Entry #78

Don’t Play With Me...
by Thomas Joyce


‘Do I have your attention now Mr....Purso? Can I call you Evan?’ said the more talkative of the two as he looked through Evan’s wallet. Evan said nothing. He only sat and watched as the other man, the quiet one, held the waitress by the arm. It was hard to believe that only moments ago he had been sitting in his booth, flirting with the waitress and believing that the only other people in the bar, the two men watching the television above the bar, had been minding their own business.

‘Don’t play with me, Evan,’ said the talker, urgently pressing the point of his blade between two of his ribs. ‘That was more than a magic trick.’

The “trick” he was referring to had been Evan’s idea of impressing the waitress, making the flame on top of the candle dance with just his mind and an outstretched hand, causing the uncomfortably hot sensation in his head and allowing the two men to make their move. But now it was Evan’s turn. The speed of his movement surprised the men as he gripped both of their wrists and inhaled sharply. Every candle in the room lost its flame as he sucked them up, merging them within and expanding the flame until he could feel the heat spreading down his arms. He was relieved to see the waitress take cover behind the bar as the three men were engulfed.

‘You should not have played with me.’