The Boy Who Stole The Fireflies

The Boy

Have you ever wondered what its like to see through the eyes of a firefly? What do all those sparkling twinkles mean to them? What do they feel when they watch the lights die out?

Yeah. I wonder that a lot. I always have. Ever since mama first introduced them to me I have been so curious. I was only 5 when she showed me them.

I remember one night I ran outside with mama and I went to catch them between my little fingers. Mama warned me that if I did that I would hurt them.

Mama showed me home to take a closer look though.

She held out her hand and lightly hummed a song to the fireflies. It was really pretty and mama just seemed to glow.

I remember sitting up on her lap and watching the fireflies enclose us in twinkling warm light. Mama held out her hand and a couple of tiny pea sized fireflies came to her.

It was the first time I had ever seen a firefly so close. She would take my hand and let them crawl onto me. I got really scared and accidently flinched too much and hurt the little firefly.

I held the firefly in my hand and stared at it as tears began to swell in my eyes. I looked up at my mum and started sobbing.

"Mama! I'm sorry! I got scared and I didn't mean to hurt him! Mummy help him! He's gonna die if we don't help him!"

Mama just smiled at me and kisses my forehead.

"Hotaru. Do not shed anymore tears. The life of a firefly is small and short. He was getting older and didn't have much time left. He will forgive you."

I sat there and cried until my eyes couldn't tear up anymore. "Mama... Why is the life of a firefly so short?"

"Well you see Hotaru. That's because they spend their entire life lighting up the heart of the forest. The Forest of Melody. If you watch closely you'll see the middle of the forest shinning the brightest with bold and warming color. An old legend says that there in the center is a hidden pond and the pond has magical healing powers and can cure any human from sickness and disease. It has the power to clear a humans mind and save them from despair. That's just an old fairytale though."

I was amazed.

I was truly amazed by mama.

Two years later mama got really sick. Mama's skin became pale and her voice became quieter. She never left her bed. She never spoke to anyone but me.

"Hey mama. How are you feeling?" I would ask everyday I woke up.

Mama was always awake before me. Never once was there a time she woke up after me.

"Hotaru. What a handsome boy you are." She would reach out and gently cup face with her chilled over hands. Somehow though to me they were warm. Very warm.

"Are you hungry mama? I'm gonna make some eggs and rice. That's your favorite."

Mama just looked at me. She smiled at me gently and whispered gently "Let the fireflies guide your heart, Hotaru. Let them lead you."

I felt mama's hand slip away slowly and grow colder.

"Mama?" I looked down at her as her smile worn thin and her eyes slowly sealed.

"Mama?! Mama please wake up!"

Mama wouldn't move. She turned a ghostly white as her heart faded to a stale end.

Mama wouldn't wake up. All I could do was hold her and sobbed. I had never cried so much since the day I killed a firefly.

Mama was like a firefly.