The Firefly Nightlights

Nora pressed her nose against the cool glass of the bedroom window. Huff, puff. Her warm breath made a tiny, foggy cloud on the pane. She wiped it away with her pajama sleeve.

Through the glass, she saw it again.

Blink.

A soft, yellow-green spark danced near the big oak tree. It went out. Then, another light sparked a little higher in the branches.

Blink. Blink.

Nora giggled, her tummy feeling a warm, happy flutter. "Luna, look!" she whispered. "It is not a shadow monster at all. It is a firefly!"

Luna the cat let out a soft, rumbling purr-row. She stretched her front paws onto the wooden windowsill, her tail waving slowly like a fuzzy gray ribbon. Her bright green eyes reflected the tiny, glowing dots in the yard.

"I wish I could catch them all," Nora said, hugging her soft velvet blanket tight around her shoulders. "I would put them in a big glass jar right next to my pillow. Then my room would be bright all night long. The dark would have to stay outside."

Luna tapped the window glass gently with one white paw. Tap, tap.

Outside, as if she had heard the tap, a firefly floated closer to the glass. It answered Luna with a long, beautiful glow. Then, more fireflies joined the dance. They swirled up and down in the cool night air. They looked like tiny, floating stars that had tumbled out of the sky just to play in Nora’s backyard.

Nora leaned her head against Luna’s warm, soft fur. Luna was so cozy. She smelled like sunshine and sleepy afternoon naps. Together, the little girl and the cat watched the silent, glowing dance.

"They are very busy," Nora whispered. She watched a firefly land on a sleepy red rose petal, making the flower glow like a tiny, magical lamp. "They are not afraid of the dark at all."

Suddenly, Nora understood. The fireflies did not need to be locked in a jar in her bedroom. They had a very important job to do out in the yard.

"They are the garden's nightlights," Nora said softly. "They keep the trees safe. They make sure the flowers have a little light while they sleep."

The thought made Nora feel very brave. The dark outside was not just empty and black. It was a soft, velvety blanket, decorated with hundreds of tiny, blinking friends. If the big garden could have its own beautiful nightlights, maybe her bedroom could be a safe, cozy place too.

Luna turned around and rubbed her cheek against Nora’s chin. Scritch, scratch. It was a gentle, tickly reminder. It was time to go back to the big, warm bed.

Nora stood up from the window seat, dragging her velvet blanket behind her like a royal queen's cape. She felt very sleepy now, her eyelids heavy and warm. She climbed back under her soft sheets and pulled the covers all the way up to her nose. Luna hopped up beside her, curling into a neat, warm circle at the foot of the bed.

Nora closed her eyes, imagining the fireflies dancing in the yard. But when she opened them to look at her bedroom wall, her breath caught in her throat.

The little nightlight by the door cast a long, yellow glow across the room. And there, right on the wall opposite her bed, a tall, quiet shape had appeared. It was very still, and it had definitely not been there before.