Fic: 11:11
Jess glanced at her phone as they exited the theater. "11:11, make a wish."
James looked over. "What?"
"11:11," Jess repeated. He shook his head, slightly. "The time. One - one - one - one. Make a wish!"
Her smile was infectious. "What kind of wish?"
"The kind you can think of in sixty seconds."
"That's..."
Jess laughed. "Really hard, I know."
He nodded. "Unless you already have a wish in mind."
"I don't know if that would count."
"Why not?"
"Wishes are fleeting." He sent her another questioning glance. "Think about it. We make wishes on shooting stars and birthday candles and minutes. If you have enough time to plan the wish it's not a wish anymore. It's something else."
"What is it?"
She cocked her head to consider. "A desire."
He watched the wind blow her hair across her eyes, her lips, and forced his mind not to think any of the thoughts -- wishes -- desires -- that could be thought. Finally she turned into the wind and it blew her hair off her face; she smiled and he relaxed.
"But this year is special." He waited. "November 11, 2011. At 11:11 it will be one-one-one-one, one-one-one..." She scrunched her nose. "Wait." He smiled as she started over, counting on her fingers. "One-one-one-one." She'd raised the index and middle fingers on each hand. "One-one. One-one." Ring-ring-pinkie-pinkie.
"One-one," he finished, raising both index fingers.
"Right." She grinned at their fingers, they were not unlike birthday candles. "So there, we have months to come up with the perfect wish."
"But then it won't count," he reminded her.
"It counts if there are--" More counting. "--five elevens involved. Powerful magic. Grants desires."
James lowered his hands. "I'll keep that in mind." He turned to call a taxi and locked away any fleeting wishes. It wasn't 11:11 anymore.
Another day.
James looked over. "What?"
"11:11," Jess repeated. He shook his head, slightly. "The time. One - one - one - one. Make a wish!"
Her smile was infectious. "What kind of wish?"
"The kind you can think of in sixty seconds."
"That's..."
Jess laughed. "Really hard, I know."
He nodded. "Unless you already have a wish in mind."
"I don't know if that would count."
"Why not?"
"Wishes are fleeting." He sent her another questioning glance. "Think about it. We make wishes on shooting stars and birthday candles and minutes. If you have enough time to plan the wish it's not a wish anymore. It's something else."
"What is it?"
She cocked her head to consider. "A desire."
He watched the wind blow her hair across her eyes, her lips, and forced his mind not to think any of the thoughts -- wishes -- desires -- that could be thought. Finally she turned into the wind and it blew her hair off her face; she smiled and he relaxed.
"But this year is special." He waited. "November 11, 2011. At 11:11 it will be one-one-one-one, one-one-one..." She scrunched her nose. "Wait." He smiled as she started over, counting on her fingers. "One-one-one-one." She'd raised the index and middle fingers on each hand. "One-one. One-one." Ring-ring-pinkie-pinkie.
"One-one," he finished, raising both index fingers.
"Right." She grinned at their fingers, they were not unlike birthday candles. "So there, we have months to come up with the perfect wish."
"But then it won't count," he reminded her.
"It counts if there are--" More counting. "--five elevens involved. Powerful magic. Grants desires."
James lowered his hands. "I'll keep that in mind." He turned to call a taxi and locked away any fleeting wishes. It wasn't 11:11 anymore.
Another day.