Lisa sighed and kicked back the covers, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.                     "You know you aren't supposed to be in here." she said, glaring at a huge bluge in her                          bedclothes. She seated herself at the foot of the bed, and continued, with a fond look.                     "Mom would kill you. She would kill me too." With a moment of thougth, she opened her bedroom door and called out in a commanding tone:                     "Out, Spot!" The bundle in the covers jiggled and a dalmation with big brown eyes gave Lisa a sorrowful look. It dejectedly flopped off the bed, gave a reluctant wag of his tail as he exited. Lisa patted him kindly.                    "Good boy." She smiled kinldy at the dog, wishing she had more time to sit and pet him. She glanced around her room, and adjusted the over-sized t-shirt which served a nightgown over her slight frame. As ran her fingers through her aburn hair, she glacnced at her alarm clock to note the time.                  "Shhhhhoot!" she cried. Lhe had over slept, again. She was quickly fumbling through her closet and throwing t-shirt and pair of jeans on the bed. She proceeded to prepare herself for school at top speed, mutter nonesence obsenatites to herself as she went.                  "English assingment, my thearte homework, my cheismitry lab, I'm gon na miss the                                 bus . .  ." she muttered as she went over her mental checklist. Lisa stopped abruptly, her eyes bulgeing in ugency.                 "Hot monkey pants! My speech for History! Its a major grade! Ohh . . ." She cast about her room, for an object of historical value. After a moment of depair, thundered up the fold-out ladder to the attic continuned her harried search there.                 "What wouldn't I give to move to anthoer planet . . . heck another plane from this stupid,                       endless materialistic life I am doomed to lead!" It was certainly and odd thing to say, but in her moment of fustration, Lisa could hardly help it.                 "I wish I could just beam off or something." she mutter as she fanticlly dug through a                            decripit cardboard box.                "Finally" a voice like the chime of a bell filled the quiet air. Lisa's head jerked, up and her dilemma was forgotten in her amazement.               "Who said that?" she called, her voice hoarse in fear. An emancipated, light blue form of a winged women materialized in the dim light of the attic. Her whispy wings filled the room with strange shadows, as her face shown like a beacon.               "Why, I did, child." Her beatuy was breath-taking, and her smile made reality fade int he                      strength of it's sweetness. " Have you any idea how long it has been since anyone has                         made a wish  in this attic? Especailly a sensible one?" Lisa almost fell down the attic stairs in her surprise. The winged woman continued gently.               "I am what you might call  a fairy. There are other names . . . but let us be succint. I heard                    your wish, and would gladly grant it. Such a lovely girl as you would certainly enjoy the                      Summerlands."               "Lovely? Summer land?" Lisa looked up at the fairy, puzzled thoughout her 15 year-old                        being.             "Of  course you are lovely, sweetpea, all young girls are in one way or another." The lady flicked her wing and moved close enough to set a hand on Lisa's sholder.            "The Summerlands are a place of what you might call magic, but is really glamour. The main                 occupaiton for the youthful is to love, to dream, and to be happy. You would find a lover                    there, and he will be your eteranal mate, if you wish it. You may be as ugly or as beautiful                    as you want. You may even get to live in a Royal court to serve the Fariy Queen, herself! It                 is a wonderful place of merriment and beauty! I will take care of everything here. All you                     need to do is step through that door." The fairy motioned to an orante wooden door that had not been in the attic a moment ago. Lisa         looked at it and took a few steps forward. She extended her hand, and gentely touched the copper door handle. She traced the whorls of the door and all was silent for a moment.            "What if I want to go to school?" asked Lisa, for lack of a better question.            "Why there are books, dear child! True fairy tales for history, the language of flowers, how                    to dance the newest dance, or to show the most courtly manners, these will be your only                    lessons.            "What about my dog?" Lisa wondered.            "I would care for dear Spot, here Lisa. I would surely love him well." replied, her smile                        brightening inconvivably brighter. Lisa was quiet for a moment more, as she recalled her childhood, her parents, her friends at school, and her favorite weekly television show. Could I give them all up? she wondered.                     "Tell me your name, child." the fairy lady broke the silence. After a moment's hesitation, Lisa whispered her name.          "Doors," cried the fariy "open for Lisa, so she may enter. She wishes to dwell in the                       Summerlands. You may enter now." Lisa looked up at the lady, distressed by the sudden reality of the concept of leaving.         "Surely I can't just run out on my life!" Lisa cried, feeling desperate. "Surely I can't have a                     whole new, perfect life! I don't   know . . ."          "I never said anything about perfect! Oh, no! The summerlands have thier own dangers and                  unhappiness. Your life will only be diffrent there, from any life you could dream of here!"           "So I would still have to grow up, have troubles and other stuff, just like here?"           "You will be young! No need to grow old, sweetie. You will stay young and live until you                     cease to be!" cried the fairy  clasping her hands together.            "So I could just be myself, then?" asked Lisa looking at the door.           "Oh, you could be anyone you wanted to be!" exclaimed the fairy.          "But could I just be myself, as I am now?" Lisa asked, pressing the question.            "Oh, no! You would be beautiful and wealthy as any in this place! You would be loved by all,               and tender towards others!" proclaimed the fairy, squeezing Lisa's sholder.          "But I would  be inevitably diffrent from what I am now." persisted Lisa. The fairy blinked at her in mild surpries.               "Well, yes of course. That is what you want, is it not?" Lisa was thoughtful for a moment. Then she smiled.                     "Thank you so much for your kind offer . . . but you know what? I'm really quite happy here,                just as I am! I am what I really want to be." And with that, Lisa  picked up an old copy of a ration card from her grandparents, and scampered down the attic ladder to catch her school bus. In the attic, the fairy sat down on a box, and stared at the floor for a moment, sholders slumped.                      "Hot monkey pants." she exclaimed, and dissapeared.

The Granted Wish

Back