The Candles Will Protect You

Chapter 2

I woke up to the sounds of someone walking around in my room.

"Mom?" I asked with closed eyes.

"Sorry for waking you up, sweetie," she apologized. "I brought you something."

I opened my eyes, looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"What?"

"Candles," she smiled.

I stayed silent for a few seconds.

"Candles?" I asked back, not sure I understood her correctly.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Okay... and what for?"

"To eat them," she said with a straight face, and I rolled my eyes.

"Really funny, mom."

She sat down on the bed next to me, and I sat up too.

"I want you to light a candle every single night before you go to sleep."

"Are we trying to make some ghost leave the house, or what?" I smiled jokingly, but she seemed serious.

"No, please just do it."

I yawned, shrugging my shoulders.

"I mean, it's fine with me, as long as they smell good."

She smiled, standing up from my bed.

"I put a box on your shelf, it's full of little candles. There's a candle holder in your window, that's where you have to put them."

I didn't have the energy to argue, it was too early for that, so I just nodded, deciding to go along with the situation.

"We have to go now. Can you please mow the lawn today?"

"Sure," I said, yawning again.

"Don't sleep for too long!"

"Okay, mom. Love you, bye," I said, putting the covers over me and closing my eyes.

I heard her sigh, then she said goodbye and left.

I woke up at 1 pm.

I decided to get dressed, then eat something before I do any work.

By the time I managed to actually go out to the garden it was two o'clock.

I started mowing the lawn, angry at myself because I didn't put any music on, but I was too lazy to go back inside, so I hummed to myself.

It took two hours. Two freaking hours to get it done.

I was exhausted.

Thankfully that was my only job for the day, so I decided to stay outside for a little while. The temperature was bearable, so I sat down on the bench and closed my eyes.

After a few minutes, I had a weird feeling, so I opened my eyes. I almost died. For the second time in two days. I got so scared that I fell down from the bench and landed on my stomach.

I looked up to see if it was still there, and to my surprise, it was.

The wolf was looking at me with... Worried eyes?

Am I high or something?

It was standing on four legs, looking at me with its head tilted, as if asking me if I was okay.

I rolled to my back, and I stayed on the ground, sitting with my legs spread apart.

Maybe I should have been scared, but I wasn't.