THE MOMENT
"... I wish I knew what to wish for that would have no negative or unintended consequences," Nick spoke his first wish out loud at the ethereal torso hovering in front of him. He and the genie were on the beach with the sun resting on the horizon and a cool breeze in the air. It was a nice evening and quite a few others spaced out up and down the beach. Nick felt lucky that he'd finally found a genie; but, he didn't feel the need to keep it hidden. He always hoped he'd stumble across one on some random day. Plenty of other people did, and even businesses sprung up around the concept of developing the 'perfect wish'. But, Nick had his own plan. He'd had time to perfect his first wish with the intent that it would make his second and third ones easier.
"Granted...," the genie spoke with a pleasant yet gravelly voice. They'd already had some interaction before Nick made his first wish and he was surprised to learn that behind the being's sinister voice was a helpful, warm genie. As soon as the genie spoke, Nick had his answer. The knowledge popped into his head as if it were a long-forgotten memory. It was clear as day, something he'd always known, but rarely thought of. There was only one appropriate reaction. He burst out laughing.
'HAahahaaha...," it was a true, boisterous belly laugh, enough to draw some curious attention from others on the beach. "hhaaaa...," he calmed down but the broad grin that came along with the knowledge didn't disappear.
"For my second wish, I'm kind of hungry. I wish for a healthy snack. Something I can eat without too much trouble or mess, like an apple or something," he said as he held out his hand.
"Granted...," the genie replied with a sinister voice and friendly smile. A large red apple appeared on his hand with a small puff of smoke.
"Hi, hello! I couldn't help but notice that you've already made two wishes!" a new voice spoke up. It started at a distance but grew louder as a young man with muscles and a glowing tan approached. "I'm not trying to rush you; but, if you're gonna make your third wish, can I have the lamp after?" he asked.
"Sure," Nick nodded. "I'm about to finish up anyway," he turned back to the genie. "I'm ready for my third wish. I'm gonna need some water to wash this down, can I get a cold bottle of water?" He held out his hand and the beverage appeared in his hand. "Thanks, Genie. I appreciate it," Nick smiled and raised the water to the genie in a mock toast, then he turned. "All yours," he said to the stranger and began to walk away.
"Wait!" the stranger stopped him.
"I saw you laughing.. then you got an apple... I didn't think you wasted your wishes on that; but now you wished for a bottle of water? There's a vending machine right over there!" he pointed to a shaded picnic area.
"I didn't bring any money," Nick shrugged. "it was easier to just wish for what I wanted."
"YOU COULD HAVE WISHED FOR MONEY!" the stranger didn't mind raising his voice at another stranger.
"Yeah," Nick shrugged. "But, I didn't. Have a great evening," Nick nodded and tried to move on again.
"Hold on, you have two things, what was your first wish?" the muscleman seemed offended at the wasted possibilities. "Did you wish for a joke?" he asked.
"No," Nick shrugged with a grin. "My first wish was to know what to wish for that would have no negative or unintended consequences," he said. "The answer was just kind of funny to me."
"You know that...and you still wasted your wishes?"
"Yeah," Nick nodded. "I mean, that's all you can do really. The secret is, there's no such thing. There's nothing that can be wished for that won't have unintended consequences; the multiverse is too big and too intertwined. This apple...," he held it up for effect. "It came from somewhere in some universe. Maybe this one, maybe not; but, the point is, someone somewhere is missing an apple they think they have. Will it be a big deal? Probably not; but, it will definitely have unintended consequences."
"Wait... other universes exist?" the stranger had a new interest to focus on.
"Oh wow, they totally do!" Nick nodded as his eyes widened, then he chuckled again. "I hadn't even registered that. Oh man, I could've wished to tour the multiverse. Ah well," he sighed and took a bite of his apple. "Good luck," he waved at the stranger and walked away.
"Genie, I get three wishes, right?" the stranger asked as he picked up the lamp from the beach.
"Correct," the genie nodded. He looked back to see Nick far enough away and getting further.
"Okay, I want the same first wish as him; I wish I knew what to wish for that would have no negative or unintended consequences!" he said.
"Granted...," the genie replied and the muscular athlete was overcome with laughter too. He laughed a little harder and a little longer than Nick; but, finally he calmed down enough to smile at the genie.
"Wow, he was right. There's nothing I can wish for that won't have unintended consequences....," he said. And, now that he knew about the multiverse, he was ready to register that knowledge when it came too. "So, consequences be damned," he shrugged. "I'm ready for my second wish, I want to own my own alternate Earth and be in control of it!" he said.
"Granted...," the genie said. Instead of being whisked away to another universe, they remained on the same beach and a clear glass card appeared in the new Master's hand.
"What the hell? We're on the same Earth? What's this?" he looked at the card but ignored the details because it wasn't what he asked for.
"Your deed and control to your Earth," the genie replied.
"I DON'T NEED A DEED! I WISH TO BE ON ANOTHER EARTH AND I WANT TO OWN THAT EARTH!" he yelled. For the first time since Nick left, the genie smiled with his sinister voice.
"Granted...," the genie said as the man disappeared, leaving the glass card to fall to the sand. The genie's job was done and he retreated back into the lamp.
On a different Earth somewhere in the multiverse, a muscular man with a glowing tan appeared on a beach in a puff of smoke. He knew it was a different location because it was dark. Except, as he turned around, he noticed a towering wall of water that was obscuring the sun as it approached the beach.