Candles

I was wondering why my friend had been so long. He said that he had to see a man about some rare books but that was hours ago, and he still wasn’t back and we were supposed to be meeting up with our group for an Italian meal.

The guy he had gone to see was called Chandler and lived in a big house set way back from the road down a long dark wooded drive.

I phoned a few times and it just went to answerphone, so I went off for the Italian and would catch him when I got home. I had arancini and risotto and too much wine and got back late, a little drunk, and he still wasn’t back. I phoned again and it went to answerphone again. I was worried so I decided that I would go to see what he was doing at Chandler’s, he was only meant to be picking up some books, and how much effort does that take? He could, of course, got lost in a conversation, but surely his phone must have alerted him that I was trying to get in touch, or someone was.

It was a ten minute walk, I know it was late, but this was a worrying situation, it wasn’t midnight and I was outside Chandler’s gates. I walked up the dark drive and kept thinking I could hear something following me in the trees that bordered the drive, but I can look after myself so I was not too bothered by the sounds.

I got to the house and although there was a light that came on when I approached the front door, I thought it odd that the house seemed to be well-lit from within, but not by electric light, it looked more like it was lit by gas or paraffin lamps as the light was flickery but bright.

I knocked on the door and waited. There was no sound, so I knocked once more but harder.

There was some sound, like someone coming down the stairs, and surprisingly I heard a key turning in the lock, the door opened and an old guy in a fairly hefty dressing gown, said very politely “Cn I help you?”

I told him why I was there and he invited me in, and bid me come into his well-appointed living room. I saw why the house was well-lit, along the ledges in the hallway were hundreds of candles and they were lighting the front room too.

I sat down and asked if my friend had come for his books and Chandler said he had come about six o’clock for the books.

I asked if he stayed long and Chandler said he did.

I asked “How Long” and then Chandler said something very odd.

“Well, of course, he didn’t leave, and hener=ver took his books, they are there on the table”

“I don't understand”

“Those books are actually mine, but they do tempt people to come in here in various ways. They brought you and your friend today, so that is two visitors that they have brought me today”

“What do you mean, where is my friend?”

“He is still here, and this is where he will stay, as will you”

“What are you on about?”

“You see all these candles? Well they are not really candles, they are the souls I have taken to light my house, and yours will provide another”

Before I could do anything I was looking through the glass at the strange man, I was now nothing more than a flame to light his house, and I realised the significance of his name…….