Star Light, Star Bright

"When you wish upon a star..."

For some reason, on television, that damned Disney cricket was singing again. Why my roommate decided that Pinocchio was a film to play to at this exact point in time was beyond me. It wasn't that I hated the movie, just that one particular song. Because when you wish upon a star, it isn't exactly magical faeries that grant your wishes.

It's people, people like me.

My name is Codexter Evans, and I'm a Wishgiver.

You see, around twenty years ago, a society of intellectually gifted people came together for the sole reason of making people's wishes come true. Using the old wives' tale of wishing upon a star, bright satellites called Wishing Stars were launched into the atmosphere, picking up the wishes that people ask when they see the Stars. These get transmitted to HQ, reviewed, and then assigned to agents to grant those wishes. These agents are called Wishgivers.

Wishgivers are chosen. How, I'm not really sure. They don't explain that stuff to the field agents. Personally, I'm convinced those assholes looked at my face and decided that I was a perfect candidate. Looking like a fictional character sucks sometimes, they even made me get a lighting bolt tattoo on my forehead.

But alas, here I am, a sophomore in college, granting people's wishes.

My watch lights up, playing that the same stupid tune that was on the TV just moments ago. I tap the star icon that appeared, and wait for the details of my next job to load. Soon I get a face, an address, and an audio recording.

Mitzi Jones, age seven, lives a block down from the local fire department.

What's this kid want? A pony? A castle? A sister?

"Star light, star bright,
The first star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.
Mr. Star, I wish that my daddy will be okay.
Daddy got hurt real bad doing his job and he's got to go to the Hospital.
Momma said he's gonna be alright but she doesn't look too happy.
Could you heal my daddy Mr. Star?"

Her dad? I grab my laptop and run a few of my more questionable programs and to get some more dirt. Mr. Gerald Jones, a fireman, father of one Mitzi Jones. Admitted into St. Joseph's Hospital for major burns to his face and chest. Doesn't look like he's going to survive. Great. Better get started then.

I sling my duffel bag over my shoulder and tap the start icon on my watch again. A familiar face appears, floating above my watch.

"What can I do for you Evans?" asks the lady (who calls herself Mrs. Claus, but we don't believe that for a second) on the other end with a smile.

In reply, I tap in the coordinates of Mr. Jones' ward.

"Beam me up, Scotty." In reply, Mrs. Claus chuckles.

"Ah, Mr. Evans, always the joker. Hold onto your socks, now!"

My watch made a whirring sound, before a cold feeling made its way to every cell in my body, pushing it through space. I close my eyes before it gets to my head. When the feeling dissipates, I open my eyes to see a man lying in a hospital ward. Quickly, I turn a dial on my watch, and watch as my hand, and soon the rest of my body, vanishes before my very eyes. Passing unsuspecting doctors, I make my way over to the man in the ward. I check the picture, and then look at the man on the bed. His face was messed up pretty bad, but Mr. Jones was still recognizable.

I carefully pull off the covers and take out a blue sheet of plastic that slightly glowed in my hands, draping it over the guy completely. Searching the end of the blue sheet, I find a small button, and press it. The sheet started to sink into Mr. Jones' body, shrinking into the places where the man needed the most healing. When the blue sheet completely disappeared, Mr. Jones was lying on the bed as if he were asleep after a long day, with no traces of injury left on his body.

Wow, these things should really be publicly available.

I shake my head of the runaway thoughts and make my way out of the hospital ward. Another wish granted I guess, not that it took very long. Most cases had me pulling a puppy out of a box. I'm just glad it wasn't a complicated job like the sibling wishes. Those were just...ew.

A doctor entered the room, followed by a sobbing woman and a sad looking little girl. I check my file. Yup, this was little Mitzi. I watched her mother walk to her husband's bedside, before letting out a shriek. The doctors went crazy, checking his vitals, and muttering to themselves on the phenomenon that they had just witnessed. Mrs. Jones sobbed on top of her husband, who was just beginning to wake up. Mitzi tugged at her mother's shirt, and was picked up so that she could see her father.

My watch beeped twice, before I felt myself grow visible again. Oh well, it wasn't as if I needed to be invisible anyways, my job was done. I decided to leave the family to their happy little moment, and slipped out of the ward with a smile on my face. Another happy ending, curtesy of me. I would celebrate, but just because I was a Wishgiver didn't mean that I was paid well, so instant ramen it was tonight.

As I slowly walked down the hall of the hospital, I heard a pitter patter of little feet that was steadily growing louder. I turned around just as a small form slammed into my legs. Looking down with a raised eyebrow, I eyed the small form of Mitzi Jones.

"What can I do for ya, kid?"

Mitzi looked up at me with wide eyes.

"You healed daddy, didn't you?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Dunno what'cha talking about, kid. I was juuuust leaving." I told her, kneeling down so I was at her level, "But, between you and me, I think Mr. Star was happy to help. Keep wishing, kid."

I gave her a wink, and jogged away just as her mother ran up to her and started blubbering to the poor girl about talking to strangers. Soon the mother was joined by a completely mystified Mr. Jones, who stared at me with a weird look in his eye. I paid him no heed as I made my way out of the hospital, waiting for the call from HQ.

I was totally gonna get in trouble for the Mr. Star comment, but it was worth it to see the girl's little eyes light up like it was Christmas.

My watch beeped rapidly, and soon the screeching voice of my boss came through the speaker.

"Mr. Evans, please report to Headquarters immediately. You have breached the StarLight secrecy law."

Like I said before, totally worth it.