[ WP ] You meet a genie that grants one wish . You wish to go back in time and change your biggest mistake . You get taken back to the time right before you made your wish .

I was stunned. That apparition ’ s proposal seemed simply too good to be true. Doubt – or maybe it was skepticism – crept into my mind, churning away at the potential … and the risk. “ You mean to tell me, you will grant me one – just one wish … anything I want? ” 
 
 
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 The apparition nodded, thin lips curling into a charming wry grin – too charming. “ That ’ s about the size of it, mortal. ” He answered. His words echoed through my consciousness – a graveled, singsong tenor – as if every syllable hinted of Damocles. 
 
 
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 “ But at what cost? ” I asked, turning my attention to the brass vessel from whence he came, taking refuge from his countenance in the filigree etched into its contours. In those etchings I found some odd sense of peace. When I returned my attention to the apparition, he merely shrugged. 
 “ None that I could hold over you, mortal. ” Once the wish is made, I ’ ll hold no power over you. From there, what you make of your wish is up to you. ” 
 
 
 
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 “ Right … I ’ d like a do-over, then. I want to go back and change my greatest mistake. ” 
 The apparition sighed, eyes rolling as he ran his fingers through his hair. “ Are you sure, mortal? Is that all you want? ” He paused, shaking his head. “ No riches? No power? ” 
 
 
 
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 I shook my head. 
 
 
 
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 “ Knowledge? ” 
 
 
 
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 “ Not even women? ” 
 
 
 
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 “ Men? ” 
 
 
 
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 “ Neither. ” I answered. “ I just want to go back and correct my biggest mistake. ” 
 
 
 
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 Again the apparition sighed, shoulders slumped in resignation. “ Very well, mortal … your wish is granted. ” 
 In an instant, my world was consumed by light. 
 
 
 
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 Something about this seemed all too familiar. I was stunned of course. The apparition ’ s proposal seemed simply too good to be true. “ You mean to tell me, you will grant me one – just one wish … anything I want? ” 
 
 
 
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 The apparition nodded, thin lips curling into a charming wry grin – too charming. “ That ’ s about the size of it, mortal. ” He answered. His words echoed through my consciousness – a graveled, singsong tenor – as if every syllable hinted of Damocles. 
 Something about his words send a chill down my spine. “ Déjà vu ” I muttered, thrusting my hands in my pockets as I looked away. 
 
 
 
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 “ What was that? ” The apparition demanded. 
 
 
 
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 “ This all just feels familiar. Déjà vu all over again. ” At that, he just laughed. 
 
 
 
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 “ What? What ’ s so funny? ” 
 
 
 
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 “ You begin to see, mor— “ 
 
 
 
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 “ ALBERT! My name is Albert, not ‘ mortal. ’ ” The apparition clutched his belly in uproarious laughter, speaking through gasps and snorting chortles as he attempted to collect himself. “ I know – you ’ ve told me! – HA! More than once! ” 
 
 
 
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 “ Look, I don ’ t see what ’ s so funny about all this. I know I told you. Just now! ” 
 
 
 
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 “ Ha! More than that, mor— “ 
 
 
 
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 “ ALBERT! ” 
 
 
 
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 “ Fine, fine, Professor. We ’ ve been at this game long enough. ” 
 This game? Something about those words felt … wrong. Feeling faint, I found myself slumping weakly into my chair. Dizzy, heedless of the clutter, I lay my head on the desk. 
 
 
 
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 “ Oh poor, dear Albert ” the apparition began. “ It must seem like nothing makes sense anymore. We ’ ve been at this game for so long now. ” 
 
 
 
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 “ It ’ s hardly been ten minutes. ” I muttered. 
 
 
 
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 “ Ten minutes upon tens of minutes, upon tens of minutes and more. ” 
 
 
 
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 “ What are you going on about? ” He snorted in amusement, clacking his teeth several times. When I looked up, he stood arms akimbo, my favorite pipe suspended between his lips. 
 
 
 
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 “ Professor. This isn ’ t Déjà vu, as you say. This is real, and you ’ ve made that wish – well, never-mind how many times. Suffice to say, too many. ” 
 
 
 
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 “ You mean I ’ ve made the same wish, and every time I do, you bring me back here to do it over again? ” 
 
 
 
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 “ I only grant the wish. It ’ s you who brings us back here. ” He replied, drawing my pipe from his lips to pack it. 
 
 
 
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 “ I – I believe I understand. ” 
 
 
 
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 “ Not quite! ” He laughed, lighting my pipe and drawing deeply from the stem. Exhaling, he smiled. “ Revelation … House of Windsor, yes? ” 
 
 
 
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 I nodded. 
 
 
 
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 “ Right – Listen, Professor. Right now, and for the past sixteen hours, you ’ ve had the power to change anything, be anything, and do anything. ” He began, puffing idly. “ You wanted to change only one aspect of your life, when you could change – for better or worse – the lives of millions. In your heart you know that, otherwise we wouldn ’ t keep coming back to this moment. So Professor ” he inhaled deeply, expelling the smoke in my direction. “ Make a change. ” 
 
 
 
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 “ You mean, make it count. ” 
 
 
 
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 “ Precisely! ” 
 
 
 
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 Suddenly, I felt as if the weight of the world were on my shoulders and, in that moment I knew my fears to be true. The sword of Damocles had indeed been hanging over me. Standing, I could feel my legs shake under this new burden. I began to pace. 
 
 
 
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 “ Well? ” the apparition questioned, offering a freshly packed pipe. I accepted, lighting it readily and inhaled deeply in preparation for what I was about to ask. “ I want … ” I began, my voice trailing nervously. 
 
 
 
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 “ Go on, Professor. ” He encouraged. 
 
 
 
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 Taking another deep draw from my pipe, I then set it on the desk. Resolving myself, I looked to the apparition, exhaling. “ I want to kill Hitler. ” 
 
 
 
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 His wry grin widened, letting out a chortle as he slapped my back. “ DONE! ” 
 
 
 
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 In an instant, my world was consumed by light. 
 
 
 
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 I looked up from my desk, unable to concentrate. [ The sound of marching drawing ever closer until it seemed as if the very walls of my study shook and resounded with the drumming and stomping of soldier ’ s feet. It was then I heard it, the distant command that would tear Europe asunder. 
 “ Die Waffen! Legt an! ” ] ( https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=-b5X69vREAg ) 

