The Flickering Candle

"Do you think 'ol Vetrington is going to make us write a scary story? He's always making us write stories!” Sara moaned to Shannon as they get their notebooks from their lockers.

"I think they're fun," Shannon said cheerily.

"That's because you like writing! It takes me hours to try and think up something!” Sara moaned.

"Do you want to come hand out candy at my house for Halloween?" Shannon asked closing her locker.

"Aren't you going to the party at Don Craig's house?" Sara asked her.

"Isn't he a senior?"

"A senior who thinks we're juniors!” Sara nudged her friend playfully.

Shannon smirked at her. "You can go ahead. I'd rather pass out candy."

"Come on Shannon, parties are fun! Everyone is going to be there!"

Shannon ignored Sara's nagging and drifted off looking at the bulletin board down the hallway. Announcements were posted every now and then.

A girl was sitting on a bench, crying.

"What are you staring at?" Sara asked, following her gaze. "You know there’s not always new information about after school activities every day. Let's get to class."

Shannon sighed, walking away from her friend. "I'll meet you in class."

She walked over to the bench and sat down with the girl who did not look up at her. "Are you alright?"

The girl jumped and looked surprised. "Are you talking to me?" she asked.

"What's the matter?" Shannon asked her.

She didn't know what to say. "You're actually talking to me?"

"Are you new? It's hard being new. I moved from Oklahoma last year. It's hard not talking to people you don't know. I'll be your friend if it makes you feel better."

She smiled timidly. "Thank you."

"I'm Shannon Winston. What's your name?”

"Laura Swanson."

The bell rang. "Shoot, we'll be late for class. Maybe I'll see you at lunch?"

But once lunchtime came, there was no sign of Laura.

"Who were you looking for at lunch?" Sara asked once they were out of gym class.

"The girl who was crying on that bench,” Shannon answered, getting her bookbag together.

"What girl?"

"Come on Sara don't act as if you didn't see her. She was crying right near the announcement board.”

"Well, I'm sorry I guess I just didn't see her. Did you ask her to sit with us at lunch?" Sara asked.

"Yes, maybe she had a different lunch period."

"How long do you think they've been letting that coat lye around?" Sara asked, shaking her head.

"What coat?" Shannon asked.

Sara pointed towards the door. "The one near the closet. It's been there since the first day of school."

Shannon picked up the dusty coat and wiped it off. "Oh, this belongs to that girl I met!"

"How long has she left it here?"

"She just moved here. Her address is on it so I'll take it to her house after school."

--

Walking along the road, the sun disappeared on Crest St. Tons of trees shadowed the street. Approaching the house in the middle of the street, it looked very old. The grass was barely cut. The doorbell echoed through the house. Looking at the window, Shannon saw a candle on the windle sill. A few minutes passed until someone answered the door.

"Yes?" Her voice was raspy like a creature. Dark gags hung under her eyes.

"Are you Mrs. Swanson?" Shannon asked, nervously.

"Ms. Swanson,” she corrected immediately.

"I was just here to return Laura's jacket." She handed the jacket to her.

The woman gripped the door looking as if something had spooked her. "What?"

"I found Laura’s jacket in the gym. Your daughter must have left it there. Is she home?"

Ms. Swanson took the coat from Shannon's hands and cuddled it as if it were a baby. She looked at Shannon with tearful eyes. “My daughter is dead.”

Shannon’s blood ran cold. “W-What?”

“She died,” the woman repeated, sharply. “A year ago. At that school.”

Having no idea what to think, all Shannon could think about was the conversation she had that very morning with Laura. She was there. “I’m sorry. W-What happened?”

“It is not any of your business!” she snapped making Shannon jump. “She hung herself in the school after we... fought.” she started to cry these horrible sounds, shattering Shannon’s heart. "I wish I could say how sorry I was. I never meant to start drinking like my husband. I wish I could tell her how much I love her!"

“Wh-What if you could?” The woman looked up at her, furious, but curiosity lurking in her eyes. “I-I saw her. She’s in school...”

The woman slammed the door in her face.

---

That very next day, Shannon searched the school for Laura. She was not leaving school until she found her. The bell rang and the day was over.

When Shannon closed her locker, Laura stood at the end of the hallway. She backed up and disappeared into the janitor’s closet. Gulping, Shannon walked down the hall and opened the door. Laura stood in the darkness.

“I’ve been looking for you,” Shannon said as she closed the door.

“I know. What do you want to know?” Laura asked her

“Your side of the story. Your mother told me what happened but I want to hear your story.”

Laura looked to the floor. “It’s my mother’s fault that I killed myself. She told me I was better off dead.”

Shannon shook her head. “She didn’t mean it.”

“Yes, she did!” Laura’s voice shook just like Ms. Swanson’s. Except objects on the shelves shook, falling to the floor. When she drank she never lied! But she was right. I am better off dead!”

“No, you shouldn’t have killed yourself!” Shannon tried to convince her.

“You don’t even know what I had to go through!” Laura screamed at her. The light flickered in the closet.

“We have to talk to your mother,” Shannon announced.

Laura glared at Shannon. “No! I’m not going to talk to that woman!” Laura screamed, making a bucket fall off one of the shelves.

“We have to get the real story out of your mother!” Shannon declared, opening the janitor’s door. Luckily, all the students were gone.

“NO!!” All the lights went out leaving them all in total darkness. “If you think that I’m going to talk to her, you’re out of your mind! She doesn’t know what she’s talking about! She never did!” Laura cried.

“We need to try!” Shannon took Laura’s wrist and pulled her to the doors.

As soon as they were outside the sun disappeared behind the clouds. Rain pounded so hard that it felt like knives piercing through the skin. Laura tried to get away but her hand kept going through Shannon’s body. Each time Laura screamed in anger thunder erupted loudly.

At last, the house on Crest St. appeared through the lightning.

Shannon banged on the door. “Ms. Swanson! Open the door! Please!” she screamed through the thunder.

“Let me go! I don’t want to be here!” Laura screamed.

As soon as Shannon felt the door open she barged into the house pushing Ms. Swanson into the wall.

“What gives you the right to barge into my house?!” Ms. Swanson hollered, slamming the door shut. The bags under her eyes were horrible and she looked pale.

Shannon took a breath. “Ms. Swanson, I brought Laura.”

The woman looked as if she wanted to faint. “Why are you torturing me like this!! Laura killed herself!!” she cried.

“Get me out of here!” Laura screamed making the lights flicker. The candle by the window almost went out. Laura sank her teeth into Shannon’s arm. Releasing her, Laura got loose. Thinking she could evaporate right through the wall, instead, she ran into it.

Ms. Swanson stated at Shannon’s arm in horror. There were teeth marks and it was already beginning to bleed. “Laura bit me like that the night she killed herself.”

Shannon turned to Laura who leaned against the wall crying. “Laura, please listen to what your mother has to tell you. You can’t spend the rest of your life like this. Everything is going to be fine.”

And then she turned back to Ms. Swanson. She shivered, avoiding her eyes. “Ms. Swanson, we need you, to tell the truth. What really happened that night?”

The woman looked to the floor. “I was drunk. I didn’t know what I was doing. Laura’s father was going to take her away from me.”

Laura covered her ears.“I don’t believe you! You couldn’t take care of me and you knew it!!”

“Why didn’t you let her go with her dad?” Shannon asked Ms. Swanson.

“I didn’t want to be alone. I didn’t want to be locked away somewhere where Laura would never want to see me!” Ms. Swanson said as her voice grew.

“Don’t believe her! She killed him!” Laura screamed to which Shannon repeated the question. Shivers went up her spine.

“She says that you killed her father,” Shannon repeated to the woman.

“No! That is not true! He left!”

Laura clapped her hands over her ears. The lights in the house flickered. As did the candle. “You’re lying! I don’t remember!”

Shannon forced her hands away from Laura’s ears. “She doesn’t remember any of this. Why doesn’t she? Tell the truth!” Shannon yelled to the woman.

“Doctors gave you something that made you forget. We were able to go home but the news about us constantly went around. People made fun of you.” This time she actually spoke to her own daughter, looking at the open space between Shannon’s arms. “Laura, I’m sorry that I started drinking again.”

“YOU’RE LYING!” Laura cried.

The thunder crashed and the lights went out in the house, leaving only the candle as their source of light.

“Please keep talking Ms. Swanson. You need to make her remember!” Shannon fought Laura to keep her hands off her ears.

“I didn’t drink because of you! It was my fault You fought with me so many times that I began losing my mind again. You thought I was a murderer but I wasn’t! I never meant to lie to you! I’m sorry!!” Ms. Swanson screamed over the pounding of the thunder.

The lightning struck through the windows as the cabinets spilled out its contents smashing glasses and dishes in the kitchen.

“STOP IT! I DON’T BELIEVE YOU!!!”

The thunder banged it’s loudest.

“I loved you, Laura! I wish you never killed yourself!! I want you back!!”

Everything went quiet.

The storm stopped.

Laura suddenly glowing, a light illuminating her body.

“Laura...” Ms. Swanson looked at Laura as if she were about to faint.

“Mama? You can see me?” Laura asked slowly standing up from the ground.

A smile crept along Shannon’s face as they touched each other’s hands.

“Is that what really happened?” Laura asked.

“Yes. But why did you leave me, Laura? I loved you so much.” Ms. Swanson said in tears as she smoothed her daughter’s hair.

“I thought what you said was true and you really didn’t care about me. I guess I couldn’t remember all our good times. I love you, Mama.”

Ms. Swanson hugged her daughter tightly. “I love you more.”

And just like that Laura evaporated like she were dust and the sparkles disappeared into the heavens.

Ms. Swanson looked out the window and stayed there for a very long time.

“Ms. Swanson? You okay?” Shannon asked placing a hand on her shoulder.

She turned with tears in her eyes and hugged Shannon so tightly. “Thank you so much! I will never forget you for doing this for me!”

“You’re very welcome,” Shannon said, feeling her breath being squeezed out of her.

“Would you please come to visit me every week?” The woman asked.

“I promise, Ms. Swanson.”

Shannon stayed with her all evening until she walked home through the clear skies. She looked to the clear starry night sky. The stars shaped like a smile that night.

“Happy Halloween, Laura.”