Later that day, Jon headed to the library during his free period. He walked to a table in the back corner of the library and carefully unzipped his back pack. He pulled out Karyn's bronze lamp, sighed, and rubbed his hand across its side. A sparkling sand poured from the lamp's nozzle and took Karyn's figure.
Karyn pressed her hand against her head and started to fall. Jon reached over, but she had already braced herself against the table.
"Are you OK?"
Karyn nodded. "Yeah. Just a little dizzy." She didn't look quite like Jon remembered. Her hair had changed colors again, and was now black. Her breasts, somehow, had shrunk. Karyn's clothes were white and sequined, and trimmed in gold. She wasn't wearing any shoes.
"Karyn, your hair is . . ."
"Black? I know." She had recovered now and sat down. "Best I can figure," she continued, "Is that the stone didn't change me."
"What does that mean?"
"It's something that I don't want to think about right now." She tucked her black locks behind her ears.
"Karyn, I'm sorry. If I had known . . ."
"Oh, please, Jon," Sarah McMillian said, coming around the corner. She sat her books down and took a seat opposite Jon, "Can you honestly tell me that you wished for Karyn to be able to grant wishes, and the first thought that popped into your mind wasn't a Genie?"
"How did you . . ." Jon started. "You were hiding behind that tree, weren't you?"
Sarah nodded. "Yep, and guess what else? I asked around, and we're the only one's who know about Karyn. Nobody else has even heard of her."
"How?" Karyn looked to Jon.
"I guess that, when the stone made you a Genie, everyone else forgot about you, since Genie's don't go to school.
Karyn buried her head in her hands. "Oh, jeez. We've used that stone three times now, and all three times it's bit me in the ass."
Sarah snickered, "Them's the breaks." Jon had been watching Sarah's hand creep toward Karyn's lamp since she sat down. When she moved it again, Jon grabbed the lamp and pulled it away. "Aw, shucks, Jon, you figured me out."
"Sarah, get out of here. I'm not letting you make any wishes."
"Oh, Jon, I wasn't going to do anything bad. I just wanted my own personal servant."
"Don't I get a say in the matter?" Karyn said.
"Genie, I don't think you understand. You're a Genie; you don't get a say in any matter."
"Not for long, Sarah. I never wished for Karyn to be a Genie directly, so I can undo the wish." Jon searched around in his backpack, pushing books and papers every which way. He started to search faster. Then, he gave up and felt his pockets.
"Jon, is there something wrong?" Karyn asked, worry in her voice.
"I can't find the stone." Jon said, then he glared at Sarah, "Where's the stone, Sarah?"
"I don't know. I never actually saw it."
"I don't believe you. You knew about Karyn. You knew about the stone. You're the only one who knows."
"Well, it's the truth."
"We'll see. Karyn, I wish Sarah can only tell the truth."
"Your wish is my law, Master." Karyn waved her arms over her head, and a moment later, Sarah rocked back in her chair.
"Whoa. That hurt." She rubbed her head.
"Sarah, where is the stone?"
"I told you, I don't know."
Jon looked around. "So, if you don't have it, who does?"
