Make a Wish

I woke up to a strange dream and even stranger was the fact that I could not remember what that dream was. Only my hand was rubbing against my chest from in between the button gaps of my sweat drenched uniform shirt. I looked at my surroundings to find myself at the park beside the lake near my house. It is an exceptional stargazing spot, but due to the low population of this outskirt town, does not get much attention. But that is all the more better for me because I like to spend time here. But that still did not explain why I was here.

"Finally, you are awake.", and then, a head popped into my field of vision. A small fiery head with a complementing thin body, a radiating attire and no feet.

"What the hell are you?!" Naturally, I lost my composure.

"You forgot about me? How rude is that. I cannot believe it.", he started remarking without hiding the sarcasm in his cold voice. "We met last night. Don't you remember?"

"Last night?" and as I tried to recall last night's event, I only drew up a blank. So, now I could not even remember the events of last night, let alone when I met this guy. And, "Wait a minute. It is not normal for a ghost to just walk up and meet a human, or is it?"

"Is there a limit to your rudeness? I am not a ghost. I already explained last night that I am a Jinn." He answered as if it was common knowledge.

"And I already explained that I don't remember." I answered pissed.

"Isn't that a real pain? Now I have to go over everything again." he sighed, planting his palm on his face.

*Creak* a high pitched voice ran through the air and I reflexively turned my head back to the source of this sound. It was the sound of the antique door type barriers opening to clear the tracks and blocking the streets. So, technically closing. And less than a minute later the train passed by at blinding speed. It passed by in an instant and the barriers started making noise again, opening the streets and closing the tracks. It was a queer set of barriers but surprisingly fitted this outskirt town of Hoshi no Machi.

*Growl* a low rough sound came but this time I already knew the source that was below me.

"Man, I am hungry. What time is it anyway?", I asked.

"Considering you have been asleep for exactly 12 hours 39 minutes and 23 seconds, it should be about five minutes to 1p.m."

"So, that was the 1p.m train. I was asleep that long." it was way over my normal sleep time, plus I was asleep on the ground and have no memories of why? On top of that I was now seeing a weird floating boy with only more questions than answers. I had to go about it calmly. So, I stood up and started walking. The train that just passed us would take about five minutes to circle around the lake and reach the station on the other side. But on foot pedestrians can simply cross the lake by the overhead bridge and reach the station at about the same time. So, with the intention of boarding that train, I moved.

•◇•

Clickety-clack. The train went on. But I was absorbed in recollecting my memories of the previous day. I remembered going to school that day like normal. Getting on the train at 6a.m, one and a half hour train ride to the city, a 15 minute walk to school and reaching the class 15 minutes before homeroom. Although I did feel that the classroom was a tad bit buzzier than normal. But I had nothing to do with it and went straight to my desk and head down. Whether it was a really cool topic or a really bland one, I would get to know soon either way.

"Good morning, Hoshino." my right hand neighbor wasted no time in making her presence known. I signaled back my greetings to her. "Hey, not looking at the person talking to you is impolite as well, but at least say your greetings back to me." Yuki Asada made her dissatisfaction known.

"You got the meaning. That's all that matters." and so did I.

"No, it does not. A young boy should be beaming with energy, not limping like a dead man."

".........."

"Don't ignore me!"

"Good morning, Asada. Negai." A third voice joined in on our pathetic conversation. It was my left neighbor, Taisho Oki.

"Good morning." a bubbly reply from Asada and a hand sign from me. "Like I said, reply properly." Asada was still on to me but Taisho did not mind. "Well, well. Let's not get too fired up. We know how he is." At first I was annoyed by the constant talking but after spending a whole year with them, I had now gotten used to these two. And maybe it was the same for them as well, "And that is exactly what I am trying to change. In the past year I have never seen him hyped even once," or maybe it was not the same for Asada after all.

"It is such a waste when there is such a beautiful day out there. And not only the days but nights as well."

"That's right. Tonight is the meteor shower, right?" Taisho replied and Asada immediately jumped up.

"That's right. That's right. I would love to spot at least one or two shooting stars." Asada had her very own stars in her eyes.

"Well, it is hard to see it clearly in the dusty atmosphere of the city. But I think the astronomy club will definitely watch it with their setup. We can join them." Taisho suggested.

"Yes, but after my own club and cram school, I don't have the energy to hang out. I would rather leave it on luck and try to see it from my room window. And besides," she cupped her cheeks with her palms, "seeing a fateful shooting star just when you are wishing for something is pretty romantic, don't you think?"

"Yes, you are right." Taisho gave a subtle nod and Asada turned her sights towards. Her stare was trying to dig up a response from me, so I raised my head and decided to answer her.

"From where I live, you can see shooting stars on even a normal night. So, I don't think you can differentiate a single one when there is a shower. And besides, it is stupid to wish upon shooting stars." Asada's turned from stars to fireballs on my response, "Argh, why are you like this? Shouldn't you be happy that you can see such a splendid sight. Do you have any artistic sense at all."

"Now, now. Why don't we just look at the positives." Taisho decided to break us up, "Like if you wish on countless shooting stars, wouldn't that just confirm that your wish will be fulfilled for sure."

Asada's eyes lit up for a third time and she looked at me as if she was rubbing it in my face. Before I could respond, the bell rang and the teacher entered the class almost immediately. Meimon Private High school was a school excelling in academic results and the 6 hour non stop classes were about to start.

Suddenly, the whole classroom shook and the scene transitioned to the inside of the train that had just stopped with a slight jerk, disturbing my thoughts in process. I looked at my phone.

2: 30p.m, exactly one and a half hours and we have reached the city. Soon, the doors opened and I stepped out amidst the crowd.

•◇•

Central Tokyo, a place full of life and flooded with people at this time of the day. I went straight to the nearest café and ordered my food. The waiter went away after serving me water.

"You've been silent for a very long time. Are you ignoring me?" After a seemingly long time I heard Dee's voice. He had been rambling about random things in the train so I had filtered his voice out. Guess he noticed.

"You are most likely a hallucination since I don't remember meeting you anywhere yesterday." I say that but I only remember going home after school yesterday but after that is a blur.

"Of course you don't remember. Didn't you say so already? I am not that dumb."

(No you are plenty stupid.)

"We got off topic before, but allow me to refresh your memory."

(And you did not think of doing that during the long trip?)

"At midnight yesterday, I found you and formed a pact with you."

"A pact?"

"Yes, a life pact. Basically in exchange for your life I can grant you 10 wishes."

"What nonsense are you spitting?"

"Oh but only that it is not," he opened both his hands towards me, "You have 10 wishes. Ask for anything as long as it does not concern or involves you or other wishers like you." He noticed the twist in my lips on the mention of the weird conditions and continued, "What? That's lame. But we didn't even reach the lame part yet. You see, when you make your last wish, you'll die. So, what will you do?" the corner of his lips curled into a sinister smile.

Despite his explanations, I still found it hard to believe. "There is no way I would accept such conditions."

"Yet, you did."

"What proof do you have?"

"Make a wish right now," he said as if in control of the conversation, "Come into contact with your blood and wish for anything not involving you."

My mind was thrown in a turmoil. Reasons to believe and to refute were at stalemate. There was this deep surge in my heart causing it to beat harder. I bit my lip as hard as I could and eventually blood started to seep out.

Gathering a amount on my thumb, the words escaped my mouth, "I wish, everyone here except me died."

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