barucai

[Story] The Cleaning Wish

Published: April 20th 2025, 8:49:15 pm

Hi HI✨

This is Friday's story, sorry for the delay, as always just cleaning up some details. I hope you like this one. I really tried to fix up the text on her tshirt but my model is just not good enough to make readable text yet. I tried to fix it with chatpgt but it changed the whole image. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story and the images, and tier 3&4 members, you can enjoy a ton of extra images for this story!

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The Cleaning Wish

(10.2K words)

"Carter!" His mother's voice echoed up the stairwell for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. "I need your help with these boxes!"

Carter Daniels groaned and rolled over in bed, burying his face deeper into his pillow. The twenty-three-year-old had moved back home after his sophomore year of college when funds ran dry, and days like today made him question if the free rent was worth it.

"Five more minutes," he mumbled into the fabric, though his mother couldn't possibly hear him from downstairs.

"NOW, Carter! I've been asking for three hours already!"

With a dramatic sigh worthy of a Shakespeare production, Carter dragged himself upright. He ran a hand through his disheveled brown hair and grabbed his phone. Eleven missed texts from the guys, but those would have to wait. When his mom decided it was cleaning day, there was no escape.

"Coming!" he shouted back, pulling on yesterday's jeans and a wrinkled t-shirt that passed the sniff test. Barely.

When he finally trudged downstairs, his mother, Diane, stood with her hands on her hips, surrounded by stacks of cardboard boxes. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, and a thin layer of dust covered her "World's Okayest Mom" t-shirt. At 5'4", she wasn't physically imposing, but she had a way of making Carter feel like he was still ten years old.

"About time," she said, though her tone wasn't as harsh as her words. "The attic is a disaster, and I want to donate most of this stuff before the weekend. Your grandfather's old things have been up there long enough."

Carter yawned and nodded, already dreading the work ahead. "What do you need me to do?"

"Start with these," she pointed to a stack of boxes labeled 'MISC'. "See what's worth keeping, what can be donated, and what's trash. Everything has been sitting up there collecting dust since Grandpa moved to Florida five years ago."

"Fine," Carter grumbled, lifting the top box with exaggerated effort. "But I can't stay all day. I've got things to do."

His mother rolled her eyes. "Just help me for a few hours, then you can go do whatever."

Three hours later, Carter was sweating and covered in dust. The 'keepers' pile was embarrassingly small compared to the mountain of trash he'd accumulated. Most of his grandfather's belongings were outdated appliances, obscure vinyl records, and magazines from the '70s that Carter definitely didn't linger over.

"Mom, I think we're done up here!" he called down, hoping she'd agree. The attic was stifling hot, and the dust was making his nose itch.

"You still have that corner to sort through!" she yelled back. "And don't forget the trunk!"

Carter glanced at the old wooden trunk in the corner with a groan. It looked ancient and was probably filled with more useless junk. Still, the sooner he finished, the sooner he could leave.

He dragged the trunk to the center of the attic and knelt beside it. The brass lock was already broken, hanging limply from its latch. When he lifted the lid, more dust billowed up, making him cough and wave his hand frantically in front of his face.

"This better be worth it," he muttered, peering inside.

The trunk contained what looked like old naval equipment – a sextant, some maps, a compass with a cracked face. His grandfather had never mentioned being in the navy, but then again, Carter had never asked.

As he dug deeper, his hand brushed against something cold and metallic. Curious, he wrapped his fingers around the object and pulled it up.

It was a lamp. Not some cheap plastic thing, but an honest-to-goodness oil lamp made of brass, like something out of an old movie. It was tarnished and dented, with strange symbols etched along its curving sides.

"Weird," Carter said, turning it over in his hands. It was heavier than it looked, and surprisingly warm to the touch. "Maybe worth something though."

He rubbed a thumb over a particularly dirty spot, trying to make out one of the symbols.

The lamp vibrated in his hands.

"What the—" Carter nearly dropped it as the vibration intensified. A thin wisp of purple smoke began to curl out from the spout, growing thicker by the second.

Carter scrambled backward, his back hitting the attic wall as the smoke gathered in the center of the room, swirling faster and faster until it formed a vaguely humanoid shape. Then, with a sound like a champagne cork popping, the smoke solidified.

Where the smoke had been now stood a petite woman, no taller than 5'2". She had caramel skin and dark hair pulled into a high ponytail, adorned with golden bands. Her wrists were encircled by thin gold chains that connected to similar bands around her ankles, though they didn't seem to restrict her movement. She wore what looked like a modernized version of harem pants and a cropped top that exposed her midriff. Despite her small stature, she carried herself with unmistakable confidence.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, stretching her arms above her head. "Do you have any idea how cramped it gets in there? It's like the worst economy seat on a cross-country flight, but for decades."

Carter stared at her, mouth agape, unable to form words.

The woman placed her hands on her slim hips and raised an eyebrow at him. "Hello? Earth to human? This is the part where you say something. Or at least close your mouth before you catch flies."

"Who... what... are you?" Carter finally managed, gripping the lamp tighter.

She rolled her eyes. "Three thousand years, and it's always the same questions. I'm a genie, genius. Name's Zara." She gestured to the lamp in his hands. "You rubbed, I appeared. That's how this works."

"A genie," Carter repeated flatly. "Like, three wishes genie?"

"No, like tax accountant genie," she replied sarcastically. "Yes, three wishes! Though I've gotta say, your wish game better be stronger than your cleaning game." She gestured around the dusty attic with a grimace.

Carter looked down at the lamp, then back at Zara. "So I can wish for anything? Money? Cars? Women?"

Zara waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, the usual boring stuff. There are some limitations – no killing, no raising the dead, no making someone fall in love with you, and no extra wishes. But other than that, knock yourself out."

Carter's mind raced with possibilities. This had to be some elaborate prank – but how would anyone have gotten into his mom's attic? And the lamp felt so real in his hands.

"Prove it," he said finally. "Prove you're a real genie."

Zara sighed dramatically. "Always with the proof. Fine." She snapped her fingers, and the dust that had been covering Carter vanished instantly. Another snap, and the messy piles of junk around the attic organized themselves into neat stacks. A third snap, and a cold beer appeared in Carter's free hand.

"Satisfied?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Carter took a swig of the beer – it was his favorite brand, ice cold. "Holy shit," he whispered. "You're actually real."

"Give the boy a prize," Zara deadpanned. "Now, can we get on with it? I've got three wishes to grant, and then I can go back to my lamp. It might be small, but at least I've redecorated the inside. Got a nice little reading nook and everything."

Still dazed, Carter took another sip of his beer, his mind spinning with possibilities. Three wishes. Anything he wanted.

"Carter! How's it coming up there?" His mother's voice pulled him back to reality.

"Uh, good! Just finishing up!" he called back, panic rising. How was he going to explain Zara?

"Don't worry about her," Zara said, as if reading his thoughts. "No one can see or hear me except the wish-maker. That's you, in case your brain is still buffering."

Relief washed over Carter. "So I have time to think about my wishes?"

"Not too much time," Zara cautioned. "The sooner you make them, the sooner I can get back to my lamp-sweet-lamp."

Carter nodded, trying to think clearly. What did he really want?

"Carter!" His mother called again. "I need help with these bags downstairs!"

Carter groaned, looking from the lamp to the staircase. "I wish I didn't have to do all this boring cleaning," he muttered.

Zara's eyes widened, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "As you wish," she said, her voice suddenly deeper, more resonant.

"Wait, that wasn't—" Carter started, but it was too late.

Zara's body began to change before his eyes. Her slim arms swelled, muscles pushing outward beneath her skin. Her shoulders broadened, her chest expanded, and her legs thickened with dense muscle. Even her height seemed to increase, the petite woman growing taller until she stood eye-to-eye with Carter.

"What's happening to you?" Carter gasped, backing away.

Zara flexed one arm, a softball-sized bicep bulging impressively. "Not just to me," she said, her voice still her own despite her transformed physique. "Your wish is granted, Carter. You'll never have to do boring cleaning again."

"But I didn't mean—"

A wave of energy pulsed from the lamp, passing through the walls of the house and beyond, rippling outward like a stone dropped in a pond.

"Too late," Zara said with a shrug that made her newly muscular shoulders bunch impressively. "What's done is done. And honestly, that was the lamest first wish I've heard in centuries. I had to spice it up a little."

"What did you do?" Carter demanded, clutching the lamp tightly.

Zara's smile was all innocence, but her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Why don't you go see for yourself?"

From downstairs, his mother called again, but her voice sounded... different somehow. Deeper, more commanding.

"Carter! Get down here NOW!"

Carter looked at Zara, who merely gestured toward the stairs with a muscular arm. "Better not keep her waiting," she advised.

With the lamp still clutched in his hands and his heart pounding in his chest, Carter headed for the stairs, dreading what he might find below.

---

Carter descended the stairs with trepidation, each creaking step seeming to announce his impending doom. The lamp felt unnaturally warm in his hands, and he could sense Zara following behind him, though he didn't dare look back.

"Mom?" he called out, his voice cracking slightly. "Where are you?"

"In the kitchen! And hurry up, these boxes won't move themselves!"

Carter froze at the bottom of the stairs. His mother's voice was unmistakable—the same inflections, the same impatient tone—but it was deeper, more resonant, as if she were speaking from the bottom of a well.

Taking a deep breath, he rounded the corner into the kitchen and stopped dead in his tracks.

His mother stood by the kitchen island, surrounded by neatly organized boxes. But this wasn't the mom he'd left upstairs. This version of Diane Daniels towered over the granite countertop, her head nearly brushing against the ceiling fixture that had always seemed so high before. Her formerly slim arms now bulged with strong muscle, stretching the sleeves of her "World's Okayest Mom" t-shirt to their limit. Where she had once been petite, she now possessed a physique that would put professional bodybuilders to shame, with broad shoulders and a chest that strained against fabric clearly not designed for her new proportions.

"What are you staring at?" Diane asked, raising an eyebrow as she effortlessly lifted a box that Carter had struggled with earlier. "I need these loaded into the truck for donation. The pick-up is in an hour."

Carter's mouth opened and closed several times before he could form words. "Mom, you're... you're..."

"Going to be late if you don't help me get these organized," she finished for him, misinterpreting his shock. "I know you hate cleaning day, but the sooner we finish, the sooner you can go back to whatever it is you do with your time." She smiled at him, the same warm smile she'd always had, just framed by a face that sat nearly two feet higher than before.

Carter turned to look at Zara, who had materialized beside him, leaning casually against the doorframe. The genie had definitely changed—her arms and shoulders now sported bigger muscles, and she'd grown several inches taller—but compared to his mother, she looked almost ordinary.

"What did you do?" he whispered urgently to Zara.

She shrugged, a smirk playing on her lips. "You wished you didn't have to do boring cleaning. Now you don't. In this world, women handle all the physical labor. They're built for it." She gestured around the kitchen, and for the first time, Carter noticed the subtle changes to his surroundings.

The countertops were higher than he remembered. The cabinets stretched farther up the walls. Even the chairs around the dining table seemed taller and sturdier, their legs thicker, their seats wider. The entire house had adapted to accommodate its main occupant—his newly supersized mother.

"This is insane," Carter hissed. "Change it back!"

"Carter? Who are you talking to?" Diane asked, looking concerned. She set down the box she was holding—a box that would have taken two of the old Carter to lift—and crossed the kitchen in two long strides. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and he was startled by both its weight and size, her fingers wrapping almost entirely around his upper arm. "Are you feeling okay, honey?"

"He's fine," Zara said, though only Carter could hear her. "Just realizing how convenient life is about to get for him."

"I'm fine, Mom," Carter managed, trying to ignore Zara. "Just... tired, I guess."

Diane's face softened. "I know, sweetie. You've been working so hard on your job applications. Why don't you take a break? I can finish up here."

"But there's so much to do..."

Diane laughed, a rich, booming sound that seemed to fill the entire kitchen. "Nothing I can't handle. That's what moms are for, right? Besides, you know you don't need to worry about working yourself to the bone like your friends do." She flexed an arm playfully, and a bicep the size of a softball pushed against her sleeve. "The benefits of having a mom who can provide for both of us."

Carter nodded numbly, unable to process what was happening. His mother had always been independent—raising him alone after his father left when he was a toddler—but in this new reality, it seemed her physical capabilities had expanded along with her muscles.

"Go rest," Diane insisted, giving him a gentle push toward the living room. "I'll call you when lunch is ready. I'm making your favorite—extra protein lasagna."

As his mother turned back to the boxes, Carter could only stare. The woman who had raised him, who had always been strong in spirit but average in build, now moved with the confidence of someone who could bench-press a small car. And the strangest part was that she seemed completely unaware of any change.

"She thinks it's always been this way," Zara confirmed, reading his thoughts again. "Everyone does. In this world, women developed differently. More muscle mass, greater height, increased strength. They do all the heavy lifting—literally and figuratively." She grinned. "Congrats on your wish. No more boring cleaning for you... or any man, for that matter."

Carter felt a chill run down his spine. "Any man? You mean..."

"It's not just your mom," Zara said, her grin widening. "Why don't you go for a walk? See the brave new world you've created."

Carter glanced back at his mother, who was now reorganizing the pantry, easily reaching shelves that had once required a stepladder. The sight of her muscular back and shoulders straining against her t-shirt as she lifted a 40-pound bag of dog food with one hand was both fascinating and deeply unsettling.

"I think I will take that walk," he murmured, backing toward the front door.

"Take your phone," Diane called without turning around. "And be back for lunch. I'm making enough for your appetite, not those tiny portions they serve at the café."

Carter nodded again, though she couldn't see him, and grabbed his jacket from the hook by the door—a hook that seemed to hang lower than he remembered. As he reached for the doorknob, he realized something else: his jacket felt looser on his shoulders, as if he had somehow shrunk overnight.

He turned to Zara, who was now examining her newly muscular arms with evident satisfaction. "Did you make me smaller too?"

"Not exactly," Zara replied, flexing her bicep admiringly. "Men are just... relatively smaller in this reality. Women got bigger, stronger, more dominant. Men stayed pretty much the same." She patted his cheek with a hand that felt surprisingly firm. "Don't worry, you're still the same Carter. Just living in a world where you'll never have to do boring chores again."

Carter opened the front door, his mind racing. "I don't like this. I want to change it back."

"Sorry, no refunds on wishes," Zara said cheerfully. "But you still have two more. Use them wisely." She tapped the lamp, which Carter had set down on the entry table without realizing it. "I'll be right here when you need me."

Taking one last look at his transformed mother—now humming to herself as she effortlessly rearranged furniture to vacuum beneath it—Carter stepped outside, the lamp clutched tightly in his hands once more.

The world beyond his front door, he suspected, would be just as transformed as the one he was leaving behind. And he had a sinking feeling that his wish for an end to boring cleaning had done far more than just give his mother some extra muscle.

---

Carter stepped outside, squinting against the mid-morning sun. On the surface, his neighborhood looked much the same—neat suburban houses, manicured lawns, the occasional car passing by. But as he walked down the driveway, subtle differences began to emerge.

Next door, Mrs. Patel, his seventy-year-old neighbor, was effortlessly hoisting a large bag of mulch from the back of her pickup truck. Her thin frame now supported surprisingly well-defined muscles, and she stood several inches taller than she had just yesterday.

"Good morning, Carter!" she called, waving with her free hand while the other balanced the fifty-pound bag on her shoulder as if it were filled with cotton candy. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Uh, yeah," Carter replied, trying not to stare at her biceps, which were visible beneath the short sleeves of her gardening shirt. "Need any help with that?"

Mrs. Patel laughed, the sound unexpectedly robust coming from the elderly woman. "Oh, you're such a sweet boy. Always offering to help when we both know I can handle this myself." She set the bag down with ease and patted his head—she actually had to reach down to do so. "Your mother raised you well. Speaking of Diana, tell her the neighborhood committee meeting is still on for Thursday. We're voting on the new recreation center designs."

Carter nodded automatically, still processing the casual way Mrs. Patel had towered over him. "I'll let her know," he managed.

As Mrs. Patel returned to her gardening, Carter continued his walk, the brass lamp tucked awkwardly under his arm. He wasn't entirely sure where he was going, but he needed to see more of this altered world.

Two blocks down, he spotted the local convenience store, Preston's Market. It was a family-owned place where he'd been buying candy and sodas since he was a kid. Perfect for observation.

The electronic bell chimed as he pushed open the door. Inside, the layout was familiar, but the proportions were all wrong. The shelves seemed higher, the aisles wider, and the counter taller than he remembered.

Behind the register stood Jenny Preston, the owner's daughter who had taken over the store a few years back. She had always been athletic—captain of the high school volleyball team in her day—but now she was statuesque, her head nearly brushing the ceiling of the store. Her formerly lean arms now rippled with muscle as she effortlessly lifted a box of inventory onto a high shelf.

"Carter!" she greeted him with a smile. "Haven't seen you in a while. How's your job search going?"

Carter was momentarily stunned by her transformation but managed to respond. "It's, uh, going. Nothing yet." How did she know he was looking for a job?

"You'll find something," Jenny assured him, though her tone held a trace of doubt. "Not everyone's cut out for the physical work sector, but there are plenty of administrative positions opening up. Your mom mentioned you're good with computers?"

"Yeah, I guess," Carter replied, still distracted by the changes around him.

A television mounted in the corner of the store caught his attention. It was tuned to a news channel where a muscular woman in a tailored suit was delivering the headlines. "President Mitchell announced today that she will be sending additional troops to assist with the earthquake recovery in Mexico," the anchor reported. "General Rodriguez, recently appointed as the first female head of FEMA, will be overseeing the operation."

The screen split to show footage of what appeared to be military personnel—all women, Carter realized with a jolt—loading heavy equipment onto transport planes with ease.

"Anything I can help you find?" Jenny asked, pulling Carter back to reality.

"Just browsing," he replied quickly, moving toward the drink coolers to avoid further conversation.

As he pretended to consider his beverage options, he observed the other customers. A delivery woman entered, carrying what looked like several cases of bottled water stacked in her arms. She exchanged pleasantries with Jenny before setting them down with barely a hint of exertion.

Two teenage girls came in next, both already showing the muscular development that seemed standard in this world. They towered over Carter as they passed, giving him polite but dismissive nods.

"Did you see what Brian posted last night?" one whispered to the other, just loudly enough for Carter to hear.

"So cringe," her friend replied with a giggle. "Like anyone's impressed by a guy who can cook dinner. That's the bare minimum."

They moved on, leaving Carter to process this new social dynamic. He grabbed a soda—placed on a shelf that was now almost at his eye level—and headed to the counter.

As Jenny rang him up, he noticed a newspaper on the counter. The headline read: "Construction of New Dam Complete Three Months Ahead of Schedule." The accompanying photo showed a group of muscular women in hard hats, posing proudly in front of the massive structure.

"That's my cousin," Jenny said, noticing his interest. She tapped a figure in the center of the photo. "Chief engineer. Mom's side of the family has always produced the strongest women in town." She flexed an arm playfully, and Carter tried not to gape at the baseball-sized bicep that popped up. "Though I didn't do too badly myself."

Carter paid for his drink and was about to leave when the television caught his attention again. It was showing highlights from what appeared to be a sporting event—women lifting enormous weights, flipping massive tires, and pulling trucks with their bare hands.

"Last night's Strong Woman competition was intense," Jenny commented, following his gaze. "Can't believe Sanchez pulled that semi for fifty yards. My money was on Williams."

Carter nodded as if he knew what she was talking about, then hurried out the door, the bell chiming behind him.

Outside, he took a moment to catch his breath. The world had changed in ways he was only beginning to understand. It wasn't just physical appearances—it was economic roles, social dynamics, even casual interactions. Men seemed to be second-class citizens, relegated to supporting roles while women literally carried the weight of society on their well-muscled shoulders.

As he walked back toward his house, he passed the neighborhood park where a group of women were engaged in what looked like a casual workout session. They were using playground equipment as improvised exercise stations, doing pull-ups on the monkey bars and squats with benches held overhead. Their laughter and casual conversation contrasted sharply with the tremendous displays of strength.

A few men were present too, some watching from the sidelines, others engaged in less strenuous activities with children. One was setting up what appeared to be a picnic, carefully arranging plates while occasionally glancing over at the women with a mixture of admiration and something like resignation.

Carter quickened his pace, a knot forming in his stomach. This world wasn't right. It wasn't natural. His hand tightened around the lamp under his arm. He needed to fix this, to set things back to the way they were supposed to be.

As he approached his house, he saw his mother in the front yard, effortlessly loading boxes into the bed of a pickup truck he didn't recognize. Her muscles bunched and flexed with each movement, and he couldn't help but notice how the neighbors—both men and women—seemed to defer to her naturally, offering greetings that bordered on reverence.

"There you are!" Diane called, waving him over. "Perfect timing. Lunch is almost ready, and I'm just finishing up with these donations." She lifted a massive box—what looked like an old cabinet set—and placed it in the truck bed with one smooth motion. "Did you have a nice walk?"

Carter nodded mutely, watching as his mother dusted off hands that could probably crush river stones now.

"Everything okay, honey? You look a little pale." She approached him, and he had to tilt his head back to meet her concerned gaze. He could feel the heat radiating from her body, smell the subtle scent of exertion that somehow wasn't unpleasant. This close, the scale of her transformation was even more apparent—her forearms were thicker than his biceps, her shoulders broader than any doorway in their house should reasonably allow.

"I'm fine," he lied. "Just... thinking."

Diane smiled, the same loving expression she'd always had, just framed by a face that now sat atop a physique that would make professional wrestlers nervous. "Well, don't think too hard. I made that protein-packed lasagna you love. Should be ready in about ten minutes."

She turned and headed back to the house, her stride covering ground that would have taken Carter two steps to cross.

Carter clutched the lamp tighter and followed, his mind made up. This world was all wrong, and he had exactly two wishes left to make it right. Whatever it took, he was going to fix what Zara had done.

As he stepped through the front door, he could already smell the lasagna—his favorite, just as his mother had promised. But the familiar comfort did nothing to ease the feeling of being a stranger in his own home, a home now built for giants.

"Zara," he whispered urgently, "we need to talk. Now."

---

Carter stormed up the stairs, the brass lamp clutched so tightly in his hands that his knuckles had turned white. Each step felt like an indictment of this twisted world—the risers were slightly taller than he remembered, designed for the longer legs of women who now dominated society.

"Zara!" he hissed as he reached the top landing. "Get out here!"

Purple smoke coiled lazily from the spout of the lamp, and Zara materialized beside him, leaning casually against the wall. Her transformation was still evident—big muscles shaping her arms and shoulders, her height increased enough that she now stood eye-to-eye with Carter—but compared to what he'd seen outside, she was almost conservative in her build.

"Enjoying your brave new world?" she asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

"This is insane," Carter snapped. "You've completely messed up reality. I need to fix this, now."

Zara crossed her arms, muscles flexing subtly beneath her caramel skin. "You made a wish, I granted it. That's how this works. Don't blame me if you didn't think it through."

"Well, I'm thinking it through now," Carter said, raising the lamp. "I wish everything would go back to the way it was before my first wish."

"Are you sure?" Zara asked, her tone suddenly serious. "You don't want to take a little time to consider your second wish? Maybe check out some more of the... benefits of this new arrangement?" She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"No! I want things back to normal!"

Zara sighed. "Fine. It's your wish. But before you commit, maybe you should look in that box over there." She pointed to one of the cardboard boxes his mother had asked him to sort through earlier.

Carter frowned but followed her gesture. The box was labeled "PHOTOS" in his mother's neat handwriting. Cautiously, he set the lamp down and knelt beside the box, flipping open the lid.

Inside were dozens of photo albums and loose pictures, many of which he recognized from his childhood. He picked up the album on top, a blue leather-bound book that he knew contained photos from his high school graduation.

The first page made him freeze. There he was, in his graduation gown, standing beside his mother... who towered over him, her muscular arm wrapped around his shoulders in a protective gesture. The top of his head barely reached her chest, and the pride in her eyes was unmistakable as she beamed down at him.

"That can't be right," he muttered, flipping through more pages. Every photo told the same story—a world where his mother had always been a towering amazon, where Carter had always been the smaller, protected son.

He pulled out more albums, more loose photos, searching desperately for evidence of the world he remembered. But every image had been altered—family vacation photos showing his mother easily carrying both him and their luggage, Christmas pictures where she needed no stepladder to place the star atop the tree, even baby pictures where she cradled him in one muscular arm while her other hand effortlessly lifted a piece of furniture to vacuum beneath it.

One photo in particular caught his eye—a snapshot from about two years ago, when they'd gone hiking in the mountains. His mother stood beside him, her arm draped over his shoulders. The difference in their builds was striking; his head barely reached the middle of her chest, and her forearm looked thicker than his thigh. She was wearing a tank top that revealed arms rippling with muscle, shoulders broad enough to carry the weight of the world, and a confident smile that seemed to say she could handle anything life threw at her.

Carter stared at the photo, transfixed. There was something almost... reassuring about it. His mother had always protected him, always been his rock. In this reality, her physical form simply matched the strength of character she'd always possessed.

He traced a finger over the image, noting the defined muscles of her arms, the way her tank top strained against her broad shoulders and chest. For a moment, he felt a pang of... was it envy? In this world, his mother was literally strong enough to move mountains, while he remained... ordinary.

An idea began to form in his mind. What if the problem wasn't that women were too strong, but that men weren't strong enough to match them?

He glanced up at Zara, who was watching him with curious eyes. "What if..." he began, then hesitated.

"Yes?" she prompted, a knowing smile spreading across her face.

"What if instead of going back to the old world, I made this one more... balanced?"

Zara raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

Carter stood, the photo still in his hand. "In this world, women are super strong and muscular, right? What if men were too? What if everyone was like that?"

"Hmm, interesting thought," Zara said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "So instead of undoing your first wish, you want to add to it? Make men as strong as women?"

"Yes!" Carter said, warming to the idea. "That way, everything would be fair. Equal. Men wouldn't be second-class citizens anymore."

"And you'd get to be big and strong too," Zara added with a knowing smirk.

Carter flushed slightly but didn't deny it. "Well, yeah. That would be a bonus."

Zara pushed off from the wall and approached him, her movement fluid despite her newly muscular frame. "So what exactly are you wishing for?"

Carter took a deep breath, the photo of his amazonian mother still clutched in his hand. He stared at it one more time, taking in the sheer power evident in her physique, then made his decision.

"I wish for me and all guys to be big and muscular too. For everyone to grow," he declared.

Zara's eyes lit up with mischief. "As you wish," she said, and snapped her fingers.

The transformation was instantaneous. Carter felt a rush of heat flood his body, starting in his core and radiating outward to his limbs. His clothes suddenly felt tight across his chest and shoulders, the fabric straining as his body expanded beneath it. His arms filled the sleeves of his t-shirt, the material stretching across biceps that swelled like balloons being inflated. He felt his neck thicken, his shoulders broaden, his back widen.

Even his height seemed to increase—he could feel his perspective shifting as he gained several inches, the ceiling seeming just a bit closer than before. His legs thickened with dense muscle, his calves and thighs pressing against his jeans until the seams threatened to give way.

The sensation was incredible—a rush of power unlike anything he'd ever experienced. He felt strong, invincible, like he could tear a phone book in half or lift a car over his head.

When the transformation finally stopped, Carter stood in the middle of the attic, his clothes now tight enough to reveal every newfound contour of his muscular body. He looked down at his arms, which had grown from slim twigs to impressive pillars of strength. Experimentally, he flexed his right bicep and watched in amazement as a peak the size of a baseball rose beneath his skin.

"Holy shit," he breathed, running his left hand over the hard contour of the muscle. It felt rock-solid, the product of years of dedicated weightlifting compressed into seconds. "This is amazing!"

He looked around for Zara, but the genie had vanished. Only the lamp remained, sitting on the floor where he'd left it. Carter picked it up, surprised by how light it felt in his new, stronger hands.

"Zara?" he called, but received no answer.

Eager to see the full extent of his transformation, Carter hurried toward the bathroom at the end of the hall. He could feel his new muscles working with every step, the sheer power humming beneath his skin. His movements felt different—more powerful, more purposeful. The floorboards creaked beneath his increased weight, and he had to duck slightly to pass through the doorway.

The bathroom mirror revealed a stranger. Where once had stood a slim, unremarkable young man now towered a specimen of physical perfection. His shoulders were broad and capped with dense muscle, his chest thick and sculpted, his arms hanging at his sides like sides of beef. The neck of his t-shirt had torn slightly, revealing the thick columns of his trapezius muscles rising toward his neck.

Carter turned sideways, admiring his new profile. His chest protruded proudly, and his back arched with layers of muscle. Even his face had changed, his jaw more defined, his neck thicker.

"Not bad," he murmured, raising his arm again to flex. His bicep bunched impressively, the peak rising higher as he tensed harder. "Not bad at all."

He struck a few more poses, marveling at the transformation. This must be how bodybuilders felt all the time—powerful, confident, like they could conquer the world. No wonder his mother had seemed so self-assured in this reality; with a body like this, how could you not be?

Speaking of his mother...

Carter grinned at his reflection. He couldn't wait to show her that her "little boy" wasn't so little anymore. In this new reality, they'd be equals. No more looking up at her, no more feeling diminutive in his own home. They could even work out together, spotting each other on bench presses, competing in friendly arm-wrestling matches. The possibilities were endless.

As he admired his new physique, flexing his arm again to watch the impressive bicep swell, he caught movement in the mirror behind him. His mother had appeared in the doorway, watching him with an amused expression.

But something was wrong. Very wrong.

Carter had expected to see his mother at eye level—they should have been roughly the same height now. Instead, he had to tilt his head back to meet her gaze. Way back.

Diane Daniels filled the doorframe completely, her broad shoulders nearly touching both sides, her head brushing against the top. Where before she had been impressively muscular, she now appeared to be constructed entirely of muscle, her physique so developed it bordered on the surreal. Her t-shirt, which had previously been strained, now looked painted on, every fiber stretched to its limit over mountains of hard-earned mass.

"Admiring the view?" she asked, her voice deeper and more resonant than ever. "You had another growth spurt, huh? I remember those. They usually happen earlier than twenty-three, but hey, better late than never, right?"

Carter could only stare, his newfound confidence evaporating like morning dew. Despite his own impressive transformation, his mother still dwarfed him completely. The top of his head, which he had expected to be level with hers, barely reached her shoulder.

"Flex that arm again," Diane said, stepping into the bathroom. The space, which had already seemed smaller to Carter after his transformation, now felt positively cramped with his mother's massive frame inside it. "Let me see what you're working with."

Numbly, Carter raised his arm and flexed, watching as his bicep—which had seemed so impressive just moments ago—bunched into a solid ball of muscle the size of an orange.

"Not bad!" Diane said encouragingly. "You've definitely filled out. Must be all that protein I've been feeding you."

Then, casually, she raised her own arm beside his. "But you've got a ways to go before you catch up to your old mom."

Carter watched in the mirror as his mother's arm rose into position next to his own. Her bicep began to swell, growing larger and larger as she tensed the muscle. What started as a softball-sized mass quickly expanded until it resembled a grapefruit, then a cantaloupe. Her bicep peak rose like a mountain beside his modest hill, the striations and veins clearly visible beneath her skin. The sheer size of it was breathtaking—her flexed upper arm looked to be nearly as thick as his waist.

"Twenty-three inches cold, twenty-five and a half when pumped," Diane said proudly, turning her arm to better display the massive horseshoe of her triceps. "Been working on these bad boys since you were in diapers."

Carter lowered his arm, feeling suddenly very small despite his newfound mass. Even with his transformation, he was still just a boy compared to his mother.

"Something wrong, honey?" Diane asked, noticing his crestfallen expression. "You know, for your age, you're developing really well. Most guys don't put on serious mass until their mid-twenties anyway."

"I'm fine," Carter managed, trying to hide his disappointment. "Just... surprised."

Diane smiled and ruffled his hair—she had to reach down to do so, a gesture that emphasized their size difference even more. "You'll get there. Though you know what they say—boys never quite catch up to their moms. It's just genetics." She flexed her arm again, this time in a front double biceps pose that showcased the incredible development of her entire upper body. "Your grandmother was even bigger than me by the time she hit forty. Remember how she used to carry both of us around the house on her shoulders?"

Carter nodded automatically, though he had no such memory from his original reality.

"Anyway, lunch is ready," Diane continued. "I made extra since you're obviously building some muscle there. Growing boys need their protein!" She turned sideways to exit the bathroom, her massive frame requiring the maneuver to pass through the doorway comfortably.

As her footsteps receded down the hall, Carter sank onto the closed toilet lid, his head in his hands. This wasn't what he'd wanted at all. He'd grown, yes, but so had everyone else—and the women had grown even more than the men. Instead of equalizing things, he'd just raised the bar for everyone.

"Disappointed?"

Carter looked up to find Zara leaning against the sink. But like his mother, the genie had undergone a second transformation. Where before she had been athletic and vascular, she now sported a physique that could only be described as heroic. Her shoulders were capped with muscle, her arms thick and vascular, her chest and back developed to a degree that would make professional bodybuilders envious. She stood taller too, her head nearly brushing the ceiling of the bathroom.

"What did you do?" Carter demanded, standing up to face her. Even with his new height and build, he still had to look up to meet her eyes. "This isn't what I wished for!"

"Isn't it?" Zara asked, crossing her arms over her impressive chest. The movement caused her biceps to bunch involuntarily, showcasing their size. "You wished for you and all guys to be big and muscular. You are now big and muscular. You also said, and I quote, 'for everyone to grow.' Everyone grew."

"But women grew more than men!" Carter protested.

Zara shrugged, the motion setting off a chain reaction of muscle movement across her upper body. "You didn't specify proportions. In this reality, women have always been bigger and stronger than men—that's the foundation we're working with after your first wish. Your second wish just raised the bar for everyone."

Carter groaned, leaning back against the wall. "This is a disaster. I'm still the smallest person in my house!"

"Not the smallest," Zara corrected him. "Just not the biggest. There's a difference." She flexed her arm, producing a bicep that, while not as monstrous as his mother's, still dwarfed his own. "Besides, you're pretty impressive by this world's standards. Most men would kill to have your build."

Carter glanced at himself in the mirror again. It was true—he was massively muscular by any normal standard. His shoulders were broad, his chest thick, his arms and legs powerful. In his original reality, he would have been considered a bodybuilder, maybe even a competitive one. But in this world, he was just... average. Maybe slightly above average for a man, but still nowhere near the level of physical development displayed by women like his mother.

"I don't understand," he said finally. "How can women be so much bigger? It doesn't make any sense biologically."

"Magic doesn't care about biology," Zara replied with another shrug. "You wished for a world where you wouldn't have to do boring cleaning, and I created one where women evolved to handle all physical labor. Enhanced muscle development, greater bone density, increased height—they're built for it. Your second wish just amplified what was already there."

Carter ran a hand through his hair, trying to process it all. "So men are... what? The weaker sex? Forever?"

"In this reality? Pretty much." Zara pushed off from the sink and approached him. Despite his transformation, she still had to look down to meet his eyes. "But hey, look on the bright side. You're still bigger and stronger than you were in your original reality. You're just not as big and strong as the women in this one. And you never have to do boring cleaning."

Carter sighed, looking at his reflection one more time. His new body was impressive—powerful, muscular, the kind of physique he'd always envied in others. But compared to his mother, compared to Zara, compared to every woman he'd seen today... he was still small.

"One wish left," Zara reminded him, tapping the lamp that now sat on the bathroom counter. "Use it wisely."

From downstairs, his mother's voice called up. "Carter! Lunch is getting cold! And I made those protein muffins you like!"

Carter looked at Zara, then at the lamp, then at his reflection. One wish left. One chance to fix this mess—or make it worse.

"Coming, Mom!" he called back, then turned to Zara. "I need to think about this. Carefully."

Zara nodded, a smile playing on her lips. "Take your time. I'll be right here." She patted the lamp. "But don't take too long. Your mom's waiting, and from what I've seen, she's not the kind of woman you want to keep waiting."

Carter nodded grimly, stealing one last glance at his reflection. His new muscles bulged impressively beneath his shirt, a testament to the power of a genie's wish. But as he turned to head downstairs, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just dug himself into an even deeper hole.

And with only one wish left, he wasn't sure he could get himself out.

---

Carter made his way downstairs, each step highlighting the strange new reality he'd created. His newly muscular legs carried him with power he'd never experienced before, yet he couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy that had settled over him in the bathroom.

The kitchen seemed even more altered now. The countertops that had seemed too high after the first wish now appeared almost normal to his enhanced height, but other elements had grown to accommodate his mother's increased size. The refrigerator was massive, the chairs sturdy enough to support hundreds of pounds, the doorways wider and taller.

Diane stood at the stove, her back to him as she plated their lunch. Her shoulders spanned nearly the width of the cooking area, her arms moving with casual strength as she lifted the heavy cast iron pan with one hand. When she turned, Carter couldn't help but stare. His mother's physique was beyond impressive—it was almost otherworldly. The modest "World's Okayest Mom" t-shirt she wore stretched across her torso like paint, revealing every striation and curve of her hyper-developed muscles.

"There you are," she said, her voice warm despite its deepened timbre. "I was starting to think you got lost up there." She set a plate piled high with lasagna on the table, alongside what looked like protein shakes in glasses large enough to serve as vases.

"Sorry," Carter mumbled, sliding into a chair that now seemed perfectly sized for his new frame. "I was... distracted."

"Admiring the gains, huh?" Diane winked as she sat across from him, the reinforced chair creaking slightly under her mass. "I remember when I first started developing serious muscle. Couldn't stop looking in the mirror either."

Carter picked up his fork, trying to act normal despite the surreal situation. The lasagna was delicious—richer and more protein-packed than he remembered, with extra layers of meat and cheese. His mother had clearly been cooking to feed enhanced metabolisms for some time.

"So," Diane began, taking a sip of her protein shake, "Mrs. Patel mentioned you were asking about the neighborhood committee meeting. Thinking of volunteering?"

Carter nearly choked on his lasagna. "Uh, no, not really. Just making conversation."

Diane nodded, seemingly unsurprised. "Well, if you change your mind, they're always looking for administrative support. Your organizational skills would be valuable."

"Administrative support," Carter repeated flatly. Even with his enhanced physique, he was still being relegated to desk duty.

"Of course," Diane continued, oblivious to his tone. "Most of the heavy lifting and physical work is handled by the women on the committee, but there's plenty of important planning and detail work that needs attention." She reached across the table and patted his hand—her palm nearly engulfing his despite his own growth. "That's where guys like you shine."

Carter stared at their hands, the contrast still striking despite his transformation. His mother's forearm was corded with thick veins running over dense muscle, her wrist wider than his, her fingers thicker and stronger. His own arm, while impressively developed compared to his original self, looked almost delicate in comparison.

"Right," he said, withdrawing his hand. "Administrative support."

"You'll find your niche, honey," Diane assured him, misinterpreting his disappointment. "Your father was an excellent event coordinator before he left. He had a real knack for details that most of the women on the committee missed."

Carter froze mid-bite. "My father? You never talk about him."

Diane's expression softened. "It's still hard sometimes. He was a good man—one of the strongest men I'd ever met, both physically and emotionally. You remind me of him sometimes, especially now that you're putting on some mass." She flexed an arm absently, the movement causing her bicep to swell to the size of a cantaloupe. "Though he never quite managed to keep up with me in the gym, bless his heart. Few men can match a determined woman when it comes to building strength."

The casual dismissal of male potential stung, even though Carter knew this reality wasn't "real"—it was a distorted version created by his poorly thought-out wishes. Still, seeing his mother's massive frame across the table, hearing her talk about his father as if he'd been some kind of second-class citizen... it was too much.

"I need some air," he said suddenly, standing up. "Thanks for lunch, Mom."

Diane looked surprised. "But you've barely touched your food. You need those calories if you want to maintain that new muscle."

"I'll eat later," Carter promised, already heading for the door. "I just need to clear my head."

Before his mother could protest further, he was out the door, gulping in fresh air as if he'd been drowning. The afternoon sun beat down on the neighborhood, highlighting the altered world his wishes had created. Across the street, he saw two women effortlessly unloading what looked like a heavy sofa from a moving truck, their massive arms and shoulders rippling with each movement. A man—muscular by original-world standards but clearly smaller than the women—directed them where to place it, clipboard in hand.

The scene repeated itself everywhere he looked. Women handled physical tasks with ease—mowing lawns, trimming trees, loading and unloading vehicles—while men occupied support roles, checking items off lists, making phone calls, arranging schedules. Even with his second wish granted, the fundamental imbalance remained.

As Carter walked, his enhanced legs carrying him effortlessly, he felt the brass lamp weighing down his pocket. One wish left. One chance to fix this mess he'd created.

A muscular woman jogged past him, her powerful legs eating up the pavement, her arms pumping like pistons. She nodded politely at Carter as she passed, but he couldn't help noticing the assessing look she gave him—noting his physique with a kind of detached appreciation, the way one might admire a well-maintained classic car.

When he reached the park, Carter found a secluded bench and sat down, pulling the lamp from his pocket. He ran his fingers over its intricate engravings, feeling the warmth that seemed to emanate from within.

"Zara," he called softly. "I need to talk."

The lamp trembled in his hands, and purple smoke swirled out to form the now-imposing figure of the genie. Zara towered over him even as he sat on the bench, her muscular frame casting a shadow across his face. Today she wore what looked like modern athletic wear—compression shorts and a sports bra that showcased her powerful physique.

"Thinking about that third wish?" she asked, settling onto the bench beside him. Even seated, she was taller, broader, more powerfully built. Her thigh muscle pressed against his, and he could feel the hardness of it, like granite beneath skin.

"This isn't working," Carter said flatly. "This world—it's all wrong."

Zara raised an eyebrow. "Is it the muscles you object to? Because I have to say, you're carrying yours pretty well." She reached over and squeezed his bicep with a familiarity that made him flush. "Not bad for a guy. In this world, anyway."

Carter pulled his arm away. "That's just it. 'Not bad for a guy.' In this world, men are never going to be equals. No matter how big or strong I get, women will always be bigger and stronger. I'll always be the one filing papers while my mother moves furniture by herself."

"And that bothers you," Zara observed, not a question but a statement.

"Of course it bothers me! It's not natural!"

"Natural is relative," Zara replied with a shrug that sent ripples through her muscular shoulders. "In this reality, it's perfectly natural for women to be the physically dominant sex. They evolved that way. Your wishes just amplified existing patterns."

"But it's not how things are supposed to be," Carter insisted. "In the real world—my world—men and women are... different. Men are typically stronger, bigger."

"And you prefer that arrangement," Zara said, her tone neutral but her eyes searching.

Carter hesitated. Did he prefer it? The old world had its own problems, its own imbalances. But at least it was familiar. At least he understood his place in it.

"I just want things back to normal," he said finally. "My normal."

Zara sighed, leaning back against the bench. The wood creaked beneath her weight. "You have one wish left, Carter. If that's what you truly want, you can have it."

Carter looked down at the lamp in his hands, considering his options. He could try to fine-tune this reality further, make men and women exactly equal in size and strength. But what if that backfired too? What if everything just became more confusing, more distorted?

No, better to start fresh. To undo the damage he'd done and return to the world he knew.

"Zara," he said, his voice firm with decision, "I wish for everything to go back to the way it was before my first wish. I want the world to return to normal—my normal."

Something like disappointment flickered across Zara's face, but she nodded. "As you wish."

She snapped her fingers, and the world seemed to shimmer around them. Carter felt a strange pulling sensation in his chest, as if his very being was being stretched and then abruptly released. His muscles began to shrink, his height to diminish, his strength to fade. The bench beneath him seemed to grow larger as he returned to his original dimensions.

Around him, the park transformed. The women walking by lost their impressive musculature, returning to more typical proportions. The men grew taller, broader, stronger. The balance shifted back, reality rearranging itself according to the rules Carter had always known.

When the transformation was complete, Carter found himself sitting on a park bench in his original body—slim, unremarkable, of average height. Beside him, Zara had returned to her initial form, petite and slender with no hint of the impressive musculature she'd displayed moments before.

"There," she said, her voice higher now, lacking the resonant depth it had acquired. "Everything's back to 'normal.'" She made air quotes around the last word. "Happy now?"

Carter looked down at his hands—thin, with long fingers, the hands of someone who spent more time on a keyboard than lifting weights. They were his hands, the ones he'd always had.

"Yes," he said, though a small part of him missed the strength he'd briefly experienced. "This is how things should be."

Zara rolled her eyes. "If you say so. But before you get too comfortable, there's something you should know."

Carter tensed. "What?"

"Magic is tricky," Zara explained, examining her nails with feigned nonchalance. "It's not always... precise. Sometimes it leaves traces behind."

"What kind of traces?" Carter demanded, suddenly concerned.

Zara shrugged. "Nothing major. Just... echoes of the other realities. Remnants. They usually fade with time." She stood, stretching her arms above her head. "Well, that's three wishes granted. My work here is done."

"Wait! What do you mean by 'echoes'? What's still different?"

But Zara was already dissolving into purple smoke, being drawn back into the lamp in Carter's hands. "You'll figure it out," her disembodied voice echoed. "And if you ever change your mind... you know where to find me."

With a final wisp of smoke, she was gone, leaving Carter alone on the bench with the now-dormant lamp. He stared at it for a long moment, then tucked it into his pocket and stood.

The world around him looked normal—thankfully, blissfully normal. Men and women passed by, none of them sporting the exaggerated physiques he'd witnessed in his altered realities. The trees were the right height, the benches the right size, the very air seemed to smell as it should.

Carter took a deep breath, feeling relief wash over him. Whatever "echoes" Zara had mentioned, they couldn't be too significant. The important thing was that the world was back to the way it had been before his foolish wishes.

As he walked home, he noticed a subtle spring in his step. Despite returning to his original body, he felt somehow lighter, more confident. Perhaps a trace of the strength he'd briefly possessed remained within him, a memory his muscles held onto.

When he reached his house, he was pleased to find the doorway its proper height, the windows their correct size. Everything was as it should be. Opening the front door, he called out, "Mom? I'm back!"

"In the kitchen!" came her reply, her voice at its normal pitch—not the deep, resonant tone it had acquired in the altered realities.

Carter found his mother at the kitchen table, sorting through mail. She was her usual self—5'4", slim, with no sign of the monstrous muscles she'd developed. The kitchen itself had returned to normal dimensions, the countertops at their original height, the chairs their regular size.

"Hey honey," she greeted him. "Where'd you disappear to? I thought you were helping me with the attic."

"I just needed some air," Carter replied, relief flooding through him. "But I'm back now. Do you still need help?"

Diane smiled. "Actually, I think I've got it under control. I've sorted most of it already, just a few more boxes to go through."

"Are you sure? I don't mind helping."

"I'm sure. Why don't you call your friends? I know you've been wanting to hang out with them."

Carter hesitated but then nodded. "Thanks, Mom. I think I will."

As evening fell, Diane Daniels finished sorting the last of the attic boxes. It had been a long day, and her back ached from the effort. Not as young as I used to be, she thought ruefully as she stretched.

Her eye fell on the box of photo albums. Curious, Diane opened the box and lifted out the blue album. As she flipped through the pages, she found herself smiling at the memories—Carter's graduation, family vacations, holiday gatherings. Such precious moments, preserved in time.

Then she found it—a photo she didn't recognize. In it, she stood beside Carter, but she was... different. Massive. Muscular. Towering over her son with a physique that defied belief, her arms thick with muscle, her shoulders broad enough to carry the weight of the world.

Diane stared at the image, transfixed. Where had this come from? It was clearly altered—she had never looked like that in her life. Yet the photo seemed genuine, the colors and texture matching the others perfectly.

She found more as she continued through the album—images of an alternate version of herself, a version that radiated power and strength. In one, she effortlessly carried both Carter and a heavy suitcase. In another, she flexed a bicep larger than her son's head while he watched with what looked like a mixture of awe and envy.

"How strange," Diane murmured, tracing a finger over the image of her impossibly muscular arm. "I wonder what it would feel like—to be that strong."

As she closed the album and returned it to the box, her hand brushed against something cold and metallic. Curious, she reached deeper into the box and pulled out a brass lamp, ornately decorated with strange symbols.

It was heavier than it looked, and warm to the touch despite having been stored in the cool attic. Diane turned it over in her hands, admiring the craftsmanship.

"I don't remember this," she said to herself. "It must have been Walter's." Her father had always been a collector of unusual items.

Almost absently, she rubbed her thumb across a tarnished spot on the lamp's surface, trying to reveal the symbol beneath.

The lamp began to vibrate in her hands.

"What on earth...?" Diane gasped as a thin wisp of purple smoke began to curl from the spout.

The smoke thickened, swirling into the center of the room, gathering into a vaguely humanoid shape. And as Diane Daniels watched, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, the smoke began to solidify...