Fireflies

The Hermit felt cold under the deep blue sky. No snow here but any means but that wasn't any different. It was getting dark, and he needed to get some warmth. The coat of indigo made him feel uneasy as he ventured through the seemingly leafless forest. Withered leaves crumpled under his dirty boots.

He felt cold as each second went by. Seconds felt like minutes. Minutes felt like hours. To think he had been here for as long as he can remember, away from human civilization.

Then, his eye caught a spark of light.

It was a tiny light from afar, but it grew larger as he took a step forward. For each step he took amongst the crumpled leaves, he began to feel a force of warmth.

At least for a few seconds he did.

The source of the sparking light came from the ground. Kneeling down to one knee. He noticed a firefly laying there, wiggling in pain. Its light was dying. The flrefly itself was dying.

The Hermit cupped the firefly in his hands, slowly picking it up. One hand covered the firefly gently and the Hermit began walking around, finding any place for the firefly to be safe. Living creatures don't deserve their deaths be spreaded onto land like litter. Stopping at a thin tree with a hole, the firefly was placed there. It wasn't much, but it was an honest effort for the Hermit, who slowly walked away.

A surge of merry light went through him, as his insides and his heart starting to go through a minor heatwave. The dry coldness he once felt started to evaporate. Twisting himself back, he started to see the tree where he had put the firefly. It's light as bright as the sun itself, and it started to shine.

The Hermit's eyes widened at the sight, and his hears picked up a faint buzzing sound. The sound wings fluttering. He turned to the left to see a hundred of fireflies, if not millions, passing over him as their lights shined throughout the sky. Soon the night was over, and the day was born again, shedding warm light on the Hermit and those around him.