The next morning, Brady and Everly were already wide awake before the sun had even finished rising.
They sat at the kitchen table in the cabin in their pajamas, staring at the rings on their fingers.
It was the last day of their vacation, and so they got ready to go home, and then they jumped into the car with their parents, and together they hit the road home.
And as they sat in the back seat, Brady said to Everly.
So just to be clear, if I say something out loud while wearing this ring, it actually happens.
Well, pretty sure that's what happened with the lights in the door last night, Everly said.
And so Brady leaned back in the car seat and said, Okay then, as he grinned to himself.
And when they finally got home and got unpacked, Brady found Everly and said Hey, I think I know what I'm going to wish for.
It's going to be something awesome.
Something huge.
And something that makes lots of noise.
Everly looked back at Brady and said, please don't say a rocket.
And so Brady stood up and he raised his hand and he said I wish for the biggest baddest, coolest monster truck in the entire world.
And nothing happened at first.
But then...
The ground shook and dishes rattled in the cupboards and all of a sudden they heard a low rumble roaring outside.
Brady and Everly ran to the window and they gasped.
Parked on the grass, somehow taking up half their yard and flattening the garden, was a massive red monster truck.
Exactly what Brady had in his mind when he wished for it.
And this thing was absolutely huge.
The tires were taller than Brady.
And the grill had sharp chrome teeth.
And every time the engine purred, it sounded like a dragon with a sore throat.
No way.
Brady ran out the front door.
This is the coolest thing I have ever seen.
Everly laughed and said, OK, that's ridiculous and awesome.
And now it's my turn.
She looked at her ring and said I wish for a real live horse with a golden mane and a sparkly saddle.
And then there was a flash of light and suddenly right behind the monster truck stood the most beautiful horse Everly had ever seen.
Its coat shimmered like sunlight through honey and the saddle sparkled like it had been stitched from the stars.
The horse galloped up to Everly and then gently nuzzled her arm.
Oh my word!
Everly said, I can't believe it's real!
I have a horse!
Meanwhile, Brady jumped into the driver's seat of his brand new monster truck, and then he revved the engine.
It shook the trees and sent a flock of birds soaring into the sky.
And they spent the whole morning playing with their new toys.
Brady drove over bumps and flattened trees until the tires left deep grooves all over their yard.
And Everly trotted in circles around their house.
And then she brushed her horse's mane and hummed songs like she was in an old-time movie.
But by lunchtime, things started to get a little complicated.
You see, the monster truck couldn't fit on the road, not even close.
It had destroyed most of the trees in their yard and took out their mailbox and scared a couple of joggers who had just been minding their own business.
And so Brady thought to himself, Where am I supposed to put this thing when I'm not using it?
It barely even fits on the road, let alone our driveway.
And it clearly wasn't going to fit in their garage.
He tried to pull it up into the driveway as far as he could, but then it totally crushed their fence.
Oh, he shouted, trying to back it up.
There's nowhere to put this thing.
What am I supposed to do with it?
And Everly's horse was beautiful, but it had already eaten all the apples that they had.
And then it stepped on the flower beds, and then it pooped.
Twice.
Ew, Everly groaned, holding a shovel.
Having a horse is great and all, but this whole shoveling poop part?
It's like way less magical than I thought.
That afternoon, the two of them sat on the porch, dirty and tired.
And it had been fun for a while.
But it didn't take long until they realized they weren't nearly as happy as they thought they would be.
So Brady thought maybe he just needed something else.
He stood up and said, OK, enough of this monster truck.
I want something bigger.
Something better.
What did you say earlier, Everly?
Oh, yeah.
A rocket ship, right?
Okay.
I wish for a rocket ship.
And then boom.
They heard a sound from the backyard as they ran to the back and saw a 50 foot tall rocket ship shining and ready for blast off.
And then Everly said, oh, yeah, well, I want a new pink Corvette, just like what Barbie has.
And then in the blink of an eye.
There it was.
A beautiful brand new shiny pink Corvette.
Just like what she asked for.
And not like the toy pink Corvette.
This was like a real life full size Corvette.
She could get in and drive around in it.
If she knew how to drive.
But then their parents yelled out the window everly brady, what is going on out here?
Why is there a horse pooping all over our yard and whose awesome new corvette is that?
And how did a rocket ship get in our backyard and who ruined our yard with this monster truck?
Everly and brady both had a long list of things they were still gonna wish for, but with every new thing they got, They started to see the truth more and more.
At first I thought having everything we ever wanted would be like the coolest thing in the world, Brady said.
Yeah, said Everly, brushing hay out of her hair.
When everything comes so easy, it kind of stops feeling special.
They both sat in silence for a minute.
And then Brady stood up and said, you know that farmer that we always see down the road?
I bet he'd actually have a place to keep this huge monster truck.
He's got a huge barn.
And Everly's eyes lit up.
That's right, he does have a barn.
You know, I wonder if he'd have a place for my horse to live there, too.
So they both jumped in the monster truck and let the horse get in the back.
And then they drove carefully to the farmer's land and they introduced themselves.
And they asked if he had any need for a truck like Brady's or a horse like Everly's.
And the farmer was stunned.
Well, I've never had a monster truck on the farm before, but I reckon it could help clear some trails.
And this horse, she is a beauty.
Tell you what, I'll take care of them.
And anytime you want to come visit, you are more than welcome here.
And then Brady said, really?
That's great.
Thanks so much.
By the way, what about a rocket ship or a pink Corvette?
Do you have any need for either of those?
Well, sure.
Sure.
I mean, I've always wanted a pink Corvette like that.
And the rocket ship?
Well, I don't know.
I'm sure I could figure out something to do with it.
Yeah, I'll take him.
So they made the arrangements for the farmer to come and pick up all the fun toys they had wished for that day.
And as Brady and Everly walked home, Everly looked over her shoulder and said You know, that felt way better than keeping that all for ourselves.
Yeah, Brady said, like a lot better.
And when the two kids realized how much better it felt to wish good things for other people instead of themselves, They made a habit of it.
Whenever they would go to the restaurant and the waitress would help them.
They would wish for a bar of gold and give her a nice tip.
Whenever they saw a person on the side of the road begging for money, they wouldn't just give them money.
They would give them clothes and a house and a car and everything.
After all, all they had to do was wish for it.
And they spent years wishing for good things for other people.
But before all that happened...
When they got back to their house, they tried to explain everything to their parents.
How they discovered the special rings at the bottom of the lake near the cabin they stayed at.
But their parents said, Lake?
What lake?
There aren't any lakes within a hundred miles of the cabin we stayed at.
Are you sure you're telling us the whole story?
Of course we are, the kids said.
Why would we make this up?
We were both on the lake, and Brady even swam all the way to the bottom.
That's how we got these rings.
Everly went and grabbed a map and tried to show their parents where the lake was, but to their surprise there was no lake on the map.
They followed the map exactly to the spot where they found the lake and the boat and the rings and it was all blank.
No lake, not even a blue dot on the map.
You see, there's no lake there, their dad said.
Trust me, I looked before we booked this cabin.
I would have known.
And so Everly and Brady both just stood there and stared at the map.
And then later that night, long after their parents had gone to bed, Everly said Do you think we'll ever get back to the lake?
Do you think we'll ever see it again?
And Brady looked out the window.
I don't know, he said.
But I kind of hope we don't.
And Everly looked surprised.
Really?
Why?
Because if it's gone, Brady said, then it's just ours.
Nobody else saw it.
Nobody else believes it was there.
And that kind of makes it special because we both know the truth.
And Everly was quiet for a minute.
And then she smiled.
Yeah, I like that.
And Everly leaned forward and said, do you think anyone else will ever find that lake?
And Brady smiled.
Maybe, but only if they're supposed to, because they both knew the truth.
And some secrets are better when you share them with just one other person.
And then Everly said, remember that guy by the lake, the one who chased us?
Who was that?
And Brady shook his head.
I don't know.
I've been wondering that too.
He kind of looked familiar, didn't he?
Like maybe we've seen him before.
Somewhere?
And Everly thought for a moment.
In that note in the cabin.
Someone knew we'd be there.
How could they know that?
And they sat quietly for a moment, each thinking their own thoughts.
And Everly said, what if that man used to wear one of the rings?
Brady looked down at his hand.
Yeah, what if whoever left that note did too?
Neither Brady or Everly had any answers.
Not yet.
Maybe not ever.
But that didn't bother them.
Because sometimes the best stories, just like in real life, don't have all the answers.
They leave little pieces behind like little puzzle pieces waiting to be filled in someday.
And if the lake ever came back, if it ever shimmered into view again, maybe those pieces would finally make sense.
But until then, Brady and Everly had the rings.
They had the secret, and they had each other.
And sometimes, that's all the magic you really need.
