*In the vast emptiness, two men were sitting on space chairs. Face to face.*
There was a man, who was so huge that his presence could encompass the entire universe. In the shadow of his white, long beard and huge body, his appearance was amazing and majestic. His body was covered with such a heavy layer of flesh that his bones were lost somewhere, and there was a deep, mysterious gleam in his eyes. On the other side, sat Jake—a normal human being, who could no longer believe that he was dead. He had died in a car accident, and now he was in this strange place, in front of this giant man.
Jake narrowed his eyes and asked, "Are you God?"
The man answered with a slight smile, "No, child. You misunderstand. I am not God. I am a businessman."
"Businessman?" Jake said in shock, "You are a merchant who invites souls to tea after death, but does not even serve tea?"
The merchant laughed and said, "Yes, I am a merchant, but I do nothing without profit."
"What? You want to trade with me, but I have nothing to trade! What kind of merchant are you?" Jake asked in surprise.
The merchant laughed and had a deep gleam in his eyes and said, "Well kid, you asked the right question. I am a yin yang merchant. I trade in bad and good karma."
Jake remained silent for a while and asked, "So, you want to trade my bad and good karma with me?"
The merchant smiled, "Yes, I want to trade your karma."
"Okay, but what will I get from this?" Jake asked again, there was a mixture of doubt and hope in his eyes.
The merchant took a deep breath and said, "Come on kid, I will fulfill any wish of yours."
Jake still couldn't believe it. What was this really? Was he in the right place? But still, he thought, he might never get this chance again. "So how many wishes will you grant me?" Jake asked.
"I'll grant you two wishes," the merchant said coldly.
"Two! That's too few!" Jake retorted immediately.
"How many wishes do you want?" the merchant asked calmly.
"At least ten!" Jake said again.
The merchant slammed his fingers on the table, "You're asking too much!"
"If you want to trade with me, I have every right to ask for my own!" Jake said proudly.
The merchant looked at him with a deep gaze, then closed his eyes. "Fine, but now you've got to decide your wishes.
The two sat staring at each other for some time, one hour, two hours, three hours. The merchant finally sighed in response: "I won't give you ten wishes."
"So, how many wishes will you grant?" Jake questioned.
"Three," the merchant said coldly.
"No! Seven wishes!" Jake insisted.
"Four wishes," the merchant said coldly, as if he was adamant about something.
"Six wishes!" Jake said again.
"No, four wishes!" the merchant repeated his words.
"Five wishes," Jake said once more, and the merchant nodded yes.
The two looked at each other, then the merchant pulled out a contract. "This is the contract that states the terms of our trade. You must accept it."
"What is this?" Jake asked, doubt still in his eyes.
"This is a soul contract, without it we cannot complete our trade," the merchant said.
"What is written in it?" Jake asked, a little excitement in his voice.
"This is all we will trade," the merchant said, then smiled softly. "Now, are you ready to accept it?"
Jake replied without hesitation, "Yes, I accept it."
The merchant placed his finger on the contract and with a bright flash, the contract lit up. Jake's eyes lit up, realizing that this was a turning point—the biggest and most defining moment of his life.
"You did well, boy," the merchant said. "Now your wishes came true, but your journey is not finished yet."
Jake quickly understood that this was just the start, of a new adventure. He knew he had to put his actions in the right direction. Whatever you wish for will be yours, the merchant had said. But at every step he had to remember that it was his responsibility to choose the right path.
"Now go, Jake. Your new life awaits you," the merchant said, opening the door.
Jake opened the door and as he stepped out, bright light fell on his face. There was a new excitement in his eyes, and his heart was ready for this new beginning. He took a deep breath and stepped out the door.