Fireflies

A story on dreams and one who can be one with the firefly

Prologue

 

            Ever wonder what it would be like behind a door that seemed to have an eye imbedded in it. Many would say I would turn away and ignore it as if I never saw it while others might say there’s no such thing. This is where I say there are such a thing my children. You see many years ago, there lived a group of night collectors. Their job was to go undetected in the night, stealing the nightmares of children. They wore black cloaks with hoods over their heads, carrying an empty sack. They would become the shadows and lurk into children’s bedrooms. They had the ability to sense when a child had a bad dream. Using their long nails to seemingly cut open the forehead, revealing the dream that was a blue fog with images of the child being chased by its worst fear. Taking the nightmare and placing it in the sack, where the monster that lurked inside the dream could never escape. After they would take out a jar from inside their cloak and it would be filled with fireflies, looking like they danced. Gently taking it out from the jar and placing it on the child forehead. Closing the wound and fazing inside the head. The child would stop squirming and go into a peaceful dream. The night collector would leave without asking for thanks and disappear into the night to collect the rare firefly.

            The fireflies in this town were very rare and only would come to the night collectors. Fireflies would symbolize light and good dreams. A firefly’s job was to bring good dreams. Only one object would lure the beautiful creatures to the night collector and that was a dream catcher made by the Native Americans to bring good dreams. The town’s folk didn’t believe the magical works of the dream catchers, only those who were night collectors. After gathering enough fireflies, the sun would begin to rise. The night collector would then return to its home, an abandoned house with only one door, with a closed eye on it. No knob but the door would always remain locked. The night collector would tap lightly on the eye. It would open; look down at the night collector as if inspecting it. The night collector would remove its hood revealing a beautiful face. The door would open and the night collector would vanish into the shadows. But sadly one day, the night collectors seemed to have vanished away. They cloaks were on the floor and the door with an eye on it was smashed to bits.

            The fireflies flied from the town to find a safer place to hide. The town’s folk were in a panic for nightmares of their children began to return. Soon the monsters became a reality and feasted upon the blood of humans. The monsters would disappear and return once a year. That day was on October 31 on Halloween night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many Years Later

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It started on a sunny day in San Diego, California. To be precise it happened four years ago for young Calcifer Silverstone. He lived at a Charter school because his parents were mere farmers back then. Always wearing overalls with long sleeved plated shirts, along with his big black boots, short black hair with a stitched scar under his eye from a scythe accident. He was only thirteen and he had absolutely no idea what exciting thing was going to happen on Halloween. He was dressed as a scare-crow and he was pretty convenient. Their teacher, Ms. Shaver, was dressed as a witch. Apparently they had a new student on this scary holiday.

“Meet Nao Otsuru.” She said introducing a young girl. “She just moved in a few weeks ago and she’s a bit shy so please be nice.”

Nao was an Asian little girl with short black hair; dress in a skull fairy costume. She was handy in make-up and had her nails painted black with tiny skulls on them. A skull mask was on the side of her head and covered one eye. But she was very weird because she carried a jar of dead bugs. Only three of them were at the bottom, collecting dust. She was ignored during their Halloween party so Calcifer decided to get to know her.

“Hi.” He said at last.

            Nao slowly looked up at him. Her black lips didn’t move and her pale skin made her look like a vampire.

“What cha got there?” Calcifer asked.

“Lighting bugs.” She replied shaking the jar. “They won’t wake up from their sleep, why is that?”

“Maybe because their not alive anymore.” Calcifer replied taking a closer look.

“That can’t be.” Nao said shaking the jar once more. “They’ve been alive for three years.”

“Th-Three years?!” Calcifer said in surprise.

“Yes.” Nao replied. “They went to sleep when we started moving in.”       

Calcifer gently pried the jar from Nao’s hands. Opening the jar lid and taking one of the bugs.

“Be careful with Jennifer!” Nao said.

“Their dead Nao, look.” Calcifer said. “I have fireflies at the barn and when they die the light never shines again. These guys seem to not have shined them at all.”

Nao then began to cry and she dumped out the dead bugs. Leaving her jar on the table and running outside. Calcifer took the jar and followed Nao outside. She was standing under the school willow tree and sobbing.

“It’s okay.” Calcifer said patting her back. “Everything dies, but when something dies something new comes into the world.”

“Well how do you know?” Nao asked wiping one eye with her silk sleeve.

“Because my grandpa died last year, I was really sad but that same day my little sister Ponyo was born. It showed me that when something old leaves, something new will come.” Calcifer said.

“But I liked them.” Nao said taking the jar back.

“No need to worry.” Calcifer said. “They needed to rest.”

            Looking back into the jar, the fireflies looked peaceful. Nao broke into a smile and said “Thank you…uh…”

“Calcifer.” Calcifer replied.

“Calcifer…what a nice name.” Nao said. “What do you wanna do?”

“Well I was gonna go trick-or-treating with my family, but why don’t we go together?” Calcifer asked.

“Oh, that would be fun.” Nao said. “But I have to ask mother and father. Want to visit them?”

“Sure, my parents won’t mind me being gone.” Calcifer said.

After their Halloween party, Nao took Calcifers wrist and ran to her house. Going down the dark neighborhood was frightening but fun for Calcifer. He walked quickly behind Nao who didn’t say a word. They came to the gates of a giant mansion that seemed abandoned.

“Mother and father are home.” Nao said and opened the creaking gates.

The front yard was decorated with tombs and skeleton parts. The door had a knob that seemed like it would break any day. When she opened the door it seemed like a ball room. Three stories contained wonders beyond wonder.

“Mother! Father! I bring a guest!” Nao called.

Coming down the stairs was her parents. They were exact replicas of the Adams family parents. One long tall woman with long black hair and a short husband wearing a tuxedo.

“Well how nice.” Her mother said.

“No it is not nice!” her father said. “When I told her to go make friends, I didn’t except a boy!”

“Daddy he’s very nice.” Nao offended. “He told me my lightning bugs had died.”

“Oh did he?” the mother said. “You’ve had those little darlings for three years now haven’t you?”

So she wasn’t lying. Calcifer thought.

“Well maybe it’s because they couldn’t adapt to the new environment.” Her mother said.

“No need to worry darling.” Her father said hugging her. “We’ll find you more.”

“In the mean time, why don’t you give your friend a tour of our humble home.” Her mother said. “You may go after you’ve eaten and he’s satisfied with the tour.”

“Thank you mother.” Nao said and looked towards Calcifer. “Follow me!”

She ran up her spiral staircase and brought him to her room. The room was painted black and Christmas lights hung from the ceiling. She laid on a futon.  On the walls had mirrors over them and there wasn’t much in her room.

“Watch this.” Nao said and plugged in the Christmas lights. After, she switched off the light and the room seemed like it was filled with fireflies. Calcifer stared in awe at them. Slowly flashing different colors and the mirrors reflections seemed endless. Nao danced around the room, laughing and giggling to herself. Next this he knew, he too was dancing with. Nao suddenly stopped and looked out the window. Fireflies were passing by. Nao pressed her face against the window and pulling Calcifer outside and off to trick or treat.

*****                     

 After the day had come to a close, Nao had a giant smile on her face.

"Thank Calcifer." Nao said.

"My pleasure." Calcifer said. "Oh I got something for you."

In in the palm of his hand, was one firefly. Nao clapped in glee as she took out her jar and put the firefly inside. She hugged Calcifer in happiness and Calcifer "We'll hunt for more later."

"Thank you again!" Nao said. Calcifer had dropped her off at her house and walked home. He always looked back to finding Nao staring at that one firefly. But when he turned a second time, he found her gone and a swarm of fireflies flew into the air. One buzzed by his ear and said I'll be seeing you soon Calcifer.

Calcifer almost couldn't believe his ears. As the firefly flew off towards the swarm, he walked back home.

Many months passed and Nao hadn't returned to school. He began to worry so he went to visit her. But the house he had visited months ago was being demolished. At first he panicked, trying to stop the construction workers from destroying their home.

"Kid, listen this house was sold to us!" said one who had finally grabbed an arm and shoved him away. Calcifer was too shocked to know his new friend had suddenly moved. He walked around the neighborhood, kicking dead out of his way and coming to the park. He sat on the bench and put his head on his hands. He cried one tear till he felt the bench go up and down, telling him someone was sitting next to him. He looked up finding a boy with spiky gray hair and bandages wrapped over his chest. He lifeless eyes and wore black pants.

"What troubles you?" he asked.

"A friend of mine just moved." Calcifer replied.

The boy just nodded his head and said "You friend s with that Nao girl?"

Calcifer nodded suspiciously, finding it very odd that this random boy knew Nao. The boy got up and said "I'll take you to her."

Excitement filled his body and he bolted up saying "Lets go then!"

The boy led Calcifer down an abandoned neighborhood which was soon to be destroyed and made into a mall. Calcifer was too excited to see the danger. They came to a dead end and Calcifer stopped, seeming confused.

"You said we'd see Nao." Calcifer said turning to the boy.

"Did I?" the boy asked, a wicked grin spreading onto his face. He lunged and tried going for Calcifers heart. Calcifer dodged him but was soon punched in the chest and knocked down. Calcifer was scared as he saw the boy sprout wings and claws, his teeth becoming like a shark. He screeched at him and Calcifer tried kicking him off.

Feed me with your fear! the boy, or creature, said to him. Calcifer was so scared as the boy got ready to kill him. He blocked his face hoping to not feel anything till he felt the boy being being thrown off him. The boy slammed into the wall and looked up. A bright light was before him and someone in a cloak approached him.

Do not harm the boy the hooded figure said, by the sound of the voice it was girl. The boy lunged but the girl instantly grabbed his wrist and flipped onto the ground. Digging through her cloak she pulled out a jar filled with fireflies. The boy tried running for it but she quickly took one out and the firefly went into his heart. He returned to what he was before and collapsed in front of the girl. The girl came before, dragged him by his bandages and walked off towards concrete wall. With a wave of her hand, a door appeared with no handle but a closed eye. She tapped the eye which opened and looked down at her. Removing the cloak food from her head, Calcifer couldn't believe his eyes. It was Nao!

"Nao?" Calcifer said and Nao turned to him, She smiled and entered the door where it disappeared in a swarm of fireflies.

Reviews

[Vinod Kumar U K]

Interesting incidents nicely connected with the cycling of time....... Very good chapter.

[MoonTheMudkip]

Epicsauce! wright some more! (the beginning reminds me of BFG a little bit.)

[Regret Almia Fair]

BRAVA!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StillShorterThanYou]

haha i liked it. but who told you it was good? did i? idk

[Imagination-mage]

Please tell me what you think. A friend of mine told me it was really good and this story was inspired by the Firefly Room in a museum I went too. Please comment