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Martha didn't exactly know how long she was locked up inside her lamp. She estimated it would be about 14 days now, but she wasn't so sure, anymore. Just after she became a genie about three years ago, Martha was often locked inside her lamp for weeks or even months. Without the coming and going of the sun, she had really difficulty keeping track of time. Even clocks didn't work reliably inside a genie lamp, as she already found out.

Now, Martha was combing her hair while she was levitating above the floor. From a vanity, her reflection looked back at her.

"Are they ever going to let me out of this stupid lamp?" Martha asked loudly. "How dare they keep me inside here!"

"On the other hand, you really abused your power when you transformed the two kids into rabbits. That was really selfish. Their mother has all the right to be angry with you, Martha," her reflection replied. "Maybe you should have used your powers to help humans instead?"

"Like my greedy ex-boyfriend, Marco? Or when Gregorios used his wishes to get rid of his competition? Or, even better, when Franziska not only used her wishes to break into the museum, but also to kill that guard?" Martha replied. "Only to mention the worst examples of human masters."

"They are not really a good example. And they truly deserved to be punished. But what about those people you really helped with your wishes?" the reflection argued. "What about Mareike and Lisa-Marie? You really fixed that family. Or, take your friends Alex and Carrie. You really improved their lives."

"Ok, so my magic can improve other people's lives. But that's others' lives and not mine. I'm a genie now, a wish-granting slave." Martha said, bitterly.

"Maybe, if you'd really supported humans by granting their wishes, someone might have wished you into a human again?"

"Why should I want to be human again? I feel like a genie, I think like a genie - face it, I'm a genie, now!"

"Then, how about becoming a free genie?" the reflection asked. "Have you ever asked them to wish you into a free genie?"

"David? He would never wish me into a free genie. He wants to see me as a powerless, human woman. And Amelia? I'm not sure about that, anymore. I've granted her tons of wishes and how does she thank me? She keeps me locked here, inside."

"I don't know why they are keeping you inside..." Martha's reflection meekly admitted. "They might have their reasons."

"If they are keeping me inside on purpose, it only strengthens my point."

"And what would that be?"

"That David and Amelia are just two high-handed masters as all the others are." Martha concluded. "Even worse, if they keep me locked inside on purpose, they think they know what's best for me. That's not for them to decide."

"Right, that's your own decision. You decide how to use your powers. If you want to live among humans, you have to care for them, at least a little bit. Otherwise, you'll really just be a genie and nothing else."

"You want me to become human again? I'm afraid I'm already beyond that point. Even if I had the chance to undo my worst wishes, it's more likely that vengeful relative will lock me inside my lamp again, like Frau Kohlschneider, or do even worse." Martha made her statement. "Then, what would my victims get, if I turn them back? Marcel and Susanne were rabbits for only a few months and their minds were already affected. I won't think of what is left of Hermione's or Sylvia's mind. If I turn them back and they turn out only to be empty shells, nothing is gained. That's even more cruel than leaving them the way they are now."

"Don't you feel compassion, anymore?" her reflection asked.

"Of course, I feel bad for those two. They were the victims of stupid or evil wishes I was forced to grant. If I could restore them to what they were, I would do that. But, if their minds are gone now, I should leave them the way they are now. This failure will always be upon me. And that's the reason why I could never become human, again," Martha concluded, with a sad voice.

"If you say so..." her reflection replied, when suddenly, the walls began to glow red.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Part 1: [link]
Part 2: [link]
Part 3: [link]
Part 4: [link]
Part 5A (with codeword "Goddess"): [link]
Part 5B (with codeword "Mouse"): [link]

Part 7A: Martha's human side has won the argument: [link]
Part 7B: Martha's genie side has won the argument: [link]
Part 8A Check Sylvias State of mind first: [link]
Part 8B Go and ask David or Amelia for help: [link]

Proof-reading by

Description
Martha didn't exactly know how long she was locked up inside her lamp. She estimated it would be about 14 days now, but she wasn't so sure, anymore. Just after she became a genie about three years ago, Martha was often locked inside her lamp for weeks or even months. Without the coming and going of the sun, she had really difficulty keeping track of time. Even clocks didn't work reliably inside a genie lamp, as she already found out.

Now, Martha was combing her hair while she was levitating above the floor. From a vanity, her reflection looked back at her.

"Are they ever going to let me out of this stupid lamp?" Martha asked loudly. "How dare they keep me inside here!"

"On the other hand, you really abused your power when you transformed the two kids into rabbits. That was really selfish. Their mother has all the right to be angry with you, Martha," her reflection replied. "Maybe you should have used your powers to help humans instead?"

"Like my greedy ex-boyfriend, Marco? Or when Gregorios used his wishes to get rid of his competition? Or, even better, when Franziska not only used her wishes to break into the museum, but also to kill that guard?" Martha replied. "Only to mention the worst examples of human masters."

"They are not really a good example. And they truly deserved to be punished. But what about those people you really helped with your wishes?" the reflection argued. "What about Mareike and Lisa-Marie? You really fixed that family. Or, take your friends Alex and Carrie. You really improved their lives."

"Ok, so my magic can improve other people's lives. But that's others' lives and not mine. I'm a genie now, a wish-granting slave." Martha said, bitterly.

"Maybe, if you'd really supported humans by granting their wishes, someone might have wished you into a human again?"

"Why should I want to be human again? I feel like a genie, I think like a genie - face it, I'm a genie, now!"

"Then, how about becoming a free genie?" the reflection asked. "Have you ever asked them to wish you into a free genie?"

"David? He would never wish me into a free genie. He wants to see me as a powerless, human woman. And Amelia? I'm not sure about that, anymore. I've granted her tons of wishes and how does she thank me? She keeps me locked here, inside."

"I don't know why they are keeping you inside..." Martha's reflection meekly admitted. "They might have their reasons."

"If they are keeping me inside on purpose, it only strengthens my point."

"And what would that be?"

"That David and Amelia are just two high-handed masters as all the others are." Martha concluded. "Even worse, if they keep me locked inside on purpose, they think they know what's best for me. That's not for them to decide."

"Right, that's your own decision. You decide how to use your powers. If you want to live among humans, you have to care for them, at least a little bit. Otherwise, you'll really just be a genie and nothing else."

"You want me to become human again? I'm afraid I'm already beyond that point. Even if I had the chance to undo my worst wishes, it's more likely that vengeful relative will lock me inside my lamp again, like Frau Kohlschneider, or do even worse." Martha made her statement. "Then, what would my victims get, if I turn them back? Marcel and Susanne were rabbits for only a few months and their minds were already affected. I won't think of what is left of Hermione's or Sylvia's mind. If I turn them back and they turn out only to be empty shells, nothing is gained. That's even more cruel than leaving them the way they are now."

"Don't you feel compassion, anymore?" her reflection asked.

"Of course, I feel bad for those two. They were the victims of stupid or evil wishes I was forced to grant. If I could restore them to what they were, I would do that. But, if their minds are gone now, I should leave them the way they are now. This failure will always be upon me. And that's the reason why I could never become human, again," Martha concluded, with a sad voice.

"If you say so..." her reflection replied, when suddenly, the walls began to glow red.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Part 1: [link]
Part 2: [link]
Part 3: [link]
Part 4: [link]
Part 5A (with codeword "Goddess"): [link]
Part 5B (with codeword "Mouse"): [link]

Part 7A: Martha's human side has won the argument: [link]
Part 7B: Martha's genie side has won the argument: [link]
Part 8A Check Sylvias State of mind first: [link]
Part 8B Go and ask David or Amelia for help: [link]

Proof-reading by