Light the Candle
Your eyes grow wide as you reach out and take the candle from the stranger. He begins to lift his hood, and you realize that he is the same old raccoon from the candle shop. He smiles at you, extending his lighter to ignite the candle in your paw. You pull back.
The old raccoon takes another step forward and begins to speak. “You may feel that this place is where you belong. All of the others do at first. But I must tell you…your presence is needed elsewhere.”
You shake your head no and step back as he waves the lighter closer towards your body. “You must move on from this place. Move on from the familiar and into the unknown.” Suddenly, he leans in and lights the wick. The candle sparks for a moment, then remains lit. A small flame burns releasing a scent that reaches your hyper-sensitive nose in an instant. You feel dizzy as the smell of pine, snow, and smoke flood your senses. A mixture of confused emotions and panic overwhelm your mind. An icy touch wraps itself around the back of your neck. You try to run away, but your vision blurs. The bar provides a safe place to lean on while the closest patron begins to notice your predicament.
Through a high pitched ringing, you hear customers mumbling. You lose your grip on the bar and begin to fall backwards. It feels as though you are falling forever. Time does not pass, but the beating of your heart keeps tempo as you spiral down towards the floor. Your impact is cut short by the arms of someone…Leo and Eva. They both seem so soft. So comforting.
Leo and Eva gently lower you to the ground. Leo stands and steps away, giving you space to breathe. Eva holds your head softly in her paws and smiles. She speaks, but you are unable to understand her. In that moment you smile back. She leans close to you and kisses the top of your head. Everything blurs again, and you struggle to remain conscious as your mind slowly fades to black.
Written by MaxtheRaccoon on 17 June 2017