Make a Wish

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window.

Fearlessly, Jasper led his classmates into the woods. The candle piqued his interest, as he shared with Harold and Calvin. They wanted to see this spectacle for themselves. Jasper could not deny their curiosity.

As fate would have it, the three youngsters wandered through the forest as a full moon rose. The ominous blue glow of the moon didn’t seem to bother them because they were so set on their task.

A familiar signpost blocked the children’s way. Beware! It said in faded scarlet paint.

Jasper ignored the warning, waving his compatriots to follow his lead. The warning was from locals who were superstitious of the area. Ahead was Old Tom’s cabin. It was supposedly haunted, but that didn’t halt their approach.

Little did they know that there was a coal mine deeper in the hills that was abandoned. It was commonly known as ‘Black Widow’, since the soot from coal masked the appearance of deadly spiders lurking in the dark. Of course, one fateful day Old Tom had been trapped during one of the many cave-ins.

It is said that spiders ate the old man’s remains, because they could never find him. The miners believed the spiders turned into larger-than-life creatures. This was all a rumor of course, but workers began disappearing, which didn’t help matters. And then the mine was abandoned shortly thereafter.

The eerie night didn’t stop the children from moving in further to get a closer look. The candle was plain, but the flame was blue, shining through broken windows.

Carved in the rotting wooden walls were various names that were worn away with time. But among them, Tom stood out, painted in crimson in the moonlight. Allegedly they were the names of miners who disappeared.

Jasper entered in earnest leading the way, heeding none of the obvious warnings in their path. As they surveyed the shack, the flickering flame drew the boys in like moths to a light.

As they neared, Jasper said, “It’s a magic candle.” The others looked at him doubtfully. “I swear!”

“Then why was it left abandoned up here?” The others asked. “And who lit it?”

“Because removing it would ruin the magic!” Jasper insisted. “And the one who walks the night did it.”

Both boys shook their heads in disbelief. “And how do you reckon that?”

Jasper’s face twisted up in frustration. “Fine, then I’ll show you.” He leaned in closer, thought for a moment, and blew. The flame guttered out, and sapphire sparks swirled, as if to create a wish fulfilled feeling. And then it was gone. Silence fell in the eerie darkness.

“Did your wish come true?” His friends asked.

“I don’t know.” He said, desperately feeling for the box of matches nearby. “My dad told me when he and his brother came up here, it granted him a wish.”

Striking the match, the cabin was bathed in a warm amber glow. A stark contrast to the cool cobalt blue from before.

“I didn’t know your dad had a brother.” His classmate whispered.

“Not anymore.” He said ominously, carefully reaching down to relight the candle. It sizzled as the amber bore way to the ghostly glow of azure.

A horrifying wail ripped through the open night. The boys looked through the broken windows to see if they could spot the terror.

“What was that?” Harold asked. A shadow darted in the darkness, then nothing. The door squeaked, and Jasper grabbed the candle holder, turning to face what lay behind them.

His friends followed his lead, turning as well. Before them stood a man, but not a man. Eyes white, with eight hairy arms. Two were pale flesh, while the other six were tinted dark as night. A pair of mandibles covered the creature’s mouth, twitching, as it stared at them.

Everyone froze as the creature loomed high above them, almost to the ceiling. The boys’ hearts raced as their minds attempted to grapple with the abomination that stood before them. But not Jasper.

“Tom,” Jasper muttered. The creature glanced at him, as if memory had come back for the briefest moment. “These are the ones. Fulfill your promise.”

“As you wish,” The monster hissed in a raspy voice. His friends turned to him in horror.

“Your wish-?” They asked, as the monster reached out its spider arms, and snagged their shoulders. The boys were yanked by the creature, grappled by its arms, and taken outside. Their screams echoed through the night air, but were stifled quickly, leaving the cabin and surrounding area silent once more.

“I told you it was a magical candle,” Jasper said smugly.