FICTION

THE THIRD WISH

Amelia Allyte

Harry North, thirty eight years old, six feet tall and one hundred ninety pounds was relaxing and enjoying a nightcap before retiring. He was sit- ting in semi-darkness, the only light was the rays of the full moon that were streaming through a window. While sitting there he was idly examining a small antique brass urn that he had purchased earlier that day.

Somehow it slipped through his fingers and fell to the floor, the fall knocking off the seal which had capped the vase. He reached down for it and suddenly halted. Fascinated he watched as a thin column of smoke emerged from the urn. It rapidly coalesced into a tiny genie, complete in every detail even down to the curl in the toe of the shoes.

The genie said to the surprised Harry. "Master, you have opened my prison under the light of the full moon. Accordingly, ere I escape fully I must grant you three wishes. However there are certain limitations. I can only grant one wish at a time and that is only under the light of the first full moon. Also you must state your wish within thirty seconds after I ap- pear, else I can escape doing your bidding."

The suddenness of the appearance of the genie and his strange offer took Harry aback. While he was recovering from his surprise and taking stock of the situation and this strange turn of events, his thoughts were interrupted. "Please hurry, you only have fifteen seconds left."

Now for several years Harry North had enjoyed the habit of wearing feminine clothing in the privacy of his home. Because of his size and the trace of a beard that stubbornly showed through, even after the closest shave he had never tried to venture out in public so garbed, although he had often had the desire to do so.

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