Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Who's there?" Jon asked, then opened the door. Standing out in the hall was his mom.
"Jon, we've been chosen."
"Chosen? Chosen for what?" he asked.
"For the Cultural Exchange Program. What did you think I was talking about?"
Cultural Exchange Program? What was that? Jon had a feeling that this had something to do with that wish he just made. But what exactly did his wish do?
"So ..." Jon said.
"Why are you acting all surprised? You knew this might happen. Come downstairs. You know we're getting a stipend for participating." Then she walked downstairs.
Jon turned around and reached for the stone, then made a wish to find out what this Exchange Program thing was. In a flash (literally), he had a memory of his mother explaining it to him. It was some sort of research program for which his family would receive a good amount of money, both during the program and at its successful completion...if they didn't drop out. They had to agree to stay in the program at least a week though, or they wouldn't be considered. Either way, they'd be promised the program was completely safe.
The whole thing was very secretive, and he wasn't sure why his mother was agreeing to it, but that probably had something to do with this reality he'd wished up. He knew that a researcher would be coming, and they would be paired with another group of people and would be assigned one of them to learn about. Their only instruction was that they had to spend time with another group member each day and talk about their different lives. The conversations would be recorded. They would also have to keep a diary of their impressions, either on paper or in video or audio form. It was some sort of anthropology experiment.
They would have to do an activity, share a meal, etc, with the group member each week. The activity would be chosen by one of them. The other would get to choose the next week.
He tried to wish that this wasn't happening. But the stone wouldn't grant his wish. Apparently, that was considered to be a contradicting wish, even though he didn't specifically wish for it to happen. It seemed that he had no choice but to follow through on whatever was going to happen next.
He put the stone back in its hiding place under his bed, then headed downstairs.
Zoe was scowling, but what else was new? Mikey looked excited, yet nervous. His mother just looked determined.
It sounded like a boring science experiment to Jon. He wondered what would make it interesting. Who would he be forced to spend time with and learn about?
The doorbell rang, and Jon went to answer it, not knowing how interesting the experience would be for him or his family.
