50-Word Stories

The gunshot rang through the crowded auditorium.

The bumbling magician’s assistant had shot him in the head, shattering the pane of glass placed between them, yet the magician was unhurt.

He didn’t know what to do next. Nobody would believe he’d really caught the bullet after he accidentally swallowed it.

The bumbling magician’s new assistant scoured the city for a pair of fake legs for the classic “sawing a woman in half” trick. She compared mannequins’ legs to her own until she found a match.

Unfortunately, the magician hadn’t mentioned that he’d really wanted to saw her in half vertically.

The bumbling magician waved his wand in a small circle. The unmistakable yet intangible power sent a tingle through his tendons.

He brought the wand above his head as Zeus held his lightning bolt.

With an incantation, something appeared in a smoke cloud: the keys he’d locked in his car.

The bumbling magician bought a larger cage for his fat white rabbit. Its obesity meant it no longer fit inside the magician’s top hat and couldn’t perform.

Only when the magician noticed significant weight loss in his other white rabbit did he realize he was feeding one of them twice.

The bumbling magician submitted a job listing.

WANTED: Magician’s Assistant to fill recently vacated position. Female in twenties with magical or theatrical background preferred.

Must be punctual, dedicated, and comfortable with provocative outfits, late nights and knife-throwing tricks.

Knowledge of first aid and experience removing stains from satin a plus.