2003

Ten year old Madge listens from her room as her drunk alcoholic father beats her mother. “You’re a fucking whore Sarah! All you do is fuck every guy who looks at you at the bar! Pouring drinks for guys who just want to fuck you and you spread those legs real easy because you’re a fucking pig!” Frank was an asshole and his drinking had gotten worse since he lost his job making Sarah the sole provider as a bartender. His fragile ego couldn’t handle his wife making more money than him. 

Sarah took the beatings to keep her daughter Madge from his wrath. Madge knew to keep clear of her father especially when he’s drinking. But tonight was different. Tonight Sarah received the news she had ovarian cancer. 

“You think I can afford your pussy cancer now? Your pussy is rotting because of all the dicks you put in there!” Frank screams as he punched his wife in the stomach. Madge was always afraid of dad and now she was afraid because mom is sick. She heard her mother scream in a panic as Frank grabbed a kitchen knife. 

“I’m just gonna cut that pussy cancer out! Get over here you whore!” He yells. Sarah runs into Madges room and grabs her daughter by the arm. “We gotta go baby! Come on hurry! Run sweetie run!” she tells Madge. She runs to the front door as she sees her father behind them holding a large knife. They run down four flights of stairs in the apartment building. Nobody cared about the noise and screaming. It was a common occurrence in Delta City’s Bowery district. 

Sarah and Madge made it to the street and Frank was still behind them. Sarah needed to hide, but there was nowhere Frank couldn’t find them. As she turns the corner she sees a man resembling a carnival barker advertising a free magic show. 

“Come one come all and see Marvo The Magnificent dazzle you with his illusions! Free magic show!” He yells as he sees Sarah and Madge. “Welcome! Free magic show for the girl, ma’am?” He asks. Sarah knows Frank is just around the corner looking for them. She can hear him yelling out “SARAH! I’LL FIND YOU!” 

Sarah nods vigorously in agreement to the man and he opens the door welcoming them in with a smile. Sarah runs in quickly with her child. As the door closes it magically disappears and the theater front becomes a brick wall covered in graffiti. Frank runs around the corner and sees the barker who now looks like a homeless man. “Hey bum, you see a slut with her kid run by here?” He asks. “Spare change mister?” he replies holding his hand out. Frank runs down the street looking for his wife and kid. 

Sarah had no idea that run down old theater was so gorgeous on the inside. There weren’t many people in the theater either. An usher led Sarah and Madge to the front row at the stage. “Enjoy the show folks!” he said. Then a young lady brought them popcorn and refreshments. Sarah thanked the lady, but explained they didn’t have money. “It’s complimentary ma’am, enjoy the show!” she replies with a smile. 

The lights of the theater dimmed as a spotlight lit center stage. A dramatic thundering boom and smoke appeared then suddenly Marvo The Magnificent was standing center stage. He was a distinguished older man appearing to be in his late 50s. He wore a distinguished tuxedo with a top hat and a well groomed mustache. 

“Ladies and gentlemen welcome to an evening with Marvo The Magnificent! Tonight you will witness the mysterious world of arcane magic! Where the impossible becomes possible!” Marvo performed his illusions that night and Madge was completely in awe. His show also involved intentional mistakes which made the audience laugh. Marvo wasn’t above making fun of himself. Madge looked over at her mom who was laughing and smiling. For a couple of hours the horrible monster at home wasn’t on their minds. Madge hadn’t seen her smile in a long time. She felt safe as her mom put her arm around her and kissed her cheek. 

When the show was over Madge asked her mom if they could meet Marvo. Just as she said that an usher asked if they would like to see Marvo. They were taken backstage where Marvo was sitting in his dressing room. “Master Marvo, we have a little fan who wanted to meet you.” the usher said. Marvo turned around in his chair with a friendly smile. He stood up and bowed to Madge. “It is my honor to meet you my dear sweet child. What is your name?” he asked. 

Madge smiled brightly as she looked at this powerful wizard who seemingly only wants to make people feel good. “Hi, my name is Madge.” she replies. “What a beautiful name! Do you like magic, Madge?” Marvo asks. Madge nods. “I want to learn magic!” she says. Marvo laughs warmly. “The first step to impressing a crowd is having a mysterious name. Your magical name should be hmmm.. Majick.” He says smiling. He pulls out a necklace with a coin attached to it. “This is the coin of Marvo! Every illusionist worth his salt has his own coin. I gift you this with your first words of magic… Nosburu Guardis.” Hold this coin close to your heart and repeat the incantation, it will guard you.” he says as he puts the necklace on Madge. “Thank you Mister Marvo.” Madge says. 

Sarah smiles at Marvo. “It was a wonderful show thank you so much Mister Marvo.” she says. Marvo looks at Sarah and sees the bruising around her eye she tries to hide with make up. Marvo hands her a black business card with a red magical sigil on one side and “Marvo The Magnificent” on the other. “If you need assistance please don’t hesitate to summon me.” he says as Sarah looks at the card with no contact information on it. She laughs and looks at him warmly putting the card in her pocket. “Thank you.” she says as they leave and head back home. 

Sarah and Madge slowly open the door to their apartment. Frank had passed out on the couch. It would be okay now. He wasn’t violent after he woke up. He’d be too hung over to do much. They fell asleep together on Madge’s tiny bed. Madge loved when her mom would put her arm around her as they slept. She always felt comforted and loved by her. 

The peace of the morning was suddenly shattered as Frank kicked open the bedroom door yelling at Sarah. “You fucked a magician last night you whore?” he screams holding the Marvo The Magnificent business card. “Did he make his cock disappear into your rotting cunt?” he screams as he pulls out the kitchen knife. Sarah puts Madge behind her trying to protect her. She shook her head indicating no as her voice trembled in fear. “W…we.. Just saw a show..thats it.” she says terrified. “Now you’re spending money we don’t have on shows? You worthless fucking cunt!” He yells as he backhands Sarah making her nose bleed. He winds up again getting ready to strike his wife when Madge jumps up and gets between them. “Madge No! Get behind me baby!” Sarah says. 

“No mom! He shouldn’t hit you, he shouldn’t make you afraid all the time!” she defiantly says. 

Frank looks at Madge angrily. “YOU need to learn your place ya little shit!” he says as he pulls his fist back to beat his child. 

Madge puts her hand on her heart pushing the Marvo coin against her skin with her other hand pushing her dad away and repeats the incantation. 

“Nosburu Guardis! Nosburu Guardis! Nosburu Guardis!” 

Sarah with tears in her eyes screaming “Madge get behind me!” as the child fearlessly faces the monster. Frank is going to kill Madge. 

The front door of the apartment bursts open as a uniformed police officer announces “DCPD drop the knife motherfucker!” the cop yells. 

Frank looks over to see a gorgeous blonde rookie cop with a gun on him. He laughs. “Fucking woman cop needs a gun to be tough!” He says. 

The rookie cop puts her gun in the holster. “Let’s go asshole!” she says as Frank charges her with his knife. She disarms him quickly and has him in cuffs in seconds. In the front doorway a bloated police veteran is huffing and puffing from running up the stairs. “Patrolman Hunt! You always ALWAYS wait for backup!” he scolds. 

Young rookie Rebecca Hunt looks up at her superior officer. “They’d be dead if I waited for you.” she says looking at Madge. “You okay, kid?” Rebecca asks. Madge and Sarah nod. “You got guts, kid.” Rebecca says to Madge. 

Madge looks at her mom. “The magic worked mom!” she says. Sarah hugs Madge. “Sweetheart, thank God you’re okay.” she says. “I love you, mom.” Madge says. The black business card mysteriously vanished after the ordeal was over. 

Within a year the cancer takes Sarah and Madge is alone. She is taken into the foster care system living with uncaring family after uncaring family. She continues studying magic and searches for Marvo The Magnificent with no luck. She takes the name Majick and works at the local arcane magic shop. She’s considered a “freak” and goes full goth in her teen years. She survives by hustling magic and develops her own incantations. She gets the reputation of a “bad girl” magical mistress and hangs out with unsavory people. 

When she’s 20 a handsome wealthy man walks into her store with a question and an offer. “Majick, what do you think of Superwoman?” he asks. “She says she saves people, but she never saved me or my mom. I think she’s full of shit.” Majick replies. The man smiles. “I need your knowledge of magic to help me create a way to take Superwomans powers from her. I have resources and toys that you’d love to play with. You in?” he asks. “Yeah, I’m in.” she replies. “What do I call you?” she asks. 

The man smiles “BadGuy”

TO BE CONTINUED…