The gun cracked as thunder and it deafened Jon's ears. He stumbled backwards and collapsed. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't live a life of magic and enchantment for three days, only to die from a gunshot. Life poured from Jon's body and he thought back to the first day he and Karyn had used the rock. That was a fun day . . .
"I wish Karyn . . . was wearing an itsy bitsy teeny-weeny yellow polka dot bikini." The stone flashed, but Jon didn't see anything change. "Hey . . ." he trailed off, but Karyn lifted her shirt so he could see that she was wearing the bikini. She was just wearing clothes over it.
"My turn." Jon tossed the stone over, "I wish Jon . . . was only wearing an itsy bitsy teeny-weeny yellow polka dot bikini." Jon suddenly found himself in just that. Unfortunately his body was not built for such clothing. Karyn never knew Jon had so much hair on his body. "Oh, jeez! I take it back! I take it back!" Karyn undid the wish and tossed the stone back. They were sitting face to face on the picnic table Jon's family had in their backyard. No one was home and no one was in the forest behind the house.
"I wish Karyn . . . would give me a lap dance." Karyn stood up and sensually walked over to him. She ran her body over his with a smile that Jon knew was more than just magic.
"I wish Jon . . . would start to chicken dance."
"Oh, come on!" Jon said as he automatically stood up and tucked his hands beneath his elbows and began to dance. Karyn supplied the music and laughter.
"I wish Karyn . . . had bright pink hair."
Karyn cocked her head, "Jon, you can't . . ." she trailed off when she caught a wisp of pink in front of her face. "Whoa! Did it work! How did it work!" Jon didn't have an answer. "I wish I knew how that last wish worked." He paused as the stone apparently responded in his mind.
"Well, what did it say?"
Jon looked up, a little scarred and a little confused, "It was talking gibberish. Anyway, we'll figure it out later." He tossed the stone back.
"I wish . . . my boobs were back to their old size." Miraculously, they did just that. "Whoa."
"You know, Kar, you look a little doll-like right now."
"Why thank you, Jon." Karyn folded her hands and made her best petite impression.
"I wish Karyn was wearing dolls clothes." The flash of light blinded Jon for a minute. Then Karyn blinded him so more. She smiled broadly with pink lips and then stood up and gave Jon a little twirl. She wore a green muffin hat, pink checkered dress with a small green apron and green and white striped tights. The grand finale was black Mary Jane shoes. She sat down and folded her dress neatly.
"I am so wearing this for Halloween."
"Halloween? I wish Karyn wore that to school tomorrow."
"Hey! That's two wishes!" Jon sent the rock back, "I wish that Jon was dressed . . . like Pinocchio. I wish Jon would wear that costume to school tomorrow."
"Pinocchio?" Jon said as his jeans and shirt faded into red overalls.
"Don't you want to be a real boy?"
"Har har." He looked down at the stone, "You know what we should really wish for. . ."
"Jon, no. We promised no serious wishes. Not yet."
"I just . . . you shouldn't be living in that . . ."
"Jon, I'm not leaving my house. I won't be my mom. Besides, who would take care of dad?"
"You barely see him, Kar! We can fix all that with the stone. One wish, two wishes, and everything's better."
"We don't know anything about the stone, so let's do as we promised and get adjusted to it before we do anything too drastic." Karyn stood up, "Anyway, I gotta get back home. See you at school tomorrow." Jon waved and watched Karyn leave, pink dress swaying. She stopped and turned.
"If you did make a wish now to help me out, how would you do it?"
"I'd get you a mansion." Jon yelled smiling, "Course, the stone would misinterpret that and make it a dollhouse mansion. But that would be OK, because I would put it in Zoe's room. You could help her be more social. I would take care of you and keep you safe. You would be able to come and go as you please." Karyn came back and leaned across the table to kiss Jon on the cheek.
"You're sweet, Jon." She stood up and walked back to the gate. "No wishes while I'm gone."
"I promise."
"And I'll know when you're lying." She smiled.
Jon looked at her, then back to the rock. He had to help Karyn.
"I wish . . ."
Jon looked at the rock and the person holding it. "Shoulda never used this, Jon. Shoulda done what Karyn said. 'Cause, wasn't that wish the one that started this whole mess?"
Jon stared into his killer's eyes, "Woulda, coulda, shoulda. I would make that wish a thousand times, even if I knew what was going to happen."
