Quickly Lit

                                                                  Quickly Lit

                                                            By Daryl Campbell



         Jakob lit up in a mix of yellow and green that left spots in everyone's eyes. He interrupted the movie again. It always happened when he got nervous.

         “Turn the light off, Jakob!” a girl yelled from the back of the class.

         He closed his eyes, light flickered, and went out.

         “Thank you, Jakob,” Mrs. Anders said.

         The movie ended and Mrs. Anders turned on the lights. She'd been Jakob's teacher all year and taught him to use his light much better. He still lit up when he was scared or nervous or upset, but not as much as he used to.

         “I hope everyone enjoyed the movie.” Mrs Anders told the class.

         “Except for the extra lights.” Ashley giggled with a few of the other girls.

         “Now, Ashley, that isn't very nice. You should think about all the famous fireflies in history and what they had to overcome. Sometimes it just takes a little time.” Mrs. Anders put her hand on her chin. “That's a good idea. I want each of you to write a paper about overcoming trouble in your lives. It'll be your homework this weekend and we'll read them on Monday.”

         The school bell rang and everyone rushed from the classroom as fast as they could.

         “Jakob, what're you doing tonight?” Sam asked.

         Jakob folded his six arms. “I thought I might go to the playground and practice using my light.”

         “You woke me up when you lit the class today.” Kenneth walked up beside Sam and Jakob.

         “I can't help it. Sometimes...”

         “A bunch of the other kids are going to the caves tonight,” Sam interrupted. “Wanna go?”

         “It's dangerous out there.” Jakob's light flashed.

         “Scared already?” Kenneth teased.

         “Not scared, just a little worried.”

         “We'll be okay,” Sam said.

         “Everyone will be there.” Kenneth smoothed his antennae.

         “I guess I can go.” Jakob spread his wings and lifted his brown body in the air.

         “We'll meet at the playground near dark.” Sam followed Jakob.

         “I'll see you guys there.” Kenneth flew in the opposite direction.

         The night came quick. Jakob played games with his brothers and sisters, ate dinner, and watched the sun set. He was nervous about going to the caves in the dark and lit several times on the way to the playground. Once there, he slowed his wings and floated to the ground.

         “Boo!” Someone shouted when he landed.

         Jakob lit with a greenish light and saw several fireflies from school. Everyone laughed.

         “It isn't funny!” Jakob shook his head and calmed enough to shut his light off.

         “Just a joke, Jakob,” Kenneth said.

         “Besides, we wanted to make sure your light would come on.” Ashley giggled.

         “It isn't funny!” Jakob said again.

         “We were just playing.” Sam came out of hiding. “You'll be okay.”

         “Let's get going,” Kenneth lit up and flew away. “I wanna see the caves.”

         Most of the fireflies from Jakob's class were at the playground. He watched lights blink on and off as they followed Kenneth to the caves. The trip was quick and they landed on rock ledges outside to rest before going in.

         “Let's try this one,” Ashley said suddenly.

         “Looks good to me,” Donna agreed.

         “Who's going in first?” Kenneth asked.

         “Not me.” Jakob lit brightly and fireflies laughed.

         “I'll do it then.” Kenneth headed in and everyone followed.

         Without starlight, the cave was dark and the fireflies had to keep lit to find their way as they traveled down rock hallways. It was a place full of strange things: some lizards, a snake or two, and some hairy worms. Then, everything opened wide.

         Tiny lights popped on and off as fireflies searched the wet cavern. They didn't get close to the lake they found there, they knew the dangers of such things. Something moved in the rocks above and Jakob lit up. That's when they saw them, bats that were stretching for their night out in the world.

         “We have to find a place to hide!” Kenneth commanded. “We need to hide until the bats leave!”

         Jakob lit again.

         “Jakob, stop lighting up like that!” Ashley yelled.

         “You'll get their attention.” Susan searched for a place to hide.

         “In here,” Sam said. “It's big enough for all of us.”

         The fireflies went through a crack in the rock wall and into an opening. Jakob lit a few times and let them find their way. Fright took the others and most of them couldn't make any light at all. They all climbed into the hiding spot and waited for the bats to leave.

         Bats could be heard as they dropped from the top of the cave and flew through the tunnels to leave. The fireflies were scared and hoped they wouldn't be found. Jakob's light came on again and he quickly put it out.

         “Jakob,” Kenneth whispered, “you're gonna get us caught!”

         “Keep the light off,” Sam added.

         “I don't think he can,” Ashley said.

         “We're all scared. We just need to stay calm.” Donna turned to Jakob. “You have to keep it off.”

         “I am trying, but it doesn't always work,” Jakob defended himself.

         “It's okay. We're gonna be alright,” Kenneth said.

         The sounds of the bats disappeared after a few minutes. The fireflies were still frightened, but uninjured. Kenneth was the first one out of hiding with the others close behind. Their hearts raced so hard they couldn't light up. Instead, they felt their way along the rocks.

         “Something sticky,” Donna said.

         “What do you mean?” Ashley asked.

         “I stepped in something sticky,” she repeated.

         “Hold on a second.” Kenneth tried to light up, but couldn't.

         “Don't move.” Sam couldn't light either. “You don't wanna get stuck in it.”

         Jakob's yellow and green light came on again. “A web!”

         Susan jerked her foot off the sticky web and looked around, but she didn't see a spider. Then, darkness returned.

         “Someone light up! There's a spider here somewhere!” Kenneth was scared.

         “We have to get out of here!” Ashley's light blinked on and off.

         Kenneth's light blinked and Sam's did too, but they couldn't keep them lit. The fireflies felt their way along the rocks and searched for a way out. Susan's light came on and something moved.

         “Spider!” Susan yelled and her light went out.

         Jakob lit his bright light and forced the red and black spider back. To the left, there was an opening.

         “This way!” Jakob ran through the crack.

         The fireflies hurried through and found themselves near the entrance of the cave. Starlight twinkled behind the rocks and told them where to go. The spider chased, but they flapped their wings and lifted off the ground. Jakob's light stayed on and he led them away from the spider and out of the cave. Once they were safe, the fireflies started blinking and flew to the playground.

         “I'm never doing that again,” Kenneth said.

         “Me either,” Donna agreed.

         “If it wasn't for Jakob's light, we might've been caught.” Sam patted his friend on the back.

         “True.” Kenneth laughed.

         Jakob smiled and lit up as bright as he could “It was easy.”

         The fireflies said their goodbyes and went home.

         Monday morning's class was great. Mrs. Anders listened to the stories the students told and clapped at the end of each one. Ashley read her paper last and her classmates listened as she told them about caves and bats and spiders. She changed the names and made things a little more scary than they really were, but the story was fun. She stopped near the end, smiled at Jakob, and read the last sentence.

         “Sometimes, being quickly lit is wonderful.” Ashley bowed.