Episode 1

Most people live their entire life, seeing only what lies on the surface. They go about working, playing, and, well, just living. That’s the way it was for me. I didn’t give much thought to anything really. I was always a little self-absorbed and kept to myself. I saw things the way they were or, so I thought.

My name is Melinda Reed and I’m 16 years old. I’ve had one boyfriend, but that only lasted a few weeks. I’d worked the counter at Burger Palace since I was 15, trying to smile at all the creepy men, and some creepy women, gawking at me while ordering the day’s special.

I was a Brownie, a Junior and a Cadette. But by the time I started High School, I decided I wasn’t a club kind of girl, I was way too cool for that. Besides, it was my mom who wanted me in the Scouts, maybe she should have joined and left me out of it. Most of the Troupe Leaders creep-ed me out anyway, always checking me out, just like those creeps ordering burger specials.

My family was barely tolerable, and usually embarrassed me. My dad sold insurance and my mom was a checker at Grocery Paradise, whatever that’s supposed to mean, but rows of stacked boxes and cans of food isn’t my idea of paradise! And my little sister, well, she’s 14, and pretty much a pain in the ass. We were close for a while, but now she just annoys me with questions about boys and sex, like I was some expert. I pretty much stopped participating in family life after I starting having my periods.

That was my life. Boring and uneventful. I had little ambition, and generally didn’t give a shit. But when you least expect it, something happens that changes everything, I died ... Yep, while riding my bike to work at Burger Palace, some asshole driving home hit me. And that’s where my story really begins.

People talk about an afterlife, but nobody can prove there is one. I’d never given it a second thought. I mean, who cares anyway. It’s not like knowing would change anything.

Well there I stood, looking down at a bent up bike, and me, face down in the bike lane. There was a frantic man on his cell phone talking to 911, and me, lying there motionless. Talk about your out-of-body experience, right!

That’s when I met Sam. I heard him call my name, and turned to see who it was. Sitting at the bus stop was a man, sitting there completely relaxed, and seemingly unconcerned about what was going on and said...

“How are you doing there dead girl?”

“What?”, I asked, trying to piece things together.

“I can’t be dead.”, I said, as much a question, as a statement.

“Sorry, but you’re dead.” He said, with a sympathetic look.

“But I don’t want to die!” I said, while processing my situation.

“Most people don’t.” He said, then added...

“Come sit down, it’s time to talk.”

I stared at him for a moment, then noticed all the surrounding activity. People were looking at me lying there, with a paramedic trying desperately to revive me. That’s when it really started to sink in.

I stepped to the bench and sat down. I felt dizzy and confused. I looked at him and asked...

“Are you an Angel?”

“No, Angel’s don’t have time for things like this.” He answered.

“So what are you, a Grim Reaper or something?” I asked.

“No, they’re here to help the dead find their lights, but that’s not where you’re going.” He said.

“What, you asshole, you’re sending me to hell?” I angrily said!

“Calm down, there are different plans for you little one. My name is Sam, and I’m what you call, a Wish Wielder.”

I raised an eyebrow questionably and asked?

“Does that mean I get a wish? Well, I want my life back!”

He chuckled and said...

“No little one, you are going to be a Wish Wielder.”

“What does that mean?” I blurted out.

“Well, it means you’ll be granting wishes, and making people’s wishes and dreams come true.”

“But I don’t know anything about that, I’m only 16, I don’t know anything at all. How am I supposed to do that?” I said, even more confused than ever.

“You don’t have to know anything. I’ll be handing out your assignments, all you have to do is listen to me, and do what I say.”

“But, why me?” I said.

“Well little one, think back, remember every time you looked at someone with disgust, just because they smiled at you. Or you made an unkind remark, because you didn’t like someone. Things like that add up. It effects people’s lives, gives them inferiority complexes. I’m sure you know what I mean. So tag, you’re it.”

“What, I’m not responsible for what people think!” I shot back!

“Well, you are now little one.” Sam said.

“You mean I died because I hurt someone’s feelings?” That sucks.

“No, not at all, the guy who hit you was texting.”

I sat and closed my eyes, absorbing what Sam was saying. When I looked back onto the street, nobody was there. I was gone, everybody was gone, it was just Sam and Me, sitting on the bench. I said...

“Hey, where did I go?”

Sam looked onto the street, then back to me and said...

“The accident? That was two weeks ago little one.”

My jaw dropped, I was shocked and asked...

“So, am I like a ghost or what?”

“You were, but now your one of us. You’ve got a new undead body. Come on, let’s take a walk.” He said, and we got up and walked toward town.

While we walked down the street I asked him...

“But if I’m alive again, can’t I just go home?”

“No, you don’t have a family anymore. And they think Melinda Reed is dead. Besides, look at this.” He stopped, and pointed to our reflections in a pane of glass.

I looked at our reflections, what the hell, I didn’t look like myself. My hair was almost the same, but my face was different. I didn’t recognize myself at all. And when I looked at Sam’s reflection, he looked different too. Then Sam said...

“That’s what we look like to the living. We can’t have people recognizing us walking around. They couldn’t handle it. And if you think you can convince any of your old family or friends this new look is really you. There will be hell to pay. Believe me, you don’t want that.”

“So I’m supposed to be this new person all of a sudden?” I asked.

“You’ll get used to it. Ah, here we are, let’s go in here and sit down.”

Sam held the door open, and I stepped into the Dine-In coffee shop. I’ve eaten here quite a few times with my parents and little sister. It’s your typical 24-hr mom-and-pop diner. Not exactly the place to have a fancy dinner or a date, but one of the few places to eat downtown. Sam walked to a corner booth and sat down, and I sat across from him.

I have so many questions that I needed answers to. Like, how does it work. I asked...

“So, how does this work, I mean, how do I know who, or what someone’s wish is?”

Sam began...

“Well it’s simple, I give you a name, location and specific time. You just have to be there, and when you see the person, you touch them, and their wish will be revealed.”

I snapped back...

“That’s ridiculous, revealed how? Are they going to tell me their wish just because I touched someone?”

“No smart ass, it will come to you, like a memory, or a daydream, sometimes it’s just a wish, sometimes there’s more. And sometimes, it’s blatantly specific.” He said.

The waitress walked up asking what we’d like. Sam ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. I didn’t want anything, food was the last thing on my mind right now, so I just asked for water. But while she was standing next to me, I reached out and touched her arm. I didn’t have a memory flash, or daydream, or epiphany, or anything else. As she walked away I said...

“I touched her arm, and nothing. I don’t think this works.”

“Of course not. It only works on the person you’re assigned. And I haven’t assigned you anyone yet.” Sam explained.

I spent some time absorbing everything Sam said. Then a woman walked to our booth and sat down next to Sam. She looked about 25 years old, and pretty for someone as old as she is. As soon as she settled into the seat, Sam said...

“Melinda, this is Lisa, she’s a Wish Wielder just like us. Lisa, meet Melinda, our newest Wielder. She died two weeks ago.”

Lisa put her hand out to shake, and said...

“Pleased to meet you Melinda.”

I shook her hand, and said...

“Nice meeting you.”

Sam looking at Lisa, and asked...

“How’d your wish go?”

“Good.” She answered.

Then Sam grabbed a napkin, pulled out a small pocket calendar and began scribbling something down on the napkin. Lisa looked across the table at me and asked...

“So Melinda, how’d you die?”

I was a little surprised at how casually she asked. I just looked at her, and she kept looking back, waiting for an answer. I finally said...

“Hit by a car while riding my bike to work. What about you?”

“Well, I was killed in a train wreck back in 1946.”

“What, you mean you’ve been doing this for almost 80 years?”

I bent over, and rest my forehead on the table. This is crazy I thought to myself.

“Yep, hey Sam, when did you die?” Lisa asked him.

He was busy writing things down on napkins, and without looking up, said...

“Um, 1917.”

“You’re kidding, you’re saying that you’ve been doing this for like a hundred years?” I asked.

“Yeah, why?” He said.

“Well, because that’s a long time!” I blurted out.

Sam looked up at me and shrugged, as if saying, yeah. so what. Lisa looked over at Sam and said...

“So Sam, is that why you don’t like to drive. No horse pulling it?”

Sam looked at Lisa, smirked, and dropped a napkin in front of her, and another one in front of me. Then said...

“Here’s another one for you, and Melinda, you’re ready to grant a wish aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not ready, I don’t even know how to do it.” I responded.

“You’ll figure it out. Everyone does. Hey Lisa, let the little one tag along, just to see how it works.” Sam said.

Lisa looked at her napkin and said...

“This is in half an hour, I don’t have time to eat. Ok, come on Melinda, hey, can I call you Mel?”

We scooted out of the booth, and I said...

“Yeah, I guess so.”

I followed Lisa out of the diner and down the street. As we walked she asked...

“Where’s your wish Mel?”

I looked at my napkin and read...

R Harris 793 Main St. 7:10 pm

“What the hell, is that all we get?”

“Yep that’s it.” Lisa replied.

“How the hell am I supposed to find someone with just that?”

“Sometimes it’s not easy, but you’ll figure it out.” She said.

“I don’t know, it doesn’t seem like enough. So, where are we going?”

“Just over on 1st street. Rick’s Bar.” She said.

“I can’t go in a bar, they’ll card me. Besides, I don’t even have a driver’s license.”

“Don’t worry about that Mel, you’re a Wish Wielder now, people accept you, and don’t ask questions.”

“Yeah but I still don’t look 21.”

“You worry too much. Relax.” She said.

We got to Rick’s and walked inside. She looked around at everyone, then walked to a small table. I followed her and we sat down. A waitress walked over to the table and asked what we wanted to drink. Lisa looked at me and asked...

“What about a Martini, what do you say Mel?”

I was waiting to be carded, but the waitress just looked at me expecting a reply. I leaned across the table and whispered to Lisa...

“I don’t have any money!”

“I’ll cover you this time.” Then she looked up at the waitress and said.

“Two Martinis.”

“Ok, I’ll be right back.” The waitress said, and walked off.

“Wow, I’ve never had a Martini before.” I said.

“Well, you need a little something to take the edge off.”

She has no idea how right she is. I’m completely out of my element here, and hell, I don’t even have an element to be out of. I asked Lisa...

“So how do you know who it is?”

She leaned across the table, and looking toward the bar said...

“See that man wearing the blue shirt. He keeps looking over here at me. So it could be him. But we have 2 more minutes. I’m looking for a T Bailey.”