Firefly Catching

Hey Kid ran out into the grass between the B&B and the forest grasping the glass jar that they had 'borrowed' from Parish. The silly old frog had been storing some kind of smelly grownup vegetables inside the jar, but Hey Kid had dumped that right in the trash. Parish would thank them later. And everyone else at the B&B who wouldn't have to eat it would too.

Out in the grass field, the demon child laughed and bounced after fireflies as the glowing bugs flitted between seed and stalk of summer grass. "Sal! Guess what?! I'm gonna catch enough fireflies to fill this jar and make the brightest light on earth! Bright enough the other stars will all see it!"

The smile on Hey Kid's face fades as they look up to see a shooting star burn its way across the night sky and then vanish into the darkness. They started thinking about all the guests that had come and gone and about Gertrude's changes. And their own changes.

"What is it going to be like to grow up?"

Sal was sitting on the porch practicing some guitar. His head was filled with questions, but one stood out more than the others. Would I have become famous if I had chosen a different route? He couldn't shake the feeling that he had missed out on a big opportunity.

When Hey Kid ran past him and onto the grass, he smiled and thought Being a kid again would be nice for a change. He got up and put the guitar on the stand next to him. "I'm sure you will catch that many, Hey Kid! But not before I do!" He grins because of his introduction of a bit of competition. Then he noticed that Hey Kid was not paying attention to him at all and was already busy trying to catch fireflies. "Did you hear me? I said I'll catch a jar full before you do, Kid!" He said again with some more volume.

After a quick trip to the kitchen to fetch another jar - he had found one on top of a high cupboard - Sal walks back out and joins Hey Kid in the grass. "We should get closer to the trees to find them. I think they hang out below the canopy mostly."