers and stepped back, almost falling off the stage. 

Thunk. Thunk.

As he looked at the trunk, a single candle flickered out. The humming continued to grow louder. 

A second candle flickered out.

Get the fuck outta here. NOW. Fuck these people.

Andrew turned, ready to sprint off the stage of the library auditorium. The door was opposite the stage, and way too far at this moment, through the blanket of darkness where all the children and parents were. 

Or at least where they were supposed to be.

“Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.”

A third candle flickered out. Andrew glanced at Magnifico. Shadows covered most of him as strange figures danced about behind him on the stage. 

Two candles remained lit. 

Andrew turned to run and heard the Thunk Thunk as the trunk shifted on the stage. He jumped into the front of the auditorium. The auditorium that only minutes before sat near a hundred people. 

That now sat only darkness

Andrew made two bounds before he heard the last two candles flicker out. He stood in the middle of the auditorium, holding his breath and waiting for his eyes to adjust. 

As he stood in the darkness, he heard what sounded like a heavy mop drag across the stage, followed by a steady stream of water empty onto the stage. As quietly as he could, Andrew attempted to stumble towards the exit. 

Towards his car. 

Towards safety. 

His foot caught a chair, and a loud metal clang rang out. Before he had time to react, something seared into his arm. His eyes, which had just started to adjust, saw what looked like a large tentacle rest on his arm. But it was only there for a moment.

Schluck-luk-luk.

He no longer saw the tentacle in the dark, only his arm- which glistened in the dark. He stared at the muscles of his forearm, newly stripped of the skin that had covered it for so many years. As he prepared to scream, Andrew heard the heavy mop sound again, and felt the tentacle wrap around his mouth and eyes. 

Andrew smelled the decay and musk of thousands of years of stale water. As the tentacle began to squeeze, he briefly could taste his fear.

But only briefly.