I ran, then turned back, grabbed the button, then I ran again. Skipping the ladder I jumped down my ankles, tingly for a second considering I landed on them in the “sweet spot”. Even though my mom treats me like what my dog left in the backyard this morning I needed to make sure she was ok.

“MOM!” I screamed, my voice faded at the end I was so scared my heart was doing the tango. “Are you ok!? I heard the loud thud from the attic and it shook the house. What happened?” My mom looked at me as if I had three heads, she then pointed down.

That’s when I saw it, horrifying, I felt as if I was going to vomit. There she was, Linda, my mom's best friend. She lay there on the ground unresponsive as her face turned purple and blue. 

“Mom, what happened? What’s wrong with Linda? Mom please.” I tried to talk as if I wasn’t terrified but my words were jumbled. 

“Ian I don’t know, how did this happen? Did you put something in our wine? Sounds like something you’d do.” 

“Are you kidding me!? I know that for some reason you’ve hated me but now you're accusing me of murder! Me, your own son! I do everything for you women and you treat me as if I don’t exist!” I had never spoken out like this before, I was always too scared and now I know why.

“That does it.” My mom's eyes looked as if they were bloodshot. “You wonder why I don’t appreciate you? Well, it’s because you’re just like your damn father!” my mom screamed so loud and that’s when my heart sank.

I tried to speak, nothing, no words, no sounds, nothing. I felt empty as those words just echoed in my mind over and over. I was furious but upset. Why did she compare me to him, just why? My mom used to be the happiest woman ever with my dad until one day. My mom and dad had been arguing a lot and my dad was sick of it. I came home from school one day in 4th grade and saw my dad holding bags and a suitcase. 

“Dad?” I was too young at the time to realize and had no clue what was going on. My dad looked at me and pretended it was nothing and said it was just for a game he was making for me. We played that made-up game for hours. My dad made me feel alive.

That was until I woke up one morning about 2 weeks after the incident I woke up to my mom sobbing. 

“Mom? Where's Dad?” I said in my cute little voice so innocently, I had no clue what had happened.

“Ian, your father left. He’s gone Ian, he never cared and never will!” My mom’s voice broke mid-sentence and I didn’t know what to do, I just cried.

“W- Why would you do that! He left us and never said anything. I know you hate me but never compare me to him. I'm done with you!” I didn’t even care that I just talked back to her. This woman is evil and I was in so much pain I felt like a gladiator just put a spear through my heart. 

“GO TO YOUR ROOM!” her voice shook the house.

“With pleasure,” I spoke calmly considering I needed to react before I did something impulsive.

I still had the button with me so I took it to my room and explored it trying to see if maybe it had more in it. I was so thirsty given the fact that I screamed at my mom so loud my vocal cords grew vocal cords. Oh, I wish I had water. I'm way too thirsty and my elbow slipped hitting the button. 

“SHABANG!” The noise came from the button. I thought it had no batteries though? Out of nowhere a bottle of water came barreling out of thin air and landed in my lap. Ok, so that’s new. I thought to myself if maybe I was a wizard but I decided on the fact that it’s not logical. Wait. Then it clicked, it's the button. I wish I had a dog and I hit the button with a grin forming on my face. Shabang! Then it happened, a dog came down right in front of my face. No way. I was amazed my dream dog just fell down from thin air because of a button in my attic. I was so happy, this could change my life forever! 

“I wi-.” I was cut off and couldn’t move my hand. Something was stopping me from pressing it.

“Congratulations you found out that this button grants your wishes, but there's a catch. Every Time the button is pressed it takes the life of any random person in this world. Of course, I can’t change that and you can’t either, no wishing for that not to happen. The choice is yours you can get rid of this button forever or be a selfish piece of-.”

“OOOOOKAY! That’s enough and umm did a button just talk to me?” I thought to myself, am I going crazy? Also what is with the shabang? That would be a weird thing before death. But to be fair I really didn’t care because my face was getting smothered by the tongue of an adorable puppy. Hmm, I guess it's just one random person it can’t be that bad. I can get whatever I want, I won’t let this stop me.

Let’s get started. I wish for the brand new iPhone. SHABANG! There it was the new iPhone in royal blue. I called my friends up telling them to come over immediately to check this out. I didn’t ask my mom for 2 reasons, 1 she would say no, and 2 I have the button so it doesn’t matter. 20 minutes later I heard knocking at the door, must be my friends.

“Ian get the door you brat!” my mom shrieked in her annoying typical voice.

“Yep, on it, I wouldn’t trust you to get it anyway.” I laughed quietly after I said that, I felt so powerful.

“Yoooo what’s up Ian, and why’d you call us over here on such short notice bro?” my friend Andrew exclaimed because he hadn’t seen me in a while.

“Boys step inside I think I just found the best thing ever you have no idea.” I was psyched. I and my friends were about to do whatever we wanted and nothing could stop me. I Andrew and my other 2 friends Jason and Matt headed upstairs to where the button was.

“So what’s so important you need to show us Ian?” said Matt who I could tell was intrigued.

“Okay, guys so I was getting pictures in the attic for my annoying mother when I found this!” as I pulled the button from behind my back showcasing it to my friends in all its glory.

“A button from CVS?”

“No Jason, not a button from CVS. This button grants whatever wish you ask it to. All you do is wish for it and click it.”

“There is no way that is truer let me try this. I wish for $10k.” SHABANG. Ten racks fell right into Jason’s lap and the astonishment on his face was insane. I decided to leave out the part where the button kills people because this is all in good fun. Ohhh that sounded evil, I like it.

Then before we knew it we were pressing that button like there was no tomorrow wishing for anything and everything we wanted. Flatscreens, money, sports skills, you name it we wished for it. Until Matt hit the button again and Jason stood there with a terrible look on his face. He struggled, he held his throat as if he couldn’t breathe. He tossed and turned and we frantically screamed until he fell to the ground unresponsive. 

“Yeah, so your little buddy forgot to tell you that whenever I am pressed I kill a random person. But apparently, that doesn’t matter because you guys killed approximately 4,600 people. It’s okay though because you guys got what you wanted, right?”

“Ian what the hell bro why didn’t you tell us that! We killed over 4,000 people including Jason. How could you let us do this?” Andrew spoke with tears rolling down his face but I was unphased.

“We needed more so all I did was help us get it, no matter what happens. Jason died for a good reason; he was a sacrifice in our matter.”

“Are you crazy you mad man, Matt we gotta get out of here quick grab the button before Ian gets it!”

“Oh sorry did I interrupt haha.” I punched him straight in his stupid face, it felt good.

Before I knew it we were chasing each other around the room but I had possession of the button. I wished for a bigger room and that gave me some space to work with.

“You guys are weak, I never needed you and now you’ll suffer!” My blood was pumping as I was running away from what possibly could end in horrible ways. I thought of how to end this. 

“I wish-” Right there at that moment was when my brain moved in my head as Matt came in from my side and took me to the ground. 

“NOOOOO!”

“I wish that Ian is dead!” Andrew's voice sounded like an 80-year-old smoker and tears ran down his face viscously.

“Andrew no, why I’m sorry I don’t want to die.” It was too late the air in my throat was no longer there as it felt like someone just glued my airways shut. I cried as I realized what I brought upon myself. I looked around as the world went dark and the sounds echoed in my brain colliding with the thoughts in my head. The world faded as I took my last breath.

“Shabang.”