Chapter 2: The Fateful Tea Flask

David followed the moonlit path. It was crooked and had the strangest variety trees around it. The whole forest was curiously still and silent. Not a single leaf rustled. The only voice that could be heard was the snapping of branches as he walked on it, and the rumbling of his huge tummy. 

That didn't stop David from being alert, though. He scratched his hairy chin, his eyes darting all over. He occasionally glanced back to make sure nothing was following him. The forest growing denser all the while.

He took another turn with the path, and saw that it led him to a clearing. Nothing was unusual about it. Except that....

There was a tea flask on the ground! Yes, a tea flask! Which probably had some tea in it! David had forgotten what tea used to taste like. But he hadn't forgotten that he liked it. It mattered little though. It was all his.

Any sane person would have thought twice before drinking from a rusty old flask.

No, scratch that.

Any sane person would have thought at least a hundred times before drinking from a rusty old flask.

But David, sadly, wasn't any sane person. Turns out, his brain cells had died because of starvation. Because he didn't even stop to think. Instead, he pounced on the old flask, uncorked it and was about to drink the tea.

Only, tea didn't come out.

Instead, a handful of sand did.

He spluttered and tried to take all the sand out of his mouth. The tea flask flew out of his hand on its own accord and stood straight a few feet away from him, shaking madly.

When David was done with his exaggerated coughs, he turned around and saw someone who was not there before.

A man.

Not a man, a....ghost? This guy was strange. He was wearing what appeared to be a butler's uniform. Bow and all. He had messy black hair. He also happened to be blue. Neon blue, to be precise. But the strange thing wasn't his blue skin or his butler like appearance in the middle of a jungle. No, it was the fact that he didn't have any feet. Like, a ghost. 

Not like the ghosts in horror movies. Rather, he looked like one of the ghost straight from a cartoon. 

David, decided to speak

"I- you-what....?"

But the butler ignored him. He started speaking in a tone that suggested that he had learnt his speech by heart, " I am Muffin. Your own portable Genie. And I will fulfill any three wishes of yours, Master.  I am a grade A Genie and am certified by the B.O.G for-"

"You are a what?" David asked, interrupting Muffin's monotonous speech.

"A Genie", the Genie said looking bored.

"Like in... fairy tales?" David asked

"Fairies don't have tails", Muffin answered blasely

David glared at the lean and lanky Genie. Sure, David was hungry and tired and sick, but if Muffin insulted him once more he would break the genie's nose. 

"What might be your first wish Master?",Muffin muttered

Ignoring him, David asked, "Don't Genies come from magical lamps? What were you doing in my tea flask?"

"Not all Genies come from lamps", Muffin said, looking irritated," the poorer ones have to take refuge in some other things. And this flask is mine, not yours.  Master.", Muffin growled.

"Talk to me with respect.", ordered David

"As you wish, Master.", Muffin said happily, Two wishes left now.

David sat down on the ground. "So I have, what, three wishes?" 

"Two" Muffin grinned.