The Lamp

Ch 1

I never thought it would happen like this.. The spirit realm has been my home, ever since I died. My spirit had roamed endlessly through the void until I met..Them. The Jinn. They saved me, and turned me into a jinni. My original name was lost to time long ago. They named me Altah, meaning the rising of the stars.

Now, I sit in this wretched lamp; on an annoyingly comfortable couch. The round room is very small, but I've dealt with it the best I could. I frown, thinking. My people had trapped me in this prison for a prank that went too far. The smoke mixed with hers, but it would easily wash out, it wasn't a big deal. I roll my eyes. 'What happened, happened. You can't change the past.' I fold my arms. "I've been in this prison for..-" I count on my fingers quickly and trail off. "76, 92, 7,243, uh.." I pause, staring at the glass coffee table. "I 've been in this position for over eight thousand years.." I frown. "And not one of my masters have been the one to free me of this curse!" I growl, slamming my fists on the coffee table.

Supposedly, after granting a special master all three wishes and gaining their trust, I must trust them with my life; in order to be able to grant my own wishes and be free of my punishment. "But I did that on a consistent basis! I give someone my lamp, therefore my life force at this point, so.." I frown. "GAHH!" I hit the table again, shattering the glass.

I scoff, snapping my fingers, fixing the table. I stare off into space at the purple and white polka-dotted walls. "If something happened to this lamp, I-.." I blink, and shift my gaze to my crossed legs on the cushiony couch. "I don't know what would happen to me now.."

They tied me to it, so if it was destroyed; I probably would be too.

The past cycles through my memory. 'Alyssa, with the lamp as a charm for her bracelet; Zuri, with earrings and the lamp was a charm on them.' I shudder. "That one was weird." 'Aladdin, who had the audacity to not even hide the lamp..' I frown. "I never liked him." 'Ana, with the head band; Lin Sy had the ring, and Rose with the hair clip..'

My jaw falls open a bit. "I haven't thought of her in a long, long time." I mutter. Rose was the only one I actually bonded nicely with. We became something of friends, until I ruined it.

I hadn't meant to, but I ended up lying a bit about my jinn abilities. She found out that I couldn't fulfill the part of the deal, under conditions that I could grant my wishes, and accused me of not trusting her. Tears form in my eyes. I sniffle. Rose was the only real friend I had, aside from the other jinn. After our fight, I called back the lamp and sent myself back to the cliffside, where she had found me. She objected, but I had already made up my mind. She had searched everywhere for me, but I was gone. I blink. I haven't had a master since that day, about three thousand years ago, I believe.

Ch 2

Something had happened a few years ago..

The outside world sounded like it had fallen to its knees and crumbled at the lamp's feet. I had turned my torso and below to smoke, and poofed out of the lamp, well, as far as I can go without an owner. There was nothing but darkness all around. I had frowned, and moved around. Had the cliff fallen?

No. I tried grabbing the lamp, but as usual, my hands went through it like a ghost. I grunted annoyed, and tried reaching out in foresight, something every Genie has, but not every Jinn has. There was nothing but sand. No cliff, no rocks, just sand dunes. I had frowned. "What? That's not right. What happened to the rocky mountain side, the land slide a few centuries ago, the avalanche two thousand years ago.." I shook my head, slowly going back into the lamp. "That's not right..It can't be gone.."

I had doubted everything for a few weeks.

But, eventually, I accepted that the people and places I once knew, was gone. Rose's remains were probably now so far down there she met the dinosaurs.

**

I awake suddenly. I frown. There is a rapid soft sounding,- sound coming from above.

Ch 3

Curious, I reach out with my foresight, and see-.. I blink back to the lamp. 'Rose??'

I shake my head. "It can't be." I say. The lamp is suddenly being moved, The digging grows closer. The lamp is lifted, and I hear muffled voices nearby. I kneel on the cushions and press my hands and ear to the wall.

"Yea, a lamp. Like one of those old timey ones!" Says a young female voice; the one holding my prison. "What? Let me see that." Some other female, older, says and the lamp is aggressively moved. "So it is..Hey there's an engraving."

"Rub the lamp! Maybe there's a genie inside!" Says the young female. There's silence, then laughter from the older one. "Get real, Misery. You need to get your head out of the clouds."

A young male voice speaks up. "Yea, Misery."

More silence, then the male yelps. "Ye-ow!" "Shut up, Octavius!" Squeals the young female.

The older one groans. "Calm the hell down, both of you."

Silence.

"ooh, Rosie said a bad word." Says the young female. Another groan. "Whatever."

I raise a brow. "Rosie?"