The Reverse Candle

A student bought a black candle at a gothic bookstore to use while studying. When she struck a match and lit the wick, the flame didn't cast light. Instead, it cast darkness. A perfect sphere of deep, velvety shadow spread out three feet around the desk, swallowing the glare of her desk lamp. Inside the shadow, the room became perfectly silent, the air grew cool, and she found she could focus so deeply that an entire textbook made perfect sense in minutes.