Candy

Candy isn't always sweet.

Life kept throwing lemons her way, but she was done making lemonade. She wanted control. No more suffering through disappointment, no more helplessness—just power. But she never expected power to be so literal. The first time it happened, she had been arguing with her mother. It was the usual—how Candy was wasting her life, how she needed to make something of herself. Anger burned through her, a frustration so deep it felt like her soul was vibrating. Candy was losing control of her emotions.

Then it happened.

Her mother gasped for air, eyes wide, her body suddenly limp. A dark mist coiled from her chest and into Candy’s hands, swirling like liquid shadow. And then—her mother collapsed. Candy screamed. Tears filled her dark brown eyes and clutched her chest. She didn’t know what had happened, but she knew it was her fault. Shelooked at her hands and saw some kind of liquid that was starting to absorb back into her skin. The room felt empty, hollow, and cold like something vital had been ripped from it. Her mother’s body remained lifeless on the floor, but she was gone—her soul trapped in Candy’s grasp. Before she could process the horror of it all, the air in the room shifted. A cold presence settled in. The atomosphere changed from light to dark. A smell of decay filled the area. That’s when he arrived.

Death.

Death walked towards Candy with a smirk and staff in his hands. “You’ve made a mess, little thief,” he said, his voice like the rustling of dried leaves. Candy stumbled back. She had never seen Death before. At least, not that she could remeber. “I—I didn’t mean to!”

Death tilted his head. “Intent is irrelevant. A soul has been taken. And now it belongs to me.” “No!” Candy clenched her fists, the dark mist tightening in her grasp. “She’s my mother! I didn’t know I could do this. Just let me fix it.” Death chuckled. “Fix it!? Child, souls do not get ‘returned!’ You took what was not yours out of carelessness. You are nothing more than a patheic human who complained about her life. Now, it is time to pay the price.” Candy’s heart pounded. She was overcome with anxiety and fear. Candy felt herself becoming angry. “There has to be another way.” Death sighed, as if she were nothing more than an inconvenience. “There is. But you have little time. The soul clock has begun.” A glowing hourglass appeared in the air, grains of shimmering sand slipping downward. Candy felt a deep dread settle in her stomach.

Then, a voice behind her: “I think I can help.”

She turned. A boy, around her age, stood there, his dark eyes calm but knowing. He had an air of mischief, but something about him felt steady, like a foundation she could lean on.

“Who are you?” Candy asked. “Amir,” he said. “And you’re gonna need me if you want to pull this off.” Candy wasn’t sure she had a choice. “What can you do?” A slow grin spread across Amir’s face. “I can stop the soul clock. Open doors to places unseen.” He gestured, and the space beside him ripped open, revealing a swirling vortex of dark blue. “And I know where we need to go.” Candy took a deep breath. Candy started to feel a little nervous. Should she trust a complete stranger? She looked at the hourglass. Sand was slipping away. She tightened her grip on her mother’s soul and stepped toward Amir. “Let’s do this.” Together, they leapt into the unknown.

The portal spat them out into a dimly lit realm, a place where shadows moved unnaturally, whispering secrets in a language she didn't understand. The air was thick, and the sky above them was a swirling abyss of stars and void. "Welcome to the In-Between," Amir said. "Where lost souls linger before they’re claimed." He glanced at the hourglass. "We don't have much time." Candy clutched her mother’s soul closer. "What do we do?" Amir scanned their surroundings. "We have to outwit Death. If we can reach the Well of Return before the last grain of sand falls, we might be able to restore your mother." Candy nodded. "Then lead the way."

They ran through the shifting landscape, past shadowy figures with hollow eyes. The Well of Return stood in the distance, glowing with an eerie blue light. But just as they neared it, Death appeared before them, his skeletal hand outstretched. "You think you can cheat me!?" His voice echoed through the air. "Foolish children!"

Amir grabbed Candy's hand. "Hold on!" He raised his free hand, and time froze. The hourglass stopped, the shadows stilled, and even Death himself remained motionless. "Go!" Amir urged, pushing Candy toward the Well. Candy hesitated for only a second before she sprinted forward, her mother’s soul in her hands. As she reached the Well, she felt a powerful force pulling at her, resisting. She had to make a choice: let go and hope the Well accepted the soul—or risk losing everything. "Please," she whispered. "Give her back." The Well shimmered. The soul in her hands dissolved into a golden light, sinking into the glowing water. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a voice called from behind her. "Candy?"

She spun around. Her mother stood there, whole, alive, and confused. Tears blurred Candy’s vision as she ran to embrace her mother. "Mom!"

Death sighed behind them as time resumed. "You got lucky this time," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "But mark my words, Candy—you now walk the line between life and death. One day, I will come for you." Then, he vanished. Amir walked up, smirking. "So... do I get a thank you?" Candy laughed through her tears. "Yeah, yeah. You saved my ass. Thanks."

Amir grinned. "Anytime. But next time? Maybe try not to steal a soul." Candy exhaled, still holding her mother’s hand. She didn’t know what the future held, but she did know one thing:

Candy isn't always sweet.