This story contains realatively mild descriptions of gay male sex. If this is offensive or not legal where you live, then don't read it.
THE MAGIC LAMP - PART II
Almost three months passed before I made my first proper wish. I use the word proper because the morning after Anesh's arrival, and after our first night of passion, I made the mistake of wishing I didn't have to go to work. If was just a figure of speech but Anesh warned me to be careful and to think before I spoke. He told me that once I made my first wish, the magic would be activated and any wish thereafter, no matter how trivial, would be considered as a second or a third wish.
The day I made my wish, I was watching TV, sprawled out on the sofa with my head resting against Anesh's naked torso. His muscular arms were wrapped around my chest and his legs intertwined with mine. I was happy and content but I ached all over. Three months hadn't diminished our enthusiasm and we weren't always gentle. Sometimes we went at it with an energy and passion that boarded on violence. I was sore but I wasn't complaining, it was the best-damned sex I'd ever had. I was practically purring like a cat.
The first couple of weeks had been difficult if not comical. Introducing Anesh to my friends had been daunting and hilarious in equal measure. I had to lie and tell them I met him through work but they weren't convinced. Anesh was a total innocent, almost childlike and it made him a reluctant and an inefficient liar but he played along for my sake. I'd briefed him before meeting them, telling him to play the strong, silent type, to be vague and mysterious about his origins. It was probably a mistake because it only increased their curiosity and I'd to intervene and shield a lot of questions. Luckily Anesh was a fast learner and quickly adopted the subtle nuances of speech and social interactions, becoming quite proficient with bending the truth.
He had an insatiable appetite for knowledge and quickly realised the Internet was an unreliable patchwork of information, full of mistakes, half-truths, misunderstandings and downright lies. He discovered the local library and bookshops and would visit almost everyday. He devoured newspapers, magazines and journals, spent hours flicking through every news channel and questioned people on the street, in shops and restaurants about the smallest detail of their lives.
He was insatiable in the bedroom too but like it said, I wasn't complaining. The first few weeks I couldn't get enough of him but it wasn't just the sex. I loved spending time with him, waking up next to him and seeing his bright happy smile. I loved showing him new stuff, explaining life in the early years of the 21st century. I loved his innocence, his naivety, his childlike curiosity and wonder about the world. He enthusiasm was infectious and like osmosis, it began to seep into me, rekindling my interest in life and knowledge. We'd talk for hours about every subject, from the trivial to the profound before falling into bed for a night of passion. I'd never felt so exhausted yet I'd jump out of bed each morning with buoyancy and optimism, the promise of a new day stretching out before me.
I'd go to work and go through the motions, all the time counting the hours till I could go home again. He'd be in the hall waiting, waiting with a broad smile and sometimes nothing else. I'd barely time to close the door then he'd pounce and we'd go at it with an impatient ardour, too lazy or too damn horny to make it to the bedroom. Those times were fast and furious. I'd enter his already slicked up ass with a hungry urgency and we'd rut like wild dogs. Other times it was sweet and gentle. We'd go to the bedroom and take our time.
I knew it couldn't last so I was careful and tried not to get to close, too emotionally involved. But these things have a life of their own and it's not easy to control your feelings. So it wasn't long before I fell in love with him. It's probably why I made the stupid wish. Part of it was tied up with the idea of regret but a big part was to get away and find some time to think.
This idea of regret had never really gone away, it had lingered like a feted odour and kept me thinking about the past. So as I lay on the sofa that day, flicking through the channels, I stopped when I came to an old black and white film. It was H. G. Wells, 'The Time Machine.' It caught my attention and got me thinking again. Anesh wriggled out from under me and headed to the bedroom but I was riveted to the TV and watched the movie till it finished. The following morning we were sitting at the kitchen table reading the papers when I looked at him.
"Anesh, I have a wish, my first wish."
"Good, about time," he replied, lowering the paper with a smile. "Tell me your wish Philip and I will obey."
"I want to go back in time...I want to be seventeen again."
"But why Philip, why would you want to be a teenager? Wasn't it a difficult period in your life?"
"Yes, that's why I want to go back and live it as it should have been lived but I want to retain my memories of the present."
"No master, no, no, please Philip, choose another wish, you cannot toy with fate, it is too dangerous; you may irretrievably alter the present timeline. You could possibly change, not just your own life, but the lives of many others. And it will involve complex modifications at a molecular level, an extreme and hazardous change to your DNA. Choose a different wish Master, the risks are too great."
"But is it possible Anesh?"
"Yes it is possible but it worth the risk?"
"Yes, it's what I want, it's my wish, you said you'd comply."
"Very well, as you command Master."
He dropped the paper on the floor, closed his eyes and placed his hands, palms down on the table. At first nothing happened, I could hear his shallow breathing, the clock ticking on the wall and the distant sound of children's laugher outside on the street. Then the table began to vibrate, it was weak at first but it soon began to grow stronger. There was a soft humming noise in the air like an electrical charge and a faint odour like burning rubber. The small hairs on my arms stood up and my scalp began to tingle. I watched as plates, cups, spoons and newspapers shook their way across the table to fall with a smash on the floor. There was a loud boom and the whole room shuddered then trembled. The shaking became extreme; soon it was like a mini earthquake. Cupboard doors flew open and discharged their contents, cereal boxes and rice, jars and tinned goods toppling to the ground with a crash. The window shattered, the glass fragmenting and falling into the sink. The floor cracked down the middle to admit a bright green light. Then it buckled and split in two, the fracture widening, tiles smashing and crumbling as more light spilled to flood the room. Suddenly the floor disappeared in a flash of brilliance and I fell through the opening. I closed my eyes to shield them from the glare as I continued to fall down and down and down into what seemed like a bright bottomless pit. There was a swishing sound, a long drawn out buzzing noise and then another sound, almost ear shattering in its intensity. It took me awhile to realise it was me. I was screaming and yelling as I fell. It suddenly stopped with a jolt; I could feel a hard coldness beneath me but was afraid to move or to open my eyes.
"Mr. Hamilton! If you're quite finished entertaining the class with your silly antics perhaps you'd like to return to your seat."
My eyes flew open and I looked up in confusion. I was on a cold marble floor and seemed to be under a wooden table. I could see the round knots in the timber, and it appeared to be covered with dirty wads of chewing gum, it all looked vaguely familiar. I sat up bewildered and there was group laugher as I got to my feet. I thought it was a dream because I was back in class and Miss Pringle, my old English teacher, was looking at me in exasperation.
"Will you please take your seat Mr. Hamilton or I will send you to Mr. Connor's office."
I quickly sat down; I was too damn stunned to reply. I just nodded my head in total bafflement. Matthew Douglas turned around from the desk in front; he was staring at me as I took my seat. I stared back in amazement, I hadn't seen him in ten years and had forgotten all about him. I looked around at the many faces of my old classmates. Most were sixteen or seventeen but they looked so damn young. Paul Richardson winked and gave me the thumbs up. I saw Patrick Dolan, Greg Byron, Rajesh Singe, the Harper twins, Anthony and Martin. Then someone tapped my shoulder and I turned round to the smiling face of Anesh Navaratnum. My heart began to pound in my chest; he was my best friend and first crush. I wanted to tell him how he fuelled my adolescent fantasies and I'd spilled a lot of semen in his honour. His smiled widened and he leaned in to whisper.
"Hey Lip, why'd yeh jump outta yeh seat like that? You tryin' to get expelled or somethin'?"
I just shook my head and smiled. He never called me Philip, always Lip.
"You okay man, yeh hit your head or somethin'? Yeh look kinda spooked'."
"No, I'm fine Tumbee," I replied with a grin. I smiled because the name came naturally to my lips, like I'd been using it everyday. It was another thing I'd kinda forgot. I'd always called him Tumbee. I'm not sure if it's the correct spelling or pronunciation but Tumbee is the Tamil word for little brother. He continued to smile and then the bell rang. Everyone stood up and shuffled to the door and out into the corridor. The hall was a mass of students; I recognised many of the faces but not all of the names. Several guys ribbed me for falling out of my seat and I smiled good-naturedly as I made my way to the toilets. I thought my head would explode and I needed to get away, get a grip and make some sense of what just happened.
I pushed my way through, headed to the sinks and splashed water on my face. I looked up and it was a like a punch to the solar plexus; it completely knocked the wind out of me. I touched my face as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. It may sound conceited but I never realised just how damn handsome I was at seventeen. I remember people telling me I was good-looking. I always laughed it off because I never really believed it. But looking through adult eyes gave me a little distance, a kind of objectivity that I didn't have as a teenager. I could now see what everyone else could see and I gotta tell you, I liked it. My olive skin was smooth and flawless with a light dusting of soft hairs above my lip. My black hair was spiked with gel and my brown eyes seemed to sparkle, the whites bright and clear. My red lips looked full and sensual and my body tall and sleek.
There were a few wise-ass remarks as I stared at myself in the mirror but I ignored them, I was too preoccupied with my looks. And it's funny because I was never a vain guy; I was always indifferent when I came to my appearance. Growing up in a hard-nosed, conservative family can do that to a guy. But that day, I couldn't stop staring at myself in the damn mirror. I stood back and grinned, there was something I had to check.
I turned, went into an empty cubicle and locked the door. I unbuckled my jeans and pushed them down, my cotton briefs quickly followed and I suppressed a giggle as I took hold of my penis and stroked my balls. They were not yet fully developed and the pubic bush seemed smaller, less dense. I shook my head in wonder as my cock began to swell. I quickly pulled up my whites and jeans and made my way outside. I washed my hands and stepped out into the hall. Anesh was leaning against the wall opposite and my heart gave a lurch. He came over and slapped me on the back and we both grinned like dimwits.
"Hey Lip, you're crazy man, Miss Pringle will have your ass for sure. Are yeh goin' to the canteen? I have stuffed vegetable Parathas with lots of chillies today, my mom made extra for you."
"Oh my God, your mom still makes those, I haven't had Parathas for years."
"What yeh talkin' about Lip? We had 'em on Monday."
"Oh yeh...yeh, I forgot. What day is it?"
"It's Friday! Are you okay Lip? You're actin' very strange, you sure you didn't hit your head when you fell."
"I'm fine, I'm fine, let's go outside to eat, I'm not up to a room full of noisy kids...er...I mean noisy students today."
We headed outside into warm spring sunshine. I kept glancing sideways at Anesh, it was like a dream. I was happy and kinda sad at the same time. I was happy to see him but sad that I hadn't stayed in touch when we'd left school. I'd heard about him through the grapevine. I knew he'd gone to medical school, qualified as a surgeon and specialised in head trauma. He'd emigrated to the USA and the last I heard he was living with a guy in California.
I'd met Anesh when we'd both began secondary school at thirteen. We just seemed to hit it off and get on well. I fell in love with him a couple of years later, shortly after puberty kicked in. I loved him but was too damn closeted to express my feelings. But I guess he was closeted too. I remember there were times in my bedroom when he'd give me a lingering look or a prolonged touch when he shook my hand. It always left me feeling confused and scared. At the time I didn't know he was gay but it probably wouldn't have made a difference because I was too shy and too damn closeted to do anything about it.
But everything was different now; I was a grown-up back inside my seventeen-year-old body. I wasn't sure how things would pan out but I was determined not too repeat the mistakes of the past. I was given a second chance and I wasn't gonna waste it. In some dark recess of my baffled brain, I knew I was altering the course of our lives and there were risks but I didn't care. All those old feeling had come flooding to the surface and I was so damn happy to see my friend again, nothing else mattered.
We sat on the wall near the bike sheds and ate the Parathas; they were as delicious as I remembered and they filled me with a sense of nostalgia. I glanced covertly at my friend as he gazed out towards the buildings across the street. I admired his exquisite, good looks. The smoothness of his cinnamon toned skin, his bright hazel eyes, his jet-black hair and the way it flopped forward over his forehead. I loved the way his jaws moved as he chewed his food and his long darkish fingers clutching the napkin as he wiped his full red lips. He turned, caught me looking and gave me a funny look.
"What?" he said, twisting his body towards mine until our knees almost touched.
"Nothing," I replied, and continued to smile.
"What! Have I got food on my face or somethin'?" he said, dabbing his lips with the napkin.
"No, you're fine."
"What yeh starin' at me for then?"
"Nothing, just looking."
"What's up with you today Lip."
"What! Can't I look at my best friend?"
"Yeh, but it's the way you're lookin',"
"What way?"
"I don't know but it's weird and it's freakin' me out so stop it."
"I'm sitting in the sun eating delicious food with my best friend and I'm happy, what's so weird about that?"
"Now you're really freakin' me out. Yeh been at the wacky-backy or somethin'?"
I laughed and punched his upper arm. He grinned and then began to laugh along with me.
"Hey Tumbee, what classes we got after lunch?" I asked, taking a last bite of the Paratha.
"Double maths like always and then an early finish. Why?"
"Let's skip it and go somewhere instead, " I said, wiping my mouth with my hand.
"You serious?" What about Maths?"
"Yeh Einstein, like missing a couple of maths classes will make a difference to the smartest guy in school. C'mon Tumbee, its a lovely day and I wanna spend the afternoon with you. We can take a tube to Hyde Park."
"Okay, but if my dad finds out he'll kill me."
"He won't, c'mon, grab your stuff and let's go."
"Hey Lip, do you have cash on you, I've only a five and some change." He said, getting to his feet.
"Shit, okay, we can stop at my place on the way to the station and I'll pick up some money."
We took the ten-minute walk to my house and I was feeling a tad apprehensive as we drew nearer. We went round the back and into the kitchen. My mom was baking apple pie and she smiled as we entered. She looked the same, if a little less grey and a little more agile on her feet. I felt a lump forming in my throat and had to swallow and take a breath.
"Hello Philip, hello Anesh, what are you boys up to?" She said, slamming the oven door.
"Not much, just dropped in to pick up a book." I replied, kissing her on the cheek.
She stood back in surprise, looking a little flustered. "Okay but be quiet dear, your father's taking a nap. Anesh, how is your mother?"
I left them talking and quietly took the stairs to my bedroom. It was totally surreal to stand in my old room and look at the bed, the desk, the bookshelves and the few meagre posters I was allowed to put on the walls. It was all exactly as I remembered it. I went to the built-in wardrobe and opened the door, pushed some clothes aside and lifted a section of the floorboards. I smiled at the porn stash, it was mostly straight stuff but it had been all I could get my hands on at the time. I moved them aside and pulled out the small tin, it rattled as I pulled off the lid. There were several notes and a lot of loose change. I pocketed the notes and put everything back before heading downstairs. My mom gave us a slice of pie and we ate it as we strolled to the train station. I was feeling kinda strange, like my brain was floating in heavy syrup or something. But I was buzzing; I was happy, happy to be with Anesh again.
It was almost 01.30 when we got to the park. It was only late April but it was hot and sunny and the place was thronged with people. There were mothers strolling with their kids, old folk sitting on benches and office workers sprawled on the grass. We found a clear space and lay on our jackets to soak up the sun. We chatted about silly stuff, just shooting the breeze. Anesh talked of his future, his hopes for med. School. I told him not to worry; he'd be a great surgeon one-day. I had to be careful with my speech because several times he looked at me and asked if I was okay. He reckoned I was acting strange, even the way I spoke was different.
We sat in the park for a couple of hours, only leaving when I turned cooler at around 4.30pm. We walked up to Buckingham Palace and had a brief look round before heading back to Piccadilly and on to Leister Square. We took a tube train to Anesh's house. The smell of spices and incense was familiar and reassuring. It made me feel all warm and cosy inside. Mrs. Navaratnum was from India, she was Christian but her husband was a Sri Lankan Tamil.
The one thing you always got at Anesh's house was food and Mrs. Navaratnum insisted we eat. She was a fantastic cook and I tucked into various vegetable dishes and ate them with thin, pancake like breads called roti. We were almost finished when Mr. Navaratnum came in from work. He sat down to eat and we talked about school and exams, two of his favourite topics. I could see he was looking at me strangely and it took my awhile to figure out why. At seventeen I was a bit of a wallflower, I'd always been a little shy with adults. Now I was confident and articulate, giving free rein to my opinions and ideas, disagreeing with Anesh's dad on the current state of education. I guess I should have modified my behaviour but I completely forgot. Several times I was on shaky ground when I mentioned educational websites and interactive DVDs. Later, when we went to Anesh's bedroom, he questioned me on my indiscretions and obvious transformation.
"What the hell is wrong with you Lip, arguing with my dad like that?" he hissed with an angry sneer.
"C'mon Tumbee, I wasn't arguing, it was a discussion," I replied, smiling and stroking his hair, trying to lighten the mood. He slapped my hand away.
"...You've never spoken to him like that before, you barely say two words and now you're Mr. Fucking-know-it-all. What the hell's wrong with you."
"Hey! C'mon, why are you getting angry, you're dad was cool..."
"...I'm angry because something's not right, something's up and you're not telling me."
"Nothing's up, everything's cool. You're my best friend, I'd tell you if anything was wrong."
"And what's with the best friend crap, you've never said that before, and the touching, what's up with that?"
"Touching?"
"Yeh, taking my hand on the train and in the park. Touching my face and my hair, you keep doing it and it's fucking weird man."
"I...I didn't realise I was doing it...er...I guess...you know, it was unconscious or something...just showing affection, I didn't mean..."
"Well you never showed affection before, it's uncomfortable, I'm not a fucking queer..."
"...Christ Anesh! No one said you were, where the hell did that come from?"
"Look, I'm not stupid Lip, I see the way you've been looking at me, touching me...and your behaviour, even the way you speak, the words you use...you...you seem different...are you...are you queer?"
"Tumbee, I think the proper term is Gay."
"Whatever, just tell me, are you gay?"
"Yes, I am, I'm gay."
"What! Really?"
"Yes, I'm gay, it's no big deal, don't look so damn shocked."
"It is a big deal, it's...it's dirty, it's shameful...it's not natural..."
"...Oh Christ man! Save the morality speeches, my dad's a vicar, I've heard it all before.
"You told your dad!"
"No, you're the first person I've told."
"Jesus Lip, I don't know what to say."
"It's okay, you don't have to say anything. And it's not a big deal, I don't have a problem with it, and it's not dirty or shameful either. It's the most natural thing in the world, well, it is for me..."
"...But aren't yeh scared Lip?"
"No, why should I be scared?"
"I...I don't know...I just
His eyes kinda bulged and I saw him tremble and the realisation hit me like a thunderbolt. He was just a kid, a confused, frightened kid struggling to make sense of the world and to find his place within it. The Anesh from the lamp had been right; I'd no business messing with the past. He had to deal with and accept his sexuality at his own pace. I had no right to push him. I was so wrapped up in my own needs and desires, I hadn't given much thought to the implications or the effect it would have on him. I loved Anesh but it was an old love, a well passed its sell-by-date kind of love. It was wrong to try to recreate the feelings of my youth. I got up from the bed and approached him. I thought he'd push me away when I hugged him but he didn't and I'm real glad about that. His arms went around my torso and he did something I never expected. He began to cry. It made my heart ache as I hugged him to my chest.
"I'm sorry Tumbee, I'm so sorry" I whispered, guiding him and sitting him down on the bed. "I shouldn't have told you."
"No, I'm glad you did, I didn't mean to say it's dirty...I don't...I'm scared." He looked up at me with those big, puppy dog eyes and I thought my heart was going to burst for sure. I gave a wry smile and touched his face.
"...It's okay, you don't have to explain. Listen Tumbee, I gotta go now but I want to tell you something before I do. I know I've never said it before and I've said it a lot today and I'm gonna say it again now. You're the best friend I ever had Tumbee. Don't be scared okay, great things are gonna happen for you, you're gonna..."
"...Please Lip, you're scaring me, I don't..."
"...Shhh, it's okay, it's okay, don't be scared. I gotta go now. I love you man, and I'm sorry...I...I can't explain, look, I have to go."
I stepped towards the door but he jumped up and grabbed me, almost knocking me of my feet. I regained my footing and we both smacked against the wall. Our heads came together and I could smell his sweet breath and feel the warmth of it on my face. His lips were soft yet firm and his tears wet against my cheek as I pressed my lips to his before pulling away. He gave a sweet-sad smile and I kissed the tip of his nose and whispered,
"I wish to undo my first wish."
I'd barely said the words when everything instantly froze. It was as if someone had pressed the pause button and stopped the world. There was total silence, a complete stillness like a vast and vacuous void. Anesh was a mannequin, a shop front dummy. I reached out to touch him but he vanished and my hand touched air. Cracks began to appear along the walls and ceiling and quickly made their way across the floor. Green light seeped through the ruptures and several jolts shook the room in a series of violent shudders. The walls and floor broke into a sequence of squares that flipped over to transform the shape of the room. Cupboards burst into existence on the far wall, a large sink and several electrical appliances sprung up from the floor behind me. The window transmuted, twisting and elongating to become higher and longer, the glass fixing itself into place. It began to look familiar as the bedroom continued its metamorphosis, the transformations almost complete, the whole room gave a final pulse before swelling and buckling and settling into place.
I was back in my kitchen. My legs were shaking and I felt so damn tired. I sat down at the table and the sound of footfalls made me look round. Anesh of the lamp came into the room. He fell to his knees and gripped my hand. He had a sorrowful look on his face and I had to fight the urge to cry. It was a fight I quickly lost. I felt dejected and exhausted, suddenly tired to the bone. I couldn't hold back and soon tears were trickling down my cheeks. Anesh jumped up and held me in his arms as my shoulders shook with sobs.
"Don't cry Philip, please don't cry. Everything will be okay."
"I fucked up, I should have never gone back. I'm so bloody stupid, what the hell was I doing trying to change the past. Will he remember any of it?"
"No, the second wish neutralised the first. Don't be sad Philip, you did the right thing."
"I wasted two damn wishes. You warned me but I was too fucking dumb to listen. You told me to think first and not to be frivolous."
"You've still got one more wish, you can take your time and think about how you'll use it. Don't be so hard on yourself Philip. I love you and it makes my heart hurt to see you so sad. I'll make coffee and then I will take you to bed."
"I can't help feeling sad, I feel like a total shit, worse then I've ever felt in my life. Oh God Anesh, sometimes I regret meeting you and wish you were back in the damn lamp."
I was just a flippant, off-the-cuff remark but the effect was instantaneous and devastating. He was filling the kettle at the sink but dropped it with a crash, spun around and looked at me in horror. There was shock, disappointment and sadness there too. At first I didn't realise what I'd said until he reached out and spoke my name. It all happened fast, so damn fast. He rose up and floated in the air for a split second before being literally sucked from the room. His arms flailed wildly and he briefly grabbed the doorframe as he passed it. He held on for only a few seconds but it was enough time for me to grab him round the neck. I held on in fear and panic but I could feel my grip loosen as we were both pulled through the door and into the lounge. The lamp was on the windowsill; it was glowing red and pulsating as thick plumbs of white smoke billowed from the spout. Like a vaporous hand, it reached out across the room to swirl round his feet. His body began to merge and fuse with the smoke. I could feel him become lighter and slowly dissolve in my arms. I kissed his lips, feeling the rough stubble and familiar warmth of his handsome face. Then he became translucent, ephemeral and I fell to the floor holding nothing. The last of the smoke was sucked into the lamp and I watched it pulsate and implode in a haze of white light. It vanished completely and I was left alone in the bleak and empty silence of my own doom.
To be continued...
(c) narration2006@yahoo.ie
Again, I apologise for any spelling or grammatical errors. Like part one, this was hastily typed when I should have been working. If I get time, I'll write the final part at the weekend. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all those who wrote with comments and suggestions, they're always welcome at the above email address.