Well, I had nothing to lose. I took the lamp and promised to do the girl in the shop a favor sometime. When I got home I had an essay to write and I guess I forgot about the lamp. It was only as I undressed for bed that I remembered it.
I sat cross legged on my bed hiolding it. It certainly looked very old and rather dented. It could do with a good polish. I was about to give it a rub when I remembered the girls warning. Dispite myself I felt nervous. I rubbed the lamp cautiously with my thumb.
Suddenly, sitting in my armchair facing me was a man. He looked Arabic with a hawkish face and a short beard that forked on his chin. He was dressed in a black robe tied at the waist. He looked at me disdainfully, "So you are the new master of the lamp?" his words were haughty and the way he looked at me made me feel small.
"Yes!" my voice squeaked. I swallowed and spoke more slowly and deeply,"Yes, I am. Are you the Djinni?"
He smiled and bowed sardonically, "At your service. What would you have me do?" |