46 The old city

"Allon, hm... when are we getting to our stop?" She asked awkwardly, her eyes looking away elsewhere.

This didn't go unnoticed by him. He chuckled and let go of her hand, "Maybe about an hour. You can go to sleep if you want, I know you didn't exactly sleep on the plane."

She nodded he was right she spent it all wide awake, didn't even take a nap. It was weird being mortal, even after having this body for so long she forgot she needed sleep till the very last second. Most of the times she had slept turned out being for exhaustion, which leads to remembering things of the past, "I'll take your word for it."

Getting comfortable on her seat she leaned against the window closing her eyes. How long would it really feel this trip? Would she enjoy it, would she really remember anything? Was Mia correct when she said it would help? Ugh so many questions spinning in her head, she just needed answers, she just wanted that. Would Keme ever come back?

Sleep making her eyes heavy, she drifted to the past

Her lamp laying untouched for years, and her sanity draining each quiet day. How long had it been? Low long had she been there? Telling the time was no easy task, but peeking outside she could tell the approximate time. One year... she'd spent one year in this house or maybe it had been a hundred. It would take her years to learn to tell the passage of time in a lamp.

Left to rot, her thoughts being her only company. She just wanted to leave... maybe see him one last time. She didn't care if he didn't love her, she just wanted to set her eyes on him one more time. Cowering in the abyss she peeked out for a second, people were there.

So what if they were? They weren't him... she didn't want to go out. But soon enough those people found the lamp, placing her in a bag. Continuing their search throughout the place, maybe they looked for money? Maybe they looked for treasure... but they found her. It wasn't until a smaller hand grabbed her from the bag, that she floated out.

Looking down at the small child that was now her master. Crossing her arms and sucking in a breath of fresh air, "I am the genie Tsuru... I shall grant you an infinite amount of wishes... so long as..." she cracked and fell to the floor crying. She was out of the lamp, and it wasn't Keir the one before her.

The small person before her who had been in fear reached out a hand to her, patting her back. The child couldn't have been older than three. Yet he was brave or maybe just foolish enough to try and ease the tears of a genie. Her water-filled eyes looking at the small boy, but she couldn't find it in her to smile over his act.

The sound of them attracting what she supposed to be his parents rushing into the room when hearing the animal. Worry in their eyes and pure fear when they landed on her. The boys father stepped forward standing in front of his child speaking, "It's a... it's a genie... a genie."

She leaned her body towards them but the world before her disappearing

Opening her eyes a few times she adjusted to the light. Hearing Allon's voice who had brought her back from the memories, speaking to her, "We're here... Tsuru we're here."

Looking ahead she could see what was left of the old city of Diriyah. A place that was now filled with tourism... what memories could unfold here if any? Opening her door she got down, looking at the city, she'd been there a handful of times throughout the years.

"Diriyah, brings back memories, huh?" She asked tilting her head towards Allon.

"A few..." he replied leaning against the car, "Do you remember any?"

She stared at the place a while, contemplating the question, "An old friend of mine... he lived here... or I think he did."

Allon had walked up behind her, bumping his shoulder against her, "Let's find out then."

Walking side by side they traveled through the place. Coming across many tourists along the way, seeing them take pictures. Smiling at the place they could have never hope to fully understand.

"Anything Tsuru?" Allon asked walking ahead of her and stopping in her way.

She went quiet taking one last look around the place, closing her eyes and drowning in the memories, "It was a kid... he lived here, he was just a kid. He got sick... no... he was poisoned."

Allon grew interested in the story, "By who?"

Tsuru held a hand up to her head trying to remember the culprit, "I can't recall it. Maybe if we walk around a while longer I can remember."

"Hopefully, you've peeked my interest." Leading ahead he kept looking back at her, "You know they've been reconstructing this place."

"It explains why it looks different... there." She pointed at an area and walked past him. Stopping at a doorway, "They used to come here. He was... he was poisoned by his mother... she wanted the lamp. She wanted the wishes, and she stopped at nothing to get them. It was all for nothing, my lamp was lost... she died in poverty."

Allon's eyes opened wide, "His own mother...? Are you sure?"

She looked at him from the side, "Do you think I did it then?"

"No, but... how do you know?"

Tsuru closed her fists up, "He died in my arms... he was only three... it was her only child." Her eyes reddened up, "He didn't know what was wrong..."Allon held his tongue, keeping quiet and watching her sulk in the place.

"You know Allon, I didn't even get to spend that long with him... barely a week maybe... but it was just a kid." She turned to look at him, "He didn't deserve it..."