Night Lantern

Dusk faded and night swept cold over the pond. A flat tin lid sat abandoned on the wet stone steps, dark and forgotten. Inside lay a small stump of white candle, unlit and cold. I walked over and crouched low. Beside it, an empty wide-mouthed glass jar rested on its side, rolling with the breeze. Hulk did not crush the glass. I lifted the heavy jar upright with careful green fingers. Slid it square over the tin lid. Glass enclosed the wax, shielding it from damp drafts. Streetlamp light caught the clear curved dome, making it glow bright across the dark stone. Safe beacon. Night is guarded.