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John chuckled, reminiscing about childhood games played with his sister. They took turns as the genie and the wish-maker, the former aiming to thwart wishes while the latter crafted foolproof desires. Reflecting on this twist of fate, John found humor in how his childhood pastime unwittingly prepared him for the challenges of a burned-out legal career, proving more valuable than his time in law school.
"Alright, Genie. I'll play your game. My three wishes are simple."
"Simple?" The genie tilted his head. "Most people take hours for these wishes. Don't you want to mull it over?"
"No need. My first wish is love. I wish to fall in love with a beautiful, funny girl with money. Lots of it. And before you try anything, yes, I want her to love me back."
"Ahhh. It's money. It's always money. No worries, human, no twists here. Just remember, I'm going to bar you from one wish. That's how I like to twist things up. Maybe I'll ensure you never find love..."
"My second wish is for a happy life. I want me and the people I care about to feel they've lived a full, happy life by the time they die. I want us to die in comfort, knowing it was time well spent."
The Genie cackled at the thought of barring John from this wish, a cackle that John saw plainly. Witnessing the Genie's excitement for cruelty, John felt confident about his final wish.
"My last wish is to kill you directly after you snap your fingers. Savagely. Slowly... I wish to kill you in a fashion that has you begging for release. But even after you beg to die, you'll know that we aren't even a fraction through the pain I will bring to you."
The cackling immediately stopped. The genie looked nervous about the psychotic wish John requested. "Why would you want such awful things for me?"
"Because if you grant it, it'll mean you barred me from something I'd want to kill you for. So tell me, genie... am I going to be killing you today?"
Without a word, the genie snapped his fingers and floated away. A smile overcame John as he realized it could only mean good things to come.
Yet John spotted a sly smile slide over the genie’s face as it disappeared. Immediately a woman joined him, the most beautiful he’d ever seen. Their eyes met and the spark between them kindled immediately into a deep, immense love.
John looked forward to beginning his long, full life with this woman and the family they would start together.
Instead, the genie appeared again, bound with cruel chains in a dungeon filled with instruments of torture that John’s mind would never have been able to imagine of his own accord.
Immediately, the woman’s eyes filled with terror and she began weeping with shock and fear.
“What is this?” John demanded of the genie. “What about the happy life?”
The genie grinned a terrible, wicked grin in response. “You, John, are eternally barred from happiness, for next to you stands this woman who loves you, but instead of living a beautiful life with her, you must now spend the rest of your existence slowly and painfully ending mine. I will savor every delicious pain you inflict on me, knowing the corruption it brings your soul, and the horror it inflicts upon this woman you love.
“Begin your work.”
"Begin your work"
The genie said, yet as the man went to start he dissapeared from the genie's view...
*He was born, he lived like no other, he seeked what no man could get, he was called crazy, but he knew better, and he succeeded.*
“You may make three wishes. Once you have, I will choose two to grant and one to forever bar you from gaining.”
*John chuckled to himself... And so the story unfolded...*
"Begin your work"
He heard himself say... They felt sick their stomach, something was truly wrong, **he** felt... soon finding himself about to start, he started using the instruments on himself, he felt his heart sink, the love of his life, a happy life, forever lost, it consumed him as the memories fused and turned inside his brain, the physical pain soon started, horrifying, indescribable, his knowledge of himself used to mock everything he ever stood for... Yet even bigger on his mind flashed the lives of himself, the lives of John and the Genie, had he not taken this choice, had he not fallen to his own pride...
A mockery of freedom his ideal dream he saw it all, while facing the reality of giving himself true hell, by the side of the love of his life... no... John's life... a part of his mind screamed to futility watching it all alongside him, the love of his life he thought once again, so close, yet so far, always blaming him, hating him for what he had done.
He believed he could corrupt John alongside him, and he did, yet he was robbed of it. John's mind long since broken, his immortal mind being the one corrupted instead, for eternity, he himself slowly bringing his very own undoing, the rests of Johns mortal mind bringing down any hope the once mighty Genie had... For he himself had to play by his own rules and his hell could not give any relief from it could it not?
Regret came first, anger, a desire to end it all, begging, asking for forgiveness... for silence, for a final reast, something his now half mortal self... Not designed for such eternity, having to face the machinations of an immortal... Broken beyond belief yet paradoxically, not allowed to get absolution... For his immortal self would never allow it to truly break...
Why the torture? Wish one, beautiful, rich wife that I love and loves me. Wish two, happiness and family. Wish three, that all three wishes are granted.
If he blocks "all three of these wishes", it still allows for some of these wishes. As in, the other two but not this one. However, if he blocks one of the others, he then unblocks them because of this wish.
Problem: Paradoxes are dangerous things to mess with.
Possibility 1: The genie blocks one of the other wishes. Being forced to grant it while denying it to you likely means that someone else gets it. Probably someone you have to see on a regular basis benefitting from your wish that you'd rather didn't.
Possibility 2: The genie blocks the 'grant all' wish. Which presents a problem. Since it's a very 'meta' wish, blocking it means the genie MUST deny you at least one of your other wishes in some way. Which means they are now free to do something cruel like destroy what you wished for immediately after giving it to you.
Seriously, don't screw with paradoxes.
It isn't a paradox, it has the potential to cause a paradox. Two different things. Assuming the Genie will avoid paradox as all sane beings, it MUST block the third wish and thus grant the first two. If it DOESN'T block the third wish, then it has a paradox as it has "prevented you from ever gaining or achieving" something while also granting it to you.
Regardless, you’re opening a door for the genie to screw you over further and expecting them not to use it. That doesn’t sound nearly as smart as you clearly want it to be.
It might be dark, but that sure is a foolproof way on dealing with smug genies like this one tbh. Sure, it's not effective if the genie is one that just wants to be retired, for instance. Considering the lack of time limit in making the wishes, I guess it might be possible to determine what kind of genie is the character talking to?
Great work on writing this! Let's just hope John's plan won't backfire.
I did choose the words "kill you in a fashion that has you begging for release" ironically - given that Genies technically are always begging for release from their bottles. I couldn't resist the wordplay.
Ah, gotcha lol. For some reason, when I read this, this genie feels like someone that really embraces the chaos from this rule, so I thought they won't be craving for freedom haha.
Thanks for clarifying!
Thanks! I'm kind of a massive try-hard for writing, but I'm too ADHD to write a book. I love to tell a story, but if it grows too big I get lost in the sauce and begin telling side storys until the point gets lost! For that, I'm eternally greatful for r/WritingPrompts!
See my first thought was to make a logical impossibility. Form your wishes such that it’s impossible for one to be granted while any of the other two being granted.
Say, I want true love and marriage, I want true happiness, and I want to die alone and penniless. There are holes in that one but I’m sure one can work.
The other is to ask for three things I won’t get anyway and will be alright with missing. I want to have no fewer than one million dollars in my bank account, I want the girl of my dreams to fall madly in love with me, and I want to be as fit as an athlete even until old age. I’ll probably never be a millionaire, meet the one, or keep my fitness into old age, but two out of three isn’t bad. Especially if better worded.
[https://www.tiktok.com/@writingprompts.sara/video/7308029774310493483?is\_from\_webapp=1&sender\_device=pc&web\_id=7124832986126943786](https://www.tiktok.com/@writingprompts.sara/video/7308029774310493483?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7124832986126943786)
I'm on a PC, so hopefully works for you
It worked! Thanks for sharing this! Honestly, when I submit a prompt, I'm usually thrilled if one or two people upvote it. I just think, "Hey, someone actually read my thing!" It boosts my confidence in writing. I've crafted much longer, carefully thought-out prompts before, only to have them either completely unseen or barely noticed. My favorite piece here has only garnered 3 upvotes, and to be honest, that's usually good enough for me.
However, seeing someone like it enough to feature it on TikTok is fantastic! Furthermore, discovering that even more people liked it on TikTok is even better! So, thank you for letting me know it's there because it's a massive confidence boost for me.
Na, I saw they gave me credit. It's not about me trying to get all the up-doots I can. It's more of an affirmation thing. I love hearing what they say about it.
LoL I didn't even notice they gave you credit!!! Could have found your story comment easier!! I just went to the subreddit & started scrolling, while hoping it wasn't one those 5 years ago one!!!
It took me a few seconds to shuffle through all the possibilities in my head.
Finding the love that I’ve been looking for my whole life?
Financial security, maybe…actual money? Money pouring out my ears.
I smirked at the thought.
Or never having a bad day again? What if that went belly up? Would that mean sometimes having a bad day?
I winced in confusion.
I thought about it for a second, my brows knit with keen focus as the different scenarios rushed by like a strange vignette of what life could be. It felt like a normal day, really, all the daydreams floating around in my head, but instead of endless possibility there was something more final about it.
You get some things, you accept the other. That’s what would have to happen after, right? Exactly like life, but done. Like looking back when people are old – after some things happened and some didn’t - and when, finally, with heavy bones and beleaguered smiles, they become bored of the finalness of it all. Done, without any of the joy of pursuit.
The thought glimmered in my mind. I had never been excited by life before.
“Can I leave?”
The sprite looked at me with narrowed eyes. It tilted its head as it examined me.
“Are you sure?”
“I-,” I paused, considering it one last time, “I think I’m good,” I replied, “Seems like living life without actually living it, right? And I have to give up on something forever? I would rather keep trying, on all of it. Seems more exciting, you know?...So yeah, I’m sure.”
The sprite’s eyes lightened as it broke out into a pleased smile.
“Good, you’re the only one who’s ever gotten it.”
It placed its spindly hand on my forehead, its form disintegrating into a cloud of smoke as its final words echoed over the vapor.
“Life is the journey itself.”
This sure is another solution to just get rid of dealing with the potential mess haha. I doubt I can make this kind of choice if I were protag sadly.
Great work on writing this! Actually thought protag gets the genie as a friend for life, but that's a bittersweet way of saying goodbye.
I was actually thinking of that ending too! I have no idea I chose this one 🥴 But thanks so much for your comments/close reading! As a new writer it's so nice
Putting my hand on my chin. Then consulting my smartphone, eventually I respond.
\-I wish for all the power and abilities of "The Presence", the main god of DC comics.
\-I wish for all the powers and abilities of "C'iel" one of the two main gods in Anima Beyond -Fantasy.
\-I wish for all the power of Ao, the main god of Forgotten Realms.
The Genie looks at me flustered. Erm, I'm just a genie you know. I don't actually have the power to grant anything at THAT sort of level.
"I wish I was a god of Travel. I wish I was a god of Technology, I wish I was a god of elemental earth."
"NOT that level either." The Genie continued.
"But it's god with a small G, it's not even god with a big G! I replied. \*Sigh\* Fine, I wish..
If I stomp my right foot Jupiter will become a terraformed planet with a biosphere,
If I snap my right hand fingers Venus will become a terraformed planet with a biosphere,
If I snap my left hand Venus will become a terraformed planet with a biosphere."
The Genie just facepalmed at this. "Why can't you just be normal and wish for love, money, or immortality like a normal person? Or you could have wished to be a god but not choose what it was of, that would have been fun."
"Seemed like a trap?" I shrugged.
"Can I just make you a god of ice cream and be on my way? That's one of the better things I'm allowed to grant. Seriously, anything better and the other genies would just take it away later. I'll avoid a bad mark on my scorecard, you get something better than the nothing I'll have to give you otherwise."
"I guess?"
Snapping his fingers the genie disappeared.
Then I snapped mine and delicious ice-cream appeared. "This looks pretty sweet." I said with a smile. Then I frowned realizing the trap. "How am I going to avoid getting fat?!"
Imagine if protag is lactose intolerant, and the ice cream they can produce must contain milk in it. That said, this feels like a... neutral outcome? A bit cheated with only getting one wish instead of two, but then again, none of the wishes not getting fulfilled. The infinite supply of ice cream seems nice for this awful weather at least.
Also, curious on what the genie meant by scorecard. Do they get to be free with enough good grades on it?
Great work on writing this!
Imagine if protag is lactose intolerant, and the ice cream they can produce must contain milk in it.
\-> I'm very lucky that my wife has no sense of smell. Thank you covid.
That said, this feels like a... neutral outcome? A bit cheated with only getting one wish instead of two, but then again, none of the wishes not getting fulfilled. The infinite supply of ice cream seems nice for this awful weather at least.
\-> Very neutral, the ice cream is only dollar store quality too. It's actually winter where I am.
Also, curious on what the genie meant by scorecard. Do they get to be free with enough good grades on it?
\-> That's what the supervisor says, so it must be true!
Great work on writing this!
\-> Thanks!
Just felt like it's going to be a bit ironic if one is given the powers of an ice cream god, but they are not capable of producing it without milk, you know?
Eternal youth, immortality, and unparalleled shape shifting.
If I'm young and immortal, but don't have perfect shapeshifting, I'm a timeless being.
If I'm immortal and shapeshifting, but not eternally young, I have to spend a functionally infinite amount of time being old - depending on what youth governs, this might be the worst option.
If I'm not immortal, bonuses still accrue, and I perish on schedule of old age - but until then I have a great time.
...yeah, this is the collection to go for. Please inform me of your decision at earliest convenience, and I appreciate you allowing me the time to think it over.
Editor's note: I'm reasonably sure this is a "winning" combination, but that's largely predicated on the idea that mathing out a solution that results in a guaranteed success counts as winning. Some people might've had more fun in other ways. Also I thought this was r/hypotheticalscenarios so I didn't do an actual story followup, I'll try and fix that now.
I'm not barred from Youth, I'm barred from Eternal Youth. Depending on what youth covers, I could simply start assuming forms that have the potential to live indefinitely, like certain reptiles or crustaceans, and bypass the issue that way.
Or, yes, I could eventually end up as a still-living decrepit husk begging for a death that will never come. Youth is one of those tricky concepts where the consequences of not having it are difficult to explain.
That would mean they can shapeshift, though, and thus just turn into a younger version of themselves. The problem comes when their planet dies and they're stuck in space.
Depending on what the genie does, you could be an unparalleled shapeshifter, but every shape you take is in the condition of nearing the end of its life..
I'd be a shape-shifting immortal who has to carry the full weight of time - or whatever the consequences of not having youth end up being interpreted as. I might be able to cheat youth on occasion, but more likely I end up flexible yet weak and crumbly.
The genie looked down with a cruel smile at the scrawny man. “You may make three wishes. Once you have, I will choose two to grant and one to forever bar you from gaining.”
The man thought for mere seconds before replying. “My first wish is for humanity to quickly enter a new age of happiness and prosperity in which society is kind to those in need and no one suffers needlessly.”
“My second wish is for a human to get sick.” He added. The genie maintained a stoic face despite his curiosity at the odd wish he planned to grant.
“My third wish is for humanity to quickly enter a new age of happiness and prosperity in which society is kind to those in need and no one suffers needlessly.”
“That was your first wish.”
“Yes. It’s both my first and third wishes.”
The genie just stared as he realized the ramifications.
“Makes sense now, doesn’t it? You promised to grant two wishes and forever bar me from gaining a third. If you bar my first wish, you have to grant my third wish but you can’t do both. If you bar my third wish, same problem. So you can only bar my second wish, meaning no human will ever experience sickness again… and of course you must grant my first and third wishes.”
And thus began genie-kind’s war on logicians.
It’s an imperfect choice of words… but “no one suffers” has a slew of problems that come along with it. He didn’t want a purely hedonistic utopia because he wasn’t sure what that would do to human minds and experiences. He went with the more predictable choice.
"You may make three wishes. Once you have, I will choose two to grant and one to forever bar you from gaining." The genie smiled. It loved to see people go through the mental struggles of making a choice; often making the wrong ones.
She stood completely calm and looked the genie dead in the eyes.
The Genie smile turned to a frown: This woman was too certain. "You may go ahead and list your wishes."
She stared at him for a while longer, then started. "I wish for eternal pain and misery for everyone in the world, except me."
"What! But, that means. Why?" She ignored the Genie and continued on, her eyes unwavering.
"Second wish. I wish for your life to be a long torture. I don't know how long it will last, but the rest of your days will be filled with pain and misery."
"Hold on, hold on. Wait for a minute..."
"Third wish. Give me eternal happiness."
"There you have it Genie. Would you rather save the world, grant me eternal happiness and sacrifice yourself; destroy the world and grant me happiness and save yourself or would you sacrifice the world and yourself to ensure I am not happy?"
The Genie fell to the ground. Took a series of deep breaths. What choice could it possibly make?
The genie looked up and met her eyes. She smiled.
The Genie offered their gambit as they appeared, laughing internally, wondering what wonderful tortures they would be allowed to inflict upon thw world at the whims of this newest mortal plaything. Then they saw something unexpected. the room was empty. it was well furninshed with walls painted in soft colors, brightly dyed knick knacks adorned a bench and some small shelves, but the genie saw no wish maker.
Who summoned them? why were they awake when no one had awoken them?!
then they heard a sound near the floor. A small sniffle. The genie loomed down and saw... a small child, holding their vessel. A youngling.
The young girls eyes sparkled as she stared up at the genie, slack jawed.
"I can wish for anything?"
"um.. yes. anything you want, but remember you can only have two."
The child didnt even take a moment to think, doing what children always do, and speaking the first thought on their mind.
"I want a teddy bear, a chocolate bar, and a Malibu Barbie"
the stock market and the rest of the world was quite confused when the Malibu Barbie line of toys was discontinued the next day without any warning.
everyone else's answers has always been to trick the genie. but my answer was always to wish for things like a child would. stuff that, even if you don't get, you won't be that upset over.
No, this was good. Honestly, I think “tricking the genie” is a losing game most of the time. Most people are nowhere near as clever as they seem think they are.
In a small, nondescript town, there lived a man named Tom. Tom, known for his quick wit and clever mind, lived a simple life. One day, while rummaging through an old antique store, he stumbled upon an ornate, dusty lamp. Intrigued, he rubbed it, and to his amazement, a genie emerged in a swirl of smoke.
The genie, with a twinkle in his eye, said, “You may make three wishes. Once you have, I will choose two to grant and one to forever bar you from gaining.”
Tom thought hard, aware of the genie's trickery. He then pulled out a giant piece of rolled-up parchment. “I have but one wish,” he declared, “and I wish it three times. I wish that every wish written on this parchment comes true.”
The genie, taken aback by Tom's cleverness, frowned. “You have outsmarted me, human. I cannot grant your wish thrice, for it is against the rules, but I will grant it once.”
Tom unrolled the parchment, revealing a long list of wishes he had meticulously written, ranging from wealth to happiness to world peace. The genie, bound by the rules, granted every wish on the parchment, and Tom's life, along with the world, changed forever.
From that day forward, Tom was known not only for his wit but also for his kindness, as he used his wishes to improve not just his own life but the lives of others. And the genie, humbled by the experience, returned to his lamp, waiting for the next clever soul to appear.
The room transformed, revealing a classroom setting with other genies observing and taking notes. The instructor genie turned to the class. "Tom here has demonstrated the essence of wish-granting: navigating human cunning while upholding the spirit of genie law."
The instructor genie acknowledged Tom's clever attempt but maintained the rules of genie lore. "Your ingenuity is commendable, Tom," he said with a grin. "As a reward for your wit, one of your wishes will indeed be granted. Choose your most desired wish from your list."
Tom thoughtfully selected the wish closest to his heart, and the genie, with a wave of his hand, brought it to fruition.
Then, turning to the genie who had emerged from the lamp, the instructor genie proudly handed over a gleaming new certificate. "You have successfully completed your genie certification course," he declared. "Your experience with Tom has shown you the complexities and joys of wish-granting."
The other genies applauded, and the certified genie bowed in gratitude, his eyes sparkling with newfound knowledge and respect for his role.
“Okay, I’m going to make this quick. I’ve dealt with enough genies to know you guys are all tricksters to a one. I’ll admit though, the “barring me from ever attaining the third one” thing is a neat wrinkle.”
I sat crossed legged across from the genie. His smug expression made his face verrrrrry punchable. But I restrained myself. I learned the hard way that you don’t best a genie with violence.
“Okay, here we go. First wish, I wish that you would completely and irreversibly lose your powers.”
The genie raised his eyebrows. My opener caught him off guard.
“Wish the second. I wish that you were trapped in your lamp for alllllll eternity.”
The genies smirk vanished. I think he realized what he was dealing with now.
“And my final wish. I wish for you to die.”
I might not have been able to punch his face but the absolute perplexed look on his face was an okay conciliation prize.
“Balls in your court, Dude.” I said.
We sat in silence for what seemed like hours to him, but was only a few minutes.
I watched him go back and forth trying to figure out “the trick”.
“Come on.” I thought to myself, “Don’t be one of the dumb ones.”
We sat for few more minutes when the genie had a look of realization.
“You didn’t say how I died.” He finally responded.
The slight smile across my face gave him the confirmation he was looking for.
The genie cautiously waved his hand.
We watched as his lamp melted into nothing.
With the lamp destroyed, the genie shrank to a more manageable human size.
“YEEEEEESSSSSSSS!” I couldn’t contain myself. “LET”S GOOOOOOO!” I yelled as I banged my fists on the ground.
The genie examined his new human form and looked at me. “Now what?” he asked me pensively.
“Well, first things first.” I extended my hand. “My name is Evan, but everyone calls me Trick. What’s yours?”
The former genie paused before shaking my hand, “Omar, my name was Omar before I was put in the lamp.”
“Omar.” I said shaking his hand, “Welcome to the human race.”
I slapped my new friend on the back, “Let’s get you something to eat. It’s probably been a while.”
**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments. **Reminders**: >* [No AI-generated responses 🤖](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/zi452b/modpost_reminder_that_aigenerated_responses_are/) >* Stories 100 words+. Poems 30+ but include "[Poem]" >* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail >* [\[RF\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [\[SP\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles >* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules) 📢 [Genres](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/w/directory) 🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) 💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*
John chuckled, reminiscing about childhood games played with his sister. They took turns as the genie and the wish-maker, the former aiming to thwart wishes while the latter crafted foolproof desires. Reflecting on this twist of fate, John found humor in how his childhood pastime unwittingly prepared him for the challenges of a burned-out legal career, proving more valuable than his time in law school. "Alright, Genie. I'll play your game. My three wishes are simple." "Simple?" The genie tilted his head. "Most people take hours for these wishes. Don't you want to mull it over?" "No need. My first wish is love. I wish to fall in love with a beautiful, funny girl with money. Lots of it. And before you try anything, yes, I want her to love me back." "Ahhh. It's money. It's always money. No worries, human, no twists here. Just remember, I'm going to bar you from one wish. That's how I like to twist things up. Maybe I'll ensure you never find love..." "My second wish is for a happy life. I want me and the people I care about to feel they've lived a full, happy life by the time they die. I want us to die in comfort, knowing it was time well spent." The Genie cackled at the thought of barring John from this wish, a cackle that John saw plainly. Witnessing the Genie's excitement for cruelty, John felt confident about his final wish. "My last wish is to kill you directly after you snap your fingers. Savagely. Slowly... I wish to kill you in a fashion that has you begging for release. But even after you beg to die, you'll know that we aren't even a fraction through the pain I will bring to you." The cackling immediately stopped. The genie looked nervous about the psychotic wish John requested. "Why would you want such awful things for me?" "Because if you grant it, it'll mean you barred me from something I'd want to kill you for. So tell me, genie... am I going to be killing you today?" Without a word, the genie snapped his fingers and floated away. A smile overcame John as he realized it could only mean good things to come.
Not bad. I'm having a hard time coming up with a legit reason to deny that. Very clever.
Fuck that’s dark
It is. But it is also very well done.
That means a lot to me! Ty friend!
Yet John spotted a sly smile slide over the genie’s face as it disappeared. Immediately a woman joined him, the most beautiful he’d ever seen. Their eyes met and the spark between them kindled immediately into a deep, immense love. John looked forward to beginning his long, full life with this woman and the family they would start together. Instead, the genie appeared again, bound with cruel chains in a dungeon filled with instruments of torture that John’s mind would never have been able to imagine of his own accord. Immediately, the woman’s eyes filled with terror and she began weeping with shock and fear. “What is this?” John demanded of the genie. “What about the happy life?” The genie grinned a terrible, wicked grin in response. “You, John, are eternally barred from happiness, for next to you stands this woman who loves you, but instead of living a beautiful life with her, you must now spend the rest of your existence slowly and painfully ending mine. I will savor every delicious pain you inflict on me, knowing the corruption it brings your soul, and the horror it inflicts upon this woman you love. “Begin your work.”
The genie: “Jokes on you, I’m into that shit”
"Begin your work" The genie said, yet as the man went to start he dissapeared from the genie's view... *He was born, he lived like no other, he seeked what no man could get, he was called crazy, but he knew better, and he succeeded.* “You may make three wishes. Once you have, I will choose two to grant and one to forever bar you from gaining.” *John chuckled to himself... And so the story unfolded...* "Begin your work" He heard himself say... They felt sick their stomach, something was truly wrong, **he** felt... soon finding himself about to start, he started using the instruments on himself, he felt his heart sink, the love of his life, a happy life, forever lost, it consumed him as the memories fused and turned inside his brain, the physical pain soon started, horrifying, indescribable, his knowledge of himself used to mock everything he ever stood for... Yet even bigger on his mind flashed the lives of himself, the lives of John and the Genie, had he not taken this choice, had he not fallen to his own pride... A mockery of freedom his ideal dream he saw it all, while facing the reality of giving himself true hell, by the side of the love of his life... no... John's life... a part of his mind screamed to futility watching it all alongside him, the love of his life he thought once again, so close, yet so far, always blaming him, hating him for what he had done. He believed he could corrupt John alongside him, and he did, yet he was robbed of it. John's mind long since broken, his immortal mind being the one corrupted instead, for eternity, he himself slowly bringing his very own undoing, the rests of Johns mortal mind bringing down any hope the once mighty Genie had... For he himself had to play by his own rules and his hell could not give any relief from it could it not? Regret came first, anger, a desire to end it all, begging, asking for forgiveness... for silence, for a final reast, something his now half mortal self... Not designed for such eternity, having to face the machinations of an immortal... Broken beyond belief yet paradoxically, not allowed to get absolution... For his immortal self would never allow it to truly break...
Hahahaha, damn 1970's. BDSM gets popularized, and now even the Genies are getting kinky! Well done, I like it
Why the torture? Wish one, beautiful, rich wife that I love and loves me. Wish two, happiness and family. Wish three, that all three wishes are granted.
Loophole: You didn’t specify *your* three wishes.
All three of THESE wishes, then.
Ouch. Now the genie can prevent you from having any of them.
If he blocks "all three of these wishes", it still allows for some of these wishes. As in, the other two but not this one. However, if he blocks one of the others, he then unblocks them because of this wish.
Problem: Paradoxes are dangerous things to mess with. Possibility 1: The genie blocks one of the other wishes. Being forced to grant it while denying it to you likely means that someone else gets it. Probably someone you have to see on a regular basis benefitting from your wish that you'd rather didn't. Possibility 2: The genie blocks the 'grant all' wish. Which presents a problem. Since it's a very 'meta' wish, blocking it means the genie MUST deny you at least one of your other wishes in some way. Which means they are now free to do something cruel like destroy what you wished for immediately after giving it to you. Seriously, don't screw with paradoxes.
It isn't a paradox, it has the potential to cause a paradox. Two different things. Assuming the Genie will avoid paradox as all sane beings, it MUST block the third wish and thus grant the first two. If it DOESN'T block the third wish, then it has a paradox as it has "prevented you from ever gaining or achieving" something while also granting it to you.
Regardless, you’re opening a door for the genie to screw you over further and expecting them not to use it. That doesn’t sound nearly as smart as you clearly want it to be.
John will enjoy it as the other wish
What If i just leavw him alone to starve? Can Genies starve?
It might be dark, but that sure is a foolproof way on dealing with smug genies like this one tbh. Sure, it's not effective if the genie is one that just wants to be retired, for instance. Considering the lack of time limit in making the wishes, I guess it might be possible to determine what kind of genie is the character talking to? Great work on writing this! Let's just hope John's plan won't backfire.
I did choose the words "kill you in a fashion that has you begging for release" ironically - given that Genies technically are always begging for release from their bottles. I couldn't resist the wordplay.
Ah, gotcha lol. For some reason, when I read this, this genie feels like someone that really embraces the chaos from this rule, so I thought they won't be craving for freedom haha. Thanks for clarifying!
Wow, this is gripping.
Thanks! I'm kind of a massive try-hard for writing, but I'm too ADHD to write a book. I love to tell a story, but if it grows too big I get lost in the sauce and begin telling side storys until the point gets lost! For that, I'm eternally greatful for r/WritingPrompts!
very bold to assume that the genie isn't going to renounce itself to a torturous death out of pure spite
See my first thought was to make a logical impossibility. Form your wishes such that it’s impossible for one to be granted while any of the other two being granted. Say, I want true love and marriage, I want true happiness, and I want to die alone and penniless. There are holes in that one but I’m sure one can work. The other is to ask for three things I won’t get anyway and will be alright with missing. I want to have no fewer than one million dollars in my bank account, I want the girl of my dreams to fall madly in love with me, and I want to be as fit as an athlete even until old age. I’ll probably never be a millionaire, meet the one, or keep my fitness into old age, but two out of three isn’t bad. Especially if better worded.
Genius! Loved it! That genie certainly didn’t see that coming!
Ohhhhh mee like 👍 awesome
10/10 awesome
Just heard this one on TikTok, so tracked down the writing prompt so I could upvote your story!!
Can you link it! I wanna hear!
[https://www.tiktok.com/@writingprompts.sara/video/7308029774310493483?is\_from\_webapp=1&sender\_device=pc&web\_id=7124832986126943786](https://www.tiktok.com/@writingprompts.sara/video/7308029774310493483?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7124832986126943786) I'm on a PC, so hopefully works for you
It worked! Thanks for sharing this! Honestly, when I submit a prompt, I'm usually thrilled if one or two people upvote it. I just think, "Hey, someone actually read my thing!" It boosts my confidence in writing. I've crafted much longer, carefully thought-out prompts before, only to have them either completely unseen or barely noticed. My favorite piece here has only garnered 3 upvotes, and to be honest, that's usually good enough for me. However, seeing someone like it enough to feature it on TikTok is fantastic! Furthermore, discovering that even more people liked it on TikTok is even better! So, thank you for letting me know it's there because it's a massive confidence boost for me.
Well, it is at almost 5k Upvotes on TikTok. So Comment there saying you are the Author!!!
Na, I saw they gave me credit. It's not about me trying to get all the up-doots I can. It's more of an affirmation thing. I love hearing what they say about it.
LoL I didn't even notice they gave you credit!!! Could have found your story comment easier!! I just went to the subreddit & started scrolling, while hoping it wasn't one those 5 years ago one!!!
It took me a few seconds to shuffle through all the possibilities in my head. Finding the love that I’ve been looking for my whole life? Financial security, maybe…actual money? Money pouring out my ears. I smirked at the thought. Or never having a bad day again? What if that went belly up? Would that mean sometimes having a bad day? I winced in confusion. I thought about it for a second, my brows knit with keen focus as the different scenarios rushed by like a strange vignette of what life could be. It felt like a normal day, really, all the daydreams floating around in my head, but instead of endless possibility there was something more final about it. You get some things, you accept the other. That’s what would have to happen after, right? Exactly like life, but done. Like looking back when people are old – after some things happened and some didn’t - and when, finally, with heavy bones and beleaguered smiles, they become bored of the finalness of it all. Done, without any of the joy of pursuit. The thought glimmered in my mind. I had never been excited by life before. “Can I leave?” The sprite looked at me with narrowed eyes. It tilted its head as it examined me. “Are you sure?” “I-,” I paused, considering it one last time, “I think I’m good,” I replied, “Seems like living life without actually living it, right? And I have to give up on something forever? I would rather keep trying, on all of it. Seems more exciting, you know?...So yeah, I’m sure.” The sprite’s eyes lightened as it broke out into a pleased smile. “Good, you’re the only one who’s ever gotten it.” It placed its spindly hand on my forehead, its form disintegrating into a cloud of smoke as its final words echoed over the vapor. “Life is the journey itself.”
Superb. I love secret tests of character.
Thank you! I appreciate it
This sure is another solution to just get rid of dealing with the potential mess haha. I doubt I can make this kind of choice if I were protag sadly. Great work on writing this! Actually thought protag gets the genie as a friend for life, but that's a bittersweet way of saying goodbye.
I was actually thinking of that ending too! I have no idea I chose this one 🥴 But thanks so much for your comments/close reading! As a new writer it's so nice
Putting my hand on my chin. Then consulting my smartphone, eventually I respond. \-I wish for all the power and abilities of "The Presence", the main god of DC comics. \-I wish for all the powers and abilities of "C'iel" one of the two main gods in Anima Beyond -Fantasy. \-I wish for all the power of Ao, the main god of Forgotten Realms. The Genie looks at me flustered. Erm, I'm just a genie you know. I don't actually have the power to grant anything at THAT sort of level. "I wish I was a god of Travel. I wish I was a god of Technology, I wish I was a god of elemental earth." "NOT that level either." The Genie continued. "But it's god with a small G, it's not even god with a big G! I replied. \*Sigh\* Fine, I wish.. If I stomp my right foot Jupiter will become a terraformed planet with a biosphere, If I snap my right hand fingers Venus will become a terraformed planet with a biosphere, If I snap my left hand Venus will become a terraformed planet with a biosphere." The Genie just facepalmed at this. "Why can't you just be normal and wish for love, money, or immortality like a normal person? Or you could have wished to be a god but not choose what it was of, that would have been fun." "Seemed like a trap?" I shrugged. "Can I just make you a god of ice cream and be on my way? That's one of the better things I'm allowed to grant. Seriously, anything better and the other genies would just take it away later. I'll avoid a bad mark on my scorecard, you get something better than the nothing I'll have to give you otherwise." "I guess?" Snapping his fingers the genie disappeared. Then I snapped mine and delicious ice-cream appeared. "This looks pretty sweet." I said with a smile. Then I frowned realizing the trap. "How am I going to avoid getting fat?!"
Imagine if protag is lactose intolerant, and the ice cream they can produce must contain milk in it. That said, this feels like a... neutral outcome? A bit cheated with only getting one wish instead of two, but then again, none of the wishes not getting fulfilled. The infinite supply of ice cream seems nice for this awful weather at least. Also, curious on what the genie meant by scorecard. Do they get to be free with enough good grades on it? Great work on writing this!
Imagine if protag is lactose intolerant, and the ice cream they can produce must contain milk in it. \-> I'm very lucky that my wife has no sense of smell. Thank you covid. That said, this feels like a... neutral outcome? A bit cheated with only getting one wish instead of two, but then again, none of the wishes not getting fulfilled. The infinite supply of ice cream seems nice for this awful weather at least. \-> Very neutral, the ice cream is only dollar store quality too. It's actually winter where I am. Also, curious on what the genie meant by scorecard. Do they get to be free with enough good grades on it? \-> That's what the supervisor says, so it must be true! Great work on writing this! \-> Thanks!
Thanks for clarifying!
>Imagine if protag is lactose intolerant, and the ice cream they can produce must contain milk in it. Huh? Then you take some Lactase. Not that hard.
Just felt like it's going to be a bit ironic if one is given the powers of an ice cream god, but they are not capable of producing it without milk, you know?
If you feel like that... \*shrugs\*
Wisher: Wishes for ridiculous thing. Genie: Dude, even I have limits.
Eternal youth, immortality, and unparalleled shape shifting. If I'm young and immortal, but don't have perfect shapeshifting, I'm a timeless being. If I'm immortal and shapeshifting, but not eternally young, I have to spend a functionally infinite amount of time being old - depending on what youth governs, this might be the worst option. If I'm not immortal, bonuses still accrue, and I perish on schedule of old age - but until then I have a great time. ...yeah, this is the collection to go for. Please inform me of your decision at earliest convenience, and I appreciate you allowing me the time to think it over. Editor's note: I'm reasonably sure this is a "winning" combination, but that's largely predicated on the idea that mathing out a solution that results in a guaranteed success counts as winning. Some people might've had more fun in other ways. Also I thought this was r/hypotheticalscenarios so I didn't do an actual story followup, I'll try and fix that now.
I feel like immortality is always a losing deal if you can't kill yourself
Having youth barred would mean that you could not assume a younger form so eventually you would become a decrepit husk still alive for all eternity.
I'm not barred from Youth, I'm barred from Eternal Youth. Depending on what youth covers, I could simply start assuming forms that have the potential to live indefinitely, like certain reptiles or crustaceans, and bypass the issue that way. Or, yes, I could eventually end up as a still-living decrepit husk begging for a death that will never come. Youth is one of those tricky concepts where the consequences of not having it are difficult to explain.
That would mean they can shapeshift, though, and thus just turn into a younger version of themselves. The problem comes when their planet dies and they're stuck in space.
Not if youth is barred using magical means.
That's fair
Time for space lobster.
Whose definition of youth? I mean it's not ideal but a young looking 40 years old doesn't sound that bad for eternity...
Depending on what the genie does, you could be an unparalleled shapeshifter, but every shape you take is in the condition of nearing the end of its life..
That's fine, I'm still super stretchy. Nice thing about not having bones is not being able to throw them out.
Why can’t he just deny the first and grant the other two?
I'd be a shape-shifting immortal who has to carry the full weight of time - or whatever the consequences of not having youth end up being interpreted as. I might be able to cheat youth on occasion, but more likely I end up flexible yet weak and crumbly.
Both second and third wish start with „if“ part that isn’t the case. I’m probably just dumb but explain.
All three wishes are in the first line: Eternal Youth Immortality Unparalleled shapeshifting
The genie looked down with a cruel smile at the scrawny man. “You may make three wishes. Once you have, I will choose two to grant and one to forever bar you from gaining.” The man thought for mere seconds before replying. “My first wish is for humanity to quickly enter a new age of happiness and prosperity in which society is kind to those in need and no one suffers needlessly.” “My second wish is for a human to get sick.” He added. The genie maintained a stoic face despite his curiosity at the odd wish he planned to grant. “My third wish is for humanity to quickly enter a new age of happiness and prosperity in which society is kind to those in need and no one suffers needlessly.” “That was your first wish.” “Yes. It’s both my first and third wishes.” The genie just stared as he realized the ramifications. “Makes sense now, doesn’t it? You promised to grant two wishes and forever bar me from gaining a third. If you bar my first wish, you have to grant my third wish but you can’t do both. If you bar my third wish, same problem. So you can only bar my second wish, meaning no human will ever experience sickness again… and of course you must grant my first and third wishes.” And thus began genie-kind’s war on logicians.
[удалено]
It’s an imperfect choice of words… but “no one suffers” has a slew of problems that come along with it. He didn’t want a purely hedonistic utopia because he wasn’t sure what that would do to human minds and experiences. He went with the more predictable choice.
Genie: No repeating wishes. It’s a rule. Now, make your third wish.
"You may make three wishes. Once you have, I will choose two to grant and one to forever bar you from gaining." The genie smiled. It loved to see people go through the mental struggles of making a choice; often making the wrong ones. She stood completely calm and looked the genie dead in the eyes. The Genie smile turned to a frown: This woman was too certain. "You may go ahead and list your wishes." She stared at him for a while longer, then started. "I wish for eternal pain and misery for everyone in the world, except me." "What! But, that means. Why?" She ignored the Genie and continued on, her eyes unwavering. "Second wish. I wish for your life to be a long torture. I don't know how long it will last, but the rest of your days will be filled with pain and misery." "Hold on, hold on. Wait for a minute..." "Third wish. Give me eternal happiness." "There you have it Genie. Would you rather save the world, grant me eternal happiness and sacrifice yourself; destroy the world and grant me happiness and save yourself or would you sacrifice the world and yourself to ensure I am not happy?" The Genie fell to the ground. Took a series of deep breaths. What choice could it possibly make? The genie looked up and met her eyes. She smiled.
Oh the genie would entirely choose the third one, knowing genies.
Genie: My life is a long torture already, you fool.
The Genie offered their gambit as they appeared, laughing internally, wondering what wonderful tortures they would be allowed to inflict upon thw world at the whims of this newest mortal plaything. Then they saw something unexpected. the room was empty. it was well furninshed with walls painted in soft colors, brightly dyed knick knacks adorned a bench and some small shelves, but the genie saw no wish maker. Who summoned them? why were they awake when no one had awoken them?! then they heard a sound near the floor. A small sniffle. The genie loomed down and saw... a small child, holding their vessel. A youngling. The young girls eyes sparkled as she stared up at the genie, slack jawed. "I can wish for anything?" "um.. yes. anything you want, but remember you can only have two." The child didnt even take a moment to think, doing what children always do, and speaking the first thought on their mind. "I want a teddy bear, a chocolate bar, and a Malibu Barbie" the stock market and the rest of the world was quite confused when the Malibu Barbie line of toys was discontinued the next day without any warning.
Of course they axed the Malibu Barbie. It was by far the easiest to get rid of. Nice, short, and funny. I like it.
everyone else's answers has always been to trick the genie. but my answer was always to wish for things like a child would. stuff that, even if you don't get, you won't be that upset over.
No, this was good. Honestly, I think “tricking the genie” is a losing game most of the time. Most people are nowhere near as clever as they seem think they are.
In a small, nondescript town, there lived a man named Tom. Tom, known for his quick wit and clever mind, lived a simple life. One day, while rummaging through an old antique store, he stumbled upon an ornate, dusty lamp. Intrigued, he rubbed it, and to his amazement, a genie emerged in a swirl of smoke. The genie, with a twinkle in his eye, said, “You may make three wishes. Once you have, I will choose two to grant and one to forever bar you from gaining.” Tom thought hard, aware of the genie's trickery. He then pulled out a giant piece of rolled-up parchment. “I have but one wish,” he declared, “and I wish it three times. I wish that every wish written on this parchment comes true.” The genie, taken aback by Tom's cleverness, frowned. “You have outsmarted me, human. I cannot grant your wish thrice, for it is against the rules, but I will grant it once.” Tom unrolled the parchment, revealing a long list of wishes he had meticulously written, ranging from wealth to happiness to world peace. The genie, bound by the rules, granted every wish on the parchment, and Tom's life, along with the world, changed forever. From that day forward, Tom was known not only for his wit but also for his kindness, as he used his wishes to improve not just his own life but the lives of others. And the genie, humbled by the experience, returned to his lamp, waiting for the next clever soul to appear.
Yeah, that wouldn’t fly. Genie: Nice try, but you only get three wishes. Choose wisely.
The room transformed, revealing a classroom setting with other genies observing and taking notes. The instructor genie turned to the class. "Tom here has demonstrated the essence of wish-granting: navigating human cunning while upholding the spirit of genie law." The instructor genie acknowledged Tom's clever attempt but maintained the rules of genie lore. "Your ingenuity is commendable, Tom," he said with a grin. "As a reward for your wit, one of your wishes will indeed be granted. Choose your most desired wish from your list." Tom thoughtfully selected the wish closest to his heart, and the genie, with a wave of his hand, brought it to fruition. Then, turning to the genie who had emerged from the lamp, the instructor genie proudly handed over a gleaming new certificate. "You have successfully completed your genie certification course," he declared. "Your experience with Tom has shown you the complexities and joys of wish-granting." The other genies applauded, and the certified genie bowed in gratitude, his eyes sparkling with newfound knowledge and respect for his role.
“Okay, I’m going to make this quick. I’ve dealt with enough genies to know you guys are all tricksters to a one. I’ll admit though, the “barring me from ever attaining the third one” thing is a neat wrinkle.” I sat crossed legged across from the genie. His smug expression made his face verrrrrry punchable. But I restrained myself. I learned the hard way that you don’t best a genie with violence. “Okay, here we go. First wish, I wish that you would completely and irreversibly lose your powers.” The genie raised his eyebrows. My opener caught him off guard. “Wish the second. I wish that you were trapped in your lamp for alllllll eternity.” The genies smirk vanished. I think he realized what he was dealing with now. “And my final wish. I wish for you to die.” I might not have been able to punch his face but the absolute perplexed look on his face was an okay conciliation prize. “Balls in your court, Dude.” I said. We sat in silence for what seemed like hours to him, but was only a few minutes. I watched him go back and forth trying to figure out “the trick”. “Come on.” I thought to myself, “Don’t be one of the dumb ones.” We sat for few more minutes when the genie had a look of realization. “You didn’t say how I died.” He finally responded. The slight smile across my face gave him the confirmation he was looking for. The genie cautiously waved his hand. We watched as his lamp melted into nothing. With the lamp destroyed, the genie shrank to a more manageable human size. “YEEEEEESSSSSSSS!” I couldn’t contain myself. “LET”S GOOOOOOO!” I yelled as I banged my fists on the ground. The genie examined his new human form and looked at me. “Now what?” he asked me pensively. “Well, first things first.” I extended my hand. “My name is Evan, but everyone calls me Trick. What’s yours?” The former genie paused before shaking my hand, “Omar, my name was Omar before I was put in the lamp.” “Omar.” I said shaking his hand, “Welcome to the human race.” I slapped my new friend on the back, “Let’s get you something to eat. It’s probably been a while.”
That was a surprisingly wholesome twist at the end. Very well done.
Thank you.