This is the story of a firefly.
Who was quiet
and stood back
while the others played around in the dark.
She would watch them
as they created displays of light
and when they asked her why she didn't join in,
she said it was her light, it wasn't bright enough.
But secretly,
she preferred to be alone.
The night was cool when she was taken.
Don't worry, not like that.
There was a barbecue.
Children running around on the grass,
warriors, kings, princesses.
Their parents, laughing on the patio.
The son of the hosts, a soft-spoken 13 year-old
forced to be social
sitting on the patio steps with his chin in his palm.
Talking to himself.
"Look at the fireflies.
They're beautiful."
He gets up, goes inside
and comes back with a jar.
Hopefully it won't be typical for long.
The firefly, building courage.
The boy, curious, innocent.
The firefly lights up.
She is brave.
Yes, she is fearless.
Bright and beautiful.
And then, that moment
is when he strikes.
She is held captive
in a small glass jar
as a souvenir
of this boy's backyard.
This is how she is taken.
From her home.
Late that night, very late.
He wakes up to use the bathroom.
The firefly, still building courage
but she is scared.
Sitting on his bedside table, she wonders how she'll eat.
How much longer her life will be.
It was already going to be short.
Then she remembers.
The other fireflies, taunting her,
the jokes they made when she wouldn't join them.
Those jokes were funny,
but not for very long.
They used to make her mad.
Then she'd sit alone, upset
and wonder why she bothered.
But this time,
in a jar on a child's table,
she feels it coming back.
As the boy returns to the room,
it takes over.
Then she is up.
The jar glows.
The room lights up.
The boy takes a step back.
And the firefly is free.
She circles him once
and she's gone.
"Thank you."
She thinks as she leaves.
"I'll be back."
And years later,
at a barbecue in a family's backyard,
a little firefly remembers the story her grandmother told her.
And how she has to learn to be strong.
She lights up.
Brave and beautiful.
And goes to join the others.
Heyyyyyyy ;) as quoted from the bottom of the last page of this, "DUDE I FINISHED IT"
Signing off <3
