Chapter 5

The Genie of the Lamp Or:

The First Wish

Justin looked in wonder at the 20 foot man in the now 50 foot high and somehow sumptuously elegant living room. The wallpaper was golden and there silk veils and gorgeous circular couches and conversely long thin divans everywhere. It looked like a casbah. His mother had collapsed on a circular couch but otherwise seemed fine. Justin sighed. Looks like it was up to him again.

"I rubbed the lamp. Who...or what...are you?"

The genie put his hands together and salaamed him. "Master! What wouldst thou have!? I am ready to obey thee as thy slave, and the slave of all those who hold the lamp; I, and the other slaves of the lamp!"

Justin thought and tried to think of something...anything that would not piss off the genie and yet at yet at the same time not send him straight to hell.

"Look...why don't we start things off small here. We're a poor family and it's just me and my mother right now. And right now...it seems it's just me...again."

"You feel alone," the genie said.

"Yes...a bit,"

"Wish for a wife and it shall be done!" boomed the genie. He spread his hands for a great clap...

"NO!!" yelled Justin. "God no! Not that!"

The genie backed down. He frowned. "Is there something wrong with a wife, Master?"

Justin rolled his eyes and he thought about it. "Not wrong...exactly. But it's not right...for me...yet."

"I understand perfectly, Master."
"You do? How could you possibly..."

"You wish to remain a virgin," the Genie boomed.

"Geez...tell the neighborhood..." huffed Justin. He was technically, a heterosexual virgin after all.

The Genie frowned. "All right...Seems strange but you're the boss..." He raised his hands....

"STOP!!! Do NOT tell the neighborhood!" howled Justin.

"But you just said..."

"Haven't you ever heard of sarcasm?" Justin yelled.

"No...not really," said the Genie honestly.

"Oh boy...this is tiring me out...and I'm so hungry..."

"Food, master?" the Genie asked suggestively.

"Yes! That would be OK! Bring me something to eat and drink. Enough for my mother too."

"Master, I understand perfectly. Your will be done!" The genie vanished.

Justin went to check on Jennifer. Fortunately, it seemed like she was genuinely passed out and not catatonic again. That was all Justin needed. When he turned around again, the genie was back with a simply enormous silver platter on which were a dozen smaller silver plates with cloches over them. There were old timey flagons of wine and water and gold goblets and silver cutlery and fine cloth napkins. It all looked and smelled wonderful.

"Here you are, Master," the genie said.

"Thank you. Now...could you...go away again? Wherever you were? I need to wake my mother and you are frightening to her."

"I understand Master. I shall retire. If you need me or any of the slaves of the lamp, simply rub the lamp and I shall re-appear. And don't worry Master... With me in your corner...you'll never be alone again." The Genie laughed a joyful, echoing laugh that went on and on as he changed back into smoke and dived back into the lamp. He took the finery with him and when all was said and done the casbah was gone and his old living room was back and his mother was passed out on the couch.

BJBJBJBJBJBJBJB

Justin filled a cup with some water and considered sprinkling some in her face to wake his mother up. Then he thought of all the grief she'd put him through, shrugged, and dumped the whole thing on her.

"EEEEEEK!!! Justin what the hell?! Are you trying to drown me?"

"Sorry," he replied unapologetically, "My hand slipped," he added untruthfully.

"Oh my God! I remember! That lamp! What the hell was that Justin? It was like a huge man...or a demon...and all the smoke..."

"It was a genie. A real life genie. I think we've found out what makes that lamp so valuable."

"Well, get rid of it! That thing is horrible! It must be from Hell!"

"He's not from Hell! He just looks a little fierce that's all! Look at everything he's brought us!" Justin revealed the large silver platter. He lifted a few of the cloches and revealed a deep dish pizza, a large plate piled high with shishkabobs, a platter of some sort of Thai food and a few other plates with a different nations exotic food.

Moreover he said, "Besides, this is it for us. This is the answer. He can help me with my coffeehouse, feed us and we can sell the dishes later for extra money. We can get a better apartment and...this is the way we can make a home ready for Molly to come home."

Jennifer looked angrier and angrier and more frightened until the last part. Then she softened a bit but only because she saw that she really had no choice in it. She knew he was right, that she hadn't been the best role model for a while now and she wanted Molly home so bad it was like a constant ache in her gut.

"Oh fine! Keep the damn thing! But keep it out of my sight! Don't summon it in my presence! Got it!?"

"You got it! Don't worry, Mom! This is going to be great! We're going to get everything we need and want and Molly too. You'll see! Have something to eat but save some of that pizza for me!" He put the covers over the food again to keep them warm and packed up his backpack with all the stuff and the lamp and hauled it off to his room.

BJBJBJBJBJBJBJB

After a great meal of a variety of the foods and especially the deep dish pizza, Justin packed up the rest of it and put it all in the fridge with practiced ease. His mother went to watch some TV and Justin went to his room.

Once there, he closed and locked his door. He rolled out the carpet next to his bed. The carpet stretched itself out a bit and fluttered its corners a bit but otherwise settled down and seemed to go to sleep.

Justin sat on his bed, took a deep breath and with his right forearm, definitively rubbed the side of the lamp.

There was indeed a shock like electricity but it was more like pure power shocking up his arm. Justin bore it though, and kept tight hold of the lamp.

And then there was the smoke and a great laugh and the room was changing and the huge genie stepped forth once again.

What wouldst thou have!? I am the slave of the lamp; I and the other slaves of the lamp. I hear and obey!" said the Genie, bowing low. He was a large white man this time.

"Well, first of all, can we please cut out the whole slave and Master thing? We don't really do that anymore. Well, the BDSM community might but otherwise.....well, I'd rather not."

This seemed to perplex the giant genie. After thinking about it and shifting weight to one foot and then the other for a bit, he said, "So what shall I call thee, Master?"

"How about by my name. Justin, please." He answered poilitely.

"This seems a most unusual thing for me to do and an interesting name to be sure, but very well. Pleased to meet you, Justin Please!"

"No! No, it's just Justin. Just Justin!"

"Yes, Just Justin!" the genie intoned.

Justin held his head and took a deep breath.

"No. Not Please. Not Just. My name is Justin Taylor. Just-no...only...Justin Taylor. Got it?

"Justin...Taylor?"

"Yes that's right."

"Very well, Master Justin. And don't worry. Many masters of the lamp were not just and many more never said please. But I have endured all and outlasted every one. Did you want to beat me now Master?"

"NO! NO! There will be no beatings! No beatings! Understand?"

"Yes Mast - uh... Justin."

"And I didn't mean just in that way. I'm very just...Very fair. I'm trying to make this fair...for both of us. Understand?"

"Master... not at all... Sir!" the Genie said grandly.

Justin groaned and held his head.

"Do you have a headache, little Master Justin?"

"Yeah...It's about 50 feet high," Justin quipped.

The Genie took this completely literal. "Ohhh, my poor Master." He plucked up Justin into his huge arms and ample pecs, cradling him. A hot compress appeared out of nowhere onto Justin's forehead and the Genie danced around with him in a circle. The furniture politely moved out of the way when he went by.

The genie meant this to be comforting and soothing but in reality it was dizzying and terrifying. At about 30 feet off the ground and being spun around so fast thing were blurry, Justin felt like he was on an amusement park ride gone amuck.

"Stop! Oh stop!" Justin yelled.

The Genie stopped immediately and put him down on his bed which was circular and soft and has silk sheets and a warm outer blanket made from the softest wool he had ever felt. "Is that better, Master?"

Justin had a headache and was dizzy and sick to boot. "I'm....super," he said through gritted teeth.

After taking a few deep breaths, he sat up without feeling like he was going to hurl. "OK, let's move on...You know my name, which is..."

"Just Justin Taylor Please," the Genie recited obediently.

Justin collapsed back onto the pillow.

After taking a deep breath and deciding to pick his battles, Justin sat up. "And what's your name?"

Now the Genie looked about as perplexed as Justin. "I'm....um....I'm...." He thought a bit. "I am the slave of the Lamp! I, and all the slaves of the..."

Justin made cutting and shushing motions. The Genie fell gratefully silent.

"Don't you have a name? Any name at all?" Justin said.

"Only what I am. In all the times I have been found, I have been called Slave...or Genie," said the Genie.

"Genie...genie...OK we can work with that...OK, let's keep things simple. I'll just call you Gene. You call me Justin. I'm in charge but let's keep the Master thing to a minimum, OK?"

"That sounds acceptable Thank you, Mast --- uh, Justin. I have never had a name before. I think it will be nice."

"You're welcome Gene," Justin said, smiling. The pounding in his head started to go down.

"So...Mast...uh, Justin...now that we have that out of the way, what can I do for you? I'd so much like to serve you, now more than ever. And I haven't used my powers, in so very long. I can feel myself near to bursting. Surely, there is some wish, some deep want that you have? Surely you did not call me just to quibble."

"You're right. I am going to need to make a lot of demands of you, Gene but they will all lead up to a single and ultimate goal: To bring my sister, Molly home!"

"What!!? Has thy fair damsel sibling been kidnapped!!? Why did you not say so at once little Master!!? Why have we been wasting time? Is she in a dungeon? What fiend and fool DARES to harm the flesh and blood of my new Kindhearted One?..."

As Gene continued to rant and rave and have the most massive of queen outs that could rival any fabulous fag, he grew and grew and grew and his muscles grew more and more and more massive. They would have made any self respecting juice pig jealous. His face grew red and the walls and ceiling fairly leapt out of the way not out of convenience but for fear and simple self-preservation.

"I'll cut him 1,000 times before he dies! I'll grind his entrails while he watches! I'll..."

"Gene! STOP! STOP!! SILENCE!!!" Justin finally yelled. He didn't like having to be so harsh but he had to yell simply to be heard.

Gene shrank back to...somewhat normal...and bowed his head to the carpet. "Yes Master," he said.

Justin was ashamed. "Gene...I'm sorry...I didn't...I didn't mean it like that. And I didn't mean to yell. It's just...It's just...you wouldn't stop!"

"It's all right little Master. I know I get carried away. Besides, you're welcome to yell. I've had 34 and a half masters who never lowered their voices to me."

That's terrible! Wait! Half a master?"

"Well there was one man who grew discontent with just yelling and took to beating me. I took 50 beatings before I got bored of it and decided to move on. So the next time he rubbed my lamp....I broke him in half!" the Genie smiled widely, showing large white teeth and then laughed out loud at Justin's frightened and horrified expression.

"Do not worry, little Master...uh - Justin! You have given me no reason to desire to hurt thee....yet ."

Justin gulped. "Well that's good. Well, let's get back on track, shall we? Molly's being taken care of by relatives but only because we're too poor. I've brought back treasure but it needs to be converted. Moreover you can help me in my new business and get us a new place to live. I'd be happy to turn my back on this dump forever and besides, why rent if you have a genie and can own?"

The genie smiled a wide, feral smile. "Ahhhh, little Master! NOW--- now you are speaking my language!"

He laughed a joyful laugh this time, as deep and rich as hot chocolate and scooped up Justin in one meaty arm and snapped his fingers.

P O O O O F !!!!!!!

When the smoke cleared, Justin was sitting in a comfortable...-ish chair in a modest but drab office. Justin looked around mildly, a little confused. What the hell was he doing in --- OHSWEET-SHITSNACKS what was that?"

Sitting across from him was the genie dressed in a bright red dress that was too high, too tight, and showed way too much tanned and hugely muscled legs. He was wearing matching red pumps. He wore a black curly Cher type wig and enough makeup to make a hooker jealous. It also looked like it had been applied in the dark.

In short, the genie was dressed in the worst, sloppiest, most grotesque form of skag humanly possible. Justin looked around for a melon-baller. Alas, there was none.

"Good Lord Genie, what the hell..."

"Welcome to Wishes Inc. Realty. I the slave of new homes and housing."

Justin narrowed his eyes. "Really?" As in...seriously??

"Oh my yes! We'll have you set up in your new dream home just as soon as possible. Now Sir, just step over to the back and see that hallway. Each door is a listing for an available listing somewhere in the world. You can step through, have a look around and come back here. And don't worry. When you're ready to return to your bedroom and the real world, absolutely no time will have passed. Which one would you like to try first?"

The aforementioned hall had white walls, was lined with doors on both sides and stretched off into infinity.

"This'll take forever! How many doors are there? And Gene, I know that's you. For the love of all that's holy, take that off."

"I am the simple slave of realty. Not sure what you're talking about," insisted the abomination. "Are you saying you wish me to be naked?"

"NO! For all the things....NO!! God NO!!" Justin yelled clapping a hand over his eyes.

"Very well then. Well at present, the world has 5,784,924 listing available."

"Oh, I see. Well I was hoping to live in the United States."

"I have 1,745,903 listings.

"In-..." Justin named his state.

"Hmmmmm...I have 274 listings." There was a ‘whump' and at least Justin could see the end of the hall. It was waaaaaaaayyy down there but he could see it.

"New Liberty."

There was another ‘whump and the hallway shortened considerably.

"I have 10 listings," said the skag monster disapprovingly.

"That's fine," said Justin, now looking at the significantly shorter hallway with 5 doors lining it on either side.

"You know....You might have let me know we were just going to look in your hometown." The skag monster said icily, "I feel quite silly bringing up over 5 million houses for you to choose from if all you wanted to do is live in that brokeback desert town."

"You didn't really give me a chance," Justin pointed out mildly.

The skaggy genie opened his/her overly big, overly red mouth and stopped. The he/she shut it again and bustled to the first door. "Oh fine! Let's move on! Ready to see your first house!?"

BJBJBJBJBJBJBJB

The door always opened out into the living room. Some were empty but some had the tenants still there, living their lives. The genie assured Justin that they were like shadows and they would never know they were there. The tenants were all due out of the house at the end of the month and acquisition of the house could be guaranteed.

Justin looked at them all but finally decided on #5. It was larger than their old house, clean, and sturdy. Good water, upstairs and downstairs bathroom with a third small bath for the master bedroom. There were three bedroom, one for each of them when Molly came home. Big kitchen, big living room, big back yard. The neighborhood out the front seemed idyllic, a typical suburban neighborhood. Gene assured Justin there was a high school within a bike ride away.

"This is the one," he decided. "When will it be ready?"

"First of the month or whenever the paperwork gets filled out and filed in the right places. So....because you're working with Wishes Inc., that'll be....tomorrow!"

The skag monster led him back to the front office where Justin was presented with paperwork up the yazoo, permits and repair and reno statements and escrow paperwork. After signing everything where the genie showed him, the genie rolled all the papers up in mid air and snapped his fingers. The papers vanished in a bright flash and in their place was another roll of a single sheet of paper. The genie presented this to Justin solemnly.

"Just show this to anybody who might have a problem with you living there," the skag monster told Justin.

Justin unrolled the paper. It was very official looking and had seals and signatures and among things the word DEED on it in curly script.

"I can't thank you enough," Justin said.

"Not at-tall, not at-tall," said the creature, "Now is there anything else I can do for you before I return you to your bedroom?"

"Only that I think I'd like to keep that bed that was in my room. You know the one when you - when he was there. The covers were divine."

"Not ta problem, not ta problem," said the apparition, "And might I say...excellent choice, Sir. Well, thank you for visiting Wishes Inc. Specializing and serving your housing needs since shortly after the Great Flood. Have a nice day." SNAP!

P O O O O O O O O F F F F F F F!!!!!!!!

Justin was surrounded by a dense fog of smoke. The chair he'd been on dropped away.

Justin found himself falling away through a smoky limbo.

TBC