The Candle That Burned Backwards

A watchmaker in Prague discovered a candle that burned the wrong way. When lit, it grew longer instead of shorter. At first, he thought it a miracle — until he realized it consumed time instead of wax.

Every second it burned, a moment from the past disappeared. His wedding, his mother’s smile, the day he learned to read — all gone, one by one.

When the candle finally went out, he found himself standing in an empty workshop. The clocks were silent, the streets unbuilt, the world unfinished.

And somewhere, deep in the dark, the candle flickered again — shorter this time.