A Christmas Wish

The first time I rubbed on the old, golden lamp,

a genie appeared with a great white beard.

"Do tell me, my lad, what would you like this year

when Christmas arrives with all of its cheer?"

I pondered his question for a short second

before replying as bold as I could,

"A tour of the world is what I'd like best,

in the most magical way that you can."

The genie took his time concocting a plan

that would satisfy such a grand wish.

Then he snapped his fingers and said,

"I've got just the henchmen to get the job done.

They'll show you around in style."

Then up out of the sand rose four rotting corpses

bound in white cloth and staggering slowly.

I stepped back and shuddered, "Mummies? They're real?"

"This is Egypt, of course! Why, I resurrected only the best.

There's Nefertiti, Cleopatra, Ramses II, and Tutankhamun.

Royalty to treat you royally!"

I couldn't speak, so I started to run

away from the horrendous sight of the dead.

But the genie grew angry and yelled after me,

"Where's your Christmas spirit? Your gratitude?

How dare you leave without thanking me!"

As I ran, the running grew harder,

my muscles shriveled, my bones showed their form.

I screamed, but I could not stop the hair

from falling out of my head, or my skin from drying out.

My clothes hung like rags, and I stood still,

my body preserved like the ancient royals.

My last thought as I lost my consciousness -

would heaven accept me as a mummy, if I said a Christmas prayer?

This is for Laura Pruett's Mummies for Christmas unofficial challenge, which can be found at this link.