‘Old Christmas’ by Stephen Merion

Old Christmas by Stephen Merion, 2005

The magic trick:

Dropping hints and signs along the way to make a massive transformation seem believable

We have a very short journey in today’s story. Short in that it happens over the course of only four pages. Long in the sense that it involves the saving of a man’s soul. Anyway, the story does a very nice job of making that transformation believable. We get hints along the way that Marcus respects and likes Brother Eric. So that when the moment of truth finally arrives, we’re not shocked. And that’s quite a trick on Merion’s part.

The selection:

What did you do?

What did I not do, Marcus? That is the question. What did I not do?

I didn’t do nothing, said Marcus. All I done was steal a typewriter.

Brother Eric smiled at him as if he were seeing something he remembered fondly in himself.