The Price of Shadows

Chapter 4: The Waiting Game... or Not

The next morning, Liam sat at his desk, staring at his bag, which was still stuffed with gold, jewels, and diamonds. It glittered faintly under the morning light streaming through his window, filling him with a thrill every time he looked at it. Here was a fortune beyond his wildest dreams, and yet... he couldn't just pull out a handful of diamonds at the grocery store or exchange a gold coin at the school vending machine.

How am I supposed to use this? he wondered, frustration bubbling up inside him.

He started pacing back and forth, thinking of various ways he could put his new wealth to use. There had to be a way, right?

The first thought that crossed Liam's mind was to sneak into a pawn shop. Pawn shops dealt in valuable items all the time; surely he could trade a few diamonds there for cash.

But he quickly shook his head. Even if he could get to one, he'd have to explain where a kid his age had come across a bag full of priceless jewels. And there was no way he could keep that under wraps—word would get back to his parents, the school, maybe even the police. Besides, didn't pawn shops ask for ID or proof of ownership?

He sighed, scratching that idea off his mental list.

Next, he thought of selling the diamonds online. Ebay! People sell all kinds of stuff there, he thought excitedly.

But as he mulled it over, reality hit him again. He would need an account, a bank account to transfer the money into, and an address to receive payments. All things that would eventually require an adult's oversight, which would mean involving his parents. Great, he thought, mentally crossing that idea out too. It was impossible to stay under the radar selling gems as a twelve-year-old online.

Another thought struck him. What if he could trade the jewels with other kids at school? He could offer them a diamond for a few dollars' worth of allowance money or small valuables in exchange.

But as soon as he imagined himself pulling a diamond out of his pocket during lunch and trying to explain why he had it, he shook his head. The whole school would know by the end of the day. And even if he managed to trade one or two jewels, the amount he'd get would be a laughable fraction of what his treasure was truly worth.

The thought of hiding the fortune for emergencies briefly crossed his mind. He could keep it as a secret stash and only take it out if he really needed it, like if his family faced some financial crisis. But he quickly dismissed this. He didn't need an emergency stash—his family wasn't rich, but they were comfortable enough. Besides, what kind of emergency would have him digging out diamonds and gold coins?

Liam thought about maybe finding a trusted adult outside of his family who could help him use the wealth in secret. But this was quickly rejected too. Who could he really trust? And what if that adult decided to take his wealth for themselves? Yeah, right, he scoffed, as if I could trust anyone not to get greedy.

Liam sank onto his bed, sighing heavily. Every idea he had come up with so far had led to a dead end. There was simply no practical way for a twelve-year-old kid to use a fortune like this. The diamonds, gold, and jewels were utterly useless to him as long as he was still dependent on his parents and lived under their roof.

He frowned, a realization dawning on him. I need to get older. He needed to wait until he was old enough to handle this wealth on his own, to open bank accounts, make transactions, and avoid drawing too much attention.

For the first time, Liam felt an odd sense of patience settle over him. All his life, he'd wanted things now, to avoid waiting, to skip the hard work and take shortcuts. But now, with unimaginable wealth sitting right in front of him, he realized he had to wait, to bide his time until he was old enough to use it properly.

As he closed his bag, he felt a mix of excitement and frustration. His dreams of instant riches and quick success would have to be put on hold. But at least he knew that when the time was right, his fortune would be waiting.

Liam closed his bag and slumped back on his bed, the realization still echoing in his mind: I need to get older. But as the idea settled in, so did a deep frustration.

Patience. The very thing he despised. He had spent so long dreaming of success now, of having everything he wanted immediately, without the annoying delays that life always seemed to throw at him. And now, here he was, faced with this incredible fortune, only to realize that he would have to wait for years before he could even think about using it.

The odd sense of patience he'd felt only moments before began to twist into irritation. The jewels and gold coins felt like a cruel joke, sitting in his bag, glinting and winking at him every time he thought about them. Why should I have to wait? he thought, anger bubbling up. This isn't fair!

He paced the room, his mind racing. The whole point of this had been to skip the waiting, to take a shortcut. I shouldn't have to just sit on this fortune and waste years waiting to use it.

But then, as he turned his frustrations over in his mind, a new idea sparked—simple and so obvious he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before. His lips curled into a grin as it dawned on him.

Of course! The answer was right in front of him, so clear it was almost laughable. Why hadn't he thought of this sooner?

All he had to do was wish to be older.

With a single wish, he could skip the waiting, the tedious years of rules and dependence, and jump straight into adulthood, where he'd be free to use his wealth as he pleased. It's brilliant, he thought, a new surge of excitement flooding through him.

Liam's mind was racing now, his frustrations melting into eagerness. All I have to do is visit the shop again. He had to go back, find the shopkeeper, and make this wish. Then he could finally have everything he'd ever wanted, right now, without the wait.

It was perfect.