"JENNY AND THE GENIE"

CHAPTER 8

Chapter 8 – The Wish That Changed Everything

The night was quiet, but Jenny’s heart was anything but.

After everything that happened between her and the genie these past few days, sleep had become impossible. The image of his deep eyes, the calmness in his voice, and that one lingering moment when their hands accidentally touched—it all played like a song on repeat in her mind.

She turned to her side, clutching her blanket. “Ano bang nangyayari sa ’kin?” she whispered. “Genie lang siya. Hindi tao. Hindi puwedeng mahulog.”

But her heart didn’t seem to listen.

Outside her small window, the desert air shimmered faintly. A familiar blue mist appeared, swirling slowly until a figure took shape. It was Azrael—the genie. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes softened as he watched her.

“Jenny,” he said softly, his voice like wind through glass.

She nearly jumped out of bed. “Azrael! Don’t you know how to knock?”

“I don’t need to,” he said, amused. “Your heart already called me.”

Jenny’s cheeks burned. “Excuse me? I didn’t call anyone!”

He chuckled. “You did. Every time you think about me, I feel it. That’s part of our bond now. Ever since you freed me from the lamp, our souls are connected.”

Jenny blinked, stunned. “Wait… bonded? As in, forever?”

Azrael nodded. “Unless one of us chooses to break it. But breaking it means…” He hesitated, looking away. “It means one of us disappears forever.”

Jenny’s breath caught. “So, you’re saying if I try to forget you, one of us dies?”

“Something like that,” he replied, his tone suddenly heavy. “The universe doesn’t like broken ties.”

Jenny swallowed hard. For a moment, the only sound was her heartbeat.

He stepped closer, his form solidifying into a man—tall, striking, wearing a deep blue robe that shimmered like stars. His gaze locked with hers, and she could feel the pull of something ancient and powerful between them.

“Jenny,” he said again, voice low. “There’s a reason I was sent to you. You’re not just a random human. You have a gift.”

She frowned. “A gift? What kind of gift? The only thing I’m good at is juggling three part-time jobs and surviving each day.”

Azrael smiled faintly. “You have the power of heart-wish. The kind that doesn’t come from greed or desire, but from pure emotion. That’s why the lamp responded to you. It wasn’t just luck.”

Jenny sat down slowly. “Heart-wish…” she murmured. “So that’s why every time I wished before, nothing happened—until that night?”

He nodded. “Exactly. The lamp waits for someone whose heart is genuine. And you, Jenny Reyes, are one in a million.”

Jenny laughed softly, trying to brush off the tension. “Wow, one in a million, pero wala pa ring jowa.”

Azrael’s eyes sparkled with humor. “Perhaps you haven’t met someone worthy.”

Their eyes met. Time seemed to freeze.

Then, to break the awkwardness, Jenny suddenly asked, “So… about those three wishes. I only used one, right?”

“Yes,” Azrael said. “You wished for the lamp to stop bringing you bad luck. The curse on your family is gone now.”

Jenny blinked. “Wait—curse? What curse?”

Azrael looked at her seriously. “Your father leaving, your mother’s sickness, your endless misfortunes… none of it was coincidence. Someone placed a curse on your bloodline long ago. The first wish merely lifted the surface.”

Jenny’s heart raced. “Who would curse us? We’re just—ordinary people.”

“That’s what we must find out,” Azrael said, his tone darkening. “But you must be careful, Jenny. There are forces that will do anything to keep the truth buried.”

She felt a shiver run down her spine. “You mean… they’ll come after me?”

Azrael nodded. “And after me. That’s why I need you to make your second wish wisely. It might be the only thing that saves us both.”

Jenny bit her lip, thinking hard. The room felt colder, heavier. Her mother’s face flashed in her mind—the worry, the exhaustion, the quiet strength.

“My second wish…” she began.

Azrael stepped closer, his presence almost overwhelming. “Yes?”

She took a deep breath. “I wish my mother would never have to suffer again. Ever.”

The air crackled with blue light. The lamp at the corner of the room glowed fiercely, sending streams of light that wrapped around Azrael’s form.

He gasped softly. “Jenny, that’s—”

Before he could finish, the light exploded. Jenny shielded her eyes as waves of energy filled the room. When she opened them, Azrael was on the floor, trembling, his body flickering like smoke.

“Azrael!” she cried, running to him. “What’s happening?”

He looked up at her, pained but smiling faintly. “Your wish… it’s pure. But every selfless wish takes something in return. That’s the balance of magic.”

Jenny’s tears fell. “Then take something from me! Not from you!”

Azrael shook his head. “It doesn’t work that way. I’m the vessel. I absorb the cost so your world remains stable. But… don’t worry.” His voice softened, fading. “Your mother will wake up tomorrow—healthy, smiling. Free from pain.”

“Azrael, stop talking like you’re saying goodbye!” Jenny shouted, shaking him.

But his body began to turn translucent. “I’ll return… when the stars align again. Jenny… promise me you won’t forget.”

Her voice broke. “I promise! Just come back!”

Then, with a final shimmer of blue light, he vanished.

Jenny fell to her knees, sobbing. The lamp lay silent on the floor, cold and lifeless. The room felt emptier than ever.

For the first time, Jenny realized how much the genie had become a part of her life—her laughter, her hope, her strange new world.

As dawn approached, she looked out her window, clutching the lamp to her chest. “You promised to protect me,” she whispered. “So wherever you are… please come back.”

The sky slowly shifted from indigo to gold. And as the first ray of sunlight touched the lamp, it shimmered—just a flicker, like a heartbeat.

Jenny gasped softly.

He was still there. Somewhere.

And the story of their fate was far from over.