“How ‘bout four?”, I piped up. The big red spiraling cloud was in front of me, contained in it, a genie. He looked at me furiously, his gaze practically piercing my very soul. “NO! Only three wishes must be chosen!” His booming voice shook the large desert I was trapped in. “Okay! Okay! I choose to leave this wretched place.” The genie clapped his hands and a whirlwind of sand surrounded us.


In a flash, we were back in the bazaar of the desert town. “HEY! What was that for!? There’s sand all over me!” I yelled. The genie turned around and in an indifferent tone said “Didn’t I do as you wished master? I got you out of the sandy deathtrap”. I could see a glimmer of intelligence in his eyes, or was it mischief? “Get it off of me… NOW!” “Now master” he said menacingly “Are you sure you want to take that tone with me?” “Humph, it doesn’t matter. A genie like you couldn’t do anything about it” When I turned back around to face him he was gone. “Oh what? So now you’re going to run off on me? Figures.” Just then, a sudden puff of red smoke exploded in my face. “Whoa!” When the smoke cleared, there was a bracelet wound in black ties of something evil, swirling around a red middle that seemed to look into your thoughts. “Huh?” It started to move closer until it was just above my wrist. “Wait? Wha-” Suddenly it latched itself onto my arm. I didn’t try to get it off. It was almost… Mystifying. “You have angered me child! I’ve had enough of your games!” The genie appeared seemingly out of nowhere. “This bracelet will force you to choose from not your two remaining wishes, but three! As they are all divine, there is a price for each. As payment for my kindness in not killing you where you stand, you must choose one of these wishes!” “Well what are they” I asked, still looking down at the thing that had locked itself onto my arm. “You may choose from extraordinary intelligence at the price of true love, be richer than any king or ruler, but no one may benefit besides you, or you may have world peace, so long as your life is taken on your 25th birthday.” “That’s easy. I’ll just choose… umm… huh.” “What is it? Having a hard time?” “No of course not. I’m just… choosing… uh… I choose world peace!” “As you wish ‘master’. Just be sure that you understand the consequence.” “I do. I understand it very well.” “Good. Oh, and happy 13th birthday” He said with a grin. There was another puff of red, swirling smoke and then, after it and the dust cleared, nothing.


When I came to, I was looking at my ceiling. ‘Was it… all just a dream?’ As I gazed out my window, I felt something tingling at my wrist. “Oh no…” I said softly “It wasn’t a dream” The bracelet seemed to laugh at me. It seemed to mock my existence.


“Happy Birthday!” That was the first thing I heard before getting tackled by my two daughters, Destiny and Hope. It had been 12 years since my encounter with the genie. “Haha okay, okay that’s enough. I give.” “Happy birfday dada!” Said the four-year-old Destiny. “We made you breakfast!” said her twin, Hope. “Why thank you!” I said, smiling at my kids. I turned my attention to the picture of my wife, who had passed on just about three months ago. I uttered a sigh “I’ll be down in a minute okay?” “Okay!” they said, full of energy. As they ran downstairs I started to get up, suddenly getting pulled down by some unidentified force. ‘What is this’ I thought to myself. Everything turned red as I heard a loud voice saying “Happy 25th birthday!” I gasped, as the voice was all too familiar. The genie I had seen but a decade ago was smiling in front of me. “Time to repay your debt” he said. I took long shaky breaths as I heard a low rumble. Time froze, the clock stopping at 5:13, the exact time of my birth. “No! I won’t let you take me from my daughters!” I started crawling towards the stairs, as the genie hovered over me. “Oh? Your will to survive is immense… too bad it will only be such a waste.” I gasped as my vision went dark, and my last breath escaped my lips.


‘Wha? What’s going on?’ I was in a void of white. Everywhere I looked was white. ‘Am… am I dead? And why can’t I talk?’ ‘You can talk. You just can’t hear it’ I whirled around to see a beautiful woman with light blue and grey eyes and blonde hair that went just above her waist. Her face held much beauty and wisdom, but showed hardships and troubles. C…Catlin? Is that you? So I am dead? What about the kids? Will they be alright?’ ‘Do not trouble your mind with such questions, for here, they do not matter.’ ‘Where are we?’ ‘I was hoping you could tell me’ she spoke with a faint smile. ‘So am I dead?’ I asked. ‘Yes’ ‘Can I ever go back?’ ‘I believe that is up to you and your daughters. They love you. They can bring you back.’ A small hole opened up between us. ‘What about you?! Aren’t you coming with me?!’ ‘I cannot. I have not been as close to our kids for as long. They cannot bring me back. Go. Help them. I’ll always be with you’ And with that, there was a blinding light, and I was unconscious again.


I woke up to the sounds of crying. I looked over to see my daughters kneeling by my side. The genie was between us, but to me was transparent, and I don’t think the kids could see him. When he saw me move, he muttered something to himself and left. When he did, my daughters noticed my movements. “Dad!” yelled Destiny. “You’re alive!” screamed Hope. “Yes, yes I’m quite alright.” I noticed there was an absence of something on my arm. “I have to go somewhere. I’ll get my sister to watch you guys. Be good.”


And there I was. I was back in the desert where I met the genie. I went back to the ruins where I had found the lamp. I rubbed it and summoned the one who had killed me. The genie gazed at me, happiness glimmering in his eyes. “Why? Why did I come back? And why did you let me go?” “Because. You passed. For you see, this was merely a test. Your love was the test. When you decided to choose world peace, and let others live as you would die, I knew you would be a kind, loving person. I knew when I killed you; someone you loved and loved you in return, could bring you back.” “So are you going to kill me now?” “Of course not. Go ahead. Live your life. You deserve it.” And with that. I was back in my house, ready to begin anew.