Narrated by Aubrey
We abruptly landed onto hot sand. "NO, NO, NO!" I yelled with distress. We were in the middle of a desert that stretched endlessly.
"This can't be happening!" Kaylee exclaimed with panic.
"I believe I heard the Evil Queen say she was sending us to Agrabah, and that's where it looks like we are right now," I said with distress.
"Why does it have to exist!" Kaylee cried out, letting out an exasperated sigh. "We are screwed! Now how are we ever going to get back to the Enchanted Forest? Only if we never went in search for that orb at that time then none of this would have happened!"
"Let's not lose hope yet," I said, trying to feel optimistic, and I released some of my anger. "Remember, we are prophesied to stop the curse, so that must mean we will find a way back to the Enchanted Forest."
"Let's just hope you're right," Kaylee responded irritably.
"Come on, we need to start moving so we can find civilization," I said. "We have a long way to go since we are in the middle of nowhere."
We began our travel and randomly decided to head north, hoping to find luck. Soon, a light breeze stirred, blowing sand toward our direction. The sun beat down hard on us, making us perspire a lot, and there were barely any trees for shade. Our throats grew very dry, and our lips became parched, then we grew extremely thirsty. We kept thinking we saw water when really, they were mirages. We began to panic, very afraid that we might never find water anywhere, and I was worried we might pass out soon. We were so exhausted and prayed that God would lead us to water, then our prayers were soon answered when we finally found a small oasis. Water never tasted so good in my life, and it revived us. I wished I had a flask with me to fill it up with water; for I didn't know how long we had to go and when we would find another oasis. After washing in the water and cooling ourselves down, we continued our way. Glancing up at the sky, I saw hawks circling around in search for prey, and it made me wish we had pixie dust right now to fly.
After another hour, suddenly, we saw a camel with a rider in the distance, and we grew relieved. There was our hope. Running toward the camel and waving our arms wildly, we shouted multiple times, "Wait!"
Finally, the camel stopped, and we quickly caught up. This rider was a middle eastern-looking man who looked exactly like a nomad since he wore a loose-fitting, white robe, and a cloth turban was on his head. "Can I help you?" he asked in a thick accent. I was so relieved he could speak English.
"We want to know where to find the nearest town or city," I replied, huffing and puffing since I was still out of breath from running.
"You will find the city of Agrabah just five miles north from here," replied the nomad. "I'm actually going there myself. You are more than welcome to accompany me."
I was very thankful that we had been going the right direction from the start. And if we had chosen to go another direction, I knew we would have probably gotten lost. "Thank you very much," I said, then we followed him.
Later, a vast city came into view, and it was certainly breath-taking. A colossal structure in the center of the city really stood out since it was the largest and most magnificent building in the whole city. It reminded me of the Taj Mahal and looked like the palace where the Sultan lived in the movie, Aladdin. This structure was truly remarkable, and Kaylee was also awed by it. But just so I was sure that the Sultan lived there, I asked the nomad.
"It is indeed the Sultan's palace," replied the nomad.
"Does the Sultan have a daughter?" I asked, wondering if the answer would be Jasmine.
"Yes, she is Princess Jasmine," he replied, and Kaylee and I cast smiling glances. "Are you two new to this land?" he asked.
We nodded and thanked the kind nomad for his help, then we headed in a separate direction from him. "Wow, I can't believe we are actually in the city of Agrabah!" I exclaimed as we entered the city. "I wouldn't be surprised if we came across Aladdin robbing the streets," I added with a giggle.
The city was so packed, making it chaotic, and we had to push our way through the crowds. It looked just like how it did in the movie, but I wasn't surprised. We saw a fountain thankfully and drank from it, quenching our thirst. "Kaylee," I said after splashing my face with water, "since we are probably going to be staying in this city for a while, we need to get a job somewhere so we are able to buy food. We don't want to steal to survive just like Aladdin."
"I guess you're right," Kaylee replied, washing her arms. "But where?"
"I'm not sure, but we will search," I said. "Any job is good enough. We can ask around."
As we started our search for a job, suddenly, we heard commotion that drew up our attention. The people were stirred up, and we saw two stalwart men chasing after someone. "Maybe they are after Aladdin," Kaylee said, and I giggled.
After the commotion settled down, we resumed our job search. We arrived at a huge stable and approached two men who were talking right outside of it. "Excuse me," I said as we were approaching them.
"Come to rent an animal from my stable?" asked one of the men, turning to us, as the other man walked away.
"No, but---" I began.
"Then I can't help you," he impatiently interrupted.
"Wait," I said, desperately hoping he needed help since we were turned down from jobs everywhere else. "I was just curious if you were hiring. My sister and I are in need of work."
"Yes, I am hiring," he replied. "Tell me your names."
Kaylee and I exchanged joyful glances, then we told our names.
"Now, I don't pay much," he said.
"We are fine with that," I replied.
"Okay, the job is yours," he said. "The pay will be one dinar per hour."
I wondered how much one dinar was worth and how much it could buy. But I figured we would be underpaid since the man hiring us didn't seem very friendly but rather serious instead. But at least we had a job, better than none. "Thank you, Sir," I said. Then he showed us to the stable, and it was enormous inside. I counted twelve camels, fourteen horses, sixteen mules, and twenty donkeys. Woah, no wonder he needs help, I thought to myself. "Where would you like us to start?" I asked, turning to our boss.
"Start by cleaning out the stalls," he replied. "I expect you two to work hard."
We nodded then he left. "He must be rich to own all these animals," Kaylee commented. "And that's not even all," she added, glancing at all the empty stalls due to people renting.
As we were working, I randomly brought up the subject about the Cave of Wonders and the genie lamp, wondering if they existed. "Wouldn't that be something," Kaylee replied, marveled at the thought. "If that genie lamp existed and was inside the cave, then finding it would be the way to get back to the Enchanted Forest. We need to find out if it exists and if it is located in the Cave of Wonders like in the movie, Aladdin. And if it does, then we must find it. I can't think of any other way how we would be able to leave Agrabah."
"Let's hope for the best," I replied. "If the lamp really does exist, hopefully no one has taken it already."
"Like Aladdin," Kaylee put in jokingly. "Or even Jafar."
"I sure hope Jafar doesn't exist," I said nervously.
"Well, we will find out," Kaylee replied.
"Why does there always have to be a villain?" I added.
Early the next morning, we went back to work after sleeping on the hayloft in the stable for the night. During our lunch break, we timidly approached , our boss, and I curiously asked him if there was such thing of the Cave of Wonders and genie lamp, hoping I wouldn't sound like a fool if he didn't know what I was talking about.
"Yes, the Cave of Wonders indeed exists," he responded, "but I cannot be sure if the genie lamp does. Some say it's a myth while others say it's not. It could be in the cave if it truly does exist or perhaps already stolen; for that lamp has been long sought for. It's a very powerful object indeed that is said to be capable of granting one three wishes. But as far as I know, I have not heard that it has been discovered yet but maybe because it is located inside the Cave of Wonders, a cave that no one has ever escaped from alive that I know of. Trust me, if that cave was easy to locate, enter, and to leave from, I would be very rich by now. So, if you have plans to go there, it's not worth it. Don't waste your time, especially because very few know its location."
Kaylee and I cast disappointed glances, but at least the Cave of Wonders really existed, and the genie lamp may.
"Do you know anyone who is searching for the Cave of Wonders and genie lamp?" Kaylee curiously asked.
Mansour's expression grew serious, and he responded in a serious tone, "I do not like to speak of his name, but I will say it. There has been a rumor that a very evil sorcerer by the name of Jafar, the most feared foe to this land, seeks the lamp."
Kaylee and I exchanged shocked glances; for we were right, there was a Jafar.
"Jafar was once the Sultan's most trusted vizier, but once it was discovered that he was an evil sorcerer, he was banned from this land," he continued gravely. "It turns out, he had been playing the Sultan with intentions of hoping to one day gain enough favor from him to earn Jasmine's hand in marriage but not because he loved her. He only truly desired to gain control of the throne and take over Agrabah. That betrayer! No one knows if he's back in Agrabah in secret, but as long as he is alive, Agrabah will always live under his threat and never be at peace. And if he found that lamp, then he could turn Agrabah upside down."
I swallowed nervously. Great, another obstacle in our way, I thought, feeling upset.
"Now no more wasting my time," Mansour said irritably. "Get back to work."
"Thanks for your time," I said, then we resumed our work. The whole time I kept on thinking about journeying to the Cave of Wonders and finding that genie lamp inside. And I kept dwelling about facing Jafar and hoped we wouldn't. It made me very upset to think that he could be searching for that lamp, and now I didn't have nearly as much hope, but I knew I couldn't expect anything to come easy. Challenges were part of success. It was hard to work knowing that we were not right now using our time trying to find a way out of Agrabah but instead were wasting time away. We very much anticipated going back to the Enchanted Forest and kept worrying what may happen while we were gone. I was so worried, especially, if the curse would hit and we would not be there to stop it. This was a weight on my shoulders that was so hard to bear, but I knew even if it was probably going to take time to get back, there was still hope, one of the most powerful attributes of a courageous and tenacious heart as Snow taught us.
Later that day, when Kaylee and I were at the market, buying food, we heard the voice of a man yell, "Thief! Next time you steal again, I'll kill you!"
Then suddenly, a young lad around nineteen with a monkey on his shoulder ran past us, stirring up commotion in the people. Then I saw something fall out of his satchel and onto the ground, which made me curious to what it was. Pushing through the crowds of people, I approached this object and picked it up, Kaylee watching me questionably. This object was a folded piece of parchment paper. We headed to an alley where no one was around, and I unfolded this paper. It was a map and not just any map but a map to the Cave of Wonders. We were shocked and very thrilled; for this was just what we needed, something that I never imagined we could get. It certainly was providential that we were in the village at that area and moment in time.
"I'll be darned!" Kaylee exclaimed with astonishment.
"I can't believe I actually found a map!" I exclaimed, doing a jump for joy, and we hugged.
But suddenly, we felt bad since the lad had lost his map; for he probably planned to go there too. We knew he'd probably come back in search for it, and if we saw him again, we knew the right thing to do would be to give it back even if we didn't want to. Or maybe he won't go looking for it, I told myself in thought.
"We can try and copy the map down on a separate piece of paper," Kaylee suggested. "Just in case."
"That would take so long," I pointed out. "Just look how complex and detailed this map is. But I guess if we have no other choice, we should try."
"You're right, and besides, we can't afford paper and ink yet, and I don't know how long until," Kaylee pointed out with a sigh. "How about if we go back to the village later, and if we don't see the lad who dropped this, then we don't have to feel guilty anymore since we tried."
I nodded. "Can you imagine if that was actually Aladdin who dropped it?" I let out an amused smile. "Afterall, he is a thief, and he did look like Aladdin from the movie even if I couldn't get a good glimpse of him. Also, I saw a monkey on his shoulder."
"That would be ironic if it was him and his monkey, Abu," Kaylee said with a giggle.
"Kaylee, because we really can't waste more time in Agrabah, we need to start finding our way back to the Enchanted Forest," I said. "I say we take the map and leave for the Cave of Wonders late tonight. It's our opportunity, and I know it's soon, but we must go as soon as possible. We need that lamp more than anyone else since we are the ones with a destiny to fulfill, even if that means risking our lives for it."
Kaylee nodded with agreement, and I hoped Mansour would help us out by providing us animals for our travel and food. We would just need to promise once we got back, to work off our debt, but I knew that would take a very long time, and we would obviously want to make our wish immediately if we found that lamp. I knew we wouldn't be able to keep that promise to him even if we had an agreement and this would bring a lot of guilt to us. But we would have to break the agreement for a good cause.
As soon as we arrived at the stable, we decided to give Mansour notice right away, hoping he would agree to the deal we wanted to strike with him so he could provide for us for the journey. Timidly, we asked him, and to our great surprise and relief, he agreed but threatened us that if we never returned after the lease was due, then he would have us hunted down and have us severely pay the penalty. But I knew he probably agreed to this lease since he probably thought we were fools with childish pursuits and figured we would never find the Cave of Wonders. But he didn't know we had a map with us. I knew he was thinking we were going to give up too soon and come crawling back to him. Then as a result, since we had a huge debt to pay off, we would have to work until our debt was fully paid. I knew he intended to take advantage of us by working us until the debt was way over paid but lie and say we still had a long way to go. And that way, he could get free child labor and higher profits. I sensed this was the kind of man he was. Afterall, once we found out how much one dinar could only buy, we knew he was cheating us.
After we were leased ponies and provided food for our journey, we set out late that night. As we were traveling through the vacant streets, suddenly, from a distance, we saw a figure wandering the streets. As the figure drew nearer to us, we realized he was the same lad who had been caught stealing earlier and who had dropped the map. "It's him," I pointed, whispering. Right now, it appeared the lad was sneaking around and looking for something. We guessed he was probably searching for the map he had lost, and we felt bad and guilty since we didn't want to give it back, and we concluded he intended to find the genie lamp too. I hated that we had to see him, and I was in a dilemma whether if we should approach him and give the map back or continue on and forget about him. Kaylee cast me a look as if she were saying, "Well, what do we do?"
Just then, the young lad approached us. "Excuse me, little lasses," he said. "Have you by chance seen a folded parchment paper lying around somewhere? It's very important to me because it's the only thing I have left of my mother, a letter she wrote to me right before she died. It means everything to me."
We knew he was obviously lying; for it was the map he meant. I dearly wished I could say we didn't see it, but guilt kept gripping me harder and harder when finally, I could not bear it any longer. "You mean this?" I took out the map, showing him, and his face brightened then reddened with embarrassment since we caught him lying. "You don't have to lie though," I put in irritably, hating what I just did. The lad was about to snatch it from my hand, but I quickly moved it away from him, changing my mind since I didn't want to give it up just yet. We were about to leave for our journey and giving it back would keep us from it. "Wait," I said, "we need this map too. We were just beginning our journey there now."
"Explains why young lasses like you are sneaking around at night and not in bed," he replied. "Now, this trip to the Cave of Wonders is way too dangerous, especially for two, little girls," he added in a provoking voice. "Sorry to shatter your imagination, but this quest ain't for you, so I suggest you turn around and go home. I'm sure your mama and papa are worried sick by now," he ended in an aggravating sort of tone.
"We are homeless," I responded coolly, "and we can handle this quest."
"Oh, I didn't know," he replied, looking sorry for us. "But just because you don't have parents to keep you from going does not make it right for you to put yourselves in danger."
"You don't care if we get into danger; you only want the map back," Kaylee responded, crossing her arms indignantly. "Let me guess, you seek the genie lamp too, don't you?"
"Yes, you must know about it," he replied, looking surprised. "Is there a reason why you two want to risk your lives to find it too?" he curiously questioned.
We explained everything, and the lad looked intrigued. "Wow, a curse you're prophesied to stop in another land!" he exclaimed, but I couldn't tell if he believed us or not. "That's quite a story!"
"You don't believe us," Kaylee responded coldly. "Fine, don't then. Make fun of us all you want!" she added ill temperedly. "But we need that lamp more than you do, and you can't stop us. But you will believe us we are more than just poor, helpless, little girls when I show you this." Then with her magic, Kaylee levitated a garbage can, and the lad's eyes grew wide with astonishment.
"HOLY MOLY!" he exclaimed with great shock.
"Yes, we both have magic," I said, "and not just any magic but the most powerful kind of magic, light magic."
"Wow, I just can't believe it!" the lad exclaimed, still trying to take the shock in. "This is so unheard of, especially the fact that two, little girls have powers."
"And that's why we must get back to stop the curse, for only our power can stop it," Kaylee said.
"Are you two sorceresses?" he asked.
"No, only normal kids who never get away from prophecies," I replied. "We got our magic from a powerful sword a while back, but it's a long story. But the reason why we were able to get light magic is because we are said to have pure hearts. We are capable of destroying dark magic."
"You know, they say only those like a diamond in the rough or in other words, those with potential for good, proving themselves selfless, can only enter or leave the Cave of Wonders," the lad stated.
"Just like a pure heart," I put in.
"Exactly," he replied. "You two might have no problem entering or leaving. But for me, I have to be worried. I wouldn't say my heart is pure in the least bit only because I am a thief."
"We know," Kaylee said. "We saw you early today at the market, running away after stealing, and that's when you dropped the map."
The lad looked embarrassed. "Well, I got to make a living somehow," he justified.
"Not by stealing," I said. "Get a job like everyone else."
"Anyway, what are your intentions for getting the lamp?" Kaylee asked.
"The truth is, I want to defeat an evil sorcerer named Jafar with it," he replied. "And if I find the lamp which he is searching for as well, then I want to use one of my wishes to end him so Agrabah can finally be at peace. Once I finally defeat Jafar, then I can finally no longer be thought as a street rat but rather a hero. Then I can prove myself worthy enough to marry someone I truly love, but by being a homeless thief, I will never get her father's blessing. She may love me just the way I am, but becoming a hero will finally make me good enough for her."
"But does she know you steal?" Kaylee questioned.
The lad shook his head shamefully. "But I don't know how to tell her," he said, looking troubled. "I don't know what she will think of me."
"If she really loves you, she'd forgive you," Kaylee replied. "And that wouldn't change her love for you. But you can't keep it a secret from her any longer. If you truly loved her, you'd tell her the truth."
"You are right," he replied. "I must even if that means she never wants to see me again." Just then, the chattering of a monkey was heard, then one came into sight. "Abu!" the lad exclaimed. "There you are! I was wondering where you went!" The capuchin monkey jumped onto his shoulder. It looked so adorable in its clothes. "This is Abu, my most loyal partner in crime," he added with a chuckle.
Kaylee and I cast surprised and amused glances because we knew that if this lad who looked like Aladdin has a monkey named Abu, then that could mean he was Aladdin himself.
"Anyway, my name is Aladdin," the lad said, and Kaylee and I were so excited that we were right. And I guessed that the woman he loved was Jasmine. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he added, extending a hand to us. "Can I catch your names?" And after we told him our names, he said, "Since we all want to go to the Cave of Wonders, why don't we go together? Afterall, you two may only be the ones to get us inside, and if I went alone, I'll probably get killed. Oh, and your magic would be extremely helpful and useful too."
"Especially if we come across Jafar," I pointed out. "Afterall, light magic is more powerful than dark magic," I proudly stated.
"And once we find that lamp," Aladdin began, sounding confident, "we can share it. I can use my wishes first, then you two can use yours next. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good," I replied, nodding.
"I am certainly glad I ran into you both," Aladdin said with a grin. "Now I'll be right back. I need to go get a horse."
"Off to go steal a horse," I murmured with a sigh.
Soon Aladdin came back, but not only did he have a horse with him, but he also had a sack of food too. "This shall suffice us for the journey," he said, tying the sack to the saddle of his horse. "Better than ending up starving."
"How on Earth did you manage to steal all that food, including the horse, in such a short time?" Kaylee questioned, shocked.
"Let just say, that's what I'm good at," Aladdin replied with a grin.
He doesn't even feel guilty for what he has done! I though with annoyance. He thinks he can always get away with it. But it's going to have to stop once he tells his girlfriend the truth.
"Don't worry, I'm only borrowing the horse," Aladdin said, glancing at me. "I promise to give it back as soon as I'm done with it."
The three of us galloped away to the desert, and by the time it was morning, we had already traveled many miles. By dusk that same day, we finally arrived at the Cave of Wonders. "There it is!" Aladdin pointed with excitement. "We actually made it in one day!"
Luckily, there was no one around. We dismounted our horses and headed toward the Cave of Wonders which was a sculpted head of a roaring tiger carved into a mountain. The detail and vastness of it was truly remarkable. As we approached it, I started to feel very nervous because this could very well be a death trap like in the movie. By Kaylee's expression, she also looked nervous. However, Aladdin didn't seem the least bit nervous but rather quite excited and carefree. He kept ranting and raving on to his pet monkey about how much treasure they were going to find and how rich they were going to get and so on. Such a boy, I thought, shaking my head. And just like in the movie, I didn't know if the cave would collapse if one touched any treasure, the forbidden treasure. That was one of my worst fears, and Aladdin could cause us to get killed.
"We will enter first," I said, then Kaylee and I slowly and nervously stepped inside the tiger's mouth, hoping it wouldn't close on us. But nothing happened, and we were very relieved. I ushered Aladdin, and once he stepped inside, surprisingly no tremor happened either. He may be a thief, but he still has a good heart, I thought.
"Huh, I guess I am worthy enough," he said with surprise and a relieved grin. "I guess I am a diamond in the rough."
We walked down the cave passageway, and until we reached an enormous cavern, my eyes nearly popped out of my head, and I gasped, very breath-taken, when I saw the endless amount of treasure that piled sky high everywhere. It was just like the Cave of Wonders in the movie. There was gold, jewels, artifacts, jewelry, goblets, and too much more to list. It was so unbelievable, and Kaylee's and Aladdin's faces showed complete shock and amazement just like how I felt. Imagine if Blackbeard saw this, I thought to myself with amusement. This would be a paradise for him. But he'd probably never make it out alive.
Aladdin did a leap of joy and exclaimed, tossing his cap into the air, "YAHOO! We are going to be rich, Abu! Now you can have all the bananas to your heart's content!"
The monkey chattered, clapping its hands as if it understood what Aladdin was saying. But as Aladdin was about to scoop up treasure into his sack, I stopped him. "Wait! Don't touch anything yet. Look." I pointed to a large rock with the Arabic language written on it. "Do you know what this says?" I asked Aladdin. "It could be a warning."
Aladdin approached the rock and nodded. Then he began to translate it. "It says, take heed to take nothing for greed; only whose worth lies far within may take what is truly needed."
We all looked at each other. "That's sure a warning," I stated.
Aladdin scratched his head with a look of disappointment. "I'm sure a little treasure won't harm," he said.
"No, we must NOT touch anything except the genie lamp if we find it," I said. "Just because we were able to enter this cave does not mean it gives us permission to take any treasure we want. Touching the forbidden treasure might cause the cavern to collapse on us, so we need to be very careful. Greed, like magic, in this case, comes with a price. Only the genie lamp is what is truly needed, so that's all we can take."
"I guess you are right," Aladdin replied. "I'm glad I was warned. No wonder none have ever made it out alive." Then as Abu was about to grab a large, red jewel, Aladdin snapped, "No Abu!" And the monkey quickly listened, and I was so relieved.
We began our search for the lamp, and it was certainly going to take us a long time since the piles of treasure seemed endless. That lamp could be anywhere, and it would be hard to spot. I had hope it would be somewhere here, and I knew Jafar probably would not have taken it already since he would not have been able to enter the cave. Suddenly, I strangely started to hear what sounded like soft whispering. It sounded creepy. "Shh, guys, did you hear that?" I asked, turning to Kaylee and Aladdin.
"Hear what?" they both responded at the same time.
Then once Kaylee went over to me, suddenly, she exclaimed, "Wait, I hear it too!"
"What noise?" Aladdin questioned, shifting his eyes nervously.
"It sounds like whispering," Kaylee remarked, glancing around curiously.
Aladdin approached us and said, puzzled, "I don't hear anything."
"It's getting louder as I move this way," I said, ushering them. "I think it's coming from something."
We followed the whispering that kept growing louder and louder until we came to a treasure pile. Then something golden and shiny caught my eye in the pile. It was the genie lamp. "There it is!" I exclaimed, pointing to it with great joy and astonishment, and Kaylee did a leap of exhilaration. Once I knelt down and took it up, the piercing whispering ceased. We realized that this whispering had been coming from the genie lamp. It was as if the lamp wanted us to find it so led us there with the whispering.
"You found it!" Aladdin exclaimed with shock and excitement. "I can't believe it! It truly does exist!" Aladdin took the lamp, very thrilled, and placed it into his satchel. "Now let's get out of here!"
After we left the Cave of Wonders, suddenly and very unexpectedly, ten men who looked like bandits and held weapons, appeared and surrounded us. "Oh, shoot," Aladdin murmured, looking petrified.
"Going somewhere with my lamp?" said a sinister voice. A tall, slender figure came into view. He wore a black turban on his heard that had a red gemstone in the center with a red feather sticking up from it. And he wore a long, black robe and a black cape. His eyes were dark and sinister, he had a thin, black mustache and beard, and a malicious gaze was shown on his shadowed face. On his shoulder, perched a parrot, and in his right hand, he held a golden, cobra staff. I immediately guessed this person was Jafar; for he very much resembled the Jafar in the movie.
"Jafar," Aladdin said, gritting his teeth with anger.
"Why, if it's not the street rat," Jafar sneered. "Now hand over the lamp or you and your little friends die," he demanded threateningly.
"Never!" I yelled, then immediately, Kaylee and I, with our magic, flew all of Jafar's men back and Jafar too. Standing up, Jafar looked very surprised and said, "Bravo, I must say, I'm quite impressed. Light magic I see. Explains why you two were able to find the lamp because of your pure hearts," he added, turning his sinister gaze toward Kaylee and me. Then he turned to Aladdin and scoffed, "You got quite fortunate with these two protecting you; for you would have been long dead without them, you useless street rat!"
I nudged Aladdin who was growing hot with rage, and I whispered to him desperately, "Don't listen to him! Hurry! You need to make your wish now before it's too late!"
"If you won't hand over the lamp, I will make you suffer," Jafar threatened, glowering. Then in that moment, with his magic, he started levitating Aladdin off the ground, immobilizing and stifling him. When we were about to use our magic against Jafar, he abruptly threw us back. Then he went over to Aladdin who was trying to breathe then pulled the satchel off him and dumped out the genie lamp. It was too late, and we couldn't stop him.
"No!" I exclaimed, still trying to catch my breath from the harsh fall.
"Yes!" Jafar said, grinning triumphantly while fondling the genie lamp with pleasure. "It's mine!" He laughed maliciously. "Now I shall be invincible!" Then he vanished in a red, magic whirl, and his men rode off on their black horses.
We ran to Aladdin who was now on the ground, huffing and puffing for air. "Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.
"No, I'm not!" Aladdin replied in a raspy voice, looking very upset, and he pounded his fists onto the sand with anger. "How could I not see that coming!" he yelled with frustration. "Now there goes our hope! It's over now! We have lost. How could I be so stupid and not make my wish when I had the chance! I'm such an idiot! It's all my fault. Jafar is right, I am nothing but a useless street rat."
"No, you're not," I said, laying my hand on his shoulder. "And it's not your fault, so stop being so hard on yourself. Hey, at least we are alive, and that is what matters. Jafar may have the lamp but that doesn't mean there isn't hope. We will get it back; I just know it."