Future Demands

Future Demands

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Dark yellow leaves blew in through the broken window, scattering to the corners of the cold hunting shack. The girl with translucent white skin and pink eyes looked towards the other three girls who huddled on the freezing floor with her. They were all caught trying to beat the storm when heading from school back into town; at least the other girls were.

"We made it before it started pouring," the black-haired girl said, looking out at the dark clouds. It was her idea to head for the shack, calling the albino girl over to them when she saw the strange girl standing alone near the woods.

It was very nice of her, the girl thought. So rare these days when seeing someone like me.

"Jeannie, you said, right?" The question was towards the newcomer.

She nodded, her white hair falling foward, and she nervously pulled it back over her ears. Sitting so close to them made the girl uncomfortable, yet she silently hoped they didn't notice.

"I'm Avery," she flipped her black hair. "This is Chloe and Laila."

"You live in the mountain woods, right?" Chloe said, "With the lumberjacks?"

"I live in the mountains," she answered.

"Were you thinking about coming to school?" Chloe straightened her expensive dress, smoothing out its soft velvet. It was green, reminding the new girl of the green moss that grew on wet rocks.

"I've never attended school," she stated.

"I mean, were you thinking of coming to school?" Chloe announciated her words as if the girl didn't understand her.

She softly answered, "No."

"You should really think about it," Laila said with a thick accent. She wore suspenders and a straight skirt down to her ankles. Her white, long-sleeved blouse ended with frills at the wrist. "It will give you more opportunities in life. I mean, you don't want to live in the woods all of your life."

The girl didn't retort.

"Truth or Dare?!" Avery spat, startling their newcomer.

Her pale mouth flew open and remain that way.

"You have to pick one," Chloe said, but the girl remained frozen in terror.

"Truth or dare," Laila said again more firmly.

The girl had no choice, and exhaled. "Truth."

Avery smiled as she thought of a question. "Do you want to remain uneducated and a slave to men?"

She was relieved. It was a safe question. "I do not want to be a slave to man," she answered. "And I am not uneducated."

"Really," Chloe said. "Then what is the influence of Nicole Rosette?"

The girl immediately answered. "She developed a belief system of the focused of naturalism and not materialism, with the orientation of changes in religion being a growth and not a diminuitve of belief."

The three girls raised their eyebrows, and then applauded.

"Well, with that education, Jeannie," Chloe said, "what will you achieve in life?"

She was silent for only a moment, and looked at them individually. "What will each of you want to achieve?"

"Medical Scientist," Avery said. "To help cure diseases that stricken humanity, so none would have to grieve and be filled with fear, ever again."

The other two girls face softened. "It was a shame what happened to Gloscer," Chloe explained to the new ears of the story. "A plague to that town. Avery's aunt and family lived there. People stiffened like golden rock; it passed by a single touch."

"I'm sorry," the girl said looking down. "So, sorry it had to happen."

"Nevermind that," Avery said, shrugging it off. "What will you achieve?"

Laila welcomed the change of mood. "For me," she said, "I want to join the aviation, and soar amongst the skies." With a sigh, she continued wishing. "It's the adventure, you see, to travel and see the world under my own mechanism."

"I want to be a distinguished fashion designer," Chloe said, folding her hands on her velvet. "To beautify even the impoverished, with a design that they could afford. Everyone would see their own beauty." She touched the new girl's simple dress, which was more like a slip--underwear. "Even you."

The girl smiled warmly, "Done."

They all turned as the bright light of the sun struck through the window.

"How strange," Avery said, standing up to gaze at the sky. "The weather changed so quickly..."

"I must wholeheartedly agree." Laila stood beside her, and Chloe joined.

They continued to look at the extreme change of the weather, and then Avery noticed the new girl wasn't standing with them. She turned to see that she was no longer in the shack. "Jeannie?"

"Look," Chloe said, and walked to the area of the floor where the albino girl was sitting.

Scratched on its surface were the words: Your wishes are my command.

Her white hair moving like waves behind her, the girl ran back through the woods. She didn't mean to be seen, which was always her intentions until she was caught. The humans had called her to them, and then demanded from her. And being a genie, she had no choice but to obey. Fortunately, their wishes were thoughtful and selfless, unlike the greedy one who wanted a touch of gold.

© 2020

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