“Can you hear them? There are so many! I can’t believe how many we caught!”
Jared smiled, holding on to the jar of fireflies for dear life. “Not really…but I can feel ‘em. They’re makin’ my arms tingle.”
Nathaniel, his impetuous younger brother, stooped down to get a better look at his catch. “I wish you could see them, Jared! They look so mad!”
Jared nodded vigorously. “Of course they’re mad! How’d you like bein’ snatched up and put in jail like this? You’d better run fast when we let them out, ‘cause they’ll bite the heck outta ya!”
Nathaniel placed his hands on his hips. “They don’t bite! Whatta ya talkin’ ‘bout!”
When Nathaniel removed his hands from the jar, Jared lost his balance and the jar began falling toward him in a great hurry.
“Look out!” cried Nathaniel.
Jared rocked forward and attempted to pull the jar back towards him. It teetered in the air for a split-second, as the boys waited in great anticipation. Nathaniel was trying to get his hands up in order to save the much labored for prize.
The jar suddenly toppled backwards and fell against Jared’s chest. He began giggling uncontrollably, shaking the jar emphatically.
Nathaniel was irritated. “What choo laughin’ at? You almost killed ‘em all!”
Jared ignored his hot-headed younger brother. “They’re tingling my skin! I can feel ‘em buzzing!”
Nathaniel slapped his forehead with his palm. “Yikes! For a blind boy, you never take nothin’ serious! Everything’s a big joke to you! It coulda busted and cut as all to pieces! Or worse, the lid coulda popped off and…”
Jared interrupted him. “I can hear them!” He placed his ear to the top of the jar, his mouth grinning from ear to ear.
Nathaniel sighed loudly. “What am I gonna do wit’ you!”
Jared raised his head and stared in the direction of his brother’s voice. “You know, I think I ‘member what they look like. When I was five, I ‘member seeing lights in the trees. I can’t ‘member what the bugs looked like, but they sure was friendly. Do they look friendly?”
Nathaniel bit his tongue, leaned in closely again and stared at the fireflies for awhile. He grunted, then smiled. “Nope. Don’t look friendly at all, just mad as all get out!”
Jared persisted. “I know they’re mad, Nate! But, what do they look like? Describe ‘em.”
Nate sighed deeply. “You know I hate that stuff, Jared. I don’t know. They’re bugs! They’re black, with antennas, and small, and got ugly heads. And they’re black.”
Jared laughed. “You said black already!”
Nate grunted. “Well, if ya can’t ‘member ‘em, you can’t ‘member! Me telling you ‘bout ‘em not gonna make no diff’rence!”
Jared stopped smiling and put on his serious face. “You gotta learn Nate. If you ain’t gonna help me, nobody else is gonna.”
Nate placed his hands back on the jar, trying to ignore his older brother. “Momma’s better at that stuff, I just see it, you know? It ain’t fair that your eyes got taken. You are just gonna have to feel and hear and smell better, that’s all.”
Jared suddenly let go of the jar. It Nate hadn’t been holding on to it, it would have plunged into the watery abyss.
“Whad you do that fer?” screamed Nate.
Jared’s nostril’s flared. “Let’s go home.” He tried to turn, but wasn’t sure exactly where the water became more shallow. His boots were sticking in the mud.
Nate sighed. “Aw, man, don’t be like that! What’d I say?”
Jared stood there, helpless to move, waiting for direction with his hand, but saying nothing.
Nate slapped his hand. “Come on! Don’t be a baby!”
Jared’s face scrunched up in anger. “I’m not a baby, Nate, I am blind! You don’t get it, do you?”
Nate snorted. “Of course I get it!”
Jared shook his head vehemently. “No, you’re just too thick! I can’t see! If you ain’t gonna help me, nobody will! You’re my brother, but God help me, I don’t know why!”
Nate scratched his head with his hands in frustration. He hated it when Jared acted like this. He should have just left him giggling. “I’m hungry. Let’s go home, it’s time fer supper.”
Jared reached out with his hands. “Can I have the jar, please?”
Nate was distrustful. “Why? Watcha gonna do?”
“Nothin’! Let me have it, please!”
Frightened for his precious possession, he reluctantly handed over his prize. He placed it close to Jared’s chest so he could grip it tightly.
Jared said, “I feel sorry for ‘em. They don’t deserve to be locked up! They can’t go nowhere, nor do nothin’!”
Before Nate realized what was happening, Jared had opened the top of the jar and began shaking the jar, allowing all of the fireflies to escape. “You’re free! Go home fireflies! Go home!”
Nate started screaming in horror. “What the! Why’d you do that! You’re crazy! I didn’t even get to show dad! You’re horrible! I hate you!”
Jared handed the empty jar back to Nate. “Here, take it!”
Furious, Nate knocked the jar out of his hands. It went flying out into the deeper part of the water. It floated for a second on top, and then began sinking as if filled up with water. The two boys stood there, one looking at the other, the other not looking at anything.
Finally, Jared asked, “Can we go home now?”
Nate, still fuming, grabbed Jared’s hand. Aggressively, he started dragging his older brother towards the dry land. He stumbled a few times, but Nate hung on until they were completely out of the water. They then started removing their rubber boots so they could walk in their sneakers.
Nate couldn’t stand it any longer. “Why did you do it?”
Jared shrugged. “They deserve to be free. Nobody should be locked up.”
Nate protested. “They’re just bugs!”
Jared walked forward to where he knew his brother was standing. He was surprisingly quick when he knew he wasn’t going to drown. He grabbed Jared by the arm and started poking his finger in his brother's chest. “They aren’t just bugs! Do you understand me? You can’t think like that! Am I just your blind brother? Is that all I am?”
Nate stumbled backward. “What? No, of course, not!”
Jared stood there, towering over his younger brother, puffing his chest out, trying to make his point. “Are they just bugs?”
Nate started to answer, but hesitated. After a second, he answered, “Nnn, No. They ain’t.”
Jared grabbed Nate’s hand and ordered him to take him home.
Nate began walking slowly, not sure why his brother was so upset.
Jared turned to his brother. “You know you’re thick, don’t ya?”
Nate didn’t say anything.
Jared sighed. “But, I still love ya.”
Nate asked hesitantly, “Then why did you…”
“Thick!” yelled Jared.
The boys walked the rest of the way home in silence.
