“What do you need, Zack?” A voice yelled. “Alright, I’ll check.”
The figure entered the dark and damp until they were able to discover a light switch in the centre. After turning it on, they could see lots of unopened boxes with a few big items left out. Opening up the window to let in some fresh air, the figure went searching through boxes. What felt like a few hours past until they discovered something that peaked his interest.
“An oil lamp?” The voice asked themselves in intrigue. The lamp was a simple bowl with a lid that sat on a fancy stand. The figure couldn’t get over how fancy it was. “Mom always did say they helped relieve stress.” With that, he gave a quick clean with his shirt. Suddenly, the lamp began to shake out control as a second figure emerged out of smoke as they dropped it on the floor. “Wha- what’s going on!?”
“Finally!” The genie stretched before looking down to see who summoned them. “Huh, you’re quite small,” he added as they floated onto the floor.
“AHHH!!!!” The figure jumped behind a box. “Who… What are you!?”
“Shiro,” he replied. “I’m a genie.”
“Oh,” the figure paused. “I’m Tom.”
“You okay up there?!” Yelled Zack.
“Fine! Fine,” Tom yelled back. “You know how attics are.”
“Is that where we are?” Shiro chimed in.
“Yes,” Tom nodded as he stood up and brushed himself off from the dust. To his surprise, the genie was a dragon with blue scales and golden horns that stood on hind legs like him. “Huh, I thought you’d be floating all the time.”
“Nah,” Shiro waved his paw. “I can grant you wishes, though.”
“Just three, I presume?”
“What?” Shiro looked with a confused stare, as if almost offended by such arbitrary limits. “As many as you want.”
“Oh.”
“However!” Shiro summoned a thick rule book as Tom’s eyes rolled before grabbing the book and opening it up. Shiro made sure to make it lighter than it really is as Tom skimmed through the book.
Tom just skimmed through the book. “No money, death, love, compeition. Yatta yatta,” Tom muttered. “Time travel!?”
“Don’t ask.”
Suddenly, the attic door began to open. Tom quickly wished for the thing Zack was looking for and asked for Shiro to hide. As Zack entered the room he saw an unusually nervous Tom. Tom was a border collie with grey fur. He was normally stoic and kept to himself. Not much surprised him. Regardless, Zack shrugged it off and wondered if he found his family’s old pile.
“Yes!” Tom replied. “Exactly the one you were looking for.”
“Huh, thanks.” Zack cheerfully smile for a moment before turning a bit more serious. “Are you sure you’re okay? Not afraid of the dark or anything?”
“Yeah, yeah. Fine.”
Zack glanced around the attic. It was a mess, to say the least. As far he was aware, he was impressed at his searching skills. Even if it did leave a mess. Shrugging his shoulders, Zack thanked Tom and went back to his room.
“Ugh, finally.” Tom slouched back onto a box.
“What was that about?” Shiro asked as he stepped out from under a box only twice as small.
“Guess you got some catching up to do.”
