A Miracle For You

[JUSTIN]

Is luck on my side?

Oh, no. It's not luck on my side, but this tree on my side. Well, it's a cut of tree. A stump.

Or wood? No, it's a tree. A tree with only a stump, with big and strong roots. This tree stump has hundreds of pretty year rings, and I think it's hundreds of years old indeed. I call her "Mera," because meraviglia means miracle, in Italian.

Still vivid in my memory, seven years ago Mera gave me a small ship after I drew on its surface, which was actually just to explain my broken toy ship to my friends. It was my first time finding Mera. She is hidden in a beautiful hidden place, a bit into the forest that is not too deep, right in front of a fairly wide lake. This place is only about half an hour from where I live. I'm often alone here, but the atmosphere is never scary. There is a magical but calming impression; It's bright during the day, and the dark at night never scares me.

I remember the first time I put the paper on top of the year circles, drew a ship which a little hollow on it, then when I threw the paper into the lake, a ship appeared just like the one I drew, with the same small size. My friends were amazed, and asked me to draw again with a new model and a bigger size, but I didn't have any more paper. Ramon asked me to try to draw a small size on a tissue, but with the name of the brand on the picture of the boat. After I threw the paper into the lake, the ship appeared, just as Ramon had intended. A yacht with the Benetti brand, just as I wrote. Until now the yacht is still there, anchored in the corner of the lake, covered by shady trees. I painted the ship in big letters on the hull to form a name: Justin Seagull.

So is it because of the lake? No, it was Mera. Because I've tried drawing other things without using Mera, throwing them in the lake, and nothing happened.

Me, Mera and the lake. Nothing will happen without these three elements. My friends have tried using Mera to draw and throw it into the lake, but they got nothing.

Ah, so I guess luck is really on my side, huh?

I never know where Mera came from, and I've stopped looking. She's never done anything bad to me, so I guess it's better if I don't know if she actually contains evil powers or something else. I've been using her for years, and the only bad thing I've got is that I grew up to be a rather spoiled young man.

"Yes, yes, yes.. Prince Justin is planning to summon what else from the lake?"

I know that voice well. Ramon appears alone.

"I've been here since morning. Where's Jack?"

"Ah, they're coming in five, four, three, two..."

"Heeyy!"

Jack, Jared and Ken emerge from behind the trees with their trademark laughter. We often gather here every weekend, just to tell stories or ask Mera to summon certain objects from the lake.

"I found something new," I claim seriously.

"You just drew a beautiful mermaid?" Jared teases me.

"Then the mermaid that comes out will be as ugly as I picture it!"

And their laughter exploded. I also laugh to myself at the thought of a strange mermaid with hair as straight as a palm fiber broom and chubby cheeks emerging from the lake. I'd be lucky if it's not Medusa.

My friends tease me not because I don't have any girlfriends. I, Justin, am the only child of a wealthy businessman who has an international architectural and property business empire. My family often throws parties and I meet a lot of guests from the artist and model circles, and some of them are crazy about me. Getting a woman is a very easy thing, and I don't have to draw a woman or ask Mera to give me a beautiful mermaid.

"Hey, listen!" I exclaim. "I can ask for an object, and hope it doesn't come out of the lake or appear around here. I mean... I can ask Mera to grant my wish to appear somewhere else!"

"But how?" Ken asks.

"I will still need to throw the paper into the lake, but it has to be written the name of the place where I want it to emerge."

"OK, Justin. I'd like a girlfriend I can walk to the city park with," Jack asks.

"Don't be mad if your girlfriend is ugly," I reply.

"OK, forget it. I'd better take a Barbie doll for a walk."

They all laugh.

"Justin draws a girl like a granny, Jack.. You forgot?" Ramon concludes.

"Guys, seriously.. I've been thinking about drawing a new Bentley SUV. But where to put it?" I've been thinking hard since before they came.

"There's an empty warehouse down this road, right? About 200 meters to the north," Jared replies.

"But how do I write the name of the place?"

"You can write down the name of this street, Birkhead Road, and draw a picture of the north direction, 200 meters," says Ramon.

Jack suddenly stops my hand that is about to draw. "Are you sure you can draw a Bentley?"

"If it's a car brand, I just need to draw as good as I can, then write the brand on the car. Remember Justin Seagull? I can't even draw a yacht properly."

It's like Mera understands what I want, though not always. Once I got a burger that only contained vegetables because I drew meat like lettuce.

I finish my drawing, write down the address and throw the paper into the lake.

"Are you ready?"

They all smile. Then the five of us together start to run about 200 meters to the empty warehouse.

I gasp. The car is already on the side of the road, right behind the empty warehouse. Luckily the location is really quiet and no one is there; No one see how the car is suddenly appearing there. I wonder what if I asked Mera to drop off my car in New York Times Square.

"Wow, this is crazy. Mera gave you a Bentley!" Jack shrieks.

The Bentayga SUV type, in black, is exactly what I expected. We all touch the new looking car. I peek in the window and see that the car key is already inside. I open the door and ask my friends to come inside.

"Oh my bugging Zeus," Jared screams quietly. They all gawk at the beauty of the Bentley Bentayga, and I still can't believe it myself.

"I still can't believe this," I say. "Do you think this can last forever? Or we'll be yawning with this car in a week?"

"I'll try it myself a week, make me a guinea pig!" says Ramon. "If I do yawn with him, you can draw me and I'll appear again."

"Oh yeah, I'll draw you with a beard and a long tail!" I answer.

"No, no.. I think it's clear that nothing will evaporate, guys.." says Ken. "Justin Seagull is still around, for seven years. All the things we've ever asked for are still there. No matter who want whatever, as long as it is Justin who draws it, that thing will all appear and never disappear."

"Whatever, guys.. Let's ride in!" I exclaim as I start the car. The engine starts, and the sound is very smooth for the size of an SUV. I drive slowly while enjoying this type of Bentayga, which I know has a seat that fits seven people. The five of us feel very comfortable in it. Ramon sits in the front next to me, and the other three in the middle and back. I can't imagine what my parents will think when they see me coming home with this car.

"What do you think I should say to Mom and Dad?" I ask my friends, even though I don't really think much of it either. My dad owns a Porsche and two Mercedes, while my mom drives her Mini everywhere. I have my own Mercedes, white. So actually maybe they won't be too surprised if I come home with a Bentley Bentayga.

"Hmm... lottery?"

"Lottery from Hong Kong?"

"Just say you were given a gift from a rich widow named Mera."

"Yes, then Dad will ask where her house is, and Mom will follow Dad for fear that he will find Mera," I complain.

"What if you try to be honest.. You got it from the magic tree?"

"He will burn the car because he thinks it contains an evil spirit."

"Just leave it at my house, so no one will know if it's yours," concludes Jack. Jack lives alone, and he has no one. His parents are dead, and his relatives don't care about him.

We have been best friends since childhood, and we agreed to take care of each other; After his parents died, we jointly bought a house for him so he could live in it. Well, my share is 80%, because I have the most money, then the rest of the three friends are joint ventures. Jack is also able to study with us at a prestigious university because my father pays all the fees.

"Ah, you're right! Your parking area will fit this!" I answer happily. Jack's house is a bit far from mine, so I'm sure people in my house won't be suspicious. However, I will let anyone of them use this car. It's not mine, personally. I'm not buying it either.

"You can wear it, Jack. Anyone can use it. I don't own it, OK? We all got this from Mera."

"I think you need to name the lake too, Justin," Ken says.

After all these years, Ken is the only one who always reminds me to give the lake a name. He is the most caring person, always easy to play with feelings. Ken has always been the most mature of us, good at cooking, likes to buy snacks for us, and is often the wiser of all.

But I never thought of a name for that magical lake. I feel very close to Mera, but there is something about the lake that makes me less interested in naming her, or feeling close to her. Is it because for me it's just like a place to throw my drawing paper?

"Bella! It's Meerabella.." jokes Jack, the youngest in our gang who always thinks that everything is a joke.

"Ouch.. Just use that for your turtle's name," I complain. "I'd better name this car. What do you think?"

"Ben! Come on, it's easy," says Ramon, "because he's Ben. Bentley Bentayga." Ramon is indeed the smartest of us, maybe even on campus. He has an IQ of 148, is quite a genius, often gives bright ideas and appropriate solutions, although he is often forgetful too.

Ben. The five of us now have Ben.

I ride Ben along a huge cornfield with the windows open, but it is getting late and the wind is getting stronger. We close the windshield, turn on the air conditioner and the radio. After a few minutes, I turn around and direct Ben back toward the lake. My car and Ramon's car are still parked there.

"After this, shall we go home? I need to do some work later," I said.

They all just mumble. Ramon and Jared usually go home together because their house is just an alley apart. I am going home with Ken because we are neighbors, and Jack is going to take Ben to his house, which is the furthest from the four of us.

After getting Ben, honestly I am afraid to guess what other things Mera can give us.