The Candle

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. I had seen this cabin a thousand times, even been inside of it, for you see, this property belonged to my grandfather, at least it used to. He had died years ago, and I was much younger then, but I still remember, I remember everything. I remember the sound of his voice, the smell of his cologne, how he would walk with me through the woods where his cabin was, and how he had always told me that I should never walk in those woods alone, I also remember him telling me it was because they were not safe. One might think that this would be something normal that a grandfather would tell their young grandchild, because of animals, or falling, or getting lost, but as I later found out, he was hiding something else. I had asked him in childlike ignorance, "If they are so unsafe, why don't you leave? I had spoken this, not expecting the response that he gave me, "Because I'm not allowed to." It was not only what he said that made me uneasy, but the tremble in his voice, and the look of terror on his face. I asked who wouldn't let him leave? Again, his response and facial expression made me uneasy, "Please don't ask me that again."

The path to the old cabin was only visible if one knew where to look, I had walked this path so many times, that I could have found it in the dark, and many nights, I did. The consequences of my decision to sneek out of the house that night were fastly approaching as I had thought I could leave undetected. I had snuck out of the house because I could not sleep, and I figured grandpa would be up anyway, he'll keep me company and the walk would probably make me tired enough to sleep afterward. I remember just crossing a section of woods that was always pitch black, no matter how bright the moon was, and ice-cold, no matter how high the temperature of a summer's day. There seemed to always be a candle burning in the window, this is how I could find the cabin when I got close, but this particular night would change my life forever. I saw the candle, and before I could start walking in that direction, I was grabbed from behind by something so dark, it had no outline and something so strong that I was taken off of my feet, and it felt like I was lifted into the air, I had to have been, because the next moment that I saw light, I was standing at the edge of my families' property, I could see my home. I ran to my home as fast as my feet could carry me, and I snuck back into my bed and said nothing to my family, how could I mention that and have them believe me?

The next morning, I had no intention of going to my grandfather's cabin because I was still in shock over what had happened, but I didn't have to wait long to see my grandfather, because first thing in the morning, he came by. This wouldn't have been so strange if he had come by more often, but his appearances at the house became less and less over the years. He knocked on the door and my mother answered with a smile, and a hug and invited him to stay for breakfast, and he did. I had a difficult time enjoying the laughter, and joy that always came with seeing my grandfather because of what happened the night before, and as soon as my family was out of the kitchen, he locked his eyes on me, and his smile quickly turned to a look of dread, and what happened next changed my life forever. He looked me straight in the eyes as he stepped towards me and said "They know you're here now, and I can't do anything about what must happen next!" All of a sudden, my grandfather turned into a ghostly floating black figure! The light from the side of the room that he was on was also gone and the room was becoming darker, all of a sudden, my father called out to me, "Hey buddy, are you still in the kitchen?" And as soon as he turned the corner to step into the room, the black floating figure was gone. The thing that grabbed me last night, was one of the people that I loved most in this world, my grandfather.

The weekend had saved me from having to lie to my dad about staying home sick from school, I stayed in my room the rest of the day under a pile of blankets, just trying to keep from crying from not only seeing the most frightening image an eleven year old boy had ever seen, but also trying to think of a way to tell my dad that his father, and my grandfather, was an actual monster. I didn't know what to do, or what to feel. I stayed in my room the rest of the day, not wanting to eat or socialize with my family, even though they constantly came in to check on me and take my temperature. The day had slowly gone and nightfall had come, but I was too afraid to go to sleep, and even though my best efforts to stay awake were used, I eventually drifted off to sleep.

I was awakened sometime during the early hours because I was trembling so hard, I was not freezing, but I could sense that I was not alone in the room, I turned over, only to see my grandfather, or at least who I thought was my grandfather, sitting in a chair near the corner. "I know you have questions he stated, now is the time to ask them." I was too afraid to speak, but somehow, I found the courage. "What are you?" I trembled the words that deep down, I did not want to hear. "I am the keeper of the land, of Hollow Face." I tried to ask who or what that was, but before I could utter a word, "And you did not head my warning to not be in those woods alone." Said the Keeper. "I thought I was coming to see you!" I said. The Keeper spoke and quoted some sort of ancient text, "Where two or more are gathered, the Keeper is at bay, but if the candle casts a lonely shadow, with the keeper you will stay." Your soul now belongs to Hollow Face, it is his land I protect! Papa, please! I shouted, but then a familiar voice echoed through the house, "Your master has no claim here!" I turned to see the face of my father, and not only was he not frightened, but he boldly stood in between me and the Keeper. "Dad, papa is, and before I could say another word, dad said, "That is not your grandfather!" The Keeper froze as if he were in shock, "You dare break your vow?You know what this means, it means You are now the bearer of Hollow face's curse!" Shouted the Keeper, "No, it means my son, is now free from it!" And without another word being said, the Keeper turned back into his ghostly form and vanished. Is he gone? I asked. "Yes, said my dad, but not forever, he'll be back." When? I asked, and do you really have to go with him? The Keeper will not be back for a long, long time, and don't worry about me, there are ways of keeping evil at bay.

My dad had told me that papa had been gone for a long time because he had been taken by the Keeper. "There are rules son, and you and papa broke them, but until the Keeper returns to claim his next soul, the land is safe again." I knew that he meant the Keeper was coming for him, but I didn't want to think about that. It was many years before I went back to my papa's cabin, and many years since I saw that candle burning because it was the candle that revealed a person's fate and if two or more were gathered. Hollow face was a person that I met through fear alone, and meeting his nature, which was the Keeper, was at times more than I could bear, and when I saw the candle of that cabin lit again, I knew that his return was slowly drawing near.