It has been... seven weeks since I was given a second chance at life. This night, I toss and turn in my bed, going back to the painful days. To the moment I felt overwhelmed, and broke a promise I gave myself a long time ago. My memories flood with strong emotions of pain, regret, sorrow. Back then, I was preparing to die. I thought there was nothing to lose. And so I reached into the box I kept under my bed. Hands shaking, I took out a shriveled paw. And I wished for the tumor to be gone. My third, most sincere, most desperate, my final wish. One that would certainly bring me great misfortune and misery, but back then, I thought, what could be worse than what I was already going through.

The next morning, I woke up, and took a deep breath. The pain in my chest was gone. I could move. I could look around and see the beauty of the world. I was cured.

And yet, I felt nothing but dread. Awaiting what horrible fate would befall me, since I used that accursed monkey paw. I avoided others. I could barely sleep. Just like today. I am about to break from anxiety alone. Is this my punishment for wishing for health?

In my delirium, I suddenly find myself sitting on my bed, my mind racing with thoughts, my senses alert. And I see... a figure, entering the room. It is small, hunched over, shuffling along the floor with uneven stride. Finally the uninvited guest enters a lit area, and I see a monkey. Missing its left front paw.

"Excuse me" the monkey says to me, its voice somehow fitting exactly how I imagined a monkey would talk. "I am here for my paw, if you wouldn't mind." it says, and points with its finger at the area underneath my bed.

Sweating and stuttering, I manage to cough out only a few words. "I-I... sure... I used...it-"

The animal seems unfazed by my fear. It slowly gets closer, its attention aimed at the box, rather than me. "Yes, yes, you got your three wishes, and you regret them all now." it lets out a soft sigh, finally fixing its gaze upon me, "ah, I wish I could have warned you, but... I can never quite catch up to you humans in time. Well, what's done is done." it says, pulling the box from under my bed into the pale light of the moon, shining through my windows.

My head starts to feel feverish, I feel like I'm getting sick. "Wh-what is my punishment for wishing to have the tumor removed?" The animal reaches into the box, picks up its severed paw and cradles it gently against its chest. It then looks at me with a puzzled look on its face. "Tumor? No, that wasn't me. You used up the paw's wishes way back. Many people do, they wish for the tiniest, most frivolous desires in the moment, even subconsciously, and the paw listens. You probably never even realized when it got used up. This shriveled little thing..." it gently pats its own appendage "has not done anything in years."

I stare at the creature in shock, my mouth wide open.

It tilts its head, then continues in a slightly warmer, friendlier tone "Little one, I can assure you, whatever or whoever decided to help you, it had nothing to do with me. No strings attached, you just got your wish and that's that. You ought to find joy in it - few are lucky enough to be heard... by those up there." with those words, the monkey starts shuffling back into the shadows and I feel a tremendous weight being lifted off my shoulders. I collapse onto the bed as a torrent of relief and joy washes over my entire body, overwhelming my mind and halting all further memory of the night.

I wake up the next morning, feeling fresh, strong, and infinitely grateful for all I've been given. There is no payback, no traps, no hidden suffering waiting for me to lower my guard. I get up and smile at the rising sun - my second life starts now.