You talk about the power of the flames and how images can sometimes materialize from the ashes, how the images can become real strong and powerful. Is it our minds? Or maybe our imagination? What is real and what is not?

As you explain, you proceed and hand a spectator a felt tip pen and a piece of tissue paper with the request that he will either write a number upon it if he is a business type person, or a letter if he is more of a romantic.

You than ask him to show to the rest of the audience what he had written.

When this has been done he is to crumple the piece of tissue paper and place it in an ashtray.

You than hand him a box of matches (Or a lighter) and ask him to burn the paper until it turns to nothing but burnt ashes.

You than proceed and reach into the ashes. You gather the burnt ashes and slowly sprinkle them upon the back of your hand.

As you "Brush off" the ashes, slowly and visibly, whatever the spectator wrote appears written in ashes on the back of your hand.

Remember:

No force of any kind is used to achieve this effect.

It does not matter what the spectator writes upon the paper.

Whatever it is it will eerily appear on the back of your hand.

No stooges or confederates.

No Pre-show