William the Conquerer and the Sands of Persia : Chapter 2 - The Jinn

A Jinn appeared, of course!

The Jinn looked to be about William’s age and size. He wore a blue turban, scarlet flowing pants, and brown sandals. His skin was the color of almonds. His bright eyes were shielded from the sun by dark eyebrows.

“Hello, William, you’ve arrived at the perfect time!” the Jinn shouted excitedly.

“I’m not so sure about that,” William shouted back, feeling confused, “What’s perfect about it?”

“It’s the perfect time for you to rescue me from being trapped inside that magic lamp!” said the Jinn. 

“Are you a genie?” asked William.

“Of course not. I’m a Jinn!” said the Jinn, with a grin above his chin.

“What’s a Jinn?” William asked.

“A Jinn is a magical being who lives inside a lamp.”

“Oh sure, like a genie.”

“No, no, no!” the jinn shook his head sternly, “The clumsy word ‘genie’ is only your language’s offensive approximation for the word ‘Jinn’ in the original Persian language.”

“So does that mean I’m in Persia?”

“You are!”

“Okay, got it. Persia. Arrived by jumping in a pile of leaves. Right.”

“You’re taking this interdimensional journey very calmly,” observed the Jinn.

“Yeah, well,  it’s not my first time. I once went back to ancient Finland by climbing in a refrigerator.”

“What’s a refrigerator?”

“I’ll explain later. Was it you calling to me to jump into the pile of leaves?”

“Indeed!”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I was stuck in a lamp! Out here in the middle of nowhere! What would you have done, my friend?”

Rather than answer his question, William asked, “How’d you get out in the middle of nowhere?”

“My lamp fell off a flying carpet!” the Jinn told William morosely, shaking his head

“So flying carpets are real?”

“Oh course! Don’t they have them where you come from?”

“No, but once a Finnish person fell through our ceiling!”

“That sounds fun too!”

“Can we stop shouting?”

“Yes!”

“Great,” said William, more quietly, “Because, if I remember correctly, I get some wishes!”

“That is the usual protocol. Yes,” agreed the Jinn. 

“Okay then,” William said, “I wish for super powers.”

“Be more specific. Do you wish to smell super bad?” suggested the Jinn, helpfully.

“No, I want to be able to fly and shoot laser beams out of my eyes – stuff like that.”

“Fly, huh?”

“Yes.”

“That sounds hard.”

“But, I thought you were a genie.”

“A jinn?”

“Whatever! You’re supposed to grant me wishes! Make me fly!”

The Jinn picked up William and threw him six inches into the air. 

“There! You see! You flew! Wish granted!”

“No, I want to be able to soar like a falcon.”

“Well, here’s the deal, William. I’m sort of new at being a Jinn. I haven’t learned all the special magic stuff that lets an experienced Jinn grant the big wishes.”

“Oh,” William looked disappointed, “ Well, that’s kind of a drag. How long will it take until you can grant big wishes.”

“Not long. Maybe a thousand years or so.”

“Oh, okay. Well then, how about you transport me to a place where there’s water… and civilization?”

“Easy. That I can do. I just rub my hands together, say the magic word ‘shabazz…’

“Okay….” said William, getting excited at having his thirst quenched. 

“...and then we walk six miles that way,” concluded the Jinn, pointing north. William let out a big sigh. 

So they started walking north.