Free Beautiful Illusion by Aubrey Sage Page B

back, slowly at first and then moving in a frenzy.
    “Hell, I need a drink,” I muttered lowly.
    “There’s wine in the serving area,” Mikayla said.
    “I’m alright. I don’t want miss whatever is about to happen,” I replied.
    For the next two minutes, Enigma struggled furiously with the chains behind his back and bubbles were starting to leak out of his mouth. His eyes were wide, and some people in the crowd were beginning to panic.
    14:30
    Enigma’s face was purple and his face was twisted in fear.
    “What the fuck Mikayla? He’s not out of the chains yet.”
    Mikaya shook her head from side to side. “I don’t know. All I know is I’m not supposed to unlock the tank until fifteen minutes are up and his hands are undone.”
    “Well, you’ve got less than 30 seconds before you’re supposed to unlock him, so get ready.”
    Mikayla picked a set of the keys off of the table and swallowed as she sat anxiously at the side of the stage.
    My hands were getting clammy.
    By the time there were 15 seconds left, the voices in the crowd had grown loud, full, and a few people were looking around, worried that something had gone wrong.
    “Is there a signal or something? In case something goes wrong?”
    “Yeah, he’s supposed to tap on his knees three times if he’s trapped.”
    “Tap on his knees?! That doesn’t make sense! His hands are chained behind his back!”
    Mikayla gave me a ditzy ‘I didn’t think of that’ face and I looked back out toward the capsule. The water inside was difficult to see through from the wild, erratic movements that Enigma was making inside, trying desperately to free himself.
    “Five…” the crowd said in unison as the clock reached 14:55. I noticed a few people standing with their hands over their mouth because they were certain that the act had failed. “Four… Three…”
    Enigma made a hard jerk with his hands, and the chains around his wrist suddenly fell free and to the bottom of the capsule below.
    A few people cheered.
    “Two…”
    Mikayla bolted out onto the stage and reached to stairs of the capsule as soon as the clock struck 15:00.
    “One…”
    Bubbles were seeping more rapidly out of Enigma’s mouth as Mikayla stuck the key in the lock and turned. He looked desperate—desperate to get a breath of fresh air.
    But he wasn’t getting out yet.
    The crowd all rose to their feet and the cheers turned to voices of panic as Mikayla struggled to get the key to open the chains. She turned and turned, but it wasn’t working, then she pulled on the chain and yelled out to the other staff members backstage “It’s stuck!”
    15:15
    Holy shit , I thought. The idea of Enigma dying right then and there suddenly seemed very real.
    Two other assistants rushed to Mikayla, and each tried their hand at unlocking the chain, but it wasn’t working. Enigma pounded the top of the stainless steel lid, and through the glass it looked like he was trying to scream.
    That’s when I noticed a second set of keys lying on the table nearby. Mikayla had set two sets there… one for the lid and one for his wrists. Had she somehow grabbed the wrong keys?
    I snatched the keys and flew as fast as I could towards the capsule, almost tripping on my heels as I ran. The second time I misstepped, I just kicked my heels off behind me and continued to scurry towards the steps as fast as I could barefoot. I could see Enigma staring at me with confused eyes, his cheeks swollen with spoiled air and fear.
    “The keys! Do you have the wrong keys?!” I screamed as I climbed hurriedly up the stairs.
    “I don’t know!” Mikayla breathed heavily as she scooted out of the way and let me kneel down to try the other set. The banging of Enigma’s fists up there sounded so loud, so desperate.
    I rammed a key into the keyhole, and when I turned it. I heard an affirming click and all three of the assistants and myself started pulling on the chain as hard and fast as we could.
    Enigma’s pounding on the