Oops! I Caught a Genie!

Chapter 7

I groggily blinked a few times, wondering if I could get hot caffeinated tea from Fritz without having to boil water.

“Friiiiitz.” I moaned, “Fetch hot tea.”

He appeared on my dresser, scowling down at me.

“Not your maid.” He said.

“Fetch hot water and a tea bag then.”

He made a face, but apparently he had no choice in the matter because he jerkily got up and went into the kitchen. I suppose I should have felt bad for forcing him to do things, but at this point I was too tired to think about it.

Fritz came back in with the tea a few seconds later and set it on my small bedside table.

“You don't look so good…” He commented.

“Thanks.” I said sarcastically, “Just what everyone wants to hear.”

“No, really, you’re whiter than usual”

“Are you calling me pale?”

Fritz walked over to my dresser, pulled out the spherical mirror my grandmother had given me for my sixteenth birthday and held it in front of my face. Bloodshot blue eyes, check. Messy black hair, check. Skin so white it made my lips look scarlet, check.

“So… Is this normal for humans?” Fritz asked.

“No… Didn't Mangoo say that you spent a lot of time around us? Shouldnt you know that?”

“I traveled in the human world, I didn't live with them.”

I set the mirror on the table, beside the tea and let my body flop back onto my bed. I probably should check my temperature and try to find out what I have, I can afford to miss a day of school.

“Fritz, can you get a thermometer?” I asked, trying to give him my best puppy dog eyes.

“Therma-what?” He said, “Those things you stick in your mouths?”

“Yes.”

“And you can't get it yourself?”

“Its in my mom’s room and I don't want to wake her up.”

Fritz clicked his fingers and held out the little purple thermometer that had been sitting in my mother’s medicine cabinet. I stuck it in my mouth and sat on my bed awkwardly while it took its sweet time getting a reading.

After what seemed like forever, it beeped shrilly and I took it out.  101.9 °F it read.

I sighed and lay back on the bed. It would be counterproductive to be in school, I could feel the need for hot soup and I couldn't focus on problems. I would just text Liana and ask her to get some makeup work for me.

I dragged myself out of bed and put some water on the stove to boil for soup. We had some packets of instant soup in the pantry and I got them out.

I left a note on the front door to tell my mother that I was staying home because I had a fever and went to sit on the couch.

I must have fallen asleep at some point and for a while, because when I woke up, there was a bowl of chicken noodle soup on a displaced brown end table in front of the couch where I was resting. I picked up the spoon and slurped up the first few noodles. They felt awesome on the throat I hadn't realized was sore. I whined when I realized that my tea was still in my room.

“What is it now?” Came the grumble from the reclining chair.

“Fritz?”

“And who were you expecting? Godzilla?”

“Hey. I’m sick and I just woke up.” I complained.

“Just saying. I highly doubt Godzilla would make you chicken noodle soup.”

“Would Godzilla fetch my tea from my room?” I asked hopefully.

Fritz waved his hand and my tea was on the end table with my soup.

“Thank you.” I mumbled from inside the teacup. It was a good temperature for drinking now.

“Thats a first…”

“Sorry,” I winced, “Hey, you didn't click your fingers this time?”

“Huh?” Fritz said,a rare confused expression flew across his face.

“You click your fingers when doing magic-y things.” I said dumbly.

“Oh, that. I don't have to do it, I just think its amusing.”

After that, I drank my soup and tea in silence. I wasn't up to much talking.

Later, after I had stumbled back into my room, Mangoo came and gave his report to Fritz.

“So! I searched the old archives and I found someone who might be able to help- Also, your human seems to be malfunctioning.”

I hissed, too tired to get into an argument.

“Yep. She seems to have sprung a leak as well.” He added with a teasing grin.

“Who knows about the binding spell?” Fritz asked, getting Mangoo back on subject.

Mangoo thought for a minute and held up his finger for one minute more. Fritz rubbed the bridge of his nose. (Note to self, ask if Djinn get headaches.)

“Marcelev Burdoni.” Mangoo said finally.

“He’s dead.” Fritz informed him bluntly.

“Uhm, oops. How about Gara Stiln?”

“Dead.”

“Harold Geckst?”

“Who?”

“I think he lives in Portsmouth.”

“Ok, Ask him discreetly about undoing binding spells.”

“When did I become your errand boy?” Mangoo protested.

“Since you decided to come down here and bug me.”

“What are best friends for?” Magoo said with a wide grin. He disappeared in his dramatic cloud of purple smoke.

“Driving you up the walls.” Fritz grumbled to no one in particular.

There was a knock on the door and Fritz went back into his watch, leaving me to open the door myself.

“Hello Liana!” I said with a weak grin. I looked very intimidating, with my pink blanket draped around my shoulders and my shoulder length black hair was so puffed up that it wasn't shoulder length anymore.

“You look like crap.” Liana said with a gasp.

“Thanks. You’re actually not the first person to say that to me today.”

“It was Fritz wasn't it?” She said.

“Yeah, he came by to get news.”

“Alright then. Anyway, Mr. Brown says to get well soon and Ms. Case wants you to take the science test tomorrow. And here is the homework.” Liana handed me a stack of papers.

“Thanks.” I grumbled.

“Yeah, sorry. Hope you get better soon!” She called as she walked to her cherry red convertible.

“Thanks for the help!” I called, sincerely this time. Then I turned back into the house and called for Fritz.

“Can you do this homework? But go over it with me later?” I asked.

“Fine, but only because you’re sick.”

“Thank you…”