The candle was almost burnt out. My last one. I sat at my table and watched from the window as the sun set. Slowly at first and then all at once, it fell from the sky and from my view. I shifted back to the canslw, burning its last centimeter, and I watched as the wick extinguished itself in the puddle of wet wax with a sharp hiss.

Darkness, then. I loved it. I had chosen this life, but … I had no more candles. The candlemaker said his wax was all gone, and the next nearest shop was hundreds of miles, a four day trip by horse, and I didn’t have means for a horse.

There are those that use artificial light in the forms of bulbs and oils. I scoff at them. My ceiling has outlets only, no bulbs or scalding white lights. I close the window to outside and curl with the light of the stars and the moon. They’ll be my friends until the candles return.

Sun Light beams Moon light shines Sun rays to heat Life

Lives inside cave no light Uses the sound to find water Dim light uses echolocation to find its way around Dampness helps to cultivate food and irrigation Bio limiters of light bugs help to light the way Icey cold ness
Slow moving Slow metabolism Sleep a lot Eyes are poor Smell is better Eat bugs or anything from a hive that gets trapped in the cave and cannot escape Meat is raw and cold last for ever

Jim decides to live without any form of artificial light, work as sun rises and rest as sun sets. This way of living deeply affects his daily life, and to bring a positive outcome. When dealing with relationships, Jim prefers normal and peace than emotional and easy to heat up. After Jim had lives with his new way for months, his perspective changed without noticing. He will think things in a more wider view, and to realize what’s behind it, find a way to solve or go around it. This new life is a great way of understanding the meanings of what’s our purpose of coming here.

A world where the second and third borns are often sick and the oldest often have extra organs so they undergo surgery to help there siblings

Main character: one who has two hearts but her younger siblings are dead. The other who is being blackmailed into giving his organs to other peoples kids. Then he gets heart disease. But main character love interest has two hearts!!! So all ends well in the end. Or does it?

“Well, it’s my mother,” Marty said, scratching idly at the mosquito bites on his forearm.

Marty hadn’t been sure what he expected from Spellcaster Supreme Brian Kettlepot, Class 4. Sure when he was younger Martin had gone to the greenwitches for cure-alls and get smart charms before finals but he wasn’t one for big magic. Martin had assumed there would be velvet drapes and crystals with bundles of dried things hanging from the ceiling. Instead 1313 Tabitha Lane was an old storefront retrofitted as a pretty generic clinic. Slightly disappointed, Martin took in the sensible carpet and white tiled walls. There weren’t even candles burning.

“Candle smoke gives me headaches. Now what is the problem with your mother?” Kettlepot said.

Waving his ringed hand over his teacup, the spellcaster watched as the soft steam circles rose from the cup. Marty saw the steam loops morph into intertwining shapes. He leaned closer as magic pulsated across the IKEA desk. Brian sipped his oolong tea. “She is isn’t a problem per se,” Marty stammered. “It is just we wanted different things for my future.”

“The tea leaves say your mother, one Lizabeth Arron, telekinetic charmer level two wants world peace, the perfect chocolate croissant, her children to be happy, and maybe some grandchildren. Pretty standard mom stuff, really,” Brian said. “Why do you need witchcraft? Is she making you wear itchy handmade sweaters because I’m only a level 4 power here?”

“No, my mom is great but she wants me to date. She keeps hiding love charms in my pockets and spraying estrus spells on every nearby available female. Tobias, my friend, said you were great and helped him with his daughter tried to set him up on Hinge. So I thought you could help me.”

Squirming in the office chair, Marty looked up for help. Brian snapped his fingers and the tea cups were replaced with frosty bottles of beer. The spellcaster stared at Marty and took a hearty swig. Marty drank his beer. He’d been communing with nature in a smallish pup tent for the last three weeks . Marty leaned into the wingback leather chair. Cold droplets ran down his fingertips. It felt nice reminding him of his college days.

“Look pal rent ain’t cheap. But I don’t want to take your money for nothing. It sounds like your mom just wants you to be happy, meet a nice sorceress, and have a cozy coven of your own. You are evenly matched magicwise so she cannot really bent you to her will unless your desire it. Tell her to back off and you want to move at your own pace. It’s not like your shutting yourself up in a cave,” Brian said.

Marty choked on his beer. Brian raised an eyebrow.

“Actually I’m joining the Wood Sprites, I’ll be living alone in the woods to studying the great mediative works of the anciet Dryads. No modern conveniences, just me and the land and the magical tomes. I’m just wanting for a tree crotch to become available. I’m looking forward living alone with only the sun to guide and a good book to explore. I just don’t want my mom to be heartbroken? Marty said.

“Well!” Brian said.

With a finger snap, Brian switched the beers for neat whiskeys in highballs. Marty sniffed at the glasses. They both took smoky sips of the Scotch. Brian got up and his dark cloak transformed into a pair of sweatpants and a bright coral tee. He rummaged in the shelves in the back. The liquor warmed Marty’s insides and made him miss the cozy at his favorite tavern from grad school. Marty remembered losing at darts and arguing spellcraft over predesignation with Tempest, the publican. Brian came back and set a small green bottle on the desk in front of Marty.

“Listen, Nature Boy, You just have to be fine. You have the right to live anyway you deserve whether up a dark tree or frisbee golf at Stronehenge. I know most Woodies are older but if you want to dedicate yourself to academic creepy guy alone in the woods It don’t matter. If you are content in your choic; if you are running into something you want versus hiding from the world your mom will come around or not. Whatevs. Regardless you decide.”

They set in silence over their drinks.

“What’s in the bottle?"

“Mosquito repellant, works like a charm.”

For fear of spreading myself too thin, I started writing this letter who knows how many years ago when I first realized my days were numbered

So, if you find it difficult to envision me in some areas as I am now, that makes two of us.

To all who are only really concerned with the proceedings of my will, it is contained in this letter towards the end.

Without further ado

Welcome to my life, and death.

Hello! __ _If you are reading this, I’m sure we’ve acquainted ourselves at a previous conjecture. _ __ But __ Just to remind you how incredible I am, my name is William Pensworth, semi-famous owner of an actually-famous radiology company. __ _I developed it alongside my dearly beloved _ __ And missed __ _Later selling it to make myself a fortune _ __ And a disappearance. __ Now, you may ask, why is such a handsome and incredible self made man selling his company? __ Well. That is a very layered question, and I commend your brilliance in asking so! __ When I first discovered the technology that harnesses the energy in individual chemicals to manufacture artificial light seemingly from nowhere __ Obviously I was very happy __ _My favorite hobby was to repeat that very accomplishment to every organism that had ears _ __ _Which is a lot, I assume _ __ _(I’m not a biologist as well, only a genius) _ __ But it took me several years of testing to find out how exactly I could implement my theory. __ _Me and my wife spent many, many years testing our product, figuring out how to essentially, Safely, induce enough energy in a molecule to have it produce heat and therefore light _ __ We got one part right. __ Our dates were in laboratory’s and we’d feed each other strawberries until we were full enough to use the rest for testing __ _Truly it was a bright (tee-hee) time in my life _ __ If my experiments failed, my heart beat fast enough to shine on my life forever. __ It still does. _ __ But I’ve decided it was enough for me, so I promptly sold my company to bask in it in darkness somewhere you’ve obviously found if your reading this __ __ **…….

I miss her

Do you know what it’s like,

To see the product of your design

That took away the only light that mattered

Shining everywhere in everything because of YOU

I cannot be reminded of it

Or taken away from the light she left in me

If I knew that all our experimentation would Bring about a latent disorder in her genealogy

I would’ve used my knowledge to put a blanket on the stars

Suffocate them so I could lay with her

Cold but warm in her arms

I hate when day comes because I see myself in true light

Looking at hands that tried to give

But took away any thing I truly cared to see

In this glorious

Decrepit life I designed

I hope some of you out there look at who you love

With smiles

Illuminated ones

With every inch of your being

Give them your all

It’s all you’ll ever have.

Some of my family has tried to reach out, 3 years now since I’ve

Dissipated

I’ve never really known anyone

I tried making my own light because

I had none guiding me

My entire life

I looked to the stars so much I tried to make one

And eventually I found one

Who returned to the sky as well.

Maybe

I am ready for the sky to set.

Alright.

_****Hey people. **

My cough has worsened as of late.

**But **

Scars are starting to heal.

I’ve started to realize how nice it feels on some summer days

But I also know the danger of heat

Better than anyone

My writing is starting to fade

**It’s hard to muster enough **

**Pressure **

To finish sentences

But I want to atleast have this to look over

If anyone will ever find it

I need to give it my best

**It’s **

All I

Have.

Hello. It seems you’ve made it to the end. I am incredibly weak right now, but somehow my spirit has grown a bit stronger. I’m excited to return to what I love. What has guided me, what I now know I’ve been envious of in some ways, but has always been everything.

I’m excited to return to the sky

To say hi to one star in particular

You might ask me why,

If I’m so weak

How can I still write?

Well****

The darkness is never as fast as the light is

Oh, and one more thing.

For those who I’ve never really known

Who skipped to the end for my will which I mentioned some years ago

Fuck you.

**I’m off to see my wife. **

I love the sun It’s so large and round GYAT I don’t like lightbulbs They were created by the government to turn everyone into moths I am not a moth At night my house is very dark and scary The ghosts like to prank me They pull my toes and cut off my hair I am bald now. Everyone says I should just use lightbulbs but I know they are just moths trying to grow their population I will not fall for their tricks I will not become a moth Do you think cavemen had lights? NO! They did not Do you think that old people had lights? NO! So I will be content alone with the ghosts because I am not a moth.

“Well how about driving? You drive at night right? I mean you go to!?”

“Nothing good ever happens after sunset.”

“I beg to differ, I certainly had some wild adventures after dark, if you catch my drift.”

“And? Have those experiences enriched your life?”

“That’s a stupid question. Sometimes you have to enjoy yourself. Have a fling. Do some blow. Catch the sunset and philosophize the meaning of life while you’re high.”

“No thanks. We’re getting older. You don’t have the resilience or the metabolism of your 20s. So no strings attached sex with a bunch of loose women, while drunk and drugged out, are trivial pursuits at best, detrimental at worst.”

“Uh huh…and what do you do for fun?”

“I don’t need much. I have my garden. My pets. My workout equipment.”

“Yawn.”

“Were the same age, but you’re beginning to have wrinkles and grays,”

“What? Where?”

“Don’t fret. Aging is natural.”

“I don’t get you. What does my grays and supposed wrinkles have to do with anything?”

“Well, I’ve been living without artificial lights for almost 4 months now. I’m sleeping better. I’m feeling stronger. My skin is clear and springy… and my time is spent with more substantive things that improve my life…while you are out chasing skirts and ruining your health.”

Rich had always been drawn to simplicity. He lived in a small cabin on the edge of a dense forest, where the sounds of nature were his constant companions. One evening, after another long day of work under the sterile glow of fluorescent lights, he sat in his kitchen, staring at the soft, warm glow of a single candle on his table. The contrast was startling. It was then, in that moment of quiet reflection, that he made a decision: he would live without artificial light.

At first, it seemed like an impractical idea, a temporary experiment in self-denial. But the more Rich thought about it, the more it made sense. The artificial lights he had spent most of his life under felt harsh and intrusive, robbing him of a natural rhythm. He longed for the quiet, slow pace of a life governed by the rising and setting of the sun.

The next day, he removed all the light bulbs from his cabin. He gave away his lamps, covered his solar-powered outdoor lights, and unplugged anything that could cast a glow. When night fell, his home became cloaked in darkness, save for the flickering flame of a candle or the occasional glow of the moon filtering through the trees. He told himself that his body would adjust, that he would learn to sleep and wake in sync with the earth’s natural rhythm.

The first week was the hardest. Without the convenience of flipping on a switch, Rich found himself stumbling through his nighttime routine. He had to cook dinner earlier, often before sunset, and finish reading long before he normally would. With no light to prolong his evenings, he was forced into bed much earlier than usual. At first, he was frustrated by how much of his time was swallowed by darkness.

His relationships began to shift too. Friends stopped by less frequently, confused by his new lifestyle. At first, they tried to accommodate him, laughing off the inconvenience of dinners eaten before sundown or conversations held by candlelight. But as the weeks passed, some began to drift away, citing the impracticality of visiting someone who lived in the dark. The invitations to social gatherings under bright, buzzing lights were harder for Rich to accept too. He found himself retreating more and more into the solitude of his dimly lit home.

But despite the challenges, something else began to change. His body adjusted, just as he had hoped. Without the glare of artificial lights keeping him awake at night, he started falling asleep earlier, often with the rise of the moon. He woke naturally with the first rays of sunlight, refreshed in a way he hadn’t felt in years. His energy returned in slow waves, aligning with the daylight hours. Without the distraction of late-night scrolling or the lure of endless television shows, his mind grew quieter, more focused.

Rich found peace in the mornings, the soft light creeping over the horizon and filtering through the trees. He began to notice the world in ways he hadn’t before—the subtle shifts in color as day faded to dusk, the way shadows danced across his walls, the distinct phases of the moon. Nature’s cycles became his clock, his calendar.

His perspective on time also changed. Days no longer stretched endlessly into the night, broken by artificial light. Instead, they became finite, bound by the sun’s arc. He learned to do things slower, with more intention. Where he once rushed through his tasks, he now savored them, knowing he had only so many hours of daylight.

Surprisingly, his relationships, though fewer, grew deeper. The friends who still visited learned to appreciate the candlelit dinners and fireside conversations, drawn by the intimacy of shared moments without the interruption of screens or devices. These gatherings felt special, a reprieve from the hurried pace of modern life. Rich found himself connecting more genuinely with the people who chose to stay in his life, those who were willing to sit in the quiet dark with him.

Living without artificial light had affected him in ways he hadn’t anticipated. The simplicity of his days, once filled with the anxiety of constant activity, now felt like a gift. He felt more grounded, more connected to the natural world and to himself. What he had initially viewed as a sacrifice had become a new way of living, one that reminded him of the quiet beauty in the world around him.

In the end, Rich didn’t miss the artificial light. He didn’t miss the buzzing glow that once filled every corner of his life. He had found something deeper in the shadows, a way of being that allowed him to move through the world with more presence and peace. And as he sat in his cabin, watching the last flickers of a candle flame before sleep, he knew he had made the right choice.