Fireflies

A Story by Rellee

The memory of the past - catching fireflies with her brother.

The night is quiet and still. Not a breath of air whispers past the thicket of trees. An silvery blue mist rises from the ground with a mysterious aurora, blanketing the branches with a drape of shimmering secrets. Though ferns sprout randomly like tufts of hair, the path is clear.

I stare out the window, my back sagging and my face worn from smiling all day. I am getting too old to move, but I never neglect a chance to stare out into a serene night. Closing my eyes, I sigh. The world flashes white.

I am young again, with thick hair and long legs. My eyes sparkle in the dark of night, flashing mischievously. Giggling, I run through the forest as my brother chases after me. His face is scowling with annoyance. I have slipped a worm into his hat.

For a while, we chase each other through the trees, out laughter ringing out like a melody. Suddenly, he gets quiet. "Marielle," he whispers softly. I stifle my giggles. "It's almost time," he says, his breath quiet. I turn to face the dark open sky. We stand breathless, waiting.

Slowly, slowly, as the night floods black, a million golden dots appear, blotting the shadows with pixie-dust-like colors. We watch as in minutes, the entire field begins to mirror the starry sky. A thousand fireflies.

Together, we race about the shimmering grass, snatching the flowing bugs in ourhands. Laughing and running, we chase each little bug as they fly erratic paths. And for the next hour, our eyes are focused on only the little glowing insects.

My brother smiles and takes a glass jar from his sack. Quickly, we capture a dozen critters, creating our own pulsing lantern. My grin is wider than his as we race back home. "Firefly nights," I whisper.

The world flashes back as a pain burns in my spine. I am old again. I need to lay down.

I place a wrinkled hand against the pane, my eyes staring longingly at the night. Before I turn away, I catch the beginning wisps of firefly light, sparkling like a star field. "Goodnight" I breath.