The Taxidermist's Apprentice.

The Candlestick Burns Bright

When it first happened, Edmond was deeply unnerved, and an arctic shiver shot down his spine. Now, the curious sight tickled him all over and a fit of laughter held him hostage. Edmond knew Lillian would not be finding it funny, at all. He could imagine her proclaiming in all her usual theatricality, that it was an injustice or the greatest of inconveniences. To Edmond, it was the serenade of silence. That morning, Lillian was darting around the house like a Cocker Spaniel on heat, touching and breaking everything in sight. Then, when Edmond chastised her for it, she took to being his shadow, all day – out of spite. Luckily, Florence was now in the room, and Lillian was as solid and hauntingly still as a statue. However, her sealed lips and absent gaze was not enough to discourage Florence from pruning or speaking to her with all the excitement in the world. It was like Lillian was a life-sized doll and Florence was the little girl, thrilled to be playing with her. While Florence's presence kept Lillian's madness tamed, Edmond returned to his study, seeking refuge and a glimmer of peace.

Usually, Edmond dreaded it when Florence left, because it meant Lillian would be unleashed and all the pent-up energy would be free to erupt like Mount Vesuvius. However, this time, Edmond was prepared. As expected, the moment her mother left, Lillian was as loud and rabid as ever. Like a bloodhound, she soon tracked Edmond down. But, before Lillian could drench Edmond in another tidal wave of nonsense, he thrusted a neatly wrapped parcel in her hands.

In the last few days, he could not even blink without Lillian shaking him awake and demanding to be entertained. To save the remnants of his sanity, Edmond hungered to find something to distract her. It finally came to him while stoking fire. Despite being the daughter of a candlestick maker, Lillian had never made her own candle before. Mainly because William had refused to allow Lillian anywhere near his shop, knowing that she was a disaster waiting to happen.

Lillian vibrated with excitement as she tore apart the parcel's wrapping. The parcel contained a box. Inside of it were balls of paraffin wax and a collection of jars of scented oils. As Edmond expected, she took one look at her new treasures and swooned. Lillian then leapt into his reluctant arms, almost snapping his frail body in two, and showered him with kisses and appreciation. As she danced and skipped out of the room, Edmond breathed a sigh of relief in the knowing that in time, sleep will return to him. The following days proved that he was right.

Edmond stopped outside of Lillian's door. Her room was quiet. Too quiet. Yes, the girl had simmered in recent days, thanks to the candle making. But she was never silent. A song there, a whistle here... there was not a glue in the world that could that girl's mouth shut. As soon as Edmond opened the door, his heart dropped. She was gone. Lillian's bedroom was as cold and lifeless as a tomb. In panic, he darted from one room to the next, calling her name out in desperation. Nothing. He even enlisted the noses and eyes of his animal friends to help find her. Nothing. It was like she had vanished into thin air. As Edmond crumpled to the floor in the hallway, heart pounding and tears falling, he cursed himself for being so damn wretched to Lillian. Had he not learned from his mistakes with Florence? Only in her absence did he realise how much he adored Lillian.

The creak of a floorboard summoned Edmond's attention to the top of the stairs. When he saw her, instinctively a smile rose from him, and then it crumpled when he read the expression on her face. Anguish. Edmond staggered to his feet and rushed to her side. He got there in time to catch her as she collapsed into him. She had a diary clutched to her chest. With a tremor in his voice, he asked her what was wrong. With a voice equally as unsteady, Lillian revealed that that she too had a gift. While Edmond could resurrect the dead, she had the ability to step into the past or the future with a lighting of a candle. For the last few days, she used her gift to see her sister, Rose. However, that morning, she had decided to visit Bran, in the hopes that she could bring back a message. She was not prepared for what he had to say.

"There are many others like Edmond and yourself."

Almost seeing Edmond's thoughts etching themselves into his face, Lillian revealed that Bran knew about his gifts, even before he knew himself. Also, it was no coincident that Florence was hired either – he knew about Lillian too. When Edmond asked how, Lillian opened the diary to reveal a crystal and chain, given to Bran by another gifted child. The diary itself belonged to Bran and it detailed a life-long interest in gifted children. As Lillian's words continued to pour out of her mouth, inspiration floated above Edmond's whirlpool of thoughts – they should find all the kids in the book. As he told Lillian his idea, anguish returned to Lillian's face, and with a wilted tone, she told Edmond what the real heartbreak of the whole affair was. It transpired that sooner or later, all the gifted children would succumb to premature and unexplained deaths. Or, as Bran had put it, "The flames burning Twice as bright, would burn half as long." Suddenly, Edmond's recent worsening health became clear and foreboding to him. Death was inching ever closer to him, too. But he remained unperturbed, because he had a new truth – he was not alone anymore.