a house with no lights on

the ringing of the doorbell

sound resonating loudly

no furniture inside

a scraping sound, a terrifying sound

a branch hitting against a windowpane

flash of blinding lightning

roll of mighty thunder

freezing rain soaking through skin

shadows alive

mysterious occurences

howling of a wolf barely heard above the wind

lightning strikes

engulfs a tree

flaming inferno, smoke twisting to the night sky

then... nothing

no light, no sound

just an eerie silence, deafening in its intensity

suddenly, a glow catches the eye

a single candle

warmth radiating from the flame

hot wax hardening on the dusty fireplace upon which it was set

within the abandoned house,

shining brightly against the darkness

a light for all to see,

surviving against all odds