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| Never underestimate the power of a simple candle. |
"What? I always thought Frank was a nice, strong name. Guys with that name are usually pretty hot, too," Grace defended herself.
Her friends laughed.
"Well, fine. What names do you think are hot?"
Taylor thought for a moment and said, "Grant. Those guys are usually nice."
"Andre," Lacy said.
"That's just because you have a crush on Andre!" Grace protested.
Lacy blushed. "And it's a good name!"
"What about you, Elaina?" Taylor asked.
Elaina really hadn't thought about this before. She shrugged, not sure what she was going to say. She opened her mouth and said, "Habogi."
"What?" her friends asked.
Elaina didn't know where that came from either. "I don't know. It sounds kind of cool."
"Have you ever met anyone with that name?" Taylor asked.
"No," Elaina admitted.
"Elaina, you're going to be single forever," Lacy teased.
"At least I haven't had a crush for three years and not told him," Elaina replied with a grin.
With that, they were off onto other topics. But later that night, Elaina would wonder where the name "Habogi" came from.
-*-
A few years later, Elaina was still single. The only one of her friends from that sleepover long ago who never had a boyfriend. It had just never happened for her.
She was back home for a long weekend and she was headed to a coffee shop with her friends to see a local band perform. Elaine loved live music and it was a good excuse to catch up with her friends.
They all got there early, but it was a popular band and the coffee shop started filling up. Elaine and her friends at their four person table ended up being part of a six person table. The two people who sat down didn't know each other, so Grace introduced the four friends. One of the guys was about their age, and the other was an old man, whose hair was all gray. Elaina was surprised someone that old would still be going out to local concerts.
The younger guy introduced himself as Justin and the old man, sitting next to Elaina, introduced himself as Habogi.
Immediately, the other girls looked at her and smiled. Elaina rolled her eyes at them and started asking Justin what he did for a living. The band started soon after and conversation became much harder.
The band was great, but Elaina couldn't help but be distracted by Habogi. He was the only person she'd ever met with that name. Was she supposed to talk to him? Why had she said his name all those years ago? If she was supposed to date him, why was he so old?
Her friends kept giving her looks and Elaina did her best to ignore them. But when the band took their first break, she couldn't stand it anymore.
"So, Habogi, what do you do, or are you retired?"
Habogi grinned. "A bit of this and that. I just moved to the city. I work remotely, so I can live wherever I want."
"What brought you here?" Elaina asked.
Habogi shrugged. "I just go where the wind takes me."
"That's a pretty freespirited way to live," Elaina said. "For an old man," she thought.
"Yeah. It's just me and my motorcycle."
"Oh. You ride a motorcycle? Isn't that dangerous?"
Habogi gave her a grin that was entirely out of place on an old man's face. "Not really. I've been riding forever."
Elaina was saved from having to reply by her friends coming back with a drink for her. Soon enough, the band started up again. They played a couple of great songs and when Elaina glanced to the side to see if Habogi was still there, he was gone.
-*-
Several months after she met Habogi, Elaina was home again. This time, she and her friends went to a bar. One by one, they all parted ways until Elaina realized she was alone. "Great," she muttered.
She stepped outside to get some fresh air and pulled out her phone to get a ride.
"Need a lift?" Habogi was standing next to a motorcycle with an helmet under one arm.
"I'm good," Elaina said, turning back to her phone.
"Do you mind if I wait with you until your ride gets here, then? This isn't a great part of town."
Elaina almost asked him what he thought an old man could do, but she stopped herself. "Sure," she replied. "If you like."
Habogi settled his helmet back on his motorcycle and shuffled toward her. Elaina noticed he had two helmets on the bike.
"How did you like the band?" Habogi asked.
It took Elaina a moment to understand what he meant. "Oh, at the coffee shop. They were great. They're one of the things I missed after I moved away."
"Why did you move away?" Habogi asked.
Elaina shrugged. "College. Work. Life."
Habogi nodded.
"So, the wind hasn't blown you out of town yet?"
"Not yet. I looking for something here."
"Oh?" Elaina asked.
"Yes. There's a young woman I'm supposed to meet here. I have an...unusual problem and she can help me solve it."
"Interesting." Elaina shifted herself a little bit away from Habogi.
"It's actually pretty frustrating. I'm used to being able to solve everything myself."
"That happens as you age," Elaina commented before she could stop herself. "Oh, I'm sorry!"
Habogi laughed. "Don't worry. I've gotten used to it." They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. "Have you ever been inside that coffee shop after they've closed?" Habogi asked suddenly.
"No. I haven't." Elaine was confused.
"They say it's built on an old house and there's something left in the basement. Something precious and dangerous."
"I didn't know it had a basement."
"Oh yes," Habogi replied.
"Is that where you went during the concert?"
"I didn't think you noticed me leave. Yes. I found the way down to it. Do you want to see it?"
Elaina opened her mouth to tell him no, but she heard herself saying, "Yes."
"Then let's go," Habogi replied. "It's not far."
Before Elaina could fully object, he had tossed her a helmet and jumped on his bike. He was much more nimble than Elaina thought an old man should be.
Elaina didn't think it was a good idea to go with a strange man into the basement of a closed business, but she found herself getting on the back of his bike anyway.
"Hold on," Habogi instructed.
Elaina wrapped her arms around him and the motorcycle roared to life and headed down the road.
In less time than it took for Elaina to think of all the ways this could go wrong, they were in an alley behind the coffee shop. Habogi leapt off the bike and Elaina dismounted more slowly, putting her helmet down carefully.
Habogi yanked open a door in the alley and headed inside. Elaina followed, full of misgiving but unable to stop herself.
They headed down a flight of stairs. When they reached the bottom, the room was lit with a full red glow.
"I'm not sure we should be here," Elaina said.
"Not for long," Habogi agreed, "but we'll be out of here soon." He gestured for her to walk all the way down the stairs and Elaina stepped into the basement floor.
Habogi bustled around, all business. "The spell really needs two people, so it's good you're here."
"What?" Elaina asked.
Habogi shoved a candle in her hands. "Just stand here and hold this." He gently moved her into a particular spot on the floor. He pulled out a lighter and lit her candle. "Just don't move."
Elaina wanted to ask several questions, but Habogi whirled away, much more like a young man than an old man. He stood several paces in front of her and lit his own candle.
The air in the room changed, somehow. Elaina found herself holding her breath.
Habogi took a deep breath and concentrated on the space in between them. Elaina was really worried about what would happen next. Then Habogi pulled out a small knife.
Immediately, Elaina's mind went on overdrive. Was this some kind of ritual sacrifice? How long would it take someone to find them down here? She wanted to run away, but she couldn't move her feet.
Habogi held the knife up and gently let his candle go. It floated in midair in front of him. Habogi passed the knife over the candle flame a few times, and the flame changed color. Then Habogi nodded and with a quick motion, slid the knife across the back on his hand. He let the blood on the knife drip onto the candle.
The flame glowed a deep red to match the room and grew bigger and bigger, consuming Habogi. Elaina screamed. Then both candles and the fire went out. The room was totally dark.
Elaina was now too scared to move. In front of her, a cell phone screen lit the floor.
"Sorry about that. I wasn't sure that would work."
That didn't sound like an old man, but it still sounded like Habogi. Elaina pulled out her own phone and turned on the screen for light. Then she turned and ran up the stairs.
She emerged in the alley, shaking. "What did I just see?" she wondered. "What happened?"
Then she heard Habogi coming up the stairs behind her. He pushed the door open and Elaina stared.
He wasn't an old man now. He was her age. He stood tall and his hair was brown instead of white. The wrinkles in his face had all faded away. He was, objectively, pretty handsome.
"What happened in there?" Elaina asked, her voice shaking.
"Sorry about that," Habogi replied. "I've had a spell on me for several years keeping me as an old man. I was working on breaking it, but I realized I wasn't able to do it alone. I needed someone's help."
"Why me?" Elaina asked.
Habogi shrugged. "You must have some magic talent and have the right tempemant to act as my anchor while I did that spell."
"An anchor?" Elaina asked.
"Yes." Habogi looked down at his hands and laughed. "You have no idea how good it is to be young again! I must repay you. What would you like?"
Elaian's head whirled. What did she want from this strange, magic man. "You said I have magic, right?"
"Yes."
"Teach me how to use it."
Habogi looked at her for a moment and smiled. "Excellent request. Very well, Elaina. I will be your magic teacher. But for tonight, go home and get some sleep."
Elaina nodded and tottered out of the alley. She had a lot to think about.
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