I'll Do Better...

Just Asking...

The next day, I went through all of the possibilities that could have happened last night. I wanted to know what caused all of that to happen. Then, it hit me. It was pretty strange that I actually thought about this since I don't really believe in magic. But, it was all I could think of.

I went to every candle store in the city and asked everybody if they knew what it was. Everybody just said no, and asked if I wanted free samples and discounts. Until finally, I came across this pawn shop that I use to think was abandoned. It was dark and only a little bit of sunlight peeped in from two windows that were on either side of the building.

I called out to a worker that was sitting at the far end. He was a pretty tall old man and he had a long shabby beard and his eyes were grey as smoke. He said "I know why you're here. Yes! I know exactly why YOU'RE here." I didn't understand what he was trying to say. "Do I know you sir?" I asked. He laughed and said "no sir you do not. But i do know you well. And you want to know about that candle you have there in your bookbag.

I didn't know how he actually knew where the candle was or why I even came by in the first place. But, I wasn't going to stay long so I just jumped to asking the questions.

He told me a story about a young man who had left 7 matches and a candle in a hotel room on Summer's Mountain twenty years before he disappeared, never to be seen again. He then said "another man stopped by here not too long ago and bought those from me. They cost a good price of $150,000." My heart dropped and I didn't believe what I was hearing. So I asked "what exactly does the candle do?" He replied "the candle is a time machine, and the match is it's fuel. When lit, it only operates for exactly 30 minutes. Then, you are back in the present time. But you must know, anything in your hands when your time is up comes to the present with you, and if you get hurt in the past, you will come back with those same fresh cuts in the present. That's all I can say now. If you aren't buying anything, GET OUT!"

I quickly left and went straight home. I had a couple of drinks just to get my mind settled because I had a tough day just trying to process everything that was being said. It all sounded real but it was so hard to believe.