By: Tanisha K. Wright

“Do you know the story about the first ever genie? No? It’s a long story about a person who was wronged and experienced so much pain and saw so much greed. Yet no one remembers the story because to the human eye it’s just a tale, but for those who possess something stronger within them, it’s no longer a tall tale but history. Do you still want to hear it?”

“Yes daddy, I want you to tell us! I love your stories!” Said the young girl. The boy sighed and crawled under his sheets.

“Just get it over with already!” the boy huffed.

The father laughed, “Alright, but I’m warning you, its long.” They watched and waited, the father smiled. “For me to tell you the story about the first genie, I must tell you the story about a man who believed in magic and beings far more superior than humans. But they aren’t Gods.”

“Demons?!” The boy perked up.

“Angels!” The girl chimed in. The father shook his head.

“Neither, they were called Jinns, magical entities that possessed free will.”

“Jinns?” The girl hugged her stuffed bear close. “What are they?”

“I’m not sure, I like to think they are just smoke creatures that can take on any form they want.”

“So they are demons.” Argued the boy.

“No, They are much more, they are….” The father paused to consider how to explain it, “Tricksters.” The boys interest returned as his eyes lit up from the mention of tricks. The father sat on a chair in between the twins beds.

“I’m going to start now,” They nodded “There was a man in a village long ago far away that was accused of housing witches, his wife and daughter; although he was the one interested in all things magical, his family of women were blamed for his research so the town they lived in-” The father stopped “By the way kids….don’t tell your mother I’m telling you this story, she would be very unhappy.” The twins nodded their little heads and looked at him with a sparkle in their eyes begging him to continue. The father dimmed their room light and continued with the beginning of a long story.