Snuff Fairies

Part Three

AS THE NIGHT WORE ON, Winnie busied herself with lighting candles. She'd placed them all around the mill, so everything was bathed in a warm orange flickering glow.

'We've got plenty of lanterns,' Helmund said. 'Why not just use those?'

'Believe me, these are better,' she replied.

'Why's that? Cos of the fairies?' Somehow, Helmund had managed to keep his laughter at bay this time.

'Yes, the fairies,' she replied, her face was a mask of seriousness. 'You'll see.'

After that, a silence grew between them and Helmund felt the heavy pull of sleep. He knew it was his job to stay awake, but he figured a short nap couldn't do any harm, so he let his eyes rest for a spell. There was no way of knowing how much time had passed, but when he awoke, Winnie was snoring softly in the corner. Seeing Helmund was now awake, the cat sauntered out of the cat flap Mr Merryweather had installed for it and disappeared. The animal's shift was evidently over and Helmund was more than a little jealous.

Knowing he'd be back to sleep within moments if he stayed where he was, Helmund got to his feet and paced around. Candles still flickered in every direction and he couldn't help but think it was a waste to have them all burning like that. There were only two people here after all, and one of them was asleep. 

Eager now he had a task to perform, Helmund wasted no time in lighting a lantern and then snuffing out the candle closest to him. As the flame died, Winnie murmured in her sleep. Did she know what he was doing? Would it really bother her that much? Were the candles really that vital? Helmund chose to ignore the creeping sense of dread that had arrived as if from nowhere and continued with his work.

One by one the candles were extinguished and soon there was only one left, one right at the back of the mill. Aside from Helmund's lantern and that lone candle, the mill was now in darkness. Again, Winnie murmured... and again, Helmund ignored her. Creeping slowly so as not to wake her, he tiptoed to the final candle, but he paused before using his thumb and forefinger to kill the light.

He wasn't alone. Something was watching him. He just knew it.

'Cat?' he called his voice not really sounding like his own. His breath froze in his throat and his skin crawled at the thought of someone studying him. 'Are you there?'

Sweeping the lantern back and forth, he tried to catch a glimpse of the animal, but there was no sign of it. 'Helmund?' Winnie called through the darkness. Helmund swung the lantern in her direction realising his voice must have woken her. 'What are you doing?'

'Oh, nothing,' he replied. 'Just go back to sleep. I can keep watch.' 

Instead of being grateful for more slumber, the old woman snapped at him. 'You light those candles this instant! Do you know what you've done! You've doom-'

The abrupt way she stopped talking left an uneasy feeling in the pit of Helmund's stomach.

'Winnie?' he called, as he stepped away from the last candle. 'Are you alright? What's going on?'

After a few paces, his lantern caught the shape of the old woman. Hunched over, she stood just in front of him. Something prevented him from reaching out to her. The dancing shadows made her look strange. Almost unnatural. Unable to shake the thought she'd bite him if he tried to comfort her, he kept his spare arm by his side, rather than trying to offer her any comfort.

'Are you alright?' he asked again.

Finally, she raised her head to reveal her face. The whites of her wide eyes glowed in the darkness and her complexion appeared to have paled considerably.