"Let’s begin the second ritual..." Karl announced, walking quickly towards Ruby. He picked up a bag resting near the door, pulling out several long, thick red candles.
One by one, he placed the candles near the door, positioning them carefully as everyone watched with anticipation.
"This one is the protection candle, then the warmth and health candles, followed by clarity, peace, wealth, dreams, wisdom, and patience," Karl murmured, placing each one in order.
Adrian quietly stepped up behind Ruby and handed her a box of matches. She glanced back at him, then turned to Angeline, who gave her an encouraging nod.
"Ru! Quickly light them," Angeline urged gently.
Ruby nodded and squatted down on the ground, striking a match and bringing it to the first candle. She watched the flame catch, casting an Golden glow that flickered in the dim light. Moving with careful focus, she lit each candle one by one, feeling the of everyone’s gaze on her.
All the candles were finally lit, and Ruby sighed in relief, feeling the tension ease. But just as she relaxed, a sudden gust of wind swept through, extinguishing two of the candles.
"Oh no... it’s the Health Spirit and Peace Spirit candles!" Karl exclaimed, his eyes widening in alarm.
Without wasting a moment, Julian quickly knelt by the extinguished candles, scattering fresh flowers around them in a hurried attempt to appease the spirits. His face was tense as he glanced up at Ruby.
"Wife, light them again... please," Julian urged, his voice low but urgent.
Ruby looked around, noticing the pitying looks from the others.
if the Peace Spirit candle went out, it meant her house might lack harmony. And with the Health Spirit candle extinguished, someone in her home could face health troubles.
Taking a steadying breath, Ruby knelt and carefully struck another match.
Ruby carefully lit the two candles again, and everyone held their breath, watching the small flames dance to life. For a moment, there was calm.
Then, swish... another soft gust of wind, and once more, those same two candles flickered out.
Ruby’s heart pounded, confusion and worry swirling in her mind. Why only those two? It felt almost as if an unseen force was trying to send her a warning, a shiver of unease creeping over her.
Angeline frowned, stepping closer with a concerned look. "This isn’t normal, Ru. The spirits aren’t pleased"
Ruby took a steadying breath and glanced at Karl, who looked on the verge of tears. Julian’s mouth was set in a tense line, fear flickering in his eyes, while Milo’s worried gaze shifted between the candles and Ruby.
"It’s fine," Ruby said, attempting a reassuring smile. "Just pass me more flowers." Julian handed her the small bouquet, and she placed them carefully around the two candles.
With a quick prayer in her heart, she lit them again. Thankfully, they stayed lit—until another gentle gust drifted by, and only the peace candle flickered out once more.
Ruby’s face fell, but she kept her expression neutral, muttering under her breath, "Where was this wind when I needed it in the morning?"
Determined, she scattered the flowers around the peace candle, murmuring softly, "Peace spirit, please give me peace by staying lit." She sparked the match one last time and lit the candle, watching as the flame wavered but held steady.
A few moments passed, and this time, the candle remained lit. Ruby let out a sigh of relief, giving a small, hopeful smile.
"Oh my god, I was almost scared to death..." Karl said, clutching his chest dramatically.
Ruby managed a small laugh as she straightened up. Angeline came over, her smile warm and approving. "Everything is peaceful now, right, Ruby?" she asked.
Ruby nodded, exhaling in relief. "Thankfully, yes... looks like all’s well."
"Good, then we’ll be on our way." Angeline gave her a quick hug before gathering her husbands, who waved goodbye with friendly nods and murmured good wishes.
Her other neighbors waved and wished her well as they headed back to their homes.
"Alright, let’s go inside," Ruby suggested, glancing at the still-burning candles lined up near the door. "We should leave them out here, right?"
Julian nodded. "Yes, they need to stay lit until they burn out, but the first five minutes are the most crucial." With that, they all headed inside, and Julian closed the door gently behind them.
But as soon as the door clicked shut, there was an unexpected gust outside. The peace candle flickered and went out. Then, almost as if pulled by an unseen hand, the clarity candle fell over, landing directly on the peace candle’s wick. For a brief, tense moment, both candles suddenly sparked to life, their flames merging into one larger, brighter light that danced wildly before settling into a calm glow.
Ruby took a deep breath, still feeling that strange shiver down her spine. She glanced over her shoulder, even though the door was firmly closed—there was nothing there, just her imagination, she told herself.
"We’ve got dinner ready," Julian muttered, breaking the silence. He headed toward the kitchen, Milo trailing after him without another word.
Ruby sank into the sofa, letting herself relax a bit. Across from her, Adrian and Karl sat down too, their eyes trained on her. She noticed their stares but tried not to pay them any mind, pretending to be occupied with smoothing out a crease on her sleeve.
After a moment, Adrian cleared his throat softly, as if he wanted to say something but was waiting for the right moment. Karl, on the other hand, seemed lost in thought, his gaze distant yet focused on her.
Ruby sensed their eyes on her, waiting, practically pulling the words out of her. She knew they wanted to ask her—probably about how she managed to earn enough for the house. But despite everything, a part of her resisted. She hadn’t planned on keeping it a secret, yet now that they seemed so curious, she felt an urge to keep that part of her story tucked away, at least for a while longer.
So, she kept her expression neutral, pretending she didn’t notice Adrian and Karl’s questioning looks, as if the small crease on her sleeve was the most fascinating thing in the world.
—To be continued...🪄