Category : Stories

Sub Category : Fantasy

The guards should’ve listened when I told them to put down my bottle, instead of wishing death upon warring military leaders. 

They wanted death, they got death. It was that simple. But every man is the same. They weren’t thinking. 

They never did.

The man sighed, looking into my eyes as he put down my bottle. I glared back, hoping I seemed formidable even in chains.

“You know we have to kill you.”

“That’s why I told them to stop.”

“It wasn’t their fault. It’s your magic that killed them.”

“I told them they were making a mistake.” Wishes are always a mistake.

“I wish I didn’t have to do this.”

He didn’t seem to notice that he said the word “wish” near a genie bottle. If he were holding it, I’d be free. Idiot. 

“I wish you had a choice.” This is all I need to form an escape plan.

“Any last words before I drop this this?” He grabbed my bottle. I sighed with fake resignation. Don’t mess this up.

“There’s a lot of things I want to say, aren’t there?” Sympathy leads to empathy. Empathy means control. “I wish that I could see my family again. I wish I could see my brother. I wish I could make everything up to them, everything I’ve done.” My heart hurt at the idea of using this to control someone, but it was authentic.

The man’s eyes softened. Good. “I wish that we were free. I wish that peace was an option that people would choose more often.” Too fake, try for empathy. What do humans want? “I wish I could’ve had something to eat before this. Maybe a hamburger.”

“You’re stalling.”

“I wish I hadn’t been given the power that I did, that’s so spoiled and poisoned. I wish we could make things better.”

“I know,” the man said, looking down. Wow. This is actually working.

“You want that to, don’t you? You wish that things could be better?” He’s probably a soldier, judging by the scar on his cheek. Looks tired, looks done. Wants to go home. I hope this works. “Don’t you want everyone to go back to their families without getting hurt?”

“Ha. I wish.” Perfect. What an idiot.

I felt the spell about to be cast. I smiled.

“That’s exactly what I wanted you to say.”