now , carefully , bringing the flame over to the rock , searching the contours , the crystalline veins-still nothing-edging her fingers farther down the match as the flame pursued , desperation setting in , and the heat building , nowhere for her fingers to go now , the fire blackening her thumbnail , her teeth gritted , her skin beginning to bubble , and the last thing she saw before the flame smothered was the candle , three feet from the bank , floating in the lake .