Jenny did not know what to do. She was fresh out of medical school and had never heard of any strange condition that transformed people into peppermint candy statues. The nurse Jody continued to stand there, immobile, as the confused Jenny stared in astonishment.
Was this some strange new illness? Was it catching? She wondered if she should have the whole floor quarantined. One thing was certain -- she was not going to let anyone touch Jody until she had some idea as to whether or not the nurse could be revived from her strange condition.
She realized she would have to tell the senior staff of the hospital about this -- but what was she going to tell them? How was she going to explain this to them when she herself didn't know what was going on?
Meanwhile back at Jon's house, Karyn had told Jon the whole story, while continuing to breast-feed Baby Debbie.
"So," said Jon. "My little brother Mikey is in the hospital, Sarah is in the mental ward, and my mother's a baby?"
"Yes, that's about it." Karyn replied. "Except that Mikey couldn't change your mother back after he turned her into a baby. First he turned her into a little girl, and then a baby. But after he turned her into a baby, he couldn't change her back."
"And Mikey got his power because he used the magic rock to wish for the power to transform women and girls, is that right?"
"That's what he told me." Karyn replied. "But he turned me into a fountain, a piggy bank, and a mermaid and had no trouble changing me back. He had no trouble changing Sarah and Mrs. Higgins back, either. I don't see why he'd have trouble changing your mother back."
"At least he returned the magic stone." said Jon, thankfully. He took a look at the stone that had given Mikey this strange power to begin with. "We can't take the power away from him, but we can modify it."
"I suggested that he only be allowed to change women and girls if I agree with it. But that was then." said Karyn.
"Well, we can't just let him get away with such unrestrained power." said Jon. "We have to come up with just the right wish to put things right."
Jon and Karyn thought for a while. Baby Debbie happily slurped up Karyn's breast milk.
Finally, Jon decided to make a wish. Holding the wishing stone, he said "I wish..."
