Tearing The Shroud Read Free Page A

confused. ‘Magi?’
    ‘That’s Magic,’ Julie said. ‘Magic, Magi, The Magic Man, Mag, all the same person. It just depends who you’re talking to.’
    ‘Ah. Okay. Thanks,’ he said, with a smile. ‘Why does his name sound familiar?’
    ‘It should,’ E.T. said. ‘Magic’s famous.’
    ‘Or infamous,’ Knife said. ‘Again, it depends on who you talk to.’
    Flea said, ‘Remember the guy that jumped off the cliff one night freshman year?’
    Vincent, having a mouthful of food, nodded.
    ‘Well that was Magi.’
    ‘And the flood at Muller Dorm?’ Julie asked quietly.
    ‘Mmmmh,’ he said around his drink.
    Her eyes twinkled as she spoke. ‘Some say he did it.’
    Flea leaned forward. ‘How about when he appropriated the Christmas tree from the caf entrance?’ He pointed to a spot near them. ‘The place is full, we have a blackout during dinner, and when the lights come back on, the tree’s gone.’
    Knife lowered his drink and spoke. ‘Did you hear about the small fire in the north side of the caf last year?’
    Vincent nodded. ‘Yeah, I was here. Lots of black smoke, and the staff running around with extinguishers.’
    ‘That was Magi, too.’
    ‘How do you know it was him?’
    Knife grinned. ‘I handed him the lighter.’
    ‘No way.’
    ‘Really?’
    ‘How’d it happen?’
    The group slipped into an easy rhythm of conversation and Vincent’s usual discomfort around strangers faded.
    Knife went on. ‘Well, the food’s pretty bad here, right?’
    ‘Yeah,’ he said, poking at his noodles
    ‘Magi felt the same way. One night we’re eating, and he said, “This stuff is beyond bad.” I nodded. So he takes my plate and his, then puts them together face-to-face with the food inside.’ Knife made a mashing motion with his hands. ‘Understand?’
    ‘Yeah, like a flying saucer. Then what happened?’
    Flea picked up the tale. ‘Then he put four glasses upside down in a square and set the coffin of plates on top of them. Like a pyre. He slowly covered it with an open napkin, and stuffed more underneath. I wasn’t sure what he had in mind because he had such a solemn look on his face; it was almost reverent. Anyhow, he said, “Knife, your lighter, please.”’
    Knife continued, ‘I handed it to him, thinking he was just messing around. But he wasn’t. He put the business end of the lighter in the napkins and struck it.’ Knife shook his head. ‘The napkins caught right up, and the plastic started smoking almost immediately. He watched it for a second then calmly got up and walked away from the table. We were so stunned, we just went with him. He never said a word, but did look back once with an expression like “I wonder who did that?”’
    ‘You never know what’s gonna happen when he’s around,’ Flea said.
    They were all smiling, enjoying the story; Vincent understood why Flea liked them.
    Knife tossed his napkin on his partially eaten food. ‘So, everyone up for gaming?’
    ‘Tonight?’ Flea asked. ‘I thought we were getting together tomorrow. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I’m going to the shop tonight to get a new wizard.’
    ‘Whoa there, big guy. I meant tomorrow.’ Knife put his hands up toward Flea.
    ‘Ah. Sorry.’ Flea rubbed the back of his neck.
    Knife looked at Vincent. ‘You should join us.’
    Vincent nodded. ‘Flea was telling me about it earlier. Maybe I will.’
    ‘Cool.’ Mike spoke for the first time; his voice had an adolescent squeak.
    Emily stood up abruptly and shoved in her chair. ‘Well, I think our group is full enough.’ With a hard look at him and Julie, she stalked off.
    Julie’s face turned red. She quietly got up from the table. ‘I guess I better get going.’
    ‘Hey,’ Vincent said gently. ‘You don’t have to leave.’
    ‘No. Really.’ She quickly regained her composure. ‘I’m finished anyhow, and I have a paper to get to so I can be free tomorrow night. Will I see you there?’
    ‘Sure,’ Vincent said, dipping