The Candle

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night a candle burned in the window. The few neighbors driving past knew what that meant seeing it in the distance as the area was mostly inhabited by locals who lived acres apart on large pieces of land separated by even bigger forests between them. They sped up in their vehicles and instinctively looked away. They ALWAYS looked away from whatever happened on and around that property when a candle was in the window. It was something they ALL had learned to do as a matter of self preservation.

The old cabin had quite a reputation! It was rumored to be everything from home to a witches’ coven to a portal to the underworld. Since it had a tunnel connected to the old abandoned coal mine in the area that doubled as a bomb shelter anything seemed plausible. Locals knew to stay away but unfortunately campers and other tourists didn’t. One group of campers had been seen in town that day stocking up on the last items they needed for a hike. They arrogantly dismissed every citizen’s warning to stay on the well traveled paths and campsites. As they left towards the remote forest area the townspeople exchanged knowing glances and returned to their daily activities amongst themselves.

It was a group of city campers who were looking to debunk local legends. The townspeople never discussed the atrocities that were rumored to have occurred at that cabin so the campers didn’t get any information. Although, meant to discourage them the local vow of silence only seemed to peak their curiosity even more. They hopped on the tour bus and headed into the setting sun and darkening woods.

Each member of the tour group had their own interest in debunking the legend. ALL of them revolved around money. One was a land developer looking to make a rural residential area. Another had inherited the old cabin yet never visited but still paid the property taxes and wanted to reclaim it by being the first in the family to spend a night there in generations. Then there was a film crew looking to use the area for an inexpensive location to make their movie. Different goals yet safety in numbers was their philosophy. As the bus got to the bumpier and pitch black rural roads with no street lights they ALL began to second guess their decision.

None of them were familiar with nature or wildlife firsthand although many had done their research. Each time one heard a strange noise on the bus another quickly told them what kind of animal made that type of noise. They all would breath a sigh of relief and laugh as the bus ventured further and further into the woods. After a while even the first glimpses of that ill-fabled candle in the window as they drove up that road seemed a welcome change to just pitch black surroundings and the headlights from the bus.

As they parked and exited the bus they heard chanting and saw that the candle in the window wasn’t just flickering but seemed to get much larger at times with a distinct face in the flame! The chanting became louder and louder and they then saw what looked like a very tall campfire in the distance with the flames above the highest trees doing the same thing. The tortured faces in the flames each more terrifying than the last one. The chanting became louder and louder and they immediately jumped back in the bus but it wouldn’t start. They were never seen again….