Lights in the Woods

Stasis

Quick Author's Note: Hi! Glad you've decided to come this adventure with me! I just wanted to warn you that the lead-in on this is kinda slow, but trust me it'll be fun once we get there! Thanks!!
       I walked over and slid the door open, stepping out into the chilly night air once again. I looked up at the moon, up at the stars, and I decided I was going to do my very best to like it here. It may not have been my decision to pack everything up and move, but that's okay. I decided to see it that way, and that would likely change how it all turned out, right?

When I stepped off the balcony, back into my room, I flopped back on the bed for just a second before I heard a voice downstairs. "Gavin, supper!" my mother called from downstairs. I got up and went down to see her, and of course, to set the table for her and my sister. We had more room than we needed here, even if the place wasn't huge. A family of three probably didn't need all the room we had. However, they wanted a house in the woods, and they sure did get one.

"I'm here, I'm here," I sighed as I started setting out plates and such for the tow of us and my sister, who was currently perched at the island in the kitchen, singing something about butterflies. She could be adorable, that one could.

My mom had dinner ready and on the plates momentarily, which led us all to sit around the table, and although my mother and I didn't say much, my sister, Leila, could definitely keep a conversation running all on her own. "I really like it here," she enlightened us, her mouth half stuffed with pasta. "It's just right. There are so many animals around here! Did you guys see that one earlier?" she asked happily.

My mother shook her head. "No, what did you see earlier?" she asked Leila, who grinned as she explained.

"It was little, and hairy, and it sorta almost looked like a squirrel, sorta," she said, and I nodded along. That was enough to give me a spotlight apparently. "Gavin, will you take a walk with me after dinner? We can see if we can find it!" she smiled.

I thought about that for a little while. I didn't know for sure what it was, it could be dangerous. My bet was on a fox though, or a coyote at the very worst. I could handle that. It would be better for me to go anyways, instead of just sending Leila off on her own. In the woods. At night. That is precisely why I nodded. I knew she'd go wither way. She was brave. "Okay, we can go see about finding this animal after supper," I approved.

Leila was excited, and she grabbed my hand and dragged me out into the nighttime air as soon as she was done eating. I was sorry to leave my mother to take care of the clean-up all by herself, but I figured I could make it up to her after school tomorrow. I would hopefully have time. Leila pulled me through the woods behind the house for a ways, looking around. Of course we brought a flashlight. It would've been ridiculous not to.

"Look! Over there!" Leila smiled up at me before she raced forward into the trees. I groaned and ran after her, following to the clearing she'd found. It would probably be bad to lose my sister in the forest. Anything could be out here. I hadn't exactly been looking my hardest, but I hadn't seen anything frightening yet. "Gavin! Come on!" she called, and I hurried myself along. The clearing was nice. Really nice. I found myself wondering if this was actually on our property, but brushed the thought away. There weren't really any other houses close to our new home. My family had just moved in last week. I found her surrounded by fireflies, looking like something out of a movie. I couldn't help the smile that crawled up my face, pouring that happiness over my features to share with her. "Look at them all," she smiled at me, and I nodded right back to her.

"Here, do you want me to catch you one?" I asked her. She could do it herself, but I liked to do what I could. When she nodded eagerly, I smiled, and soon there was a little bug in my hands, transferred to hers momentarily.