Once a year, every adult the world 'round was given a week's life leave. It was between-times and between-spaces. It affected the outside world only in that minds had time to rest and think, and bodies had time to heal. But you still had to travel to a genie and back in those times, using whichever between-means you had. If you were to visit one of the many genies.

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Most people didn't. Someone at some point had wished that life-leaves could be taken in small pieces of time, and most people were quite happy with that, and took tiny chunks of life-leaves throughout the year. Even though there were hundreds of genies, and a new one sometimes found, there were far more wishes than the biggest number any person could wrap their minds around. Besides, chaos came with wishes. We were taught young to just say no to drugs.... but run screaming from the person that might just encourage you into trying for a wish. There were severe consequences to wish-encouragementation.

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"What will your first wish be?"

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"Wishes cause chaos." I shook my head, "I'm not using my first life-leave to try. You care for me more than that, don't you?"

"More than all the riches and all the powers in the world."

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"Humph. What are riches, and what is power? A thousand genies and a thousand wishes a day. Riches and power and history can't be known."

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"Except mine own." The words were mocking, sneeringly stated. "Is everything you say a repetition of someone else's words? Have you ever had a thought your own? A desire just for your own whims, of your own heart and mind?"

"Besides, it's worse than a drug. If I wish right now, on my 18th birthday, I could be lost forever in the wishing webs! Do you want that for me?" I waved away Dad's question with irritation, playing off as if he was some dumb older guy. In truth, I doubted that anyone ever could be all that different, but I didn't want to say so aloud.

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"Ah, you've heard the old tales of family holders, have you not? And treasure hunters finding newly formed genies?" My dad leaned in, all content half-smiles again. His eyes danced with mischief and delight. "What if I---"

"---told me about the basement below the basement with the hidden door guarded by Fairy Critters? Yeah, I found that."

"Always ahead!" Dad clapped his hands twice, entirely delighted with my snooping. He didn't even try to pretend that there weren't any Fairy Critters in our home, "So, tell me, what will your first wish be, when you finally turn 18?"

"You're making me feel like gargoyles are tracking me, Dad!" I waved my hand at the computer. "It's almost the 25th, today, the 24th, is my birthday, Dad!"

"They wouldn't dare. And you're not there yet, and when you are, you will go. What'll it be?" The first sentence was dark and angry at the idea that a fairy critter would consider touching me. The second sentence was became gentle, then excited and alive with curiosity. It was like the first time I'd done anything big, really. His vicarious excitement and protectiveness had been everything from a haven and comfort to an annoyance and embarrassment for me.

Today it made me wriggle, feeling four and afraid of giving that big three-line monologue in the preschool play.

And then I knew the time, down to the second, that my 18th year finished. And I understood. Someone, somewhere, had wished that all the firstborns of a genie's lineage would always have their first wish. Then someone, somewhere had wished that they'd be compelled to wish within the first minute. And someone else had demanded that they live sceptics up until that moment. And... it was a long line of wishes to suddenly understand, with only 60 seconds to figure out a genuine wish without too much chaos attached.

"I wish for more time!"

My dad's delighted laughter became all encompassing, rattling into my skin and bones, as he granted the wish - beyond what I meant, but to allow as much life leave as I'd ever want. It was a very kind interpretation. And one I found I certainly needed, as the ancient genie was all to eager to show the world to his firstborn and see it through my eyes.