The Wish That Unraveled Everything

A genie just made a fatal mistake granting wishes at a bus stop. The first two were

easy. Tom got instant confidence, standing taller. Sarah got crazy

luck—cash appeared and her divorced parents reconciled. But Elise held up a sealed envelope

and wished to open it without regret. The genie froze. That was the one wish he feared.

He grants it anyway. A ring falls out, but Elise gasps because the handwriting isn't her boyfriend’s.

Suddenly, the lights flicker. The ring rolls to a figure standing way too close.

The genie whispers, "You shouldn't have followed her," and the stranger just smiles.