Suddenly everything froze. The police, the patrons, even the animals and children that I changed. They all stood there, rooted to the floor. I blinked and shook my head for clearity but there they were still, unmoving.
"This just is getting too much out of hand," a voice said from behind.
I turned and saw the woman who gave me the ring. She didn't look very happy with me. She stood there, arms folded, her brown creased with anger and worry.
I was no longer angry, nor did I want revenge anymore. All I knew that I was in trouble...big trouble.
"You had to get revenge, didn't you?" The woman told me. "All that power went straight to your head. Tsk,tsk. Well, maybe that's my fault. The ring has the power to make wishes but it also has the power to turn the person wearing it to evil. I didn't think you had it in you and was wrong."
"I-I-I'm sorry,I stammered. "I didn't mean to. After turning my mother's boss into a baby, I couldn't stop myself. It's like the ring was going the thinking for me."
The woman nodded. "Yes. The ring can take over the mind of the person who wears it. That is a downside. But with the right mind, the ring can move in accordance with the mind. For that, the person who wears the ring must use it for the good."
I took off the ring and handed back to the woman. She took it and put it in a cloth bag. "I will have to give it to another."
"What's going to happen to me?" I asked. What's going to happen...to them?" I pointed to the swans, the babies and the rats and the police that surrounded me.
"They will be put back in their old forms. Don't worry about that. It will be like this never happened. As for you..."
I woke up and there I stood inside my house. There was no Ms. Barnes standing at the door, wondering why her clothes suddenly vanished. Just me. On my hand, where the ring was before, was now a thin white band of skin.
The woman looked around and felt for a presence, to give the ring to another person. This person could use it as he or she wishes. What else is a wish ring for?
Then she saw....