Stephanie's Wish

20260523

Written for Bradley Ramsey’s “Halls Of Pandemonium”, Day 23.

Stephanie had been making the same wish at every opportunity since she was three years old, and had now reached the lofty age of seven. Four whole years of wishing on her birthday candles (and surreptitiously on other people’s candles, just in case), shooting stars, or anything else she’d been told might grant her desire.
And last night, entirely unprompted, she’d had a dream which would do just that! Though she couldn’t clearly remember the figure, or what they’d told her, she vividly recalled The Machine. A mass of familiar objects fitted together Just So.
When her father came in to wake her, he found Stephanie had taken her largest poster off the wall and was scribbling plans for The Machine on its back. Jotting down all the pieces she needed and how to put them together, and where she thought she’d seen them around the house.
“Goodness.” Daddy said, unable to even begin deciphering the excited multicoloured mess. “Are we being an inventor today?”
“Uh-huh.” Stephanie confirmed without looking up from her important work.
He chuckled and told her “Well, when you’re done, I’ll make you breakfast.”
“Kay!”
Back to the kitchen, to inform Stephanie’s mother, who giggled and agreed with him that what else were lazy summer days for, when you’re seven? And yes, if Stephanie wasn’t ready for breakfast by the time he had to go to work, mummy could handle that today.
It was past eleven when mummy finally managed to convince Stephanie to take a break to eat. And again at one for lunch, though Stephanie was happier to take a break then, because she’d finished writing everything down and was ready for Phase Two.
Phase Two, to unenlightened adult eyes, looked like piling a bunch of household stuff in a heap in the garden and tying it together with twine. Mummy smiled and shook her head and decided now was as good a day as any to tackle fixing the fence. Since she was going to be in the garden anyway, to supervise.
So mother and daughter toiled away, grateful for the shade from the trees overshadowing their garden, and drinking plenty of squash just to be safe. Until the sun was low in the sky and mummy was ready to call it a day.
“Come on, Steph, we need to tidy up.”
“But!” Stephanie wailed, looking up in horror from her work. “I’m almost finished!!”
“Hm. Well, you have until dinner, ok? But then we need to put everything away. I don’t want to be stumbling around the garden in the dark trying to find everything you’ve been playing with!”
Knowing arguing wouldn’t get her anywhere, Stephanie agreed and redoubled her efforts. She was almost done, she just needed to finish lashing the frame to the workings and get it all plugged in… hopefully whatever mummy was cooking would take a while.
Fortunately for Stephanie (and, arguably, unfortunately for the rest of the world), today’s dinner was mummy’s favourite pasta salad, a dish which had many steps and that always swamped mummy with nostalgia. Had Stephanie (or anyone else, really) been present they would’ve been regaled of many childhood memories.
So she couldn’t be blamed for not keeping close watch out the window. And she reacted with applaudable speed when she heard strange zapping sounds from the lawn.
“Stephie??”
Stephanie was standing triumphant, illuminated by the blue crackling glow of the machine as it whirred up to speed.
“Stephanie Violet West, what are you doing???”
Her mother had barely gotten to the edge of the lawn when rumbles bubbled up, the ground quavering and grumbling in a manner both eager and confused. Confusion she shared.
“Mummy, come see!” Stephanie looked back, her little eyes shining with innocent delight. “It’s working! It’s working!!”
“What - what is it?” Mummy demanded, struggling to keep her footing. “Stephanie, what did you do???”
“I’m bringing back all the dinosaurs!” Stephanie whooped, as roars echoed across the city.

Prompt was “You saw it in a dream. A machine, built from readily available parts, but unlike anything you’ve ever encountered. When you woke up, you wrote down the plans and got to work…”