THE IMMORTAL'S FRIEND

Chapter 15: Beetles (Fireflies)

The next night, Galen and I found 2 transparent jars and nets so he asked me if I wanted to catch fireflies.

I told him that the owner might have left the jars and nets there and they might come back tomorrow or later to get those back, but he said that we're just going to borrow it for a while so I agree with him.

We strode to the river side and immediately found thousands of fireflies scattering around the place.

My eyes went wide as I stared at the jaw-dropping and mind-blowing scenery in front of me. I have seen fireflies before, but this is the very first time I see thousands of fireflies blinking and glowing altogether.

Their various of lights (mostly) green lights are reflecting on the surface of a ribbon-like body of water flowing downhill from the force of gravity, with the tranquil and enchanting moon above shining so brightly. Everything around is bewitching and magical. I felt like I was transported to the another world when all I did was to stand there quietly in awe.

Galen gave me the other jar and net and he started to catch fireflies using the net he's holding.

I actually don't want to move as I only want to stand there and continue to admire the captivating view, but I can't lose to Galen after seeing his jar almost filled with multiple fireflies so I also start moving my feet and start catching fireflies using my net.

"Do you know some interesting facts about fireflies?" Galen asked while both of us were catching fireflies together.

I tried to remember if I have some stock knowledge about fireflies and blink when I do remember a lot as if someone just inputted a flash drive—full of interesting facts about it inside the neocortex of my brain.

"Well, fireflies—or what others called, lighting bugs, are neither flies or true bugs. They are beetles just like ladybugs and rhinoceros beetles. There are more than 2,000 species of fireflies all around the world.

From egg to adulthood, fireflies can live up to a year, but they're only capable of flying and laying eggs for about two months of that period. During the larval stage, they hide out in underground burrows, emerging as adults to hastily lay eggs and then die after five to 30 days. That means they have short lifespans."

"Their lights are the most efficient lights in the world—100% of the energy is emitted as light. Compare that to an incandescent bulb, which emits 10% of its energy as light and the rest as heat, or a fluorescent bulb, which emits 90% of its energy as light. Because it produces no heat, scientists refer to firefly lights as 'cold lights.'

Fireflies emit light mostly to attract mates, although they also communicate for other reasons as well—such as to defend territory and warn predators away. In some firefly species, only one sex lights up. In most, however, both sexes glow; often the male will fly, while females will wait in trees, shrubs and grasses to spot an attractive male. If she finds one, she'll signal it with a flash of her own…" I deliver those words nonstop.

I look at Galen and he's in a gape while staring at me flabbergasted. I covered my lips when I also couldn't believe hearing those detailed facts from my mouth.

I can't even remember memorizing those facts about fireflies before. I am confident that the moon facts I told him before were all from my stock knowledge, but these facts about fireflies are not from me. It's as if someone used my memory and my mouth to deliver those words to him.

I felt someone's controlling my mind.

"You… have a good memory indeed." Galen speaks, while still looking at me in awe.

I got uneasy because I don't think I deserve such a compliment when I don't even believe that those facts came from my own knowledge, but I still smiled even though it's a forced one.