Ted and the Genie of the Ring

‘Wow' that was all Ted could think as he stared at the hulking humanoid figure staring right back at him with what he hoped was a pleasantly surprised face. If it wasn't, things could end very badly for the scrawny raven-haired 10-year-old . 

He stayed silent, though his mind was running a thousand miles a minute, trying to figure out whether he should say something or bolt and forget the whole experience. He hoped that he wasn't dead and in the afterlife. Because if this was it, he was disappointed. Severely.

 Finally the figure began speaking.

"You're younger than normal."

"What?" He said still confused.

"Well, young one I am Genie. I was trapped in the ring you’re holding. As for me calling you young, the people that pick up that ring are usually older" Genie explained, seemingly sensing his confusion.

"Genie? Like from aladdin?" Ted asked curiously. The genie made a face at the mention of the children's movie, answering with a sniff of disdain.

"Don't mention that disgrace to genies, honestly, do I look blue? However if you are referring to the three wishes part, that is true, just with more strings"

"Like what?" He asked, wide eyed as he really registered what was going on.

"If you make a wish with selfish reasons it tends to backfire. badly." Genie explained.

Part of him was curious but the other part decided ignorance was bliss and moved on.

"So only if it's not for my own gain I can use a wish? That sounds like a bad deal" he said, thinking about what had flashed through his head when he realized he could make wishes.

"I don't make the rules, kid. Besides there are loopholes" Ted looked back up at that. "If it’s without ill intent like bettering the world etcetera it's okay, though you gain from it" Ted nodded thinking about what to wish for.

"I've got it!" he said after some deep thinking with the genie staring at him awkwardly.

"So quick!? The others took days sometimes" Ted just shrugged.

"Ok, for my first wish I want everyone to understand we’re hurting the earth and want to protect it instead". His parents had taught him the Earth was precious so he thought they’d like this.

"Second I want a pocket d-dimension thingy that is uninhabited to get rid of trash on earth" he said, stuttering lightly on dimension.

"And thirdly I want a cure for all types of cancer that gets rid of it instantly." Genie snapped his fingers and Ted could already feel the difference.

"Now hide away the ring for the next one to find" the genie instructed. Ted obeyed before waving Genie a goodbye. He went home to his dad waving around the tv remote like he’d won the lottery, his parents turned to him with ecstatic faces engulfing him in a hug. His mother whispered to him.

“They found a cure for you, ted” he smiled into the hug with slightly teary eyes.