The Magic Lamp,

Hidden in the Cave of Wonders,

31st March 2024.

Dear Genie,

This should feel weird. I doubt that in your 10,000 years of existence, a human has written a letter to you.

Well, I have. And this will be the letter you read immediately I free you from your kettle prison.

It must feel terribly lonely in there, I am sorry your last master abandoned you.

I never will. For you have 5 wishes to grant me.

Yes. 5.

I have read the legends, the '3-wish rule’ was made to stop humans from wishing for more things.

I understand, but I am not like most humans. You will soon see why.

For my first wish, I wish to be immortal.

I am sure you have heard this from many humans, we are a greedy bunch. But I assure you, it is not for power or glory.

I want to see the aliens.

You see, I hold the belief that we are not alone in this universe. Humans are too fragile, too primitive to be the only ones in this vast galaxy.

And I believe aliens are waiting for us to communicate with them.

They can communicate, yes. But they need us to feel like we made first contact, to feel superior.

I want to see how that contact will come to pass. It could take decades, centuries even. But I want to see that.

Now, to my second wish, I wish for wealth. Not money. Not the false paper, capitalism printed and deceived us with.

Wealth.

I want to meet the aliens, and for that, I need to have wealth. Wealth unimaginable.

The wealth that could build 7000 spaceships. Wealth that could build a whole civilization on another planet.

That is the wealth I want.

My third wish. Being an immortal, a woman can get lonely.

I wish for a partner, not just any partner. A partner who is worthy of me and I of them, who will see me as an equal, as a friend, and as a lover.

A forever lover who would worship my body forever as I do theirs.

An immortal like myself who would look into my eyes and see the stars that I long for, and long for them with me. A partner who shares my dreams, my hopes, and my will.

For my fourth wish, I wish for you to be free. Not for more wishes, no.

Five wishes are all I need.

I wish that you be free, but not able to bring harm to any human or on the earth. You must hate humanity and how they have used you for centuries, and I hope with this tiny gesture that you will forgive our foolishness and spare us your wrath.

Now, my last wish. I wish for wisdom. For the ability to build civilizations and empires. A strain of wisdom that could only be compared to King Solomon’s.

I need to be ready for whatever contingencies may arise from contacting the aliens. Do I not?

I want to live, not survive.

Live forever with my lover and you, my friend.

Your Mistress, your friend,

Lorna.