Old Bones by Paul Prater

Published in the USA by Ravenwood Magic in 2010.

Ravenwood Magic 3115 Donaldson Lane White Hall, AR 71602

Copyright © 2010, Ravenwood Magic

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in or introduced in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, manual, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior express written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be labile for criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Design, layout and photography by Paul A. Prater.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS The Revenant

5

Boo Bait

9

The Key to Marie

13

3

4

The Revenant I have a great uncle who has a wonderful Southern plantation house in Water Valley, Mississippi. On our way to Florida, we decided to spend the night there. I always liked the house and how it made you feel like you had stepped back in time. There is a ballroom upstairs where my wife and I were able to do the tango and waltz. It really is a beautiful old house. After everyone went to bed (which was around 8:00 since my great uncle and aunt are in their 80’s) I decided to look through the old library. This is one of those libraries that has bookshelves from the floor to the ceiling. All of the bookshelves are full of books and since I love books, I would spend a lot of time in that room. One particular book caught my eye. It was an old leather bound book that was worn. I opened the book and breathed in the old musty smell that accompanies these old books. As I turned the pages I was surprised at what I found.

It was a book about

hunting vampires. It looked like someone My cousin’s old house in Water Valley, Mississippi.

had found the book and made comments about the information in the book. I was

particularly intrigued as that person appeared to know something about magic. Here is one of the entries in the book for how to identify a corpse that is a vampire.

My cousin’s old house in Water Valley, Mississippi.

5

How to Detect the Revenant By Way of Bone It is commonly known that the bodies of the revenant are highly combustible. These creatures seem to excrete an oily substance from their skin and perhaps this contributes to the great conflagration that occurs when fire is applied to their bodies. If you have managed to obtain a bone fragment from the creature, there is another test that can be done to confirm that they are not amoung the living. Using a mortar and pestle, finely grind some of the bones of the revenant. Once the bones are finely ground, hold them over a candle, a foot or so above the flame. Lightly sprinkle the bones and you will have a great fire if the bones are indeed from the revenant. Furthermore, there will be stench, like that of death following the fire.


Notes



This
one
is
also
easy
to
do.

You
can
show
the
bone
to
everyone


and
do
a
false
transfer
to
a
mortar
and
pestle.
Simply
hold
the
bone
in
your
hand.

As
you
turn
your
hand
down,
use
your
thumb
to
hold
onto
the
bone.
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Let
the
bone
lightly
hit
the
side
of
the
mortar
to
make
a


sound
like
the
bone
has
dropped
into
the
mortar.

This
strengthens
the
illusion
of
placing
the
bone
into
the
mortar.



As
for
the
flame,
powdered
coffee
creamer,
lightly
sprinkled
over


a
fire
will
produce
a
great
flame.

As
for
the
smell,
finely
cut
bits
of
hair
will
do
nicely.





I
am
sure
that
in
the
time
of
the
author,
he
used
some
other


chemical
such
as
saltpeter
(potassium
nitrate)
which
is
still
available
in
pharmacies
and
is
commonly
used
as
an
accelerant
in
pyrotechnics.





However,
if
we
are
talking
about
abominations,
why
not
use
that


abomination
to
coffee,
powdered
creamer.

It
is
cheap,
readily
available
and
works
well.



Oh
yes,
I
almost
forgot.

How
do
you
get
the
creamer
in
the


mortar?

It
was
in
there
all
along.
No
one
ever
said
you
have
to
show
anyone
the
inside.


7

8

BOO BAIT The doorbell rang and the man opened the door. There was a group of ghosts and goblins with their orange plastic jack o’ lanterns brimming with candy. “Trick or treat!” the shouted in unison. The man looked past the kids off in the distance. He jerked his head to the left and then back to the right. All of the kids were watching him. “Did you see the ghost?” Some of the kids shrieked with mock fear, most of them were laughing. “You didn’t see him?” “He isn’t anyone to worry about. His name is Boobert and he is my friend. I met him one night while on a walk. I ran into him on a dead end street.” The man waited for the obligatory moans. “He is actually pretty shy. Every now and then he will come out to play, but not very often. I do have something that sometimes gets him to come out. Do you want to see him?” The kids all responded with wild yelling. They were high on candy corns and other sugary treats. “I will need someone to help me.” The magician picked out a green faced witch. She came up and stood beside him. “I have something very special in this little container. Can you read what it says?” The girl took the container and read “Boo Bait.” “That’s right, this is Boo Bait. This is how you catch a ghost.” “Please open the container of boo bait. Take a look inside. You see the bait?” The witch looked up and shook her head no.

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“Are you sure? Look really hard. Do you see the bait in there?” This time the girl shook her head yes. “Much better. I want you to get a little pinch of the bait and drop it into my hand. I want to see if we can lure him into my hand.” The man made a little motion with his hand. He then looked into his hand and slowly opened it. The magician showed it to be empty. “I know what the problem is. We didn’t call him. We need

to

say,

“Hey

Boobert.” I need everyone to help me call him. On the count of three, let’s call him. One…two…three…” The kids all yelled. The man looked in his hand and then looked surprised. “Did anyone see him fly in there? No? Look.” The magician pulled out a little white ghost and all of the kids squealed with delight.

10

METHOD

I was asked to perform at a friend’s child’s Halloween party. Honestly, I don’t particularly enjoy doing shows for children and generally avoid them. But, this was a friend and this was a Halloween party! I couldn’t resist, so I performed as a vampire and everything was done with a ghostly theme. This is done with the use of a thumb tip. The container that says “Boo Bait” is a metal gum container from Starbucks. I painted it black and then wrote “Boo Bait” with a gold paint pen. You can also design a logo on the computer and then print it on sticker paper and stick it on your box. The ghost is just a small white silk. I used a Sharpie to draw on eyes and a mouth. As far as the timing, I don’t transfer the thumb tip to the hand until after showing it empty. Moving the hand and slowly showing it empty builds up suspense. When I show it empty, everyone relaxes, focus shifts and then, I quickly put the thumb tip into the hand as I am begin talking again. Simple and fun.

11

12

THE KEY TO MARIE Everyone at the party knew that the guy in the pirate costume was a magician. Even those who didn’t know him knew from people talking. Everyone anticipated that he would do something fun since it was Halloween. Eventually the host asked if he had anything to perform. “Not really,” he answered. He turned to walk off. “Wait, I do have something I want to show you.” “I went to New Orleans recently, and while I was there, I saw the tomb of Marie Laveau. Marie Laveau was known as a wise woman, a healer, a charlatan and a voodoo queen. She was known as many things. It was also said that she lived beyond the grave. While her funeral was well attended, people claimed that she continued to be seen after her death. Not only seen, but that she continued to work as well.” “I have read about Marie Laveau and was eager to visit her gravesite when I was in New Orleans. I went with part of a tour, but I wandered off just long enough to mark the grave with the three XXX’s and made my wish.” The pirate paused. “Well maybe, I stayed a bit longer. I saw a key, a piece of brick and a shell, all left at her crypt. They were gifts for her, but I grabbed them. I shouldn’t have.” The pirate pulled out a small wooden box with symbols on it. The mood in the room started to change. “You see, I have been seeing things, I think. I see shadows moving out of the corner of my eye. I see a woman; a dark woman in a white dress. I turn to look and she is gone. I don’t think anyone is really there. The nightmares…they are vivid. I won’t describe them.” “I think that I have been cursed. I also think that I have a solution. If we can draw her spirit here tonight, I think I can trap it. I need everyone to help.” “I need two people to help.”

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The pirate looked around the room and called on the two girls dressed in ttogas ogas and covered with glitter. They had been referred to as the glitter girls all night. They wore the glitter and togas well. “I need each of you to help me.”” “Are Are you right handed or left handed?” he asked one of the girls girls. “Right handed,” she answered. “Please take this piece of brick in your left hand.” ith the second girl He repeated this with and handed her the shell. “Now Now I need each of you to please take my hand as I hold the key. I nee need one of you to hold the tips of my fingers and the other to hold my wrist. Whatever happens, do not let go, do you understand?” The girls looked at each other, then at him and nodded.

Portrait ortrait of Marie Laveau

They did as he asked and he placed the key across his palm. “Marie, Marie, I know you have come to me. I believe yo you u have cursed me. I want you to leave me. I have your items here. I have your brick, the earth, for marking the he tombs, I have the shell she which symbolizes the water, over which your religion traveled. I have your key which allows you to open the door between the worlds. worlds.” “If If you are here, if you have any power, then prove it. Open the door between the worlds and show yourself here. Show yourself, appear. appear.” As the pirate was speaking one of the girls gasped. The key was rotating in the th pirate’s hand. It turned all the way over and came to stop.

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“Marie, I see you have made your presence known. Please know that these people have your items. They are holding your possessions. I am innocent. Please leave your curses with them and leave me be.” The pirate set the key on the hosts table and walked away.

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