Magic Shop

SIX | THEORIES AND WISHES

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This is absurd!  Dawn mumbled to himself as he woke up in a daze after losing consciousness. His body was still trembling as he remembered what had happened. He first assumed it was a dream since he woke up on his bed, but he even though he was a loser, he was not dumb.

He knew that he went out and if he was really dreaming, he should remembered the details commuting home however, his memory was cut and the sensation of him teleporting from the shop to his room was still fresh.

His body quivered as he remembered the cold sensation enveloping him into a tight hug before the scene in his eyes turned black and one second after the other he was already in his room and he had lost consciousness.

So, he soon realized that what he had experience was part of reality and the wishes that Lau had said was true. However, Dawn’s years of experience reading fantasy book made him realized that such trade had either malicious intentions or there were consequences, so he was really hesitant and he couldn't help but doubt everything.

Dawn was trying to resolve his confusion when he noticed that it was already twelve midnight as he glanced on the clock sitting on his side table. He realized that he was sleeping soundly he clearly didn’t even notice her mom coming home as he was in deep sleep.

Realizing that he was still wearing his clothes he used outside, he momentarily halt his brain from over thinking and walked towards his drawers to get some clothes and take a shower. He doesn’t feel sticky at all but Dawn knew he needed some hot water to ease his tensed body so it could help him think more clearly later.

As the hot water cascaded on his body he felt the water washing away his fatigue making his brain felt calm for a moment. He then understand why some people love hot baths. Dawn’s eyes went to the bath tub and saw some bath bombs beside it thinking it was his Mom who put those there.

Without thinking anything, he poured hot water on the tub and some bath bombs. As soon as the tub was filled with water Dawn got inside and relaxed his whole body. The scent coming from the bath bombs made him feel like he was letting the warm waves of the sea take him anywhere.  

He felt peaceful for a moment.

Dawn closed his eyes and let the warm water sooth all of his worries. Feeling this, Dawn finally understand that he was not in the metal hospital anymore. He doesn’t need to take baths with cold water and use the same color of clothes over and over again. The scent of the sea  coming from the bath bombs lingered in his nose making him forget the smell of medicines and chlorine and the calm night was enough to make him momentarily forget the loud noises of people he usually heard in the facility.

Dawn sighed with ease and relief. People need this kind of relaxation once in a while. He thought and closed his eyes.

After he finished his bath, he changed into a new set of clean and comfortable clothes before going out of his bed room. He was barefooted and the coldness of the floor spread unto his feet as he walked towards the kitchen to make some midnight snack.

As he walked, he saw his mother on the sofa sitting with a bunch of documents drowning her. She heard noises and glance over her left. She saw her son fresh from bath. He was still holding a towel to dry his hair.

“Good evening” She cheerfully said and Dawn just nodded before saying, “Good evening too mom” His voice sounded hoarse making his mother frowned.

“Are you sick?” she then asked.

Dawn shook his head. “No” he answered and her mom just nodded.

“Reheat the food inside the fridge if you are hungry.” His mother looked at the documents again. 

“Thank you,” he mumbled and waste no time as he opened the fridge and reheat the food. The microwave beeped signaling Dawn that it was finished reheating his food. Dawn grabbed some towel to hold the bowl and put it on the counter table as he eat the food slowly.

As he put the spoon filled with food in his mouth his mind suddenly drifted swallowing him with different thoughts.

Should I consider it? But, I’m still hesitating what if there’s some ill intentions? His brain bombarded him with different questions. But so what? That man told you that they were your biggest regret and apparently he was right. If you’re just going to past this opportunity would you be able to live like before? His mind answered his questions.

Dawn fell into a daze his eyes landing on the weird picture hanged on the wall but Dawn can’t obviously see it because he was in deep thought. He sighed for a moment thinking he should grabbed the chance that was laid in front of him. He was already miserable and even time passed by, he can’t see his future at all.

Everyday he spent his days either surfing the net or laying in bed thinking of his regrets and his future resulting him in to depression. He also can’t burden his mom any longer for she was not getting any younger. Dawn knew he needed to keep his shits together but it was hard.

Now, the universe gave him an opportunity to live different.

A chance.

A wish.

Dawn bit his lips gradually swallowing his food as he decided. Since he was already miserable and wretched, all he could do was accept what was the gods giving him.

He sighed again and scoop a spoon full of food as he held his decision firm. He doesn’t need to think it more deeply. If he’s already in the path of hell, he just needed to embrace it.

This opportunity looked like a diamond for Dawn who already experience the feeling of abandonment and grieve.

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The moment Dawn made his decision, he decided to go into the shop to say his decison but as soon as he walked on the road, he clearly doesn’t remember which path he should take. Feeling lost, he remembered that they will summon him after a week so he doesn’t need to worry over it.

He panicked when he realized that he doesn’t remember the path causing him to over think but as soon as he remembered the promised Lau had made, it made it calm down momentarily. But then, his mind asked over and over again if Lau was going to keep his promise however, since he doesn’t have any answer to it, all he could do was set aside the question and hope that Lau would really keep his promise.

Realizing that he got nothing to do, he went home after purchasing a bunch of fiction books that have some time travel theme on it. Dawn’s first decision was educate himself about time travel or alternating the past. He had searched the internet times and times again but since this was like a fantasy in reality all he could read was some theory and some fiction books.

At least I still have some knowledge about it. He criticized himself. So he spent the last seven days reading the books he bought and read some theories on the internet.

In his reading he encountered two things that caught his attention and that was the parallel universe and the butterfly effect.

The parallel universe theory said that it was an alternate universe of alternate reality. Dawn had read it over and over again but he had only understand the surface of it.

Basically it was saying that I have another me in another world. Dawn concluded and moved his eyes to read the butterfly effect theory. This theory made him quiver in fear and uncertainty. As he read, it made him question his decision and his resolve about his wish. The butterfly effect theory had told him that a small change can result into a large differences in a later stage.

He was stuck at these two theories clearly ignoring some theories he read over the internet. He was afraid and at the same time he felt selfish. He was afraid that his wish might affect innocent people in a larger scale but at the same time Dawn was still clearly sure about his wish even though people might be affected or not.

He had been dead because of the people around him and him being selfish was an act of revenge to the people who had caused him pain. One example was his father and his b***h spouse who had accused him of r**e.

Sighing, Dawn felt the tiredness of his body as he stood up and walked to his bed. He flopped down on his bed making his pillows bounce because of the sudden force. Half of his body was hanging on the edge of the bed. Some pillows covered him but Dawn didn’t made any move as he buried his face on his bed inhaling the scent of fabric conditioner making him feel good in a weird way.

His mind then made different scenarios causing him to over think more. Dawn who had already feel like he was tired did not bother to change the way his brain thinks and just let the tiredness swallow him as he drifted to sleep.

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8 pm on the magic antique shop, Dawn was once again swallowed by the scene in front of him. The two people who he previously met was sitting in front of him leisurely eating some deserts and drinking some tea and coffee.

Dawn was on his bed reading some books when he felt a chilling effect hugging his whole body. He shivered and he felt goosebumps and in a matter of seconds, he was once again sitting in front of the two people, Lau and Christine.

Lau was still wearing his monocle but he was wearing a black suit it was also the same for Christine. Their outfits made Dawn shivered with fear as his mind told him that they might be sending him on his funeral that was why they’re wearing an all black garments.

Dawn wanted to laugh at his thoughts but since he was here for his wish, he tried his best to act modest.

Time passed by and Lau gave him some strawberry short cake and Ice tea. Dawn was dumbfounded at first but he made no attempts to reject the delights Lau was offering him. He felt nervous and he felt tense because none of them spoke.

Even the ever friendly Lau was quietly sipping his brewed coffee and eating sweets while Christine was still reading a black notebook. Moments later, Dawn already finished his cake and ice tea. He bit his lips and anxiously looked at the two people in front of him.

The silence was killing him more and more. Lau noticed his anxiousness and he smiled fixing his monocle on his right eye. He wanted Dawn to relaxed first and think of his wish but seemed like the silence they both gave to him made him more anxious and worried. So, he decided to open his mouth and speak.

“Have you prepared your wishes?” He asked in a soft and gentle voice. Dawn nodded his head and clenched his fist even more.

“C-C-Can you,” Dawn cleared his throat for his voice was clearly displaying his nervousness. He inhaled a lung full of air before asking, “Can you change the past?” he asked half hopeful and half fearful.

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