THE TALE OF THE CRIMSON RED CANDLE

To forget the stress that I was feeling, I decided to go for a walk in a park that was just behind
our school. The environment here is indeed the epitome of peace and quiet. My leisure moment
was interrupted when I heard a scream from a large bush. There I saw a beggar that was being
beaten up by a seemingly rich kid. There was a girl that was trying to get in between the fights
but her strength wasn’t enough to stop the quarrel. Being the heroic person that I am, I
intervened by pulling the wrist that was about to end the young beggar’s life, and fortunately,
that separated the both of them.

“Really Pauline? Ipagpapalit mo ko dito? He’s homeless!” that phrase was enough to understand
the whole situation.

“Yes, I love him Eric so stop! I’m breaking up with you, I don’t love you anymore!” Eric was
silenced for a few minutes as if he was thinking about something. Despite the blood dripping the
beggar’s mouth, he still managed to speak,

“What you do will always come back right at you”, but the youth, whom I assumed to name Eric
did not speak and just stared at the beggar on the floor.

Then the beggar youth stood up straight despite the bruises on his knees and approached me. He
grabbed something in the bag that was beside him, an average-sized crimson red candle.

“Here, take this as a gift.” He said while placing that candle under my palms. Eric who was
about to walk away stopped for a while and stared at me for a few seconds, the way he stared at
me was like he wanted to tell me something, but he didn’t speak. Instead, he just continued
walking until he’s finally out of sight.

Then, the beggar whispered something in my ears,

“This candle has some kind of spell that will make anyone fall in love with you. Just light it up in
the first full moon and say his/her full name. Then, let the magic happens” I was completely
dumbfounded by what he said. Then, he gave me a grin on his face before the girl named Paula
and the beggar left.
-

The next day, I whiffed a scent of vanilla lace from Victoria’s Secret. That was the trademark of
Isabel’s presence. Isabel is my long-term crush. Oh, she is beautiful, smart, and all positive
nouns that you could think of.

“Hey, Hiro! What a beautiful morning, isn’t it?” Oh please, you are much more beautiful than
the morning.
“Yes, it is. Do you want us to go---” before I could even finish my sentence, a man whom I
despise the most appeared out of nowhere.
“Babe” that irritating voice!

“Babe! It’s a miracle that a Paolo Martin is early” Isabel replied,

“Yep! Let’s go to class together”. I saw their hands interact before leaving my sight. I felt
irritated, sad, and everything in between. Paolo doesn’t deserve Isabel. When Isabel is not
around, he would flirt with other girls. Isabel knows, but her love for him was enough to blind
her.

“This candle has some kind of spell that will make anyone fall in love with you. Just light it up in
the first full moon and say his/her full name. then, let the magic happens” I was suddenly
tempted, Should I try? No, no, no. I need to brush that off my mind.

The class has ended, I arrived home, yet, that thought still haunted me. So, I decided to give it a
shot. I checked the internet and fortunately, the full moon will be happening tonight. I changed
my clothes, then waited for the sphere-shaped moon to appear. I grabbed a match and made a
little fire as I let the red flame touch the crimson candle. I started praying to God…or the Gods.

“Please, I want Isabel Hernandez to be mine. Whomever you are please hear my plea” Before
even finishing my prayer, a gust of wind came through the open window that make me open my
eyes. The fire is no longer there, just a smoke giving a sign that the candle was lit. Did it work?

“Let’s break up!” the whole class was speechless. Isabel finally broke up with his trashy
boyfriend. Some were comforting Paolo, and some were just whispering in dismay. But here I
am, trying my best to hide the smile on my face.

The class was over. I was about to pick up my bag and go home until Isabel pulled me into the
corridors of our campus and there she said,

“I like you” the spell worked,

“I like you too” I replied.

And this is where our love story starts.

We’re now together for five months, and currently walking in a park. Then, I saw the beggar
who gave me the candle…the one who made my love story come true. I approach him and Isabel
followed
“Kilala kita. Salamat sa pagtulong sakin ha”

“Hindi. Ako dapat ang magpasalamat saiyo kasi kami na ngayon” Isabel didn’t understand what
I was talking about. The teen beggar stared at my girlfriend for a few minutes without uttering a
word.
“She’s beautiful” He replied but did not stop staring at Isabel. I looked at my wristwatch and saw
that it was getting late,

“I know. Sige alis na kami. Maraming Salamat ulit” but before we got the chance to walk, the
young beggar said something that made me swallow my own saliva,

“Alagaan mo yan. Baka bukas pagmamay-ari na siya ng iba”

Isabel and I have been fighting for a week and most of those arguments don’t make any sense.
Was the spell wearing off? No. I can’t let that happen. By the time the bell rang, Isabel was the
first one to leave the room. In curiosity, I followed her from afar until we reached the park

Peaceful, quiet, and serene, the best place to make up with her. I turn around for a few minutes to
gather some courage. But as turn in Isabel’s direction, I saw her hands intertwining in the hands
of…the beggar.

They were laughing, and flirting at each other like love birds that haven’t done anything wrong. I
suddenly felt like my soul was observing my physical body as it reveals himself and pulls the
collar of the young lad. I push him to the floor. And there I was, punching the person that I once
helped.

Isabel was trying to get between us but I was too angry to care. I raised my right wrist into the air
as I combine my anger and strength but then that wrist was pulled by a man that was strong
enough to make me and the young lad separate.

I suddenly snapped into my consciousness. My sanity was enough to convince myself to stop
punching the beggar but It wasn’t enough to hide my despair,

“Really Isabel? Ipagpapalit mo ko dito? He’s homeless!” I felt like I’ve imitated someone’s
phrase but I couldn’t get a grip on where and when I heard it. until I realized…

“Yes, I love him Hiro so stop! I’m breaking up with you, I don’t love you anymore!” that was
the exact line that I’ve heard 5 months ago. I turned my gaze towards the boy whom I almost
ended and behind him was a burned crimson candle

This beggar…. stole my girlfriend in the same way he told me to do.

“What you do will always come back right at you” I know that he would say that but…the tone,
the pitch, the words are just so exact.

Eric stole Paula from a man through the candle and this beggar did the same thing. Why? to give
Eric a lesson? or to play with him? I don’t know, but one thing is sure, Eric was under the palm
of his hands five months ago, and now, I’m next.
Despite the bruise I left him, he still stood up to approached the young man in the same way he
approached me before.

“Here, take this as a gift.” I felt like history was repeating itself. No. The candle is not a gift; it is
a gateway towards being his next victim.

I wanted to warn the young man but I suddenly felt like my mouth was shut and my body was
out of my control. I was walking unwillingly. I tried stopping the force inside me and starred at
the next victim. Don’t take it. But the way he accepted the offer was a clear symbol of defeat.
My feet started moving on their own again, and I was too tired to stop it.

Was I the second victim? Or was just one of it? I’m not sure. But here I am, walking away while
praying that the innocent boy wouldn’t suffer the same fate.