Venturing out in the desert Sophia stumbled on a single Bedouin tent,

In darkness it seemed abandoned, an unusual find for her research.

Ambition drove her on and pride led her in, fearless wherever she went.

Seeking lost caves without her peers, to gain credit.

Immune to the dangers.

Torch in hand she tried to inspect her find, light dimmed with batteries spent,

Undeterred, Sophia fumbled about in the dark, stumbling over her ruby robes.

A glimmer flickered and grew, shimmering from an unusual rock, heaven sent.

Grasping in the darkness she lifted the stone, it shifted and lifted with a lurch,

Shook and rumbled, vibrated, and fell releasing an illuminating amber gas in the tent.

Lightening sparked with a blue electric flame, thundering, The rock split.

Winds blew in the dark desert night and the tent slumbered in bleak black.

'Wilful one who has woken me, I have come abroad to serve thee. Please sit.'

Sophia fell unexpectedly, gained some of her composure and sat as requested.

'I am Iblis and will perform three tasks for thee, whatever is deemed fit,'

Sophia shook her head, sceptical of all legends, religions, curses and myths.

Sensing her disbelief Iblis held out a gnarled hand and therein appeared a candle lit,

'Test me child and make your first wish and I will show that my magic does not lack.'

'Prove it to me,' she retorted haughtily, 'take me back to my apartment as I see fit.'

No time to blink an eye, her mind spun briefly, until her apartment came into view.

'That is one wish granted. I have proven my worth, now make two more,' Iblis cried.

'I seek the lost caves of Ghazal and their treasures misted to time to back research new.'

Iblis flexed his long nails and turned his wrist, therein lay an ancient map.

'For my final wish I want to see the greatest splendours and pleasures endured by the few.' A smirk crusted the djinn's wizened skin, and a cold laugh vomited at her proud naivety.

Walls pulsated and melted, welling into mirrors.

Trapped, she was, in the looking glass cube, 'What splendour is this?' she wailed, turning intently, unable to find a door or place to hide.

'You were not specific my love, so I became artistic.

Splendours and pleasures just for us two.'

'Djinn's twist your wish,' her professor had said, but arrogance of the find had filled her head.

Breathless she waited and stilled, Iblis stared as his victim bathed in reality's shock,

'Splendour,' he started as her robes vanished, 'of the body or pleasures of the mind's bed?'

Sophia covered her torso with quaking arms, Iblis pointed his nails, and her arms vanished. No blood, just healed stumps in a moment surreal. Sophia heard herself scream, her face turned red, She slumped to the floor entombed in dread. He crawled awkwardly across the glass, tongue extended,

Licked her feet, shin and thigh, between her legs and to her breasts high, Sating the tongue of the dead.

'Return my arms.' she sobbed as his eternally imprisoned eyes filled with lonely lust, trapped in rock.

'Granted if you return with me, my prisoner and lover for eternity.'

Sophia nodded,

Her arms returned from the dead,

And she took his extended hand, her soul bleeding with awe and dread.