From the distance this farmhouse was at least one hundred years old. After a good long glance; anyone would have guess two hundred. Every piece possessed just the right amount of age and wear to give the feeling the home was abandoned. The windows all looked too old to open. The houses’ green paint was very light, faded by the sun in the patches that were still clinging on to the house. The gate was covered in a light dusting of rust on the hinges. You would have never found this place on accident. This place is remote enough that a phone line would be considered both a blessing and high tech.
The sky gave the illusion of the light being stolen as the evening was becoming night. A scream from inside the house broke the silence. “I saw one! Danny, I saw one!”
The front door slammed open with enough force to knock the dust off of everything around it. “I am gonna get more than you!” Said a small red-haired girl with pigtails, as she ran out the door. She almost tripped she was running so fast! Her shoes were too small for her, that was about the only thing keeping her from running right out of them. Wherever she was going, it was the most important place in the world.
Next in line was a boy that was so skinny it was the first thing you would notice. Ace would eat anything on the plate. That boy could eat a whole pack of hot dogs and a whole box of mac and cheese. He gave the word beanpole a new meaning. For now he was the fastest kid at school. Tonight, he was still behind Connie. Looking toward the fence, the boy thought through where he would stand. With a unsure look on his face, he stepped off the porch.
Danny was the last to come outside with the biggest smile. When Danny caught the first firefly, and invented the game, his approach was on accident. He went and stood where most of the lights were. Then, he waited till he felt a tickle on his body. His left forearm was where he caught the first one. He simply put his right hand over his arm, trapping the bug inside. In theory, the game was easy. In practice, there were nights where nobody won and everyone ended up arguing.
The front field of the farmhouse was fenced in with a plain wooden plank fence. The wood was never painted. The wood was weathered with age. It was the boundary for the game. You could catch a firefly over the fence, you just had to stand inside the fence. The front stairs were the other boundary. You had to be off the stairs to play. Going back up the stairs meant you quit. None of them would quit tonight.
Now for the most important rule of the game: you cannot kill a firefly. If you do, you are disqualified. That rule itself could end the game.
The three cousins split off each with a strategy in mind. Ace thought to use speed to his advantage. He covered more ground running after a creature that he normally could not see. That did not help him at all. In the end he was blind to the direction he needed to follow. Even if one was right in front of him, he would have been moving too fast for him to see it.
Connie was trying to catch grab where the lights were. She was not running around. She stayed stationary.
Danny waited about five minutes, “Ace, check your shoes. You are running over them!”
“No, I did not!” The tallest one objected.
“I had one!” Yelled Connie. “Can I catch one in my mouth?”
The ever elusive creature, that can also fly kept all three of them guessing. Two of the three moved at a fast pace. Danny put his idea to good use. He simply looked around to where the most lights were are stood in wait.
There was a strange element to this game, you lose your daylight. That really complicates things. It made for some good long matches, and a few times where the kids ran into each other. It was an interesting way to play tag.
The three lost track of time and daylight. Yells and giggles filled the farm with a new found life. About ten minutes later Danny gave a shout. “You won again?” Said Connie, in disbelief. She kicked the ground, and began stomping towards the house.
“Yeah, he did I can see the light!” Exclaimed Ace. Ace pointed toward Danny’s hands.
In his hands, lights were both the victory and the only fleeting light that was left in the field. The vibrant pulsing of the critter showed yet another night’s bragging right’s for the oldest. The other two groaned knowing they had just lost the bet based around who gets out of doing chores.
One of the kids favorite games to play was created all because the oldest did not want to do chores and figured out a competition he had an unfair advantage in. Years from now, the house will still look the exact same. All three cousins remember their favorite game to play.
Ace and Connie did win sometimes, just not often. Danny never told the secret to his game. Those are the only secrets ever kept: the ones never told.
Never Give Up on Life.
Never Give up on Love.
That’s it, That’s all:
Nathan Hall