Alice in The Wonderland

Angrily, I found my gaze settling on the old man. "Give me some time. I assure you, this time around, you won't be able to twist my wish to your benefit," I declared, battling the raging storm of emotions within me. While my body stood there resilient, my mind raced in all directions, devising strategies. There was no way I was going to let him dupe me once more.

***

"Take your time," the old man retorted with a laugh. His delight at having granted Jaime futile wishes was evident in his eyes. It was clear he never intended to grant Jaime any real power, driven to fulfil his commitments by old promises alone.

For a good 15 years, he had been attempting to cast shadows of despair and misery over jaime's life, yearning for his early death, and ignorance about his true identity. Yet, it seemed Jaime had the resilience of a thousand cockroaches, much to his chagrin.

If things continued this way, Jaime was destined to ascend as the next universal deity. This was a possibility he was determined to prevent.

***

"Kid, aren't you interested in knowing who your real father is? I can facilitate a meeting," he proposed casually, managing his most genuine smile.

"There's no need," I replied icily.

"And why's that?" he enquired, trying to appear genuinely interested as he straightened up.

"I've long been aware of my father's identity," I remarked, clearing my throat as if to underline the seriousness of my declaration.

"Is that so?" the old man looked genuinely surprised.

"Certainly," I assured him. "If he isn't Tom Cruise or Jackie Chan, he must be Shah Rukh Khan." With a wide grin, I added, "Can't you see the handsome resemblance?"

The old man sighed, looking at my lean, unsightly appearance. After what seemed like an eternity, he added, "Do you remember when you were small, there was an old man who frequently slipped your mother money under the cover of night? The one who was obese, unattractive, and licentious?"

"Sure," I nodded. "That loathsome old fox died seven years ago in a brothel. He'd been excessively indulging himself with the prostitutes. What prompted that question?" I was irked by his seemingly out-of-the-blue inquiry.

"Just a random thought. Let's not dwell on it," he sighed dismissively. "Have you thought about your next wish?"

"Yes," I answered, my face lighting up as if his previous question had been all but forgotten. "I desire a secret sanctuary."

"Very well." The old man prepared to clap his hands.

"Wait, allow me to explain first," I quickly intervened, halting his impending clap.

"Alright," he put his hands down and waited for me to elaborate.

"It shouldn't be a typical hideout where one can only stash small items. I want a secret haven that can accommodate an entire city! A space possessing its own universe inside, complete with water, land, buildings, air, and everything necessary for life. The land must be expansive and fertile, so I can farm on it," I stated, tired of living in constant fear and uncertainty in the war-ridden zone, always under threat of seeing my hard-earned rewards being snatched away. "And this sanctuary must forever be with me and can never be separated from me."

"No problem," the old man responded.

With a swift clap, he presented a small box roughly the size of an adult's fist. "This is XR15678-89, produced using the most advanced galactic technology. It's used to generate food during lengthy space voyages. However, the core of this device houses a space-related artefact created by god itself. Usually, it can only be controlled by the galaxy federation. Do you want this item?" he asked, attempting to reassure me.

"I'll take it! However, I want to examine it myself before confirming it as my third wish," I stated earnestly, determined not to be fooled again.

"Understood," he nodded. In an instant, we vanished from our original location, only to reappear amidst a vast plain. Far off in the distance, I could see dense jungles and towering mountains. A river flowed serenely nearby, and there stood a majestic white building atop a hill to our left.

Looking up, I could see the sky and the sun, which filled me with warmth, a feeling distinct from what I was accustomed to.

"What is this place? Is this Earth? You're deceiving me again!" I squinted suspiciously at the old man.

"Easy, son," the old man soothed. "This XR15678-89 is linked to a tiny planet, roughly one-tenth the size of Earth. This planet is situated in a distant corner of the universe. If you were to soar into the sky, you'd encounter the galaxy in its entirety."

"So, it's not hidden?" I questioned. "What if something like an alien invades this place, don't you think I'd lose my sanctuary?"

"It's highly unlikely, given the remoteness of this planet's location…" the old man began.

"But there's still a chance that aliens could invade it!" I interrupted, determined to have my concerns addressed.

"Alright, I will create a defense formation around this planet. No one will be able to enter, and no one can leave," he proposed, trying to mediate our discussion.

"That's not ideal. I mean, having a planet where I can't exit or allow my future guests to enter? Not good... Not good at all… I can't accept that."

"You'll have the authority to depart and allow those you select to enter."

"But if anyone can infiltrate this planet from outside without my permission, my third wish will be void, and you'll owe me a new one."

"Fine," the old man agreed, and with a clap of his hands, a thin layer of light enveloped the planet. The light was inscribed with a series of complex formations. "Done. Now, will you accept your third wish?"

"Not yet," I retorted, still feeling an unsettling sense of incompleteness about the situation.

"There are creatures on this planet; they could kill me!" I exclaimed suddenly, eyeing the beasts in the sky and those lurking in the forest with trepidation.

"For heaven's sake, do you believe a planet can survive without animals? Learn about ecosystems. Plants need animals, and animals need plants. Without animals, there would be no plants!" he retorted exasperatedly.

"But perhaps you've placed dangerous creatures here to eliminate me after I've accepted the deal." My suspicion remained unassuaged.

"Fine! I will make all the creatures on this planet obey your commands!" the old man announced, clapping his hands.

"No, it's not just about the creatures here. Any creature that enters this place must obey my commands as well! Forever! Do you think I'm foolish? This generation of creatures might obey me, but what about their offspring? They could turn against me. What's the point of a hidden place if it's not safe?"

"Alright, as you wish." With another clap of his hands, the old man acquiesced. "What else?"

I touched the soil and sighed, "If only the earth was fertile and could accelerate the growth of crops. Everything would be perfect then."

The old man clapped his hands yet again. "Alright, I have boosted the earth and heaven's energy on this planet to be a thousand times greater than that of Earth! This will supercharge the soil's fertility and hasten the harvest time."

As I took a deep breath, I could feel the air brimming with energy, instantly rejuvenating me.

"Arghh, if only I had workers on this planet to assist me in planting and harvesting. Or even in raising the animals."

"See that white building? That's the command control center for this entire planet. It houses a laboratory, a genetic modification machine, a library, bedrooms, an entertainment room, and numerous devices boasting super-advanced technologies. Technologies your world might only attain in the next thousand years. There are also some robots for you to employ as workers."

With a clap of his hands, we were teleported inside the command room. It was a vast, empty space with a large window overlooking the exterior.

"There's nothing here?" I commented, perplexed.

"When you assume ownership, you merely need to raise your hand," the old man advised. He demonstrated by lifting his hand, and immediately several light screens materialized in the air, each displaying numerous dots and unfamiliar images.

"I get it," I declared. "You intended to give me this, knowing I don't understand the language or anything about these machines. So, it would be useless for me." I crossed my arms over my chest in defiance.

The old man smirked slyly and clapped his hands. "I will provide you with information about this place, teach you how to read all the commands, how to control it, how to use all the technologies here, and provide you with the necessary knowledge. Consider it a bonus. Now you're as knowledgeable as any intelligent creature in the galaxy. Even if you want to forget it, you won't be able to."

I suddenly found myself knowing everything about this place, like a sudden download of information. I could even pinpoint the exact location of the toilet and knew the right command to issue for any service I desired. It was surreal. I felt like I was the creator of this place, privy to its every secret. I nodded finally, accepting the knowledge thrust upon me.

"But wait, grant me some time to inspect this place thoroughly. I don't want anything missing from this planet. Give me full access for 10 minutes so I can ensure nothing has been tampered with."

The god simply clapped his hands and the machinery, and everything else inside, started to function. I motioned with my hand, and screens materialized out of thin air. I began to issue voice commands to check every single inch of this minuscule planet. And every robot.

They responded in language, so I suggested, "Just send all data directly to my brain; it'll be faster than verbal communication. I will command using mind control."

As I instructed, I commenced my meticulous inspection of the interior.

However, after 10 minutes everything abruptly shut down, before I had the chance to finish my check.

"Alright, time is up. You need to make your decision."

We found ourselves back in the small, bright room where XR15678-89 floated mid-air, and I felt that familiar chill return.

"Do you accept it or not?" the god asked.