AWAKENING SUKANI

So like any other 14 year old desperate to disappear, I sprinted like my life depended on it, my legs aching like crazy. I dashed past the fancy mansions and stupid water features, my feet pounding the perfectly manicured lawns of RED'S FIELD estate. I mean, who needs bushes in a place like this? It's all about the fancy cars and fake smiles. But there they were, a dense thicket of bushes, like a secret hiding spot in the middle of all this wealth and perfection.

As I ran, I tripped over my own feet (because, let's face it, I'm a total klutz) and tumbled to the ground. I rolled downhill, my world spinning out of control. Everything was a blur, happening too fast to process. I landed hard on my back, the wind knocked out of me. Blood trickled down my face, and I tasted the metallic tang of it. Great, just great. Because my day wasn't already messed up enough. I groaned, rubbing my throbbing head. Turns out I had a nasty collision with a rock or something. Great, just great. This day had already been a total disaster, and now I was injured too. I cautiously stood up, my eyes widening in shock at the sight before me. I couldn't believe I was still in RED'S FIELD estate - the bushes were so overgrown and wild that it felt like I had stumbled into a different world. The dense thicket surrounded me, with vines snaking around the trunks like nature's own prison bars. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decay.

I should have been freaked out, running back to Mommy like a typical kid. But no, not me. I'm Chester, the guy who's always getting into trouble. So, I took a deep breath and approached the ancient well in front of me. The well looked like it had been plucked straight from a medieval fairy tale - red bricks weathered to a mossy patina, with ivy crawling up its sides like a loyal servant. It seemed ridiculously out of place in this fancy-schmancy estate. Something was definitely off here...

As I drew closer to the well, its ancient vibes hit me like a ton of bricks. The thing was covered in dust and grime, like it had been sitting there for centuries. But, I was totally curious, so I crept closer, my eyes fixed on it like a magnet. That's when I spotted an inscription etched into its side, barely visible beneath the dirt and grime. My hand reached out without me even thinking about it, like my brain was all, "Hey, dude, check this out!" I tried to wipe away the dirt, but it was stubborn, like me when I don't get my way. I sweated bullets, my brow all furrowed, trying to dislodge the covering. But, nope, it wouldn't budge. So, I grabbed a small rock and used it to scrape away the dirt. Finally, the cover came loose with a small thud, like a secret revealed. My eyes, all gritty from the dust, scanned the inscription, my heart racing with anticipation.

I stared at the inscription, my mind blown. The letters were English, but the words were total gibberish. What kind of sorcery was this? My fingers traced the curves of the letters, mesmerized by the strange symbols. I began to read the words out loud, my voice barely above a whisper: "Raveix ouer sukani raveix ouer sukani." As soon as I spoke the final syllable, a blinding flash of light exploded from the well, forcing me to shield my eyes. I stumbled backward, my heart racing like a jackrabbit. Was I dreaming? Hallucinating? The light vanished as suddenly as it appeared, leaving me dazed and bewildered.

Just when I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, a voice boomed from nowhere, "Goodness, nice to be back! Who awoke me this time?" I spun around, trying to locate the source of the voice, but there was no one in sight. "Who? Who said that?" I cried out, my voice shaking like a leaf. I was scared to death, my legs trembling beneath me. The sudden surge of adrenaline made it hard to stand upright.

The voice called out again, "Hello? It's me! The well? Hello?" I crept towards the well, my eyes fixed on its surface, now filled with an unnaturally clear pool of water. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. The water seemed to glow with an otherworldly light, like it was alive. I approached the well cautiously, my heart still racing with fear and excitement. What was happening? And who was speaking to me from the well?

As I approached the water, my reflection stared back at me, its eyes gleaming with a mischievous spark. And then, it winked at me! Gah! My legs turned to jelly, and I collapsed to the ground, my mind reeling with shock. I mean, I'd heard of weird things happening, but this was on a whole other level! I passed out, my world going dark.

When I came to, I was still lying in the same spot, the well looming over me like a spectral presence. I groggily stood up, my heart racing with fear and confusion. I approached the well cautiously, my eyes fixed on my reflection, which was still chatting away like we were old buddies.

"What the hell are you?" I mouthed, my voice barely audible.

"Big blue eyes..." the well began, its voice like a gentle breeze on a summer day. "Small nose, a slightly red mouth opening, weirdly shaped head, brown hair, irregular but yet flabby and weak limbs. Uhh, I'm certain you're a man child!"

I stared at my reflection in disbelief, my mouth agape. "Man child?" I exclaimed, my voice laced with indignation. "Yes! You're a man, but the smaller version of it," the well replied, its tone matter-of-fact. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my mind reeling with the implications. Was I really talking to a magical well, or had I finally lost it?

"It? Don't call me that! And who the hell says man child? Are you from the past or something? Call me a boy...wait, a teenager, rather," I said, my voice shaking with indignation. I slowly composed myself, trying to process the surreal conversation. A stupid fly buzzed annoyingly in my face, adding to my frustration.

"So, what are you?" I asked, my eyes fixed on the well's reflective surface. The fly landed on my nose, and I swatted it away impatiently.

"I am ancient Sukani, the wishing well," the well replied, its voice low and mysterious. "I take the reflection of anything that looks into me. You have awoken me, so I grant you five wishes!" The well's surface rippled with an otherworldly energy, as if the words themselves were casting a spell.

I was dumbstruck, my mind reeling with disbelief. Five wishes? Was this real? The fly buzzed around my head again, and I swatted at it wildly, trying to focus on the well's words. "Five wishes?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. "What do you mean?"

" Everything you think and beyond. So this is one of the longest naps I've had, let's say 4-5000 years," the well said, its voice dripping with sarcasm. "So, come on, five wishes, hello? Let's get it over with. I'm not getting any younger here...or rather, I'm getting extremely old."

I stared at the well in disbelief, my eyes wide with skepticism. "Five wishes? I don't know how to believe you! Five wishes sounds weird. It's not like Aladdin and the genie, which has three wishes, right?" I swatted at the pesky fly again, which refused to leave my face alone. What was its problem, anyway?

The well chuckled, its surface rippling with amusement. "Yeah, yeah, believe it or not. Let's get your wishes over with. Sukani is lazy, and I gotta sleep again. And who the hell is Aladdin?" it asked, its tone dismissive.

I took a deep breath, trying to explain. "Aladdin is, well...oh, you freaking fly! I wish you'd turn to dust!" I exclaimed, my frustration getting the better of me.

To my surprise, the fly suddenly disintegrated into a tiny cloud of dust, which settled on the well's surface. "Granted!" the well said, its voice smug. "You have four wishes left. Get on with it, kid."