WriteOn! 2024

1st Place - Agi Kristo, Gjirokastër

Prompt: You invent a new kind of medicine. What does it cure? What are the side effects?

As I was working in my laboratory for inventing new medicines something didn’t go well. I felt so scared. Everything was foggy. I couldn’t see anything. After some minutes everything was clear. I went back to my inventor room and saw there was something on the table. It was a medicine … maybe. Who knows? I thought that it will be good if I try it on myself, but I didn’t want to risk my life, so I tried it on a big plant. I tried it and immediately the plant turned into a little plant. It was so beautiful. I could transform big things into little things. I tried it on other plants and the result was the same. I just can’t believe; it was miraculous. I tried it on my desk and I thought it would transform, but nothing happened. I couldn’t believe it—The plant was transformed but the desk not. Is there anything with the desk? Then I got an idea. Maybe this medicine it is used just for things that are alive. 

 

I tried it on my older cat to verify the results. I needed only a little and the old cat transformed into a little, cute kitty. So my invention was transforming the older animals and plants into little animals and plants. I wanted to try this medicine on humans, but I was so scared to try it on myself. So I thought that it would be good to share my medicine with people so that they could live again their lives when they were young. First I tried this medicine on an old man that was in the street. He drank the medicine and turned into a young boy. He was so happy for this.

 

People in the street saw everything and they ran after me to buy the incredible medicine. First I thought it was a very good idea. I earned a lot of money and people were happy with their lives. But some people started to use much more of the medicine and they were transformed into kids. It was terrible. All the city was surrounded with kids. They were destroying everything, and all the fault was on me. I closed the door of my laboratory, and I will never open it until I create a cure for the people and for this.

 

I tried hard to do this, but no results. I was scared, staying in there, alone, with no hope. My cat came to me, but I pushed her away because I didn’t want to play. She fell into some of my ingredients and there was a mixture, but that mixture turned my cat into an old cat. I couldn’t believe it was a very beautiful miracle. I kissed my cat and hugged her for this beautiful thing that she had done. I got up and took the medicine. I opened the door. Finally I could get fresh air; I could see nature; I could breathe fine.I left my laboratory and I was not lonely any more. 

 

As soon as possible, I went to the town and transformed all the kids into older people. I returned them to their own lives. It was a very good thing that they don’t remember anything about my medicine. They all restarted their lives in peace, harmony, and in reality. One part of my mind said to destroy the medicine, but the other part said to keep it for myself. I know that it wasn’t the right thing to do, but I kept it all for myself. Every day I use a little amount of it, and every day I get younger. I will never die; I will never have a normal life. I’m special from the others. I can live forever…. This sounds selfish, but I really like this thing being selfish.