The Candle Maker

“146, 147, 148, 149, 1…” Panto stopped in mid-way. He heard the sound of a car approaching. He cocked his old-wizened cars. The motor of the car growled loudly. It meant the car was traveling at great speed; it seemed to be traveling in his direction. As the sound echoed!

Panto sighed deeply. Placed the 150 candles next to the others and rose to his weary feet. With a shuffling gait, he headed for the door of his one-room house.

In one corner of the large room! A giant cauldron bubbled and firth with melting way. The cauldron seemed to hiss and spit as if it had a life of its own. Steam and smoke rose from it, in giant billowing clouds, vanishing up the chimney. Underneath which the cauldron had been placed.

Due to the cauldron, the room was hot and steam hung in the air. Which the small rotating fan failed to dispel quickly enough! An iron-stead bed was placed in one corner of the room, next to it stood a table and a high stool. This worked as Panto’s dinning as well as a writing table. Another small round table stood under the room’s only window. On it was placed a frame of the Virgin Mary and some flowers, next to it stood a wooden cupboard, filled with some Panto’s meager possessions.

Panto was the village candle maker. His father and their forefathers had been so far generations. But none of them as well-known as Panto! Who with greater skill and art made beautiful candles? Candles that gave more lights and lasts longer! All the villagers praised Panto’s work and [Though the village had long been electrified] brought his candles.

Panto was happy, making those candles. He made them in different sizes and colors and also tried in different shapes. Panto was old, for quiet sometimes he was beginning to feel his age. The arduous task of candle-making was growing strenuous every day. Many a time he thought of giving it all up and returning to his sister! Who lived by the sea but the villagers won’t let him, they needed his candles. His candles were special.

Another thing had started to bother Panto. In the last couple of years, some people from the village had disappeared, some had left unannounced, yet others had simply vanished. It had disturbed Panto a lot. Sometimes he had nightmares and other times he thought he was losing his mind.

He pulled the door and stepped out into the glaring sun.

Swirling dust following the speeding car, as it neared Panto’s house. It was a small compact car; dull Grey in color, sunlight glinted off its metal frame.

Panto squinted to see who it could be? This time of the day!

The area surrounding Panto’s house lay bare and desolated. A few straggly trees stood here and there. Nothing else grew on the dry arid-eland.

There was just the road, running through the village. Winding past Panto’s house and then making its way into the high hills, twisting and turning all the way. Only a few vehicles speed passed this way. The rest of them preferred the new highway that by-passed the hills.

The car came to a stop a few feet away from Panto’s house. The engine died away and a man stepped out. He gazed at Panto and then slammed the door shut.

Panto straightened up. It was Pablo. Rebecca’s brother. He had come to the village a few months back from the big city. A young man! A man, full of ideas!

“Good day Sir.” Pablo greeted, coming up to Panto.

Panto muttered a greeting and waited. Wondering what the man wanted here.

Pablo looked around, his eyes taking in everything; they hardly seemed to miss anything. Then they turned to Panto.

Is my sister here?” He questioned.

“Rebecca?”

“Yes, Rebecca. She said she’ll be coming to you to buy some candles!” Pablo said.

Panto digested the news. Then shook his head! “No, she hasn’t come yet.”

Pablo nodded and said nothing.

Time ticked by, they stood still, saying nothing, standing there facing each other. Panto coughed and then said.

Please come in, if you would like to wait for your sister.”

Pablo hesitated, then gave Panto a quick smile and entered the house. Followed by Panto!

“Rebecca left the village sometimes ago. I wonder what’s taking her so long.” Pablo said, as much to himself, as well to Panto. He looked around the room, then seeing that there were only two chairs, headed for one and sat down.

“Perhaps she stopped somewhere on her way.” Panto said.

 Pablo shrugged. ” Could be possible?”

They fell silent. Pablo watched as Panto prepared wicks for the candles. His old fingers moving with practiced ease.

The cauldron bubbled in the background.

“You know sir; I plan to open a distillery in the village,” Pablo said, making conversation.

Panto’s hands stopped. ”A distillery, what good will come of it?”

“Well, it will give jobs to many in the village for one besides generating funds for the village development.”

 “We will also have many drunken men roaming around. “Panto said, sniffing hard.

Pablo laughed. ” Only those who can’t hold their drinks”

Panto said nothing, his hands returning to their work.

Pablo rose to his feet. ”I know it is hard to change. Give up something for another thing, that is so new, a mystery.” He said, pacing the floor. ” But all I say is give me a chance, after all even I, who went to the big city, belong here. Even I love this village, this place. I feel, I do belong here and I want to do something for all these nice people, who are after all nothing, but my family!”

Panto nodded his head.

“As distillery will help us in many ways, then anyone can imagine it will change our lives completely” Pablo went on. ” All I ask from all of you is trust. Trust me; I know what I’m doing.”

“If you believe in yourself, then nothing on God’s earth can stop you.” Panto said.

Pablo turned to him. “I do believe in what I am going to do. I am only worried about all these village people disappearing. First, we must do something about it.”

Panto looked at him. “What can old people like me do? It is you, the young, who must solve this mystery!”

Pablo nodded. “Yeah, you are right sir. The problem lies with us, we must shoulder this responsibility.”

For a minute he stood in front of the cauldron, looking at the boiling wax. As he thought! ”Perhaps we can ask the Police in the big city to investigate. Perhaps we can ask.” He thought aloud.

 “Excellent idea,” Panto said.

Pablo stood still, looking into the cauldron, as he thought deeply; sweat broke out of his face. The wax bubbled as Pablo watched in fascination. Something caught his eyes. It was there in the bubbling wax, for a second, before vanishing. Pablo’s eyes searching for it. It had looked like a piece of metal.

The bubbling brought the metal up again. Yes, it was a piece of metal, shiny metal. Pablo could see. Then suddenly he let out a gasp, as he recognized the metal. It was Rebecca’s bracelet!

Pablo felt something and whirled around.

Panto stood inches away from him. A lead pipe in one hand! Raised high!

“It’s you?” Pablo cried out. Just before he felt the pipe descend on his head, his world exploded into pain and then there was just darkness.

Panto caught the falling Pablo and in one swift moment up-turned him into the cauldron. Death was instantaneous.

Panto stood there for some time. Watching the wax bubbling and hiss! Then shuffled back to his table!

He seemed to have aged a lot in the last few minutes.

“I must retire and go to the sea!” He thought and then he remembered the village people. He can’t leave; after all, they needed his candles.

With a profound sigh, he sat down and reached for a candle.

“150, 151, 152,”

The End