And besides, Sarah didn't know of many computer programs that continue to run when you turn off the computer. There was obviously something more going on here than just a prank web site.
10. My father is alive again and Mom loves him like she did before.
Some thoughts went through her head. What if wishing for too much was dangerous? Or what if this was some kind of test by the devil and if she did something very evil it would cost her her soul? If she broke up her mother and stepfather by magic, would that doom her to an eternity in Hell?
But if she didn't, then there would be a family feud like she couldn't imagine. Or at the very least a very messy divorce. She had to do something.
11. My stepfather, father, Mom, and Freddie aren't upset by the problems having my father alive might cause.
12. My stepfather and Freddie are never mean to me.
Then came the smaller ideas. Sarah could use doing well in school. She was about to put down that she always gets A's, when the idea of the devil came to her again. Finally she decided on something that she hoped wouldn't be cheating.
13. I have a 200 IQ, but that doesn't change my social life, my personality, the things I do or enjoy, or how I speak.
And Sarah had vague knowledge of world politics. Too vague for her to know much. But she could toss in at least one unselfish wish.
14. Every starving person has something to eat.
Wait a minute. What if that turned starving people into zombies?
15. There are no zombies or cannibals.
Sarah was, at this point, out of ideas except for one, unless she wanted to kill or mutilate some rivals at school. But if she did that, she could just as well have poisoned their water or run them over with a car without the benefit of any wishes. Even she couldn't be that evil, and besides, if the wishes weren't real and ended up on the front page of the school paper, revealing to the world that she fantasized turning another cheerleader into a six year old with a pig head would be embarassing. So she filled in wishes 16 through 19 with wishes for four CDs she really wanted to get, just to use them up.
And, of course, one thing everyone wished for in genie stories was more wishes. The impulse to not to let an opportunity go away fought the impulse not to overload on greed, and she didn't wish she could just make wishes at will. But she had to do something, if only because she might have made a mistake and had to clean up after herself.
20. A week after making these wishes I'll get a free wish. Every time I use a free wish, a week later I'll get another one.
And it was over. Sarah pressed "Submit" and the form was submitted. She watched as her computer--without power--finally turned off and wondered whether she'd actually get any of the wishes. If so, did she make any mistakes? And, of course, what the second email address was for. Did she just give someone else 20 wishes too?
