Michelle M. Sagara - Gifted

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For the personal use of those who have purchased the ESF 1993 Award anthology only.

GIFTED

Michelle Sagara

He was the last of the Genies.

The others had served their purpose in a brilliant flash of three sharp bursts, and

had been dust or less for many centuries. When he was born, if indeed a Genie can

be said to know birth, he was taught. He could not remember the teacher at all, but

the teacher's words were as sharp and clear now as they had been at the beginning of

his awareness.

"You are part of the magic of the world," the teacher had said. "All things that

live must have purpose, and that is yours. You will not be strong, as camels are, and

you will not be cunning or wiley in the the manner of men; you will not be mortal, but

you cannot live forever."

"What will we be?" One of the Genies had asked.

"What you are: Wishgivers. And when you have found the one, you will make

your choice — and three times, you will know the power of the Maker. You might

be as Gods, if you choose your dreamer wisely."

"What happens when the wishes are given?"

The teacher did not answer.

Time did. Time, and the first of the Genie's brothers. He was an impatient wisp

of air and colour, with no thought to the future and only the desire of power to guide

him. He found a poor man — who better than the poorest of the poor to make a

great wish? — and gave his gift first to gold and jewels, second to beautiful flesh,

and last to a kingdom that spanned the deserts. The wishgiver, the first of the

wishbringers, knew the glory of power and the song of fulfilment, just as he had

desired.

But the gold and jewels were scattered now, melted and changed over the

passage of time. The beautiful women were dust and less than dust, and the

kingdom was lost scant years after its founding. The first of the wishgivers had not

lingered to see this: The last of his power, and the whole of his life, broke and burst

in the instant the kingdom had been created. He was gone to wind and sand and the

burning sun above.

The Genies had no time to bid their brother farewell. Sobered, they hid in the

shadows and the little, secret places that magic makes. They made vows of

abstinence, and swore to each other that they would no squander their lives or their

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Michelle M. Sagara - Gifted

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