Annie Insight

I gazed out over the night, the ocean playing tricks on my mind when I heard the distant waves crash against the rocks below. It was a three-hundred foot drop...straight down...and I loved standing on the edge. It almost gave me power. Not that I needed any right now, after all, I’m only twelve. But I loved it just the same. It was here that I usually let my imagination run wild.

Even though there was no one else with me, I would dream up thousands of different people; some scary and others hilarious and still others that I secretly wished would become my closest friends. I like to get totally lost in the moment, forgetting who I am and what I’m supposed to be doing…

I looked around at the sand beneath my feet, only because I felt something land there. And something had! There seemed to be a little glass bottle, designed like one of those cute little oriental vases, right at my feet! I blinked and picked it up. No, it couldn’t be…could it? I knew, I knew exactly what it appeared to be…but I was a little wary of what this vase might hold if I…

Ah, what the heck. It’s just my imagination anyway. This ain’t real!

So, I took the corner of the baby blue T-shirt I was wearing and rubbed the dirt and sand off the front of the vase, just like it showed how in all the fantasy movies I’d watched.

BLAMM!!!

I fell to the ground all sprawled out and shaking. I dropped the vase into the sand…and now I was staring at a dark blueish hazy cloud with silver sparkles flying all the way through it. I didn’t speak for about thirty seconds…after all, what would you say to a cloud that came out of some vase and was staring at you with the same shade of green eyes you have?

“Hi!” It said.

I blinked again and tried to stand up. “Hi,”

“Are you my new owner? ‘Cause if you are, I’d like to properly introduce myself. My name is Manx, and I bring myself to you in order to grant you three wishes. So…what’s your first one?”

I looked back into the night, over the cliff and out into the ocean. I couldn’t believe this! It was too good to be true…and besides, I had a lot more than three things to wish for! But, it might be okay if I just wished for little things…

“Do you need more time, Sunny?”

I whirled around and stared at Manx. “How did you know my name?” I whispered.

Manx laughed a full, rich laugh that didn’t make any sense when it came from a cloud. “Oh, Sunny, I know you. I’ve been with you most of your life only I’ve kept myself hidden until now. I know that your name bothers you, how you wish it were something normal like Becky or Anna instead of ‘Sunshine Rainbow’. It’s not your fault your parents were total hippies! I’ve been with you in school; I know how much you hate eating your lunch in the cafeteria so you go to the school library every afternoon. Your mother wonders where you get all your money, but you can’t tell her you’ve been saving all your lunch money so you can go plant flowers in your secret garden. I was with you when your father died. Don’t you remember, Sunny?”

I clenched my fists. “Stop! Stop stop stop! Manx, why? Why are you doing this to me?” I cried as the very emotion I tried to push away caught itself in my throat.

Manx moved closer to me and I could smell roses. “Because I want to try and make it better. You might not believe this now, but I think you’re a great person, Sunny. With these wishes, you can make your world a better place. Will you try?”

Woah. This was real.

I looked up at the cloud and saw those green eyes filled with compassion and helpfulness. I wasn’t sure just how I recognized emotion inside of a cloud, but it seemed as though this Manx genie was trying to help me…and it understood me, too. This alone totally blew my mind…nobody understood, not even my own mother. I nodded and smiled. Yes, I would try.

“Okay, I’ll give it a chance…” I said slowly.

Manx seemed to glow with excitement. “That’s my girl. What would you like more than anything in the world?”

I took a deep breath and felt the expression in my eyes changed from wonder to seriousness. “I would like a best friend. This person has to be female, and she has to be a little older than me. That is my first wish, I'll make another one too, but the last one will be hers.”

Immediately, a soft orange-yellow glow leapt from Manx and landed softly next to me. It whirled and twisted around slowly, almost as if it were dancing. I stared at the glow as my jaw dropped helplessly and my eyes grew wider. I reached out to touch the beautiful dancing light…

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you…she’s not quite done yet.” Manx cautioned her. “What is your second wish?”

I glanced at Manx and thought. “I would like her to understand me just as you have. She will be my friend for life, we’ll have things in common…she needs to fill the void, Manx. She will be my soul mate.”

The orange glow shaped itself slowly into human form. A minute later it seemed to resemble a girl, not quite sixteen, with long black hair and electric blue eyes. She had a nice figure and a friendly smile, which she beamed at me.

“What’s her name?” Manx wondered.

I sighed. “Well, I would love to give her my father’s name…Daniel Joseph. So, I’d like to name her Danielle Josephine.”

The human stepped out of the orange-yellow glow and touched my hand. “Hi, Sunny! I’m Dani. Nice to meetcha!”

We hugged for the first time and I realized I had tears in my eyes. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long, long time, Dani.” I whispered.

Dani grinned. “I know you have. I’ve been waiting to brighten somebody’s day for much more than that. Now, you have another wish to make.” Dani cocked her head as her eyes danced playfully. “What’s it gonna be?”

I shook my head. “This one’s for you, Dani. Whatever you decide you need…whatever you could possibly want…this is your wish. I realized that I only needed two.” I explained softly.

Manx giggled. “Aw, how sweet of you! Well, go ahead, Dani. What can I do for you?”

Dani smiled at Manx, and then at me. “You’re sure?” She said as I nodded. “Okay…well, then I think it might have to be a lifetime of wishes. I know it kinda sounds corny, but you never know when we might need you again, Manx.” Manx glittered happily. “Besides,” Dani went on. “I would really kinda like to have more wishes…that way Sunny and I can into so many adventures and still be safe.”

She turned to me. “Can you imagine all the fun we’re gonna have? It’s like a dream…” Dani’s blue eyes turned into crystal pools of delight as she grinned from ear to ear, making me laugh out loud.

Manx grew into a cloud of mist and the vase he came from started to vibrate in the sand where I dropped it. Dani and I watched as the mist cloud sucked itself back into the vase and glowed with the same blue sparkle. “Your wishes have been granted…I’ll see you soon, you two! Be careful…” the vase seemed to say to us.

We looked at each other and giggled. Dani grabbed the vase and started jogging in the sand. “C’mon, Sunny! Let’s get started…I’ll race you to the other side of the beach…” she yelled as she ran.

And I, leaving the girl I had once been, ran after her.

__________________
I don't write to find out who I am.
I don't write to find out who I was.
I write to meet the person I'm gonna be.

Vixen

This would be a great start for a childrens story, or nivel. Did you ever write more? It seems just right for the young adult audiance, if they don't mind things a bit cute, maybe tolerably corny....

DawnMorningStar

I agree that this would make a good children's story. It's a bit cliched, but it was a fun read, and you have a nice writing style. Thanks for sharing it.