A typical candle emits light at a luminous intensity of about one candela, in every direction except down.

One can leave oneself a trail in wax, if one tilts the candle, or detect the presence and vector of microcurrents in the air. (It could also effect euthanasia, were one trapped and suffocating.) Ptarmigan is grateful for the candle: it serves as both canary and guardian.

These passages look all alike to her, but the wax trail wouldn’t lie. There are grues in here, somewhere very close. They’re playing a game with exactly one rule.

A typical candle can last for hours.