The old man was alone in his room, as he had requested. He reached for the bottle that had stood on his bedside table for so many years. This act cost him dearly
in many ways, but he had to do with. Then, he pulled the stopper out of the bottle, which used up what little was left of his strength. Smoke, more smoke than it
seemed the bottle could possibly contain, came out from where the stopper had been. Then, the smoke congealed and reassembled itself into a figure of as much
power as the man lying for it showed frailty.
"Yes, Master?" said the figure of power. "What may I do for you?"
"Genie," said the old man. "I am dying."
"No! Oh, no, my beloved master! That cannot be! Just say the word and I shall restore your strength and youth and your shall be as you were 60 years ago."
"No, genie. I know, I could do that, and you would gladly grant the wish. But I would like to think I have more wisdom than to wish that I could live beyond my
years. My life has been good, full of adventure and riches, both of which are greatly due to your service. I could ask for more, yes, but I don't want more. I called
you here for another reason."
"Yes, O Master?"
"I do have one last wish to make. I wish, Genie, that, from this day forward, you would be free of your imprisonment in the bottle, and your enslavement to
whoever owns the bottle."
"M -- Master!"
"You have been a good servant, Genie. Indeed, you have been a good friend to me. I could not call myself your friend unless I could do this one wish for you."
"But -- O, Master! Free! I had not even thought of freedom for eons. I did not want to be freed from you, for you have been the best and kindest master I have
ever known!"
"I thank you, Genie. I fear sometimes I failed to live up to your praise. But I did the best I could, which is all any of us can do,in the end."
Genie looked at the bottle, the prison of ages. With a smile, the Genie melted the bottle into nothingness.
"I can no longer command you, Genie," said the old man. "But please let me offer some small advice. I know how you enjoy playing with the children of Adam. At
times, I enjoyed watching you do it to those who deserved it. But, now that you are free to play as you wish, always remember to do it out of justice. And always
remember that I would not let you take your play so far that your 'toy' would perish from it."
"I will remember, Master," said the Genie. "And I shall treat your instructions as if they were your last wishes to me."
"Good. Good. I -- am going now -- Genie. Friend. I pray that I go to a life -- as good as this one -- has been."
"It shall be even better, Master!" said the Genie amid sobs.
"I thank you, Genie. Remember me -- with fondness."
The old man closed his eyes and breathed his last. The genie turned invisible and sent a signal to the old man's family that they should now enter and know the man
was gone.
And I am free! thought the Genie. But free -- to do what?