With each step, the crunching of brittle leaves echoed eerily, as though something unseen was following just behind, matching our pace. The forest seemed to breathe around us, whispering ominously in a tongue only the dead understood. A faint glow flickered in the distance—whether to guide us or lure us deeper, we pressed onward, nails digging into each other’s hands, pulses quickening. Every shadow felt alive, morphing at the edge of our sight, and every gust of wind carried a faint echo of a chilling, mocking laugh.
As mentioned in the previous post, the passage above is the second installment of my short story.
Among all my candles, my Halloween collection is my most beloved. I adore the sight of them lined up in their creepy rows, each jar a piece of spooky charm. The scents seeping from their vessels, entwined in the air throughout the year, stirring excitement for Halloween and autumn. I find delight in randomly selecting one to smell, with each fragrance evoking emotions of a bygone age or the macabre.
Yet, I find myself in a quandary. On one hand, I indulge in burning these candles; on the other, I'm hesitant—most are no longer available, and once they're gone, they won’t return. Yes, I can find some on reselling sites, but not all. I also indulge in the labels and jars, grappling with what to do with them afterward. Should I keep them as mementos or discard them? This dilemma leaves me caught between the desire to savor their scents and the fear of losing them forever.
This season, one of the candles I've been burning is Kringle Candle's Forbidden Forest, a 3-wick candle from their 2023 Halloween Collection.
The label is shrouded in imagery of grinning jack-o'-lanterns scattered across an overgrown cemetery, barren trees occupied by watchful owls, and silhouettes of bats and witches flying through a cloudy midnight sky. An enlarged full moon, which doubles as the candle itself, completes the haunting scene. I love how the opaque black and translucent green wraparound label is printed directly on the glass—out of the six designs in this series, Forbidden Forest is my favorite label (video on my Instagram).
The scent notes are: Earth Incense, Cinnamon Stick, Blackberry, Raw Honey, Clove Leaf, Smoked Leather, Patchouli, Darks Woods, Vanilla Bean.
On cold sniff, I mostly picked up the smoked leather, with subtle hints of Patchouli. Initially, I was concerned that Forbidden Forest might be migraine-inducing, but fortunately, my fears proved unfounded.
When burning, the smoked leather reamined dominant, but it's beautifully complemented by the earthy notes of the incense, patcholi, and woods, along with the nuanced sweetness of the blackberry, honey, and vanilla.
Forbidden Forest conjures up images of a foreboding, skyless woodland filled with seductive, ruby-glistening dark berries nourished by the blood of the unfortunate victims claimed by the monsters who dwell within the shadows.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this candle, and I hope one day, Kringle exhumes Forbidden Forest.
