Instant Replay

The net swung with the impact of repeated bashings. The crowd was on their feet, cheering wildly, and yet, to Kaley, everything was still and silent. The players seemed to move in slow motion toward the rotating ball, bumping, setting- here it came, rotating slowly, white and perfect. High enough to spike, low enough to tip. In a split second, Kaley had to decide. Three steps- left, right left- pow! The ball suddenly flew into fast descent and landed on the floor on the other side of the net. The other team groaned and, without warning, the yells and cheers of the crowd washed back in to Kaley's ears. She stood tall, jumping and cheering with the rest of the team. One point more and they would win.

Whoever says volleyball isn't tough, Kaley thought, should watch one of our games.

The after party was amazing. All the players were in highest spirits. The game had been close, but they had managed to win by two points exactly. The only thing left now was celebration, and everyone was doing a great job at that. Only Kaley felt truly out of the celebration. She was happy, yes. They had won, yes. But still the thought of the last point weighed on her. It hadn't seemed right; something had gone wrong. But what?

The last point replayed in her mind. She saw herself going up and up toward the top of the net. As a short player, it was hard to block, but she was one of the best players on her team, and so was expected to at least try. The ball had been coming down, circling in the air slowly, almost as if it was waiting for her to clear the net. When it finally did connect with her hands, it did go straight down- but on Kaley's side of the net. Kaley had swung her arms wildly and only just managed to get the ball back up in the air. The setter had dived for the ball, which was only a couple feet off the floor, and pushed it up just enough for Kaley to get under it and free-ball it back over the net.

It was the other team that should have gotten that point, but it was as if they were all frozen, amazed at what had happened. The ball went high, plenty high enough for a player to get under it. And yet, somehow, it had fallen to the ground, touched by only one player, who dove for it at the last second.

Kaley smiled. Perhaps it wasn't so big a mystery, then. The other team had been in awe of the quickness with which Kaley and her teammate had acted. That had to be it.

Either way, they had won. They had.

Fair and square.

My Attic's Inhabitant Part 5: Goodbye?

I ran up the stairs to my attic, taking them two or more at a time. I'm not going to lie, I fell several times. I finally reached the top of the stairs and burst through to see the genie, slightly glowing, alternately banging on a suitcase, sitting on it, crying, blowing his nose, and staring off into space.

Genie? Hey, what's going on? Are you OK?

I've never seen a genie cry.

You're what?
Attached to me? Really? That's...cool, I think. Weird, too. How do you-um. What are you doing, then? Why are you leaving?

You have to? That's dumb. Can't you stay? If I ask you too? Well, that's kind of what I just did. I mean, that's what I was getting at.

I have to say it? Like that? OK. Here goes.

Genie, will you please stay? Yeah, no problem- that was my shirt...no big deal, I'm sure genies blow their noses on stuff all the time and it comes right out. Yeah, it's OK.

Here's the deal, though. If you stay, I'm going to ask you to do one thing for me: Stay quiet at night. And sometimes during the day. Think you can handle that? You can? Cool beans. Alright. I think I have a permanent inhabitant, here.

Sweet. Maybe I should charge rent or something...

Nah. It's cool.

I got my wishes. And I like what I'm doing right now. I'm happy.

My Attic's Inhabitant Part 4: Third Wish

Ye gods, avoiding paparazzi is hard. I have never been so tired! Another thing I don't think I've been since I started wishing: alone. I feel so very very alone. I mean, sure, every single guy out there was tripping over himself to get to me...but that was because I'm famous now. They don't even know who I am. No idea. One of them forgot my name and just started yelling I love you! really loudly. That was embarrassing. Very.

I'm walking back up the stairs to my attic. I'm so tired the flight of stairs seems about four times longer than it actually is. Gah. I'm exhausted. Did I mention that before?

The dim light of the genie is coming from under the door. I know what I'm wishing for this time, but I'm still nervous to enter. What if this guy really can't grant this last wish? What if he really IS like Aladdin's genie, and I have to set him free or something with my third wish?

I grit my teeth and push the door open. Hello? Oh, there you are. That's a magazine...with my face on it. Wow. They got those out pretty quickly, didn't they? Heh heh. Yeah, thanks. Well, hey, I'm ready for my third and final wish. But can you *whisper*?

Yes! Oh, thank goodness. Alright. Here goes nothing. Genie, I wish for true love, and not just for my looks. For me.

....................

I'm waiting. Hello? I thought you said you could do this. Oh, you did? Then where is he? Huh? I want to know.

There's a weird sound outside, like someone crashing into a rather hard object. Um. OK. Better check that out, huh?

Hello, I believe that you just managed to crash into my mailbox on a bike. What talent you have...and holy cow are you attractive. Yeah, no, I do live here. Uh-huh. Yep. That's me, hi. Are you- ahem, are you OK? Are you sure? Well, why don't you come inside and- OK. That's the wrong door. Here, let me help you. I think you hit your head a little hard, there. Let me get you some ice. What's your name?

I think I may have found someone. Someone who doesn't care that my face is on the magazine that is all over the newsstands. Someone that really wants to know me, and not my face. I think I like this guy. This incredibly talented bike rider who crashes into people's mailboxes. I think I really do like him.

What the heck? What is going on in my attic?

Genie?

My Attic's Inhabitant Part 3: Second Wish

One wish down. Two to go. I had thought about my second dream for a long, long time. I had finally decided what to do about it. I was going to wish for- Oh, don't you just wish I would tell you right now.

My riches had been taken care of, safely stored away in a couple different bank accounts, and a car bought. I was well taken care of. I was very much happy with my first wish. Time for wish number two. Here we go.

I climbed slowly up the flight of stairs leading to my pitch dark attic. Even after the past days, I hadn't been able to convince myself to get a light put in. I just...didn't really think I needed one. I mean, come on. The genie glowed for heaven's sake. GLOWED! So yeah. No light needed, I figured.

Anyways. It was time for wish number two. I had been thinking about it since- well, like I said earlier, for a long time. I knew what I was going to do. I walked up the stairs, kind of dragging my feet. I wasn't exactly used to the genie, I mean...come on. Really. Kind of hard to get used to, you know?

I opened the attic door and cleared my throat to announce my presence.

Yes, hello, your...um...glowing-ness. Hovering-ness. Um. Old-ness. Who knows. Anyways, hi. I'm ready for my- ahem- second wish. Yeah.

Okay. Here goes. I wish for...

(Drum roll, please)

Fame!

Wow, is that my phone ringing? Now my cell phone? What the-?

I ran downstairs really quickly. I tripped a couple times. Yeah. That's me. Ahem.

I picked up the phone. Hello? Yeah, this is- who is this? Really? I- wow. Wow. WOW. Holy cow, this is really...abrupt. I think. No, no, I'd love to! I'll be there in ten minutes.

Well, I have to go. Off to my first celeb photo shoot, apparently. Woot! See you losers later. I'm famous.

Gotta avoid all the paparazzi. Disguise...? Nah.

Here goes the beginning of awesomeness. I'll be back in time to make my next wish. Wish me luck. Aha, I crack myself up...

My Attic's Inhabitant Part 2: First Wish

The time had come. I was to make my first wish. The genie had told me that I could make one of my three wishes each day. Therefore, he would live in my attic for those three days. Ahem. The rattling, in other words, would not end. Which was OK, I guess, considering that I was trading my sanity for a wish. Cool.

My first wish. This...is a momentous occasion. A big deal. A pinnacle. A first. Literally. So I wanted to use my wish wisely. Provide for myself. Make arrangements for my future. Oh yes, I could see it all now. I knew without a doubt what my first wish would be.

I wish for ten million dollars! Tax free, of course.

Poof. There it was. Oh. Wow. That- this- is a LOT of money.

I'm rich! At long last, I'm rich! Best feeling ever. I think. I feel like a million dollars. No, wait, I feel like ten million dollars! Woohoo!

Now, what to do with all that money? First, of course, a car. I've been needing a new one of those for a while here. Hmm. What next?

I sat down and made a list of what to do with all my money. Of course, I knew I couldn't possibly spend it all right now. So I put all but a couple thousand in savings. The couple thousand I used to put a down payment on my car (so as not to seem suspicious. Duh.). I was riding high. Literally.

I knew that I had to think of a couple more wishes, of course, but for now I was simply enjoying my newfound wealth. It was pretty cool, really. I would have moved, too, but...there was the small matter of the genie in my attic. I didn't want to inconvenience him. Obviously.

What's that, sir? Second wish time? Already? Uh huh. OK. Just a...just a couple minutes? Alright. I'll get right back to you with that. Um.

Well, that's my cue to make my second wish. What shall I wish for? I haven't a clue.

My Attic's Inhabitant Part 1

There is something alive in my attic. There seriously is! I don't know what it is, though, because I'm too scared to go look. It's been making noises all day. It's really loud, and it almost sounds like there are multiple things up there. I'm so scared! What if there are- what if it's a robber? Or a murderer? And they're hiding in my attic because they think it's a safe place...Oh! What if they come down here?! It's almost midnight. What if I go to bed, and they come down, and they murder me in my sleep! Oh my gosh...I can tell right now that I am never ever going to get to sleep tonight. Um. OK. If I'm going to die, I might as well die right now, right? So here I go. Attic inhabitant, here I come! You had better watch out!

Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh...

OK...it is definitely pitch black up here. I thought there was a light somewhere...Ah, there it...That's not it. That is a glowing...something. Oh my word. I have never been so scared.

What's this? A baseball bat? Excellent.

OK, whatever-you-are-glowing-thing, here I come. I have a weapon, and I am not afraid to use it! Don't provoke me! I will hit you! I-

Um. That is definitely not a human. For that matter, it's definitely not...real. I mean, people are real. Animals are real. That thing that I'm staring at- that's not real. Nope. Not at all. Herm.

Hello? Thing? Yeah, hi, I live here. What are you-?

Oh. My. Word. You're a what?

A genie. OK. How do...how do I answer that?

I get three wishes? Are you kidding me? You're serious? Oh wow. What do I wish for? I've never...exactly...had a wish before. No, I'm not kidding you...Yeah. You're supposed to be a mythical creature, like something out of, I don't know, Aladdin or something.

You know him? OK, now I know you're kidding.

You're not. Uh-huh. OK. Three wishes. Got it.

Guess I better start thinking, huh?

Cars

Who the heck was this crazy person? We were barely out of the lot when she took off, foot slamming the gas. She had only one hand on the steering wheel. She had no seatbelt on. She wasn't looking in her mirrors. She wasn't using the blinker. She wasn't doing a whole lot of anything a normal driver would do. I could see misfortune in the literal road ahead. I was scared for my shiny, metal life.

Life as a car is never easy. Never has been, never will be. In a wreck, though people might get hurt, it's us cars that really sustain the most damage. I mean, ouch. When we ram up against a giant one-ton truck...that hurts. People don't realize that. Ever. Uh huh. Yes. That's right. I'm a car. And I'm talking. To you. Yeah.

So. Listen up. When you're blazing down a country road lined with trees and cows, stomping on the pedal (which also pinches, by the way), please remember- if you hit one of those things, not only are you going to get injured, I'm going to be in PAIN. And that's something I don't like. Really. Cows are pretty solid when you hit them going at eighty. Ninety. One hundred and twenty. So slow down. And put your seatbelt on. That's why I have one. You're doing the right thing.