Ringed Revenge
I’d done my research. Djinn could grant an unlimited number of wishes, but there was always a catch. They were creatures of chaos and it sustained them.
My cell phone chimed. Message from hubby. ‘I’ll be late at work tonight. Researching a new company. Love you.’ I replied and steeled myself to carry out my plan, thankful I wouldn’t be interrupted.
I rubbed the golden ring, taking a deep breath. To most the ring was ordinary. You could find a look-alike at any pawn shop, but if you knew what you were looking for, it was a powerful summoning tool. A dark grey fog floated up from the ring.
“What?” echoed in my car.
“I’ve summoned you djinn, and I command you.”
“I’m busy, what do you want?” the smoke asked.
“Revenge.”
The smoke wrapped around me. “Revenge is my specialty. Why do you seek revenge?”
I took a deep breath. “Terrick killed my brother, to take over their company.”
“Greed.” It paused. “Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
“How may I be of service?”
“I wish for you to give Terrick everything he wants unless he wants something to happen to me. His wishes can’t affect me,” I said, smiling at my loophole.
It was a risk asking the djinn for anything. It always came with a price, and I was desperate enough to pay it. I’d hoped the way I worded my wish would create enough chaos to satiate it without him turning it back on me.
“Clever girl, it has been done.” It disappeared back into the ring.
I watched Terrick get into his BMW and smiled.
Every day that passed, I eagerly waited on the sidelines for his desires to turn on him. He had more money thrown at him than he would ever need. He had a different girl on each arm every day. Terrick had never had such a lucky streak in his whole life.
Three months later I summoned the djinn again in my car outside his office.
“Yes?” it hissed.
“Why is Terrick not dead?” I demanded.
The fog surrounded me. “You did not wish him dead. You wanted him to have everything he wanted. It is so.”
“He was supposed to want a fancy car and die in a crash, or something. Nothing is happening! Don’t you want your payment?”
The djinn laughed. “It’s been millennia since I’ve been fed so well.”
“What?”
“You feed me with your hate and confusion.”
I gasped. “No, that wasn’t how this was supposed to work! It shouldn’t affect me!”
“You wished for his wishes not to affect you, and they don’t. You’re bound to your wish that can’t be fulfilled.” It chuckled. “Your wish can’t be completed, because it would affect you.”
My body shook with rage. “I wish him dead!” I immediately regretted my words.
The djinn’s laughter roared as it disappeared back into the ring. I tossed the ring as far as I could out of the window.
“Useless genie.”
My car went into gear and started gaining speed, gunning to the front door of the building.
“Shit, shit, shit!” I yelled, grabbing the emergency brake and slamming my foot on the break. Nothing happened. The closer I got to the building I could make out the people walking outside. Terrick, a handful of business folks, and my husband. A single tear rolled down my cheek as my wish crashed into my life.
Photo by frontriver 
