Free One Wish Away by Kelley Lynn

jump at the first explanation he’s uttered.
    â€œThis is crazy.” I shake my head and pace, thinking out loud. “You’re telling me, with a little blood and that
machine
we can have anything we want.”
    â€œYes,” both Iris and Dad say at the same time.
    In science, which is
reality
, not this dream crap, there are steps to scientific discovery. First you must ask the question, “Can we wish upon a star?” Then you do background research. I can’t imagine where he would have gotten that kind of information.
    Hi, my name is Dr. David Altair and I believe we can wish upon stars. Will you help me?
    I wince at the taste of iron on my tongue. I’ve drawn blood through my lip.
    After he gathered the background information it should have led him to a reasonable hypothesis.
    I turn to the crazy man I call my father. “Prove it.”
    Dad nods to Iris who says, “As you wish.” Her perfect short waves sway as she walks out of the dome, the even click of her heels audible through the glass.
    My eyes find Dad again, but I can’t formulate any words. His green eyes never leave me. He’s studying, calculating. Probably wondering whether I’m going to have a psychotic episode after finding out my only living family members are nuts.
    â€œAll right, Lyra. Here’s your proof.”
    Iris places a small binder on the metal table next to the helmet and walks around it so we’re facing each other. My father still insists on standing at the head of the table. No words. No movement.
    I am numb, completely absent of thought or feeling, as Iris taps the binder with her beautifully manicured nail.
    â€œWhen did Kurt Cobain die?” she asks.
    What the
hell
is going on? Kurt Cobain
isn’t
dead. Two days ago I saw the girl’s lockers lined with his picture.
    â€œKurt Cobain isn’t dead, Iris. Don’t they ever let you out of this building? His band released an album six months ago.” I look to my father. Though, he’s as crazy as she is so I’m not sure how he’s going to help.
    â€œYou’re right, Lyra,” Dad says. “Kurt Cobain isn’t dead. Anymore.”
    Now I have feeling. A tingling sensation crawling up my spine as if when it enters my brain I might actually start to believe what these two are trying to sell me.
    I force it back down. At least
one
of us has to be the rational scientist.
    â€œWhat are you talking about? Anymore?”
    Iris flips over the cover of the binder revealing something that looks like a title page. It reads:
    Wish #1: Kurt Cobain never died.
Granted: March 21 st
Star Used: Spica
    March 21 st was the night I discovered Spica missing. My eyes jump to Iris for an explanation.
    â€œYou see honey, we’ve only used the StarCatcher for one wish so far. All the other work before this was experimental.” Iris taps her long nail on her lips. “Your aunt had a big crush on Kurt Cobain, and since she runs this joint, she used her authority to choose the first wish. It was simple; fit all the qualifications, so that was that.”
    â€œBut Kurt Cobain is alive,” I say it slowly so they hear me this time. “I would remember if a man died and then reappeared. I think everyone would.”
    Try and explain your way out of
that
one.
    â€œThis is one of the most exciting parts of the project,” my father says and I turn to him. My mind and body are turning so much I might throw up on their pristine dream catcher. “We hypothesized it, but didn’t know until we cast the first wish.”
    I raise my eyebrow, waiting for him to continue to lather on the crazy.
    â€œOnce a wish is granted, it alters the world to make the wish’s reality the only version. When we wished for Kurt Cobain to be alive again, every person, every object … everything, changed so it was the case. Not even his own family knew that he was gone.”
    I cross my arms and let out a