Read Online Genie and Engineer 1: The Engineer Wizard by Glenn Michaels - Free Book Online

do this?”
    Smiling generously, the wizard/genie replied, “But of
course. It will take a little time, but you can consider it done.” Then he
clapped and rubbed his hands together. “And now, Paul, I really must insist. I
want to do something for you. I have seen your life, your existence, and I have
seen the path that you walk. In two more miserable years, in your current mode
of reality, you will die of a massive heart attack. I’m sorry, but I simply
cannot let that happen to you, not after the great gift you have given me. You
like to help others. For once, let someone else help you. Let me return the
favor that you have done for me. Tell me how I can help you.”
    The twitch in Paul’s finger subsided, and the tension left his
body. Doug would now get the help he needed. For that, Paul felt profoundly
grateful.
    “Thank you for promising to help Doug. And I appreciate your
offer,” Paul heard himself say, “but I really can’t think of anything that
would fix my life. I’m afraid that it is a little too late for that.”
    The bearded man stared at him with a bitter smile. “Paul,
please! Don’t go back to your beastly existence. I’ve told you what will happen
to you. Don’t you value your life more than that?”
    Paul winced and looked down at his hands. “True, my life
isn’t all that great. However, I’m serious. It really is too late to do
anything meaningful about it. And to be honest, I really can’t think of
anything else that I want. Certainly nothing that would make me happy.”
    The bearded man frowned and leaned back in his chair.
    “I am sorry to hear you say that, Paul,” the wizard/genie
rumbled. “But I am a stubborn and patient man. There must be a way....” And
then he paused.
    And smiled. Then he chuckled in mirth. And then he openly
laughed.
    “Yes, of course!” the wizard/genie boomed. “Why did it take
me so long to see it? Tell me, Paul. You seem to be concerned about people. How
would you like to help a lot more than just your stepson, Douglas? A lot more
than just him. People that are starving, people that have lost loved ones, or people
that have fatal illnesses? Doesn’t your heart ache for them? Don’t you want to
help them as well?”
    His forehead wrinkling, Paul was puzzled by the other’s
questions.
    “What are you saying?” he asked the wizard/genie, his
eyebrows scrunched together in bafflement.
    The bearded man leaned forward. “How would you like to be a
wizard too?”
    Paul found himself speechless, his throat suddenly dry, and the
very idea of being his own wizard, of casting magical spells, to be a
mind-boggling concept. His whole body tingled intensely from head to toe just
thinking about it.
    “You could make me into a wizard?” Paul asked hesitantly,
and this time, his voice did squeak quite a bit.
    The wizard/genie nodded. “Think of all the people you could
help then, Paul. You could travel the world, seeking out the neediest of
people. You could cure the deadliest of sicknesses, end droughts, floods, and
famines, and bring true relief to the suffering.” He leaned back in his chair
and gave Paul a huge grin. “Of course, you’d have to give up the menial
existence that you have now, leave that terribly stressful job you have, the
one that is slowly killing you. That’s the unfortunate part of my offer, of
course. But necessary. For the good of many other people. You must think of them,
Paul. Don’t be selfish. Think of them.”
    Paul’s body physically froze in place; he was totally unable
to move a muscle. Instead, his mind was aflame, filled with ideas and images.
He could see himself bringing rain to the deserts, dropping manna from heaven
to whole populations of starving people, rescuing potential victims from floods
and earthquakes, diverting hurricanes away from populated islands, stopping
battles and wars before they happened, as well as a whole host of other
possibilities.
    Saving lives. Helping other people. Giving them a