Three Evil Wishes Read Free Page B

I’ve got a lot to learn.” He sniffed his armpit again. “I’m stinking up the joint. I apologize.”
    â€œWho—who are you?” I stammered.
    He cleared his throat. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is All-Powerful Magical Genie of the Lost Kingdoms of the Great and Golden Raj.”
    â€œWhoa. That’s a long name!” I cried.
    â€œMost people call me Gene,” he replied.
    â€œYou’re a genie? A real live genie? No way!” Jesse exclaimed.
    â€œIt’s a living,” Gene muttered with a shrug. “Keeps me out of trouble.”
    I gazed up at him. “You’re a genie? Just like in all the old stories?”
    He nodded. “Well . . . in the stories the genies don’t have heartburn the way I do!” He pounded his chest. “Hoo. I need some seltzer. You build up a thirst bobbing around in a bottle. Take my word.”
    His expression changed. His purple eyes had been twinkling. Now they darkened.
    â€œI can grant you three wishes,” he said solemnly.
    â€œJust like in the old stories!” Jesse cried.
    â€œCould you please stop saying that?” Gene groaned. “I’m not as old as I look.”
    â€œSorry,” Jesse murmured.
    â€œNow, as I was saying, you get three wishes. Anything you want. You name it—it’s yours!” Gene paused and smiled, showing two rows of crooked purple teeth.
    â€œBut beware,” he continued. “Once you’ve made your three wishes, that’s it! No more! They’re gone for good! And you cannot reverse them—so don’t even ask.”
    Jesse and I exchanged glances. “Oh, wow! This isso cool!” Jesse cried. “Let’s do it, Hannah! Let’s make a wish right now!”
    A cold feeling swept down my back. “I—I don’t know,” I stuttered. “Wishes don’t always work out in those old stories.”
    The old genie shrugged. “It’s up to you. You take a chance. Or you don’t take a chance.”
    â€œI want to take a chance,” Jesse insisted. “Let’s see . . . I wish—”
    â€œJesse!” I clamped a hand over my brother’s mouth. And pulled him toward the lake. “Think about this,” I whispered. “I found the bottle in Fear Lake. Nothing but evil ever comes out of there. If he came out of Fear Lake, he’s probably evil too.”
    â€œI know I can talk her into this,” Jesse called to Gene over my shoulder. “If you’ll just give us a few minutes.”
    â€œTake your time,” the old man rasped. “I have been waiting for someone to open my bottle for one hundred years. I’m enjoying the fresh air.”
    He took a deep breath. “Hope my allergies don’t act up. I started sneezing inside the bottle. Nearly blew my brains out!”
    Jesse took my arm and led me to the shore. “Come on, Hannah. Stop being such a chicken. Let’s make a wish,” he urged. “Just think of all the cool things we can wish for! How can we pass it up?”
    â€œYou’re not thinking clearly,” I told him. “You’re not thinking about the bad things that could happen. This could be really dangerous, Jesse. How do we know we can trust the old guy? How?”
    â€œHannah, we’re the masters here,” Jesse insisted. “He said we were his masters. That means he can’t do anything unless we tell him to. What could possibly go wrong?”
    Jesse had a point. Gene did say we were the masters.
    I stole a glance at Gene. He was taking deep breaths. Coughing. Stretching his arms. He smiled at me. A strange smile.
    No. We shouldn’t be messing with this guy, I thought. Something bad would happen. I just felt it.
    Then I thought again of what Jesse said. We could wish for anything we wanted. Anything!
    I gazed at the genie. Then I gazed at Jesse.
    Should we make a wish?
    Should