MR. BAILEY

“It’s time.” Alvah looks at a ray of light that suddenly appeared not too far from them.

“What is that?”

“That is his ray of light. His call to the heavens.”

Sky sees the light and smiles. He looked peaceful, much happier than the first time she saw him.

Sky turned to Charlie and held out his hand, ready for her to grab. She did.

“Thank you. For your help. I will forever remember you even when I am out there.”

“Are you happy?”

“I am.” He turns to Adam and gives him one last kiss. “Take care alright? Give my kisses to our baby girl.”

“I will.”

Sky turns to the light and walks towards it.

Charlie has no idea how all this works, but she is amazed at the feeling that the entire thing is giving her. She could feel a sudden warmth within her. A feeling of joy that overflows all over her.

Soon, the light disappeared and so did Sky.

Adam held her hand and smiled at her.

“Thank you. This has been the best day of my life.”

“So, your adoption’s approved?”

“It is. I guess that’s also the reason why I am so desperate. I don’t know if I’ll ever survive taking care of her without him. But I know now, he will always be with me. I can do everything I set my mind into. He never failed to make me realize that.”

“I am happy for both of you. But I hope that I helped elevate that pain you were feeling.”

“Of course, you did. You have no idea how much you have done. And I thank you.” he grabbed something in his pocket. It was his wallet. He opened it up, grabbed a small card and handed it to Charlie. “Whatever you need, don’t hesitate to call me. Please.”

She nodded. He bid farewell and walked away from them. The moment she turns around again, Alvah was no longer around.

She wondered how long she has been gone. A sudden glimmer caught her eye. One that lift up into the sky. It looked like a golden scroll, with golden dust falling from it.

“What is that.”

She started following the scroll and instantly, it moved faster. She had to start running again, this time around, she’s excited of where the scroll would take her.

Unknowingly, it led straight into Alvah’s doors. She continues to follow it and ends up in one of the library’s wings. And landed on the book that lit that one night while she was asked to read all the books that Alvah asked her to read.

Alvah this time was standing right in front of the big book. The golden scroll laid on top of one of the empty pages. Camouflaged on the sheets.

“What does it mean?”

“This is the first wish you’ve made true. And this is your book. It keeps all the wishes that were fulfilled by you. This lives on until you choose your predecessor. The next Jinni.”

Her eyes lit up like a lamp. Alvah closed the book as the light glimmered on the edges, then it finally died down.

The feeling she has is overwhelming.

“Tomorrow is a new day. You have just made your first wish. Clearly, this means so much for you.”

“It does. I didn’t really think I’m finally going to get to this point.”

“Well then, rest well. We have a whole day tomorrow.”

She chuckled at the idea of her getting into more action. But most of all, she’s so excited to know that she has just fulfilled her very first wish.

She ran back home, excited with what just happened, and she just couldn’t wait to tell Lance about it.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mr. Bailey looked out the window, silently pondering on the things that are happening.

“She, did it?” he asked.

Behind him is the shadow of a man that has stealthily managed to get in his room.

“She has fulfilled her first wish. This means Alvah is closer to her plans than anyone of else.”

Mr. Bailey sighed.

The future is now getting more and more obscure.

“We have to do something.” The voice of the man lurking behind the shadows has grown louder.

“I hear you.” he continued to look out the window. Then, he grabbed the phone from his pocket and dialed a number. “Charlie. Its Mister Bailey.” He waited till the woman on the other line answered back, “I was hoping you could come in to class early tomorrow. I’d like to discuss a proposal for you. And I know this would be a perfect opportunity for you. What do you say about seven in the morning? Yes. I’ll see you then.”

The man steps out of the shadows. Lancelot in his stressed-out face started facing the bookshelves that filled a third of Mr. Bailey’s office space.

“I hope this means you will start to intervene.” He gathers a book and flip its pages.

"I have intervened. Just not in the ways that you prefer."

"Your loyalty to Alvah just amuses me. I do hope you will reap the fruits of your labor with the friendship you've established with her. But also, think about our future generation."

"I understand my mission. You don't have to keep telling me what it is."

Lancelot turned to him, staring at him sharply, almost deathly.

"I hope you do. Because if not, you will suffer the consequence."

"Stop threatening me boy. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the distraction I have created. Besides, everything is still going according to my plan. You don’t have to worry.”

“That’s exactly why I am worried. It is your plan. And somehow, you aren’t very good when it comes to making great plans.”

“Well, I am confident that this time, it will work.”

“I hope it does. For if not, I… will intervene.”

“Don’t you have better things to do today?”

“No. I’ve finished redecorating the entire apartment. Don’t worry.” He returns the book back to the shelf and turn to Mr. Bailey once again. “I hope that you stay true to your mission. As always, I am available all the time to help. Just say the word.”

“Never.”

The next thing he know, Lancelot was gone. He grabbed something from his pocket and out came a pocket watch.

The detailed carvings of the pocket watch would gather anyone’s attention. The relevant marks of a ball of fire can be seen in the middle of it.

He opens it and the beautiful ticking it produced filled the entire room.

As the ticking time filled his head, his mind ventured back into an old memory as well.

A woman lays on the floor, almost dying. She’s putting pressure on her abdomen where blood was coming from.

Mr. Bailey run towards her and lifts her head up towards his lap.

“Charlie… who did this to you?”

Blood spits from her lips as she struggles to speak.

“Rory. You have to go back…. You have to…”

“No, who did this? I must know. Please.”

She smiled instead.

“I love you. Please, take care of our son.” She starts to press her hand against his and murmured a chant.

“No... Charlie...”

A ball of blazing light started to eat him up as Charlie starts to disappear from his sight.

“No! Charlie! Charlie!”

As the ball of light continues to transport him, tears started to fall from his eyes. He just witnessed the woman that he loves dying. And all she could think of was for him to stop the very person who caused her death.

Soon, he finds himself standing in a dark old building.

He tried his best to stop himself from crying louder as a click-clack sound gathered his attention.

Then, a group of aggressive mumbled words.

He traces where the noise is coming from.

Not too far from where he landed, a woman is tied up and three men were standing over her. He sees here receiving a punch right into the gut as she groaned from the pain.

He recognizes that voice, but he’s only seeing everything from her back.

He was about to help her when the click clack sound filled the place once again.

His eyes roamed as he tried looking where it was coming from.

Soon, a bright red dress filled his eyes.

“Didn’t your mama ever tell you that punching a woman is bad?” he hears her speak.

“Alvah...” he whispers along with the realization of where he is and why Charlie sent him here.