Karyn lay in bed, but her eyes were open wide and fixed on the fake stars on her ceiling. She had been like this for two hours now, ever since she got in bed. Her mind was simply moving too fast for it to rest. And the worst part was that whatever she looked at set of a hundred new ideas of what to wish for.
She looked at toys and wondered what it was like to be loved by a child. She looked at guys and wondered if they really only thought about sex. She looked at clothes and wondered what it was like to be worn. And on and on and on. Finally fed up with pretending Karyn sighed, sat up, and turned on the TV. And then, she wondered, if Jon had already made a wish.
But as she flipped through the channels, she knew he hadn't. He would have told her, right? Karyn happed across an infomercial that immediately, almost magically, caught her eye.
"That's right, Bob, this program is amazing. And again, it's so different, which is a rare thing in our mundane world. So call now for a free information packet. Or better yet, come down to the closest center near you. Hey, what've you got to lose?" The conversation might have been pretty basic, but Karyn was taken in by the man and woman on screen. The woman sported vibrant blue hair and a blue-silvered fish tail and lay back in an aquarium. She lounged against a throne of corals. The man stood next to her, on dry land. He had a beautifully carved chest, but the rest of him was a horse, his hair a pitch black. His tail snapped back and forth, so life-like.
Then the voiceover started. "Are you tired of a repetitive life? Tired of dead end jobs, traffic, and worrying about money? Do you wish you had a more magical life? Then we're the company for you. We're Fantastic Desires, and we'll make dreams come true. Here's just one of our happy customers:"
The camera was placed upon a young woman, and Karyn's jaw dropped, because Sarah was on the TV. But it looked like she was made of pure gold, from her arms to the whites of her eyes. And she wore a Grecian style gown, also gold. "I came to Fantastic Desires more than a little skeptical. But when I told them about myself, they immediately found a ton of new jobs for me that I had never thought of." Sarah smiled, "I always wanted to be put on a pedestal," The camera zoomed out, revealing the rest of her gold body and a pedestal, and also the gold harp attached to her back, "And they did it for me. Plus," A man sat down next to her and began to strum his fingers across her strings, "I've got music with me where ever I go."
The voice returned, "In addition to the desire you just saw, we have a hundred more. We offer a program for almost anything you dream up, including: Anthromorphs and half breeds, Fae creatures, Genies, Magic-users, and devils.
"We also offer programs in history, space, and modern fantasies. Come on down to one of our nearby centers or call for a free information packet. We offer positions for the short-term, such as Orcs and Mad Scientists, long-tern, like Damsels in Distress or Space Explorers, or positions that will extend your lifespan, such as Genies or Elves."
"So just call. We're just eleven little digits and a dream away." Karyn looked at her phone, then back to the TV. There was no way she was sleeping tonight.
And then she saw something that shocked her. . .
Nathan strummed away on Sarah's harp. The golden girl closed her eyes and swayed her head to the notes. She breathed in deeply, taking in the scented aroma surrounding her.
"What does it feel like?" He asked. Sarah brought her arm back and caressed is cheek.
"Like that, but with beautiful tingles running down my spine." Nathan smiled and kissed the harp's hand.
"You are such an elegant lady."
"Elegant. That's a new one. I was always more into sexy."
"Trust me, sexy doesn't suit you." Suddenly, Sarah felt pressure on her neck and a piercing into her veins.
"Hey! What did you . . . do?" She could barely keep her head straight. A woman strode up to her, three men by her side, and a box being wheeled behind her.
"We're readying you for transport, my dear. There's a buyer in the market who enjoys music. You will provide it for him."
"But . . . I thought . . . part . . . Symphony. Can't . . . do this." Sarah would have fallen forward, were it not for the harp on her back.
"My dear, the contract you signed specifically states that we can change your position at will. We arranged for your placement in the New York Symphony Orchestra, but, well, this new buyer simply pays more. Maybe in ten years, though."
"Ten? . . . What?"
The woman sighed, "Yes, we also have the right to extend your length of contract up to ten times the original amount. More, if we find you are still lucrative."
"You . . . sell. . . people?"
"Not for money, but there are other . . . commodities which we find important. Now, no more questions from you, my dear harp. You're off to your new home . . ."
Jon was startled awake by the ringing of his cellphone. He groggily picked it up off his nightstand, "Hello?"
"Jon," Karyn's voice came through the speaker, "Have you made any wishes with the stone?"
"No. Why?"
"Because I was watching an infomercial for this company called Fantastic Desires and they . . ."
"Karyn, what's going on? You sound frantic."
"That's the thing, Jon. This company, this Fantastic Desires place, its logo is a rock. A rock that looks just like yours. And if you didn't make a wish . . ."
