I glanced at Aaron, recognizing that the moment to cross the finish line was finally here. He took my hand, offering a smile that conveyed more than any words could say, a silent communication of gratefulness and support. Despite this, fear lingered within me, doubts clouding my mind about the difficult decision. Then, another hand gently gripped my arm, the soft curls of her hair brushing against the sleeve of my shirt.

Makayla carefully placed Amanda's Teddy Bear beside her brother, an act of tenderness in a moment brimming with emotion. I looked at him once more, noticing sadness in his eyes—a feeling born from a premonition of what was to come, something he had glimpsed in his dreams before. Turning to Makayla, I noticed a shadow of sorrow in her, a shared sense of impending loss.

"Promise me, that you will look after Whiskers when I'm gone."

Makayla wrapped her hands around my arm, as tears soaked through the sleeve of my shirt. "This is my fault. I should never have listened to the old lady. I wish I'd never broken into your store."

I gently placed my finger under her chin, lifting her face, watching tears welling in her eyes. "You've been the greatest gift a man like me could ever receive. You have set me free."

While holding Makayla close, the Godmother materialized behind us. Turning to face her, I was greeted by the warm, charming smile that had always felt comforting. "I think you should take another look at your surroundings," the Godmother said.

Heeding her advice, I looked around the room, and to my surprise, I found pirate boy, lollipop girl, and cowgirl gathered around Aaron's bed. The sight filled me with a rush of joy and nostalgia.

"Guys! It's been a long time! I've missed you all!"

Makayla watched intently as I interacted with what, to her, seemed like nothing at all, her curiosity ignited by the unusual sight. "Samuel, who are you talking to?"

I looked intently at the Godmother, harboring a hope that she would fulfill this old man's one final request. "Please, it will never make sense to her unless you allow her to see."

"Very well, just this time," the Godmother said.

With a mere snap of the Godmother's fingers, Makayla's eyes widened in astonishment. A big smile spread across her face as she began to walk around, taking in the presence of all the children who had visited me back at my parents' house.

"Wow, you all are real!" she said, her voice brimming with excitement as she observed my friends smiling warmly at her.

"I know all of them, sister. They have been visiting me for a while now."

"You can see them too? And the Godmother?"

Aaron, pointed towards Makayla's direction, "She's behind you."

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Makayla spun around and gazed upward, her eyes widening in awe at the sight of the Godmother's majestic wings. With a warm smile, she reached out and took the Godmother's hand. "You've been visiting my brother too?"

"Me and my little helpers keep him company when you're not around."

For the first time in a long time, I felt joy. I am surrounded by the very entities that have infused my life with hope. Taking a deep breath, I began to walk slowly towards Aaron, with a newfound understanding that it was time to release the burdens of my past.

"Are you ready to make your dreams come true?"

He nodded, his eyes gleaming with a hopeful light of a future he thought was unreachable. At that moment, Makayla reached out to grasp my hand, pressing a piece of paper into it. "I know you will need this," she said, handing me a piece of paper. I took the paper and glanced at it closely.

"Thank you, Makayla, but I won't need to write the wishes anymore."

Her eyes lit up with curiosity at my response. "Then how are you going to grant the wish?"

"I don't have to; I am the wish."

As I closed my eyes, the lights in the room started to dim, creating an ambiance of calm and readiness for what was to come. Pirate boy, lollipop girl, and cowgirl took their places around the bed, their faces alight with smiles and cheer, evoking the same supportive spirit I had once dreamed of during my basketball days on the courts next to my parent's house.

A breeze swirled with force around me, as I extended my hand touching Aaron's arm.

As my hand touched Aaron's skin, a radiant light emerged from the point of contact, signaling to me that the moment had arrived to finalize what I had set out to do. This moment mirrored those from the past when I wrote wishes with the hope of making other people's lives better. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes, drawing upon the same feeling of sincerity and conviction that accompanied me during my childhood time when I made those wishes. With clarity, I uttered the words that would bring the wish to fruition, "This, I wish from my heart."

When those words left my lips, my mind was instantly flooded with vivid images. My mother appeared, her presence marked by a comforting smile as if to welcome a long-awaited reunion while I traded places with Aaron. Then, my father stepped forward, his hand resting on my shoulder in a gesture that radiated pride and affection, acknowledging the journey I had traversed.

The dazzling light that surrounded us dimmed, finding myself in Aaron's bed, the fulfillment of the wish achieved seamlessly, without any adverse effects. At that moment, another figure entered the room—Amanda, her eyes conveying a multitude of emotions far beyond what could be expressed with words. Gently, she leaned in and softly kissed my cheek, her presence emanating a warmth that spread through me.

"I've waited a long time, to see you again, my love."

I got up from bed at the touch of Amanda's hand, observing the transformation of my hands, now smaller, and my legs, which had reverted to those of a twelve-year-old boy. A smile unfurled across my face, unstoppable and bright, as decades of solitude melted away under the touch of the girl I had fallen in love with, a long time ago.

Lollipop girl, with her radiant smile, took my other hand, her presence bright and comforting. Soon after, Pirate Boy, full of unceasing energy, joined us, running in front of me. Behind me, Cowgirl wrapped her arms around me in a warm embrace, completing the circle of companionship. There we were, all those I had cared for deeply throughout my life, united and pausing together at the edge of life and death, a moment that symbolized more than just an end—it was a celebration of the journey and the bonds formed along the way.

"I bet you can't beat me on a one-on-one game." Pirate Boy said, and with a playful glint in his eye, he mimicked tossing a basketball into the air.

A smile quickly spread across my face as I eagerly accepted his challenge. "I got good legs now, you better take back what you just said, I won't be holding back."

"I'm looking forward to this game."

By the hand of the Godmother and surrounded by my friends, I smiled, walking across the finish line.

The End.