"I wish that Liz was a normal student at our school, and had a happy life here
in town with her family ... and that people knew her and remembered her."
The stone began to glow and there was a bright light. Yet to Jon, nothing
seemed to change.
"Wow. Thanks for the new life," she said, realizing that she lived only a block
away now. "But ... you didn't bring back Jennifer ..."
"Not yet," Jon replied. "I'd like to think this over before making any wishes
about Jennifer.
After all, in your memories I'm her, so I might get stuck as her
for real if I made a bad wish. Even worse, I could end up changing someone else
into your friend, destroying that person's old life. I'm pretty sure Karyn
wouldn't like to become Jennifer, for example."
"Certainly not," said Karyn. "But ... well ... I wouldn't mind if certain other
people got changed ... how about Sarah?"
"But these other people would mind. Sarah may be a bitch, with a capital B. But
having her personality erased and replaced by another - no, even a bitch
doesn't deserve that.
I don't think I could do that to my worst enemy. In a way, it would be like
murder."
"How about explicitly wishing for a fake Jennifer?" Karyn suggested.
"Knowing my luck, I'd get exactly what I wished for: A Jennifer with a
personality that just screams FAKE! About as genuine as a 30 dollar bill. I'm
sure Liz doesn't want a fake friend."
All three of them fell silent, thinking about the best way to "bring back"
Jennifer. After a while Liz said: "Jon ... maybe you could become Jennifer ...".
"Liz, please, don't start this again!" interrupted Jon.
"I won't," Liz promised. "Please hear me out. Maybe you could become Jennifer
part-time, for a few days of every month or so. That way you wouldn't give up
being Jon, and I would get my best friend back, at least some of the time."
"Actually that might be a good idea," Karyn added. "Honestly, Jon, have you
never been curious about life as a girl?"
"Um ... uh ... yes, sometimes ..."
"This is your opportunity to find out all about it. I'm almost jealous of you.
Sometimes I'd really like to know how being a boy feels ..."
"We'll see about that," Jon said with a meaningful glance at the rock.
"But how can I phrase that wish so it doesn't backfire at me? For instance
I'd rather not be compelled to change at a certain time of the month ..."
"Ooooh, a were-Jennifer, how cute!" Liz said, grinning.
"No thanks. Infecting others by biting them doesn't appeal to me either," Jon
added. "I'll get pen and paper and think about this some more." And so
he did.
After some time and a lot of writing (and crossing out) Jon showed the paper
to Liz and Karyn. "What do you think about it?"
"Why did you add that time limit?" Liz asked.
"Well, I'm not sure how Jennifer will feel about changing back into Jon. And if
I want I can always become Jennifer again, right after changing back."
"Maybe you should do something about your clothes?" Karyn suggested.
"Good idea," Jon said and wrote down some more text. He then paused a moment,
took a deep breath and touched the stone.
"Here goes nothing. I wish ..."
