Be Careful What You Wish For

A story of exactly 366 words - commemorating the leap year in 2008.

The events leading to her death were curious, and it began with a wish. Sam was never athletic so there had been no surprises when she was playing volleyball at school and a ball hit her head, making her, yet again, the centre of ridicule. Laughter reverberated around the gym. Ashamed, she brushed her hair to cover her face.
“Wish I was good at volleyball,” she inwardly groaned. For the rest of the day, she was mocked by her classmates.
The next day, Sam had volleyball again. The ball flew in the air, aimed at Sam. A renewed strength came over her; she struck the ball perfectly and astounded everyone as she scored. She smiled as she realised her whim came true. A thunderous silence pervaded the tense atmosphere. Sam declared that she was better than everyone else was, angry with her classmates for treating her so badly. Rather than gaining respect, she lost it. Then the laughing started again.
She sobbed, “I wish everyone’d disappear!” She closed her eyes, tensed for a moment and opened them.
The gym was empty.
Sam realised that her wishes were coming true; after a few pensive moments, she declared, “I wish I could go back in time and change everything.” She closed her eyes; a moment later, she opened them.
She was in the middle of a battle. Never has she seen so much bloodshed before. Seeing a signpost, she ran up to it, tears streaming down her face. In bold letters, it said one word: Waterloo. Fear grew within her as she realised what had happened: she went back in time to the Battle of Waterloo.
It was clear that one of the armies was losing. Sam shouted, “I wish you’d stop fighting!” The losing army didn’t stop, didn’t understand. The winning army stared vacuously, kneeled down and surrendered. The French army quickly dispatched the English army. She had gone back to the past and changed everything.
She yielded and went with the French army; the French honoured her for helping with their battle. It was then when she was offered frog’s legs in a victory banquet that she replied, “I’m vegetarian – I’d rather die,” that she died.

-M(P)