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Catfish & A Simple Genie

Two short stories featuring Bobby Fishman.

By Chloe GilholyPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Catfish & A Simple Genie
Photo by Florian Klauer on Unsplash

Catfish

By Will Turner on Unsplash

Todd and I are about to meet my sister: the person pretending to be her. I hate people touching me, but I can't help but smile when he pats my back. "This is it, isn't it Bobby?" he says to me. "We're finally going to meet her."

"If it's any consolation," I tell him. "If she was still here, she would have liked you – a lot."

"It could be her," he insists. The elevator doors swing open. "Oh god, all these empty food packets. It stinks in here."

My heart races when whips out a gun and kicks the bedroom door down. I gasp – where on earth did he get that gun from? "Todd! Wait!"

"No!" A part of Todd still hopes that Kathleen's alive. I've told him so many times she's dead – I buried her. He's ready to pull the trigger. "You can't be Kathleen! You're not the girl I fell in love with. Look at me in the eye! Do you know what you've done to me?"

He ignores the walking aids covered in dust. Her extra flesh folds over the bed, but I know that freckly nose and bushy eyebrows anywhere.

"Todd put the gun down, I know this woman."

"I don't care if you know her – I'm killing her."

"SHE NEEDS HELP!"

"Tell me, Bobby, why should I spare this bitch?"

"She's Kathleen's friend, Helga Tears. Always together at school. When Kathleen died, she must have turned to food as comfort. Must be why social services took her kids. With the laptop as her only luxury, she pretended to be Kathleen to escape all the misery."

Helga only nods.

Todd drops his gun. "Why won't she speak?"

"C'mon mate." I throw the gun in the bin. "We'll call the ambulance then after this, let's go clubbing."

By Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis on Unsplash

"Good evening, Bobby."

A red fog taints the cemetery. A silhouette of a monk floats towards me. The man is black all over with only white lines where his facial features should be. His eyes are shut. He comes to me and opens his eyes. He bows. The shadows melt away to reveal a mystical demon.

His pale human appearance makes me shiver. "Who are you?"

He grins. "I am Shiku Mortem: a simple genie."

"What do you want?" If he wants to kill me – please be quick. I should be dead by now.

Shiku jumps towards me with his rotten hands open. "You – I have a gift for you."

I shake my head and run. "I'm not interested. I don't want to be in this world anymore."

Shiku blocks the path and grips me. Chains emerge from the ground. They're no different to the chains that trap me in this vicious circle of depression. "I know why you did it. And I know what you want – but you can't have it. Which is why I am going to grant you four wishes."

"My only wish is to die!" My lips tremble and my voice strains. Overwhelmed with tears, my body is dragged to the floor. "I have nobody. I have nothing. PLEASE." I'm choking on my own tearful pleas. "Just let me die."

"YOU CANNOT DIE!" Shiku slams his fists together and unleashes a white aura that wipes out the whole cemetery so it's just us and this white space. "If you do die, I will revive you. Call me and I shall grant your wish."

"What's the catch?"

"You cannot eliminate your past."

"This is not fair."

"Life isn't fair. Like I said, I'm just a simple genie."

"I don't want your wishes. Go away!"

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About the Creator

Chloe Gilholy

Former healthcare worker and lab worker from Oxfordshire. Author of ten books including Drinking Poetry and Game of Mass Destruction. Travelled to over 20 countries.

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