A kind of magic

WHAT TO DO

A few days had passed since that bizarre encounter and Caesar still hadn't whished for anything.

Since he had only two wishes, he didn't want to blow them for something stupid like he had done the first time, but to be fair, he had really thought it was all a prank.

Joseph – he hadn't got used to the name yet – had tried to convince him to hurry up, but Caesar never listened to him.

He understood why he was acting like that – he just couldn't wait to be free – but he also didn't want to wish for something he didn't really need – like money – or something he would have regretted later.


It was also true that, those days, he had other things in his mind: soon it was going to be November 2nd, All Souls' Day, when they celebrated and remembered the dead. Caesar still had to order a bouquet to bring to his father's tombstone, like he did every year with his siblings… wait a second.

The wish! He could have used the wish to bring back his father!


He rushed to his bedroom, where he had left the lamp. As soon as he took it he quickly rubbed it, summoning Joseph.

- What do you… -.

- Bring my father back! -, Caesar shouted, interrupting him.

- Woah there -, Joseph said, - Slow down, tiger. I didn't understand anything you said -.

- Oh, my bad -, Caesar replied, making a pause to calm down.

- I wish to bring my father back to life -, he said then, trying to not rush his words.


- Can't do -.

- Thank you so mu… don't tell there's a rule for this too -, Caesar said, his mood visibly dropping down.

- I'm afraid it is -, Joseph explained, - I can't bring dead people back to life -.

Caesar sighed.

- Why didn't you tell me earlier? -, he asked.

He had gotten all fired up for nothing. How preposterous of him to think that, for once, things would have gotten his way.

- … I forgot -, Joseph replied.

- Are you sure there's no way to do it? -, Caesar insisted.


Something about Joseph's expression had changed: it seemed softer, but Caesar dismissed it quickly. It was probably just his impression anyway.

- I'm sorry -, Joseph said.

Caesar didn't reply; he was trying to keep a straight face.

He didn't want to show Joseph how much he was in pain; not even his siblings knew it, so he was going to double his efforts to keep Joseph out of it too, but it was quite clear that he was already failing.

- What happened to him? -, Joseph asked, but by looking at Caesar he quickly realized that it wasn't the right time to ask.

- You don't need to tell me… -, he started, but Caesar cut him off.

- He was killed -, he said, - And that's all we know -.

- There was an investigation -, he continued then, - But the culprit was never found. We'll never know what really happened -.


- Maybe I can help you with that -, Joseph said.

- … I'm listening -, Caesar replied. Joseph had his full attention now.

- If you wish -, the genie started, - We could go back in time and find out what happened -.


Deep down Caesar knew that could potentially be the worst decision he had ever made, but he didn't care: he wanted the truth and if the police couldn't give it to him, he was going to find it by himself.

- Be warned, though -, Joseph continued, - Going back in time and returning to the present are two separate wishes, this means that you can't wish for anything else -.


Right, the promise. Caesar had forgot about it for a moment; he couldn't think about anything else than his father.

He was going to maintain the promise he had made, though.

One wish to go back in time and one to return to the present; that was all he could do.


- Alright, this will do -, he said, and then he took a deep breath.

- I wish to go back to the day my father was killed-.


Author's notes: a quick clarification about November 2nd: it's a catholic holiday that we celebrate in Italy. We call it "giorno dei morti" which roughly translates into "the day of the dead", but I saw on the internet that in English it's called All Souls' Day but I'm not 100% sure it's correct.

Usually this day people go to the cemetery where they pay respect to the dead - usually relatives or friends. It's also a great holiday for the flower shops because people always bring flowers to the tombstones.