The Genie
Second place
750-WORD SHORT STORY
By Nilles Sonnemans
Nilles Sonnemans is a Dutch software engineer who lives in Leamington Spa. When not writing code, he loves writing prose, which has resulted in an unpublished novel, a shortlisted short story, and now his first time as runner-up.
The lamp spoke. Simon jerked back the dusting cloth.
He sat down at the tiny desk and considered the white light.
‘Come again?’ he tried.
‘You get three wishes.’
‘Three wishes?’ Simon repeated. ‘Are you joking?’
‘This is the part I hate most – the perpetual repetition and the bafflement of seemingly intelligent people.’
‘You’re a lamp. What do you expect?’
‘How astute.’ If the lamp had had eyes, it would have rolled them.
‘But a desk lamp,’ Simon continued.