A hospital four hours away from Lake Point
Carl James sat sadly in a waiting room along with the rest of his family. None of them really wanted to be there. It wasn't like there was anything they could do, other than wait for the news from the doctor that they were sure would not be good.
Carl's grandmother had suffered a stroke and fallen from a balcony at the senior apartments she had been living in for the past three years. She had been brought to the hospital by Carl's aunt Ingrid, but the doctors were not optimistic. They were told that Grandmother James might never regain consciousness.
Carl hadn't told any of his friends or classmates entirely what was going on. The only two people he had spoken with were Jennifer and Sarah Taylor, telling them he wouldn't be at school today or at rehearsal due to a family emergency. They didn't need to know what was going on. There was nothing they could do about it. There was nothing anyone could do about this, except sit and wait.
Carl loved visiting his grandmother, hearing her tell stories about her younger days, and how she was so excited at the progress of civilization, from the moon landing to the Internet. She always supported and encouraged him, with his band practice, drama club, and his geekier interests. She was one of the nicest people he knew. And now she was at death's door.
Carl wished this wasn't happening. He wished his grandmother would be up and about, ready to greet him warmly as she had so many times. He wished she would get better. For that matter, he wished everyone he knew and cared about would be in the best of health.
But wishing wouldn't make it so. Such things didn't happen in real life.
With a sigh, Carl turned toward his parents, his siblings, and his aunt and uncle. They sat silently on chairs nearby. No one really wanted to say anything. His sister thumbed through a magazine, but didn't appear interested in it.
Carl noticed a strange looking coin on the table near the chair he was sitting on. He picked it up, knowing right away it was more interesting than any of the magazines the hospital placed in the waiting area. He noted how it was marked with 'Good for one wish'.
He laughed, bitterly. He knew it couldn't be for real. It was probably a prop for a tabletop RPG, or some piece people made and displayed at fantasy/sci-fi conventions. No way could it be a real wishing coin or something like that.
Still, he was desperate. He decided it was worth a try. If this coin really was good for one wish, and one wish only, he supposed he'd better make it the best one he could come up with.
He thought about it for a moment, and then came up with one. "I wish everyone I knew was in the best of health, with a doubled natural lifespan."
As soon as he made the wish, the Wishing Coin disappeared in his hand. He looked around, to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. He found no sign of the coin. One minute he was holding it, the next he was holding empty air. And he was sure that if he dropped it, he would have heard it fall to the floor.
It was then that a familiar voice startled him. "What are you all sitting around here for?"
He looked up, and saw his Grandmother Millie James standing nearby, looking healthier than Carl had ever seen her. She looked to have much youthful vigor. "Grandma!" Carl exclaimed, and rushed to give her a tearful hug.
"My, what's the big fuss about?" Grandma James said kindly. "I was only here for a routine checkup. The doc says I'm fit as a fiddle."
"But you..." Carl's sister said, and then stopped.
"You had a stroke, and fell off a balcony." Carl's aunt Ingrid said. "I should know. I'm the one who called the ambulance."
"You must have had a bad dream." Grandma James said. "I'm fine. Never felt better in my life."
Carl noted his family was giving off expressions of relief and confusion. "This doesn't make sense. Carl made a wish, and then it comes true?" Carl's mother asked.
"I don't know what happened, but it looks like the miracle we were hoping for came to pass." Carl's father said.
Carl smiled. He knew now things were going to be all right.
For a moment, he wondered how his friends and classmates were doing back at Lake Point High School.
