A Genie in a Jamby Oonah V. Joslin | |
| Table of Contents | |
|
|
|
Chapter 14: Hope in a Jam | |
Sustenance was brought but DJ would not have called it food. It contained no fireflies or glow worms, no flame foods, anthracite or coke, no sweet, hot nasturtium flowers or fiery peppers; none of the combustibles of youth. This was not food fit for Djinn; it was bland like most Earth foods, as if the energy had been sucked from it. It quelled the spirit.
Now, DJ pitied Kunzite and even Granite and Morganite. He looked at his companions one by one. How dull and sparkless they seemed, and small wonder. He was tempted to grant them a wish but that would never do; they would wish to be elsewhere and he could not do that.
All at once a thought struck him. What about jam? Jam, like potted sunshine, shining and fruity and full of combustible sugar; and he knew the exact whereabouts of a jar of apricot, the sunniest colour of all. If he had the power to go to it, might he not bring it here?
DJ secretly concentrated all his powers. He could not risk combustion but his thought reached out and stretched towards the world, and soon he felt a dimensional loop forming, like a fishing line, snagging, pulling the jam to him. And there it was, illuminating this dark place.
DJ had never noticed how truly bright a jam could be. The miners cringed back and then tentatively began to gather around.
‘What is that?’ asked Spinel in astonishment.
‘Jam,’ said DJ, spooning a little solar energy onto the lifeless cakes they’d been given. He ate one to show it was all right.
One by one the miners tried some jam and it warmed them more than anything they’d tasted in years.
Kunzite came forward last of all. He tasted the power of real sunshine hidden within the fruit for the first time in a long count of years. ‘Thank you, DJ,’ he said and he looked less weary.
‘No, no, thank you, Master Kunzite,’ said DJ and he bowed very low indeed.
Levity was hitherto unheard of in the mines but Carnelian Group was now as happy a bunch of prisoners as had ever graced a rock face. They were also earning a reputation for being more productive than any other mining team. Carnelian was at a loss to know why, but when asked, he naturally put it down to his good discipline and strong leadership.
Carnelian was persistent, though. He had to get to the bottom of any mystery, and DJ was his new project. ‘It can’t be a gem scam... How would you get the stuff out?’
‘I keep telling you, cousin...’ said DJ.
‘They lost the paperwork — I know. Well they don’t usually lose the paperwork, DJ. What’re you really doing here? How insubordinate can you get to end up in the mines?’
Always there was, luckily, someone too close to carry on with the conversation. But at every opportunity, Carnelian returned to the subject.
‘Is it about discrepancies, DJ? Go on, you can tell family, surely...’
DJ had heard that supervisors sometimes scooped a little sparkle or two from the top of a week’s dig. ‘What do you mean by discrepancies, cousin?’ he said, all innocence.
Then one day, ‘DJ, I know you’re not supposed to be here,’ said Carnelian in a low whisper. ‘I made a few discrete enquiries and I looked at all the records. There’s no mention of a Dia...’
‘Shhh,’ said DJ putting a finger to his mouth. ‘It’s top secret, right?’ He was wondering how the hell he was going to think up something top secret enough that the guards wouldn’t be in the know. ‘The genie thing is just a cover. Research, this is the real deal.’
‘So? Shine me in, Cousin.’
‘Can’t tell you now... The others are watching us. I’ll tell you tomorrow.’ It was true that others were eavesdropping and for now it was the best excuse he had.
The following day Carnelian took DJ aside and told the others they’d better get about their business sharp. ‘Otherwise, I’ll have the lot of you for insubordination!’ he boomed. It was rather an empty threat but they complied. ‘Now, DJ what’s this about and what’s going on with this lot?’ he asked.
‘I don’t know what you mean,’ said DJ. He hadn’t found his gift for Sakura yet. He needed more time.
‘I’m going to find out why you’re here DJ, if it’s the last thing...’
‘Okay,’ interrupted DJ, ‘I’m here on an inspection tour for the High Council, right? But it has nothing to do with perks.’
Carnelian sighed.
‘I’m looking at efficiency levels in the mines and how to improve the lot of long-term prisoners, like Kunzite there. But it’s all very hush.’
‘Well you seem to have improved efficiency all right. The gang seems brighter. How’re you doing it? Is it morale?’
‘One part morale,’ replied DJ, ‘and one part jam.’
‘Jam? What’s that?’
‘Sticky sunshine,’ said DJ, ‘my research as a genie. It’s an Earth food. It doesn’t inflame and it’s not disallowed by the Elders, but it warms the heart and its benefits are immediate.’ DJ produced the hidden jar and gave a spoonful to his cousin, who beamed approval.
‘That is good indeed, DJ. I can see you’ve not wasted your time in Earth space.’
DJ blushed, partly because he knew the compliment was sincerely meant and partly from shame at his deceit. Then an idea came to him. ‘But I do have an agenda of my own too.’
‘Aha!’
‘Would it be worth something to you to take the credit for the jam idea, Cousin?’
‘It could mean promotion... Judge Carnelian, perhaps. Say on, Cousin.’
‘A small living jewel,’ said DJ, ‘of no great size but of grade-one quality, mined by myself at no risk to you. A gift for an Earth friend, no more.’
Carnelian grinned till he glowed, ‘And would this Earth friend be female?’ He did not wait for an answer. ‘I’ll instruct Kunzite to see that you find whatever you’re looking for.’
DJ made to move away but Carnelian grabbed his arm. ‘You can ensure the continued supply of jam, yes?’
‘As soon as I return I’ll make out a contract with Jeanie’s Jams to provide the conserve weekly. It will incur some cost but the increase in production will more than pay for itself in mined gems, Cousin, and who can say what that increase might amount to? It could be very difficult to quantify at first and... variable too.’
‘I had no idea you were so very bright a diamond, DJ,’ Carnelian said.
‘Oh, I’ve always been imaginative,’ said DJ. ‘It used to get me into all sorts of trouble, remember?’
Carnelian laughed heartily, not a sound that was often heard in the mines.
* * *
So it was that the next day, Kunzite found for DJ the perfect stone of just such a type, shade and bloom as he wanted. It was generally thought amongst the miners that DJ would make a proficient artisan of the trade, and he spent all day mining it with tremendous precision and polishing it to perfection.
Carnelian brought a false release form as agreed, and they walked out of the gem mines into the overland of Djinn, where DJ took leave of his cousin and made the dimensional shift back to Earth.
Standing again before the mirror, DJ saw not just DJ, the genie, but someone who was determined, skilled and confident — a veteran of the mines. And when he drew himself up to his full height, DJ realized he’d grown, really grown in stature both inside and out.
He looked at the gift he’d wrought. It had taken fortitude and courage, and admittedly subterfuge and cunning, and he hoped that Sakura would treasure it and keep it close to her heart, just as he longed to treasure her.
Copyright © 2010 by Oonah V. Joslin
