What if you could have one spell? What would you chose?
Between the ages of 16-20, each person is given the chance to chose one spell.
No warning when it will be. Much is made of Being Prepared.
You may learn more spells in your life. This will be the one spell you can always do. The one spell that will never fail. The one that will be with you for the rest of your life.
No overreach. There are stories of All the Riches in the World leading to joining a global online group composed of people named Rich.
No danger to others. Another account says that asking for Kill People led to “slaying” the audience as a comedian.
No danger to yourself. No Midas Touch here. Rumour has it that An Everything Turns to Gold request led to things being hit with a gleam of sunlight.
Truth? Urban legend? Why take that chance? Why blow your one opportunity?
The spell does not run constantly. You have to invoke it. Everything getting a sunlit glow, only when you ask. Constant would be way too annoying.
You will be given words to say, a hand gesture to make, or a somatically appropriate equivalent.
Small & specific is best.
People will hire each other to perform their task.
The Chose WiselyTM company has grown giving people advice on their choice. They compile databases of requests and how they turn out. They will offer – for a fee – projections of how your request will turn out.
Silver Level – standard report
Gold Level – detailed report with percentage risk analysis
Platinum Level – a personal consultation to clarifying your goals, identify what is important to you, and help selecting the optimal wording.
Don’t leave the rest of your life to chance.
Chose Wisely!
~~~ curtain ~~~
Afterword
There is a science fiction fantasy novel wherein everyone in the world suddenly each gains their own obscure superpower. Neither memory nor search could dredge it up. Probably an ingredient in the above.
Free Fiction 4U – Clarkesworld: Better Living Through Algorithms, by Naomi Kritzler, May 2023. I have mentioned this author before for Cat Pictures Please (Clarkesworld 2015). [Instagram Recap] & [I Didn’t Write This Post]
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
Is that thought-provoking or what?
Whirled peas!
Much to ponder.
Thanks.
Love this story and all the implications and warnings about how a spell might go wrong! But—judges’ ruling here—your examples are fantasy, not science fiction. Magic is fantasy, science fiction is scientifically possible. Space colonies and even asexual reproduction are possible, thus SF. Superheroes and spells are magic, aka fantasy, or as has been defined to me: you can’t get there from here.
Good one! Love your imagination.