Author's Note

April 2022

Oh cruelest of fate, why have thou placed me in this spot? Our new substitute judge is in fact one of my competitors for another competition. What chance do I have at winning this month when I'm going to be winning the other competition?

Brash, you say? How can I not be when my entry is about a magician and a rabbit, they go together like peanut butter and jelly. I even placed research into it...

...and I discovered something interesting...

Baby Blue

The Haunting

Trixie leaves the stage in excessive hubris. She turns to the stallion performing next, "Sorry, but I've stolen the show."

"My experience will get them soon enough," he displays his own pride, "but I have to ask, where'd you learn the trade?"

"Self-taught."

"That makes us similar."

"It was mainly intended to cheer up my mother. Being a single parent, she was often under a lot of stress. She had a fondness for watching magic, so performing for her brought a smile to her fa-..."

"...face?"

"...I'm just realizing... now through older eyes... she was smiling... but... but she looked like she was on the verge of tears... and also said... 'You're a spinning image of him.'"

The sound of another applause pulls Trixie's attention.

"Looks like you're up, Jackpot. ...Jackpot?"

Trixie turns back, receiving a pale expression from the stallion.

"What's wrong? You look like you're guilty of something."