Chapter 7
Jack screams loudly and sits up. He is back in the 19th century home, in 19th-century attire.
"Warren!" Jack screams.
Warren is now on the stairs, he turns and looks.
"No...you should be with Lucifer by now!"
"It might have escaped your noticed Warren, but Ryan, Micki and I can tell the difference between reality and a nightmare."
Warren stares at him.
"We can also tell the difference between Heaven and Hell!"
Jack points at Warren.
"And no amount of magic or wishes can save you from your fate now!"
Warren shakes his head.
"No...Nooo!"
"Lucifer wants 3 souls and he won't get them, and you want, what you want more than anything else... to live... you died some time ago, only to be resurrected by the Devil himself...as soon as Micki and Ryan wake up from their nightmares, those wishes won't be carried out, and you'll lose everything, now give me the paw!"
"Nooooo, it's mine, this is my wish you can't take it from me!"
"It's too late for that, there's always an unexpected outcome at a great cost when dealing with fate, your cost begins now Warren Jacobs, to pay for your sins..."
"No stop it!" Warren runs up the stairs. Jack starts to chase after him then turns and shakes Micki.
"Micki!" He shouts. "Micki, it's me... come on Micki!"
Micki suddenly gasps and looks at Jack.
"Jack!"
She holds tight to him and cries into his shoulder.
"It was so awful...Jack..." Micki sobs. She takes in a breath of air as Jack shakes her again.
"It's over Micki, it's over."
Jack rocks her and holds her head.
"Now, let's get Ryan and get that paw back."
Micki nods. They rush over to Ryan who is unconscious.
"Ryan!" Micki screams. She bends down in her 19th-century dress and shakes Ryan.
"Come on Ryan..." Jack mumbles.
Ryan suddenly screams, and Micki grabs him.
"It's okay, it's okay, we're here...I'm here." Micki stammers. She holds him and rocks him. She then kisses his head.
"Micki..." Ryan breathes. He then holds her face and kisses her.
"Come on you two later, later, we have to get that paw!"
Ryan gets to his feet.
Warren runs into a bedroom and shuts the door. Jack, Ryan, and Micki begin to climb the stairs and they split up.
"Micki try that room."
Micki nods and opens the bedroom door. Warren tries to grab her, and she screams dodging him. Jack and Ryan run into the room, upon hearing her scream. They find Micki pulling the Monkey's Paw, grunting trying to pry it from Warren's hand.
Ahhhhh!" Warren shouts in anger.
"No!" Micki screams and pulls. Jack runs over to Warren and grabs his arm. Ryan runs over to Warren and grabs his hand. They continue to pull until there is a blinding flash. They end up back in the shop fighting over it. Micki suddenly pulls it from Warren and falls over.
"Micki!"
Ryan bends down next to Micki. Jack lets go of Warren and Warren screams. He holds his face and begins to crumble.
"Ahhhhh! He screams loudly. "Ahhhhhhaaaa, Help Me!"
Jack closes his eyes. Micki closes her eyes and hides her face in Ryan's chest. Ryan stares at Warren. Warren turns to dust and disappears. Ryan turns away and looks at Micki. Micki holds the paw out.
Sometime later, Micki walks up from the vault and enters the main floor of the shop. Jack sits at his desk. Ryan leans against a wooden pillar. It's extremely quiet except for the sound of a clock ticking. That then chimes. Micki sighs heavily and walks over to Ryan. She stares at him and places her head on his chest. Ryan unfolds his arms and wraps them around Micki. Jack looks up at them.
"Still thinking about those nightmares?" Jack asks after a period of silence.
"Oh, it was so real..." Micki mumbles.
"Hey...Hey..." Ryan strokes her shoulders.
"Though that which we wished, was nothing more than that which we can't have nor desire." Jack speaks out.
"But I...I'd like to have a baby with Ryan."
"You would?" Ryan asks.
Micki looks at him.
"Well...I mean... maybe someday."
Ryan smiles at her. Micki smiles back.
"Micki's right though Jack...I really would like to see Jimmy..."
"And I Peter...But you see in the story Mrs. White wanted her son Herbert back, what she got was her son back straight from the grave. The 3rd and final wish of the story was never stated, and many assume that they wished for Herbert to be put back to rest in order to move on with their lives."
Micki looks at Ryan.
"We each wished for something that had the same results, and therefore I think it's safe to assume that these wishes are nothing more than secret desires and that we should be thankful for what we have right in front of us and move on from that."
Jack smiles at them.
"I've always wanted a son...Ryan."
Ryan smiles.
"And I suppose a man's life isn't complete without a daughter, Micki."
Micki grins.
"And Ryan... nothing will ever replace James but know that Micki and I will try our best to make sure you're happy."
Ryan looks down and nods. Micki stares at him. Ryan looks at her and places his forehead on hers.
"And even if this honeymoon stage as Jack called it ends, and you start to annoy me again... I'll never stop loving you... and I'll always protect you... you can set your heart on that."
Micki smiles and kisses him. Ryan smiles into the kiss.
"And my one wish is for that phase to end sooner." Jack replies and stands up from his desk. He walks over to them and wraps them in a hug with a laugh.