After placing third in a school competition despite his amazing deception, a young boy’s Halloween costume went viral online and sparked criticism. The boy’s amazing appearance—a mind-bending garment that made it look like he was cut in half and holding his own torso—has led thousands to rally online, saying he should have won first place.

Viewers are baffled by the inventive costume, which was displayed at Admira Moorer Middle School in Eufaula, Alabama. The boy appears to completely defy physics in pictures that went viral. Onlookers are truly perplexed as to how he managed to create the illusion of him holding his legs in front of him rather than standing normally.

You can only imagine how shocked his parents were when he didn’t win. The school gave him third place despite what a lot of people think is a winning appearance. One student dressed as Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family, and another as an elderly guy, took the top two positions. Even though the competition ended last year, the controversy surrounding the contest’s outcome has been rekindled by the images’ current social media comeback.

The internet swiftly rallied to the boy’s defense, with Twitter users expressing disbelief. One commenter said, “Biased judges, rigged popularity contest.” Another added, “He ought to have prevailed.” As more people expressed their sympathy for the boy, remarks like “They did bro dirty” were frequent.

However, there is some context that might explain the unexpected results. According to Advance Local, an Alabama-based publication, the judging wasn’t solely based on costume creativity. Contestants were expected to perform a skit in addition to showing off their costumes, with points awarded for staying true to the event’s “Harvest Dance” theme and how well they engaged the audience. While the boy’s costume wowed everyone, it’s possible he was edged out by other students’ performances.

Despite the results, one mystery remains: how did he manage such an impressive optical illusion? Social media users are still wondering about his creative techniques, with one writing, “Can someone tell me the secret to this costume? I still can’t figure it out…” Another added, “How’s he doing this is the real question.”

It’s actually easier than it looks for those who are interested in replicating the style. To begin, cut two holes where your knees would normally be in the back of an oversized pair of slacks. Next, take off the back of a big shirt so that it hangs over your shoulders and neck, giving the impression that you are clutching your legs. Stuff the pants to give them shape and reinforce the waist with cardboard. Last but not least, bend back a little and slide your real legs into the pants to give the impression that your lower torso is gone.

Online viewers are still adamant that this teenage illusionist should have won first place in the argument over this creative costume.