Grandpa’s Story: The Legend Of Fireflies (An Older Fiction Story I Wrote)

               “This is a tale of light and wonder.”, said Grandpa Ulis, as we looked out the window, tiny green lights blinking randomly, then disappearing into the dark of night. “They didn’t always shine.”, continued Grandpa Ulis, “ It was brighter then,”, he said, after a small pause, as memories looked upon passed through his mind, made obvious by the thoughtful look on his face, “ and the world was light, shining bright enough for all to see!”, said Grandpa. “ It wasn’t a blinding light mind you. Just enough to fill the world with wonder!”, he added quickly, seeing the wheels of thought turning in my curious little mind.

 

         “They sang in those days too.”, Grandpa Ulis said with a smile none could take away. “Beautiful songs of hope and beauty of life!” The world around them turned their own ears to listen to these masterful melodies!”, he continued, and as he spoke I imagined their world, heard their songs in my soul. I, too, “turned my ears to listen” as their melodies sang to me. “It was an amazing place for these amazing beings to flourish!”, Grandpa continued, as light, and joy, of remembrance filled his eyes as though he were there.

           “Their world was bright, for a time, until a great darkness entered their world: Collectors. They came suddenly, out of nowhere it seemed to these hopeful beings! One by one their families were taken. One by one their songs ceased. One by one the beautiful rays of light left their awe-inspiring world as these collectors invaded. Hope was gone, for a time.”, said Grandpa Ulis, “Darkness entered where there was once light, light of life and song. Light of joy in the peace and contentment known to these mystical ones, these fireflies. Extraordinary was gone, and so were they.”, said Grandpa Ulis in a tone of great sorrow that was heard from his soul.

 

        “ For years they were gone. No sound heard from them. No sight seen of them, until one day when that all changed!”, said Grandpa as hope and light filled his eyes and tone of voice. “It was dark, thick and endless, as night blanketed the world. In the blackness a tiny green light blinked, on, then off again. The eyes of a little boy saw it: your father!”, spoke Grandpa Ulis as he looked at me with excitement. In Grandpa’s pause, I found myself wondering why dad never told me. Did he forget? Had he forgotten the wonder of it all? These questions remained in me steadfastly. I pushed them aside to listen further to Grandpa’s story.

 

        Grandpa continued once more, “Your father saw them first, before any other human in our world, and was overcome with excitement at his discovery! Unable to contain himself, he ran to me, shouting, 'Papa! Papa! I saw little green lights!', he said to me, jumping up and down. Hope that once left me had returned, hope that these amazing mystical ones had somehow returned! Your father and I ran to where he had seen them before: the window. We looked intently, and for several minutes saw nothing, then, they appeared. They lit the darkness as nothing else before, it would not contain them! 'How did they light up though?', I wondered, 'Was this really them?' Had they indeed returned, and how did they do so?', I questioned to myself. Just then, a song, soft and slow, was heard. Outside the opened window it travelled through the pitch dark void to put ears, your father’s and mine. Happiness displayed on our faces in smiles as their beautiful music sang to our hearts! This was the last time their life-changing melodies were ever heard again….”, said Grandpa Ulis as his gaze lowered in sadness, “but, the light you see now has replaced it, something no other living being can do; if they can, it isn’t half as beautiful.”, concluded Grandpa as we stared at the tiny lights of these tiny creatures of enormous worth and awe. Still, I wondered how they learned to light up, how they escaped, and why they no longer sang. Questions I would have to ask Grandpa Ulis another time. For now, we enjoyed these mysterious creatures, these fireflies.

          

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