Robert's Mirror, Chapter 23, by J.M. Stevenson, www.jeannesbottle.com

"Do you think they realize we've trapped them?" Lucas questioned his new assistant Evan. They were standing at the edge of the underground cellar gazing out into the great expanse of sunless lake.

"Nope. They'll wait an eternity for another storm, except, it won't be raining from that down spout into their little escape tunnel."

"Excellent!" Lucas said. "I'm a bit disappointed though. I was hoping to squish the life out of that Wishgiven woman myself. What a pest!"

"I thought this would please you even more great master. After all, she'll be in that tiny hole suffering for eternity." Evan explained making the outcome seem more appealing.

Lucas released an incredible roll of laughter.

"If you don't mind me saying sir, it was pure genius to find Robert like you did. Having me tap into his connection to Jeanne gave me the edge to find the location of her and Dwane. It unfolded just as you said it would, Robert and Jeanne are kindred and he saw her plain as day."

"It was a win-win situation. Not only did we find the meddling dual from the cellar, we managed to throw a bit of dust onto a pure surface. Robert will soon join us, mark my words on that one! He's turning, his soul is loosing alliance with Granny and team goody-goody."
Evan grinned sheepishly. "I can't wait."

"About the demons trapped in the lake?" Lucas asked.

"It's impossible to remove them. Any contact with the water and we'll dissolve." Evan said in a hopeless manner.

"If those genies would've realized that the lake had traces of baptismal water, we'd have been sunk. A single drop would have terminated us... zap we'd disappear, eliminated by thousands of repetitive prayers from the human world." Lucas snapped in a grumble.

"What's the difference? There's an army stranded out there and not a thing we can do about it."

Lucas nodded as his gaze scanned the lake.

"Others will no longer be added and that's what we should focus on at this point."

Both demons strolled away feeling a sense of victory. Several layers of earth above, Jeanne and Dwane remained wedged as over inflated spirits ballooned within the tunnel, no larger than an ant passageway.

"You'll think it'll ever rain again?" Dwane asked with desperation.

The only source of illumination was the tiny beam of light radiating from the warmth of Jeanne and her connection to Robert.

"YOU need to remain patient Dwane, sometimes these things take time." Jeanne whispered in her most reassuring voice.

"If you want to know what I think? This brilliant idea of yours was nothing more than a farce! It's never going to rain again because Lucas knows we're here and he's preventing it!"

"Dwane, I've been in tighter binds than this. The whole key to survival is to never surrender. Remember that! Number one rule to being an effective genie is a good attitude. We'll make it out of this place because our desire to win is stronger than Lucas'."

"Stronger than the evil prince? I doubt that!" Dwane said arguing.

"You want out of here?" Jeanne asked in frustration.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I do!"

Jeanne fell silent for a few moments as she focused her instincts to the immediate situation.

All of her life and after life experiences flooded into mind, the one vision that was clearer than all others was her connection to bottles. "What does it mean?" She wondered to herself.

"Bottles.....medicine, vodka, hot sauce, a Miller beer bottle, root beer, whiskey, champagne.... Champagne... Evan and champagne? "Dwane, Champagne is the answer!" "Why didn't I see it before?"

Jeanne began to laugh in a show of excitement.

"Champagne?" Dwane asked with confusion.

"When we travel within the structure of objects, the objects leave a bit of themselves within the spirit of all of us! Why didn't I see this sooner?"

"I'm not following you."

"I'm the queen of bottles here! It's Champagne!" "Ha!" Jeanne began to chuckle. "..and I remember Evan minus the disguise of those thick glasses, at least I think they are one and the same... He was part of a wish that I had granted not too long ago. I remember now, plain as day, it was when I went up against those menacing ghosts... I was trapped in a bottle of champagne and Evan released me by popping the cork! I know what I need to do now! The trick out of here is what Evan showed me when I was within the Champagne encasement... HOLD on!"

With intense concentration, Jeanne closed her eyes, recalling every detail as to when the human Evan unlatched the cork and she was catapulted forward. From within the tiny hole, Dwane and Jeanne slid upwards not more than two creeping inches.

"Did we move?" Dwane asked with excitement. "Jeanne Wishgiven, I could swear we just moved a slight bit upwards."

"We did!" Jeanne said giggling. "This might take a bit of time, but I believe it's possible."

"You are an amazing genie!" Dwane said filled with admiration.

"Nonsense." Jeanne said channeling all thought and remembrance to the task at hand. "Every genie has it within them...we will escape this dreadful place, even if it takes ten years to do it!"

"I have every confidence that you'll pull this off!" Dwane said through a burst of laughter.

This was the beginning of many inches, feet, yards and miles of ground standing between the genies and freedom above. Elizabeth Fenmore realized, there was nothing more powerful than the determination of a genie in love. "I will find you Robert Wright!" She thought to herself and above everything, she believed she could make it happen.