This post and the next ones inspired by Trainmaster's Wishes Once Made!
Mikey looked at the rock he had taken from Jon's room on his way out of the house, and stopped in his tracks just outside of the front door. This was the wishing stone his grampa had told him stories about! He turned around and went back into the house, looking around for his parents before sitting down on the couch and watching TV. Once he thought about it, his caution made him laugh; he had a wishing stone! A quick wish later, he had nothing to fear from Jon trying to take it back. "I wish grampa had given the stone to me instead of Jon."
He felt an indescribable feeling as reality settled itself around his wish, and he could remember another set of memories alongside his own, of being given the stone rather than some stupid South American trinket like he originally got. Mikey leaned back in his seat, a smug smile twisting his features as he started thinking of all the possibilities. But why keep it just to himself? He began on a series of wishes that took care of all the possibilities of losing the stone and its power.
"I wish that any wish made on this stone would have to be confirmed by me saying 'aardvark' out loud, and that I would be prompted to say this or say nothing by a bell ringing quietly in my head." Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I wish that no one but me would be able to purposely touch the stone unless I give them spoken permission, and even then, the permission only lasts for one wish."
Confident in his protection, he made his first serious wish. "I wish John was here, sitting on the couch next to me. Aardvark." Suddenly, his friend since kindergarten, John, was on the couch next to him, staring straight ahead with his hand raised. John looked around, confused, and lowered his hand quickly. "Mikey? What's going on? Why aren't you in class?"
Mikey smiled. "I don't need to go to class. I've got a wishing stone." He held up the rock for John to see, though he obviously didn't yet believe him. "A wishing stone? We're in sixth grade, Mikey, and you want me to believe you've got a wishing stone?"
It would take a good wish to make John believe he was being honest about it, so he held it up for theatrics, speaking clearly...
