A Candlelit Porch

A Candlelit Porch

A crescent-shaped moon and glistening stars lit up the late evening sky. I watched, from a child-sized chair, a flickering candle that sat upon a rusty patio table. It cast eerie shadows on the white brick wall. I listened as the field crickets chirped their song.
Across a narrow street and down a small slope,was the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I could see only the headlights and tailights of the many cars that whizzed by. Every so often, the steady whoosh of cars was interrupted by the ringing whir of a tractor trailer.
Droplets of sweat trickled between my toes when I pulled them out of my furry, pink slippers. The coolness of the concrete porch soothed my feet. Suddenly, I felt something hairy squirming under my foot. Underneath it was a black creature with burnt-orange stripes. My index finger made a splendid ramp for the caterpillar to climb upon.
The caterpillar was about two inches long and scarcely half an inch wide. It crawled into the palm of my hand then flipped onto its back. At least a dozen pairs of tiny, jet-black feet frantically waved in mid-air. I helped the struggling larva to get back on its feet. Gently, I placed it on the cool, dark soil. The fuzzy insect disappeared underneath a bush.
My sister emerged from the house carrying a large bowl which overflowed with fresh-picked strawberries. My grandmother, my sister and I had spent all afternoon gathering berries in the nearby meadows.
Surrounding the center of each strawberry was a white ring that resembled a sprinkling of sugar. The outside of each berry was lined with crunchy seeds placed as neatly as pins in a pincushion. After taking a bite, I savored the sweet, juiciness of the pulp. The sweet-scented aroma filled my nostrils until I popped it into my mouth.
The night air was filled with the amber,blinking lights of fireflies. I quickly cupped my hands to capture one. While peering into a space between my fingers, I was fascinated by its bright yellow tail that glowed every few seconds. The lightning bug also had a pin-sized head and orange striped wings. After I freed my prisoner, I noticed some of his golden glitter on my hand. Curious about its smell, I sniffed my hand. The beautiful powdery substance smelled disgusting!