Chapter 2 - Where was Aladdin ?
Aladdin woke up by a buzzing noise. He sprung out of bed and was shocked where he was at. There's all these strange things and he never seen before.' What is all this? Where am I ? What am I wearing?' he thought. Aladdin was wearing no shirt and black pajama pants. He looked at the object that was buzzing next to his bed.
' What is this contraption that woke me? ' Aladdin pressed the button and the buzzing stopped. He turned the box to its side and saw the numbers blinking on and off. Sitting right next to the contraption was a book that was titled, "1001 Arabian Nights."
His bedroom door swung opened. " Good morning son! Nice to see you that you're feeling better."
" Dad?" Aladdin recognized his face. His dad was also wearing strange clothing. " By the way. Your girlfriend called and she's on her way with chicken soup."
" My girlfriend ? Don't you mean my wife?" Aladdin responded.
Cassim smiled, " Okay. As you say so. You've been together for quite some time. Mine as well call her your wife. Come and get up! I have breakfast ready in the kitchen."
Aladdin got up and walked past a mirror. For a split second, he saw someone different from his reflection. He stopped and walked backwards towards the mirror. Aladdin was shocked! He gasp at the sight of himself. ' My hair! My hair! What happened to my hair! ' He tried to run his hands where the missing locks were. His hair is short. Aladdin noticed something different. ' What's this brand on the right side on my chest ?' He spit on his hand and tried to erase it. ' It's permanent. Whoa! I have a tattoo. ' Al continued to walk down the hallway that led to a bigger room. There, he found his Dad drinking from a cup. Aladdin looked around him and there was more strange objects. Some of the objects were somewhat recognizable because he seen them through Genie's antics and gags. But had no idea how they work. There was a pitcher that was under something that dispense black liquid. A large box that made noises. Another box that has moving pictures and sound. Aladdin sat on a stool and there was a silver metal box in front of him. Two pieces of toasted bread popped out. Aladdin jumped back at the sight of it.
Cassim laughed, " I know. It's a big culture shock. But we will adjust." Something rang from Cassim's pocket. He reached into his pocket and pulled a small object. Aladdin just sat there looking at his dad bewildered.
Cassim held it against his ear. " Hello? Iago! You cleaned the artifacts? Yes. I will opened the door for you. Hold on." Cassim let someone inside. The person was small but he had a box that covered his face.
" Hey kid." he said as he passed by Aladdin. His voice sounds so familiar. He placed the box on the table. The man was skinny, had curly black hair, beady eyes with a loud voice. " I cleaned the stuff that you found in the Arabian desert. I brought in your Dad's artifacts but yours still needs a little cleaning. It should be done by today." He pulled out one of the objects out from the box.
" My. What a piece of work this one is." complimented Cassim.
" And a worth a grip of money that the museum is offering. With Al's findings valued to be priceless. But there's a price for everything right?" Iago looked at Aladdin for an answer.
Al didn't know what to say. He didn't know what they are talking about. " Uh? I guess." He guessed.
" Kid, think about it. Maybe a more than a mill ?"
"Thanks to my son. From connecting a fairy tale to an actual event. We might find ancient city buried under the Arabian desert. "
Aladdin moved closer to see the object that Iago was holding. It was the lamp! Finally, there some sense that will come to this! " May, I see that?" he asked. Iago gave the lamp to Aladdin. Aladdin rubbed the lamp and nothing came out of it. He rubbed it again. " There's something wrong with it." He opened the top lid. It was empty.
" It's still dirty. Well don't worry. I haven't gave it's final polish. Soon enough, it will be back in its original state." said Iago about the lamp.
A big bell rang through out the house. Aladdin was surprised thinking what was that. Cassim left to answer it. " Aladdin. Your girlfriend is here."
Al saw the vision of the most beautiful girl in his mind, whose eyes so exotic like a mystery, long black raven hair, and a smile like sunshine. Maybe she will explain everything that had happened. Instead he found someone different at the door.
" Sadira?" Aladdin said, " What are you doing here?" He quickly covered himself with his arms. " I'm practically half naked here. You should've have at least gave a warning."
Sadira also looked different. Her hair was flat and straight. She was wearing makeup. Her clothes were different. " I brought you chicken soup. Silly. Didn't your dad tell you that I'm coming?" Sadira came in and kissed him on the lips.
Aladdin was surprised by the brave move that she did." Whoa! Aren't you brave doing that? I don't think." Before Aladdin could say the next word. He couldn't remember her name. He could see her face but couldn't remember her name. " My wife wouldn't appreciate what you just did."
Sadira laughed, " Well, since you proposed to me last night. I guess I am your future wife."
Aladdin had this rude awakening, " How did that happened? How did I end up with you?"
" You always say that love." She turned to Aladdin's father. " Cassim. Tell him he always acts like he can't believe that he's with me."
" Yes son. You always say that. You two have been together for years."
Aladdin had this blank expression on his face and he was turning white.
" Honey, are you okay? You looked a little pale. You're still not feeling well. Aren't you?"
Aladdin freaked out and ran to his room. He quickly hid under his covers. " This is all a dream. It's just a dream. I'll close my eyes and when I wake up. I'll be back where I belong and I'll be with" He couldn't remember her name. " Oh my gosh! What is her name?!" He said to himself.
There was a knock onto his door. " Go away." Aladdin responded.
" Son. Let Sadie take you to the doctor. Maybe that fever went too high last night." said Cassim coming from the door.
" Aladdin. Let me explain everything to you then maybe you can placed them together." said Sadira.
" You don't think that he's having second thoughts on marrying you. Do you?" said Iago.
" Hey. Do you want to live to see the next sunrise?" responded Sadira.
Aladdin thought, ' Let me figure this out , find out where I am and find a way to get back' He responded to them. " Let me get ready and I'll be on my way out." Aladdin looked around his room to find clues and information in this world to help him get by. He found pictures of him and Sadira being together as a couple, pictures of his Dad and him in these strange places that were somewhat familiar, and there were a pictures when he was a little boy. From the corner of his eye, there was a familiar face that he saw. She was so stunningly beautiful. Aladdin smiled at the sight of her. " My mother." he said to himself. There were more pictures of her and his father together. Aladdin found couple of journals that were written. They were in his hand writing but he doesn't have a clue writing in them. It seemed that his dad is a archeologist that digs up old artifacts of lost cities. Recently, he and his father returned from a dig in New Agrabah. Whatever is happening to him right now. He needs this journal to get by in this world and to make him understand this strange place. During his stay he have to find way back home. Aladdin looked around for clothes to put on. He stumbled upon a closet where he find more unusual clothing. Aladdin slid the shirts to the side looking through. He found shirt and pants to put on.
Aladdin went out and found a bathroom to get cleaned up. ' Okay, what is all this stuff? Where do I start?'
Cassim caught Aladdin staring at the objects in the bathroom. " Let me help you to get back into the urban world. " He picked up each object. " Toothbrush, comb, shaver, shaving cream and floss. Let me show you how the water works." Cassim opened the faucet and showed how to work the shower. " Nothing compared from getting water from a bucket. Huh?"
" Is that what you call this world? Urban?" asked Aladdin.
" I don't know. Whatever you kids say these days. Hood, barrio, block, -" Cassim stopped and looked at his son, who has no idea what he is talking about. " Okay, I'll stop now."
It's true, Aladdin had no idea what Cassim is talking about. 'What's a hood or a barrio or a block ?' he reckoned.
When he was finished, Aladdin grabbed the journal to read some more and met Sadira waiting in the living room. The minute as they stepped out of the door. Aladdin heart stopped and marveled the outside world. Automatic carriages ? There's plants of green everywhere. Where is the sand? Homes that looked the same on the street. It was something that was from another world. Unexpectedly, there was this roar that zipped through he sky.
Aladdin jumped back at the sight of it, " Whoa! That was no magic carpet!"
Sadira laughed, " Okay, reading that 1001 Arabian Nights book had gotten the best of you. My gosh! Were you really deprived living in the third world for six months?" She opened the automatic carriage door. Aladdin just stared at the machine. " Well." Sadira continued talking, " Aren't you going to get in the car?" Aladdin got in the car. He was scared of the new world but at the same time he was marveled. There's so many things that would make life much drove off to the doctor's. Like a child staring toys from a store. Aladdin couldn't keep his eyes off the window. There were other automatic carriages, shops, people walking their dogs, there were signs posted up selling products, a school with lots of children playing outside, and plenty of greenery. It was nothing that he seen out in the desert.
" It's a big culture shock to you. Huh?"
Aladdin snapped out of his trance, " What?"
" You and your dad went to the New Agrabah, Arabia for an archaeological dig. You guys were there for about six months. "
" And that's what you call a third world?"
" Well, New Agrabah is like this in the city. Where you were, it was third world because there was no running water, no electricity, and nothing modern. We would write to each other and you would get your letters late. My gosh, it was miracle that I would get a phone call from you."
' Phone? What is a phone?' Aladdin thought.
Sadira continued to talk, "Your only source of entertainment is your digging, writing you letters to me, your journal and reading your books."
" How do you understand how I got here?" Aladdin asked
" Your fever didn't hit that high. Did it?"
" Seriously. "
" I don't know how serious this illness effected you but it sounds serious enough."
" Because I don't remember anything, what happened last night." Aladdin explained.
" From what you said to me that, the New Agrabah is experiencing a civil war. The sultan order you and your father to leave the country or else you'll be held hostage if you were caught by the Rebels. Your father and you were accompanied with Agrabah's secret agency to get you across the desert and into the border of a neighboring country to fly you home. You returned home yesterday. You had this new perspective on life and that life is too short. That evening you proposed to me. All at sudden, you fell sick. Maybe you caught a foreign bug or something."
" That's why you're taking me to see the doctor." said Aladdin
Sadira nodded her head and Aladdin apologized, " I'm sorry for the way I'm acting. I'm just trying to adjust." Aladdin grabbed Sadira's hand and kissed it. 'I have to make her believe that nothing is wrong.' he thought.
As he kissed Sadira's hand, she smiled, ' It's working' as she thought to herself. Aladdin picked up the journal on his lap and started reading it. Without a warning something passed by the car very loud, on two wheels and zoomed very quickly. He was caught by surprise. Aladdin put his hand on his heart.
" Are you okay? You acted as if you never seen a motorcycle before."
" I have." Aladdin lied. " It caught me by surprise. That's all."
They passed by a big billboard that was all in black with huge white letters that says,
" DREAM BIG ". They went down the block and there was the same billboard with different letters that says , " MIRACLES" then another one that says, " WISHES."