Candle Light

• Katherine Barker, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2014

Darkness. The only thing that is known. No sight or sound of any living thing. Fear. Fear of the dark. Fear of the unknown. The cold, the dark, the unknown. Heartbeat hastens, breath in ragged gasps. Desperate for light, frantic for light. A small box with sticks inside, the solution, an end to the darkness. With shaking hands full of fear, franticly searching for the precious little red end sticks. Some fall out, too scared to reach down for them, a few still remain. Through the darkness a stick is found. Hope. Hope is found. Red end stick touches little box and strikes. Nothing but sound. Again. Nothing. Once more. Snap. Horror. Fear. Panic. No light. Another little stick from the box. Red end stick touches little box and strikes. Spark. Then nothing. Strike again. Flame. Hope restored. Shaking hands move towards the candle and drop the stick. Terror. Darkness snuffed out the light. Fear sets in deeper. Heart rate quickens. Breath in ragged gasps. Shaking fingers search for the last glimmer of hope in the little box. With deep breaths the red tipped stick touches the little box. Strike. Flame! As calm as possible in the dreadful darkness the quivering hands move the little red end stick to the candle. How calming. How pleasant. How could something so small, give so much hope. How could something so small, drive away the darkness. So close now. To the candle, to the end of the stick. The flame burns. It hurts. Millimetres from the wick. Light. Driving away the dark, the cold, the fear. Precious light. Sacred light. Candle light.