I Wish...

The Confession

The following morning, sunlight streamed through the windows of Jenna's cozy living room, casting a warm glow over the floral-printed couches and bookshelves that lined the walls. Samara sat curled up on one of the chairs, clutching a steaming mug of tea, her mind still heavy with the events of the previous night. She had won, for now, but the shadows—especially that final one—still lingered in the corners of her thoughts.

Jenna entered the room with a cheerful bounce, her blonde curls tied up in a messy bun. She plopped down across from Samara, narrowing her eyes playfully. "You look like you've been through the ringer. What happened? You find out you're secretly a vampire or something?"

Samara let out a small laugh, though it was laced with exhaustion. "I wish it were something that simple."

Jenna's grin faded as she leaned forward, sensing the weight in Samara's voice. "What's going on? You've been off lately, and now you look like you didn't sleep at all."

Samara sighed, glancing at the window before deciding it was time to share the truth. She trusted Jenna, and after everything that had happened, she couldn't keep hiding what she'd been going through.

"You remember when we were kids, and I'd always tell you about how I could wish for anything and it would come true?"

Jenna tilted her head. "Yeah. You said your wishes always worked. I thought you were just lucky or had some crazy manifestation powers."

Samara shook her head, setting the mug down. "It wasn't luck. It was real. I could actually wish for anything, and it would happen. But now..." She paused, the words catching in her throat. "Now it's all falling apart."

Jenna blinked, processing what she'd just heard. "Wait, you're serious? You're saying you actually had magic wishes? Like, legit?"

Samara nodded, her eyes focused on the swirling tea in her cup. "Yeah. It started when I was really young. I could wish for something, and it would happen. But recently, everything I've wished for has either stopped working or just... disappeared. And it turns out, those wishes came with a price."

Jenna stared at her, wide-eyed. "A price? What do you mean? Did it... like, cost money or something?"

Samara shook her head, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It cost me. My essence. My energy. Ethel, this woman I met, told me that the magic drained something from me every time I made a wish. And now that I've stopped wishing, the shadows—the creatures that fed on those desires—are coming after me."

Jenna was silent for a moment, clearly trying to make sense of everything. "Shadows? Creatures? Are you saying... there's actual monsters coming for you because of your wishes?"

Samara nodded. "Yes. They're not just monsters, though. They're... I don't know how to explain it. They're like these reflections of my worst choices. They feed on my fear, my doubt. Last night, I had to face them in this ritual, and it was terrifying, Jenna. But I did it. I fought them off. But it's not over."

Jenna leaned back in her chair, processing it all. "Wow. I mean, I don't know what to say. That's... intense. Why didn't you tell me sooner? I could've helped."

"I didn't want to drag you into it," Samara admitted. "It's dangerous, and I wasn't even sure how to explain it. But now it's getting worse, and I don't know what comes next. There's this final shadow that's stronger than all the others. It's been feeding off my wishes for years, and I don't think I can defeat it alone."

Jenna's face softened, and she reached across the table to squeeze Samara's hand. "You're not alone, Samara. You've got me. Whatever's going on, I'm here, and I'll help you however I can. We'll figure this out together."