The Wish

Nithose sat at his desk covering his face, sobbing. His tears spilled onto his parchment with his quill and inkwell siting at his table. He looked up to see students still laughing.

“Nithose, did your parents lose a wager with God that you are right-handed?” said a sneering boy.

A blond girl spoke. “Leave him alone, Bronus! You act so stupid!”

Another spoke. “Don’t ruin the moment, Sasha. He is all alone.”

Nithose stood and dashed outside the drafty stone room. He ran to a corner and curled into a ball.

A boy in tunic approached Nithose and sat next to him. “I think I can make it so you can use your left hand.”

Nithose rubbed the tears out of his eyes. “You can?”

“I found a wizard in the woods.”

Nithose frowned. “But magic is forbidden.”

“Do you want to be free of your curse or not?” said the boy kneeling before Nithose.

“Who are you and why are you helping me?”

“I am Nerem. I am helping you because it is the right thing to do.”

Nerem and Nithose stood.

A bell sounded and an iron latched wooden door opened and all students filed out.

“School is over. Follow me,” said Nerem.

Nithose was led down a set of cobblestone stairs and through a long hall lined with stain glass windows. At the end of the hall Nithose and Nerem exited the castle.

“How long have you been planning this?”

“It took two months to make the potion. I just came here from Wrethmire. Something embarrassing happened to me and after pleading with my father we came here to escape the taunting.”

The students came to a wooden fence that marked the border between Evercrest and the forest. Nerem led Nithose to the inside of a shack and the crawled through a hole that went under the fence.

“It is not long from here. We should reach the wizard in about twenty minutes.”

Nithose looked down in silence.

“Is there a problem?”

“I feel like I am about to become something I am not-something God did not make me to be.”

“Don’t think so deeply,” said Nerem. “You’re about to be free.”

“What will I tell my parents when I use my left hand?”

“Tell them you just have been practicing or whatever,” said Nerem.

The forest canopy thickened and obscured the sunlight.

Nithose heard the swooning sound of a strange animal followed by more of the same sound.

Above in a tree was a large scarlet snake.

“I feel strange.”

“We are getting closer to the wizard.”

“Why could you not just have brought me the potion?”

Nerem threw up his hands. “I asked the wizard and he did not say.”

“That is odd.”

Soon they came to a wicker hut with smoke coming up through a tin pipe.

An old man came out. “Is this the one, Nerem?”

Nerem nodded.

The wizard took out a small vial. “Drink this, child.”

Nithose drank from the vial and felt an instant change. “I feel it.”

“Be taunted no more,” said the wizard.

The two retraced their path and returned to Evercrest.

#

The next day Nithose trotted to his desk with a smile.

“Why are you so happy?” said Bronus.

Nithose took the quill with his left hand and wrote his name on the parchment with fine, beautiful, calligraphy.

“What on Earth!” Bronus said.

Half the class gasped followed by murmuring.

Nithose sat silently with a beaming grin all the way to the end of the class.

When class ended, Nithose exited the room with a coy swager.

“Nithose, how did you write with your left hand!” said Sasha.

“I can’t tell you.”

Sasha widened her eyes and gaped her mouth. “I’m one of the only friends you have. Please tell me.”

Nithose sighed. “I took a potion that did this.”

“Magic you mean!”

Nithose looked down feeling shamefully. Then he came to his senses. “You are right. This kid named Nerem took me to a wizard who gave it to me. I was wrong. As I told him, God intended for me to be right-handed. I never should have consulted with a wizard in the first place.”

“I need to speak with Nerem and see how to reverse this.”

Suddenly, Nithose saw Nerem out of the corner of Nithose’s gaze.

Nithose ran for him and grabbed his shoulders, looking him square in the eyes. “How do I reverse the effects of the potion!”

Nerem reeled back and shook his head. “There is no changing back!”

“What! Why did you not tell me!”

“I did not think it would matter. Why do you wish to go back?” Said Nerem.

“I broke a cardinal rule when I went to the wizard. More importantly, God made me right-handed. I scorned God’s sovereign will for me.” Nithose ran a palm down his face and took a deep breath.

“Well at least no one can antagonize you now. You have that,” said Nerem.

“I have to bear this guilt forever though.”

Sasha tilted his head and rubbed her chin. “There is one thing we can do-pray. Ask God for a Miracle.”

“That is wishful thinking,” said Nerem.

“No,” said Nithose. “I have the faith for it.”

Nithose and Sasha kneeled.

“Lord forgive my transgression. I failed you. Hear me and restore me.”

Nithose sensed a change in his body, and it felt like a peaceful stream flowing down his right arm.

“It happened! I know it!” said Nithose as he took out a scroll from a cotton satchel and wrote his name.

“I’ll be!” said Nerem.

Bronus came from around a corner. “I heard everything. I’ll tell the headmaster you mere with a wizard.

“God has turned me back. It’s all over. And from now on I will be happy about my condition, even if I am scorned. I am a human made in God’s image and nothing will hurt my feelings about the way He made me.”