A Firefly's Glow

Chapter Seven: Part Three

The man shot me a beady-eyed glare. A breath that was recognizable as a BLT sandwich blew against my face.

“You!” he growled as he bared his large teeth. “What exactly are you doing out here?!”

“I-I-I-I—!” I automatically stuttered, feeling beads of sweat run down my cheeks.

The man relaxed his muscled shoulders and firmly placed his hands onto his hips. I tightly shut my eyes. I expected that he would whip out a pair of handcuffs, lock my wrists into them, and say “I’m going to handcuff you to the legs of your bed! You’ll never escape! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha—“

“Aren’t you supposed to be inside working?” the man asked with his voice much more hushed and moderate. “You’ve still got your uniform on. Aren’t you on a shift right now?”

Eh! That’s right! I planted a fist firmly into my palm. I’ve got this maids’ dress on. He doesn’t recognize me, either!

The man aimed his beady eyes between my nervous gaze and the gesture of my hands. “Unless Hanabusa-sama has ordered you to go outside of the house.”

“Y-Yes!” I nervously chuckled, rapidly reaching my arm behind my head and ruffling the ends of my hair. “Hanabusa-sama—“ I enunciated his name with narrowed eyes. “—asked me to come outside and . . .”

“And?” the security man urged, lifting an eyebrow.

“And . . .”

Come on, Hotaru! I wordlessly encouraged, gritting my teeth. If you don’t make it past this guy, you’re over with! Hurry up, Hotaru!

I released the pressure against my teeth. Hotaru! That’s it!

“And . . . catch some fireflies,” A wide grin followed my answer.

“Fireflies? For what?”

“To eat, of course!”

I sincerely hoped that someday, my improving ideas would progress to a point where the random ad-lib I say made sense.

“Hanabusa-sama . . .” the man began, releasing his arms off his thighs. “Told you . . . to come outside . . . and catch fireflies . . . for him to eat?”

“Y-Yes, sir!” I answered, confirming his repetitive order with a nod.

“That’s an interesting delicacy,” the man gave me a look that basically said I was probably the weirdest being on the planet. “But Hanabusa-sama can do whatever he pleases. Carry on, then.”

“T-Thank you, sir!” I chirped, bowing my head before him and scurrying off, eager to escape the awkward situation.

I scampered behind the thickest, chubbiest tree I saw. Once I did, I peeled the uniform off my head and clutched it back into my arms.

Though as good a disguise the maids’ uniform was, I’ve always thought dresses were uncomfortable. This one was definitely no exception. Plus, if I wanted to get to the beltway without tripping on my own two feet, I figured that the only solution is to ditch the uniform.

I set the uniform onto the lowest branch of the tree I leaned against to hang. Once I had gotten the fabric to balance neatly against the wood, I scurried away from the tree and back onto the concreted pavement.

I eyed the redness of the sky. The sun was halfway below the horizon. Its light glittered as the golden lining against the thin, wispy clouds that surrounded the sunset. The sky was given a hint of red and orange.

When I turned my head around to glance at the sky behind me, it was shaded with a dull indigo blue. I figured that if I was going to make it to the beltway on time, I should pick up my pace.

I hurried past several blooming cherry trees. Up ahead, I spotted a thick, golden gate, and a smile loomed over my face.

However, once I reached the gates, I wrapped my fingers around its bars and pulled.

“Open, open, open!” I pleaded, frantically shaking the bars. “Please open, open, open! I need to escape this creepy, exaggerated mansion and get back to the café so I can be free forever and ever! Please open, open, open!”

To be perfectly honest, I guessed that perhaps after my visit to that café, I might be forced to return to the mansion anyway. Even if I did make my way back to my old apartment, it’s probably locked. I had dropped my keys onto the floor of the apartment, and my spare key had bent the last time I used it, so the spare key wasn’t an option.

What I wanted was to return to the café. I wanted to see Mikan and Sora.

And Amanatsu.

I scrambled a few feet away from the gate and frantically began stamping my feet onto the concrete.

There’s no way the gates will open for me! I groaned silently, growling in frustration. I’m nowhere as heavy as a car!

I attempted to squeeze myself through the bars. They cruelly mocked me. If I was just a few inches thinner, I’d be able to fit cleanly through the gates. Instead, the metal bars ached my shoulders. Only my arms stretched beyond the gates, but I’d rather pass the blockage in one piece.

I rolled a growl through my tongue. The only possible way to get through the gates is for them to open. And in order for them to open, there needed to be a passing car.

I slumped against the gate with a crestfallen groan. The sun steadily continued to sink behind the horizon.

I heard a steady roar that whispered behind me and I hopped to the side of the pavement for defense. Diving behind a nearby bush, I watched a long limousine arrive before the gate.

The gates slowly creaked open.

As the gates slowed to a stop, the limo casually rolled past the gates and out onto the street beyond the estate.

I hesitantly suck behind the bush I hid behind. Where the heck did that limo come from?

I sincerely hoped that whoever was inside that limo hadn’t seen me stomp the heck out of myself and then slump behind the bushes beside the pavement.

Though as I pondered, the gates slowly slid back into place. I hurried out of the golden gates’ grasp and panted as I set foot onto the exterior grounds.

I confidently pumped another fist into the air. “Alright!” I triumphantly cheered as I dashed down the sidewalk. I kept my gaze firmly planted towards the glowing arc that hovered above the sky. The beltway’s charming fluorescents began beaming into the darkening sky.

The sun was low, though it wasn’t low enough for me to give up any time soon.

Just wait a little bit longer! I wordlessly pleaded, feeling beads of sweat run down my neck.

Amanatsu!