The Great Mandingo needed a volunteer!  The others ribbed Brian until he finally raised his hand.  Being called forth to the stage, the magician grinned at Brian in an almost lewd way.  "Don't worry m'boy," the man said in his high-pitched voice.  "I'll take care of you just fine.  Go ahead and step into the box."  The box on stage was one of those big affairs that had to have some trick to it.  Maybe he just hopped up or hopped down, he'd seen how those things worked.  Then again, when he stepped inside, it was dark beyond what he'd imagined possible.<br/><br/>The sounds of the audience disappeared when the door shut.  Sound proof?  Why would someone need to sound proof a box such as this?  Then he felt something slithering against him.  Had to be a trick of the mind in a sensory deprived situation like this.  Couldn't be anything real.  The feeling continued, sliding up along his leg, leaving some type of wetness behind.  What the....  He bent down to touch it, seeing what was there.  The thing wrapped around his wrist and shot up his arm.  In moments the inky darkness swallowed him whole, his screams blocked out by the thing itself and the box.<br/><br/>Outside people were cheering and screaming as the box shook and convulsed.  When Mandingo opened the door, all that was inside was the darkened corners of the box.  A turn, a magical chant, and the box was re-opened.  "Brian" stepped out, waving at the crowd and thanking Mandingo before bounding up to sit with his friends.  They were none the wiser that something else had taken Brian's place in the span of a few minutes.