Fireflies - a Tale of Life and Death Read online

  Gabriel took off his backpack and pulled up a chair, sitting down at her bedside. “Do you need anything?”

  A faint smile came to her face. “A little company.”

  “What about your grandfather?”

  She shrugged but then flinched and touched a hand to her head. “He’s…he’s not feeling good at the moment, and I don’t want to bother him.”

  Gabriel frowned. “He doesn’t know you’re sick?”

  “I’m not sick,” Hannah objected. “It’s just a headache.”

  “All right,” Gabriel nodded. “What do you want to talk about?”

  Her eyes flashed to the window. “I saw fireflies again last night, by the edge of the forest. It was the fourth night in a row that they showed up there. I’ve never seen them do that before. They’re so beautiful.”

  “I’ve seen them before, too,” Gabriel remembered. “The night of the bonfire and…” Before his eyes, images rose of the night when he had tried to find his way home through the fog and eventually stumbled by Hannah’s house.

  “And?” she asked.

  Gabriel smiled. “The night before I met you.”

  Hannah’s eyes lit up. “Maybe they led you here.”

  “Maybe,” Gabriel agreed.

  “Maybe one of them is my mother after all,” she said with a dreamy look to her eyes. “I like to believe that.”

  Chapter 15 – To See and Be Seen

  “Are you sure you want to come?” Gabriel asked, looking at Hannah through narrowed eyes. “You still look a little pale.”

  She nodded, then suddenly swayed, hand reaching for support. Gabriel took her by the arm, trying to steady her, and she leaned against him. “Yes,” she said, taking a deep breath. “The fresh air will be good for me. After finally getting to be outside, being stuck in my room for three days was enough.”

  With the sun behind them, they walked across the meadow, stopping every now and then so Hannah could catch her breath. Eventually, Gabriel helped her on his bike and then pushed her the rest of the way. As they reached the Dive, Hannah’s eyes grew big again. The chattering and laughing of kids diving and swimming, the sun reflected in the sparkling water of the lake and especially the acrobatics off the tree tops seemed to lift her spirits into the sky. Sitting beside Gabriel on a towel in the shade of their usual oak tree, she applauded every time a kid jumped off a tree and dove into the lake.

  From up high, Eddie waved at her, which made him lose what little balance he had, and he fell head-first into the lake. Strangely, it was the best jump they’d ever seen from him.

  “That was amazing,” Hannah cheered. “He’s really good at this.”

  Gabriel grinned. “I guess the correct word is lucky.” He explained to Hannah about Eddie’s problem with heights.

  “Shut up!” Loud yelling came from the edge of the lake.

  Getting to his feet, Gabriel craned his neck to see. Through the dense bushes, he spotted Jack, face tense, as he rushed forward. Keeping his eyes on Jack, Gabriel found himself looking at Jordan a moment later. She stood knee-deep in the water, nose to nose with a fairly burly boy a year or two her senior. A head taller, he looked down at her, a sneer on his face. Jordan’s eyes were shooting lightning bolts. The muscles in her shoulders were tense; she seemed to have trouble keeping her anger under control.

  “What’s going on?” Hannah asked, grabbing Gabriel’s hand and pulling herself to her feet.

  “I don’t know,” he said. A loud bark made them turn their heads, and they saw Cat racing toward the water’s edge. Only this time, she didn’t stop there but splashed into the lake, heading straight to Jordan’s side.

  Gabriel took a step forward, squinting his eyes to see. “But whatever it is, it must be bad.”

  ***

  “Jordan, you don’t have to do this!” Liam implored her, a hand on her bike’s handlebar.

  “Yes, I do,” she hissed through gritted teeth, eyes fixed on the narrow path leading downhill in a fairly steep angle. “You heard what he said.”

  “Mike is an idiot!” Jack snapped, stepping in front of her, shoulder to shoulder with Liam. “I am ordering you to stand down!”

  “Cut the crap, Jack! I may be your little sister but that doesn’t mean you get to tell me what I can or cannot do.”

  “Jordan, please listen to him,” Liam pleaded. “This is insane. You could break your neck.”

  Her eyes shifted to Mike Matthews and narrowed as he grinned at her, getting on his own bike. Around him, his friends stood, slapping him on the back and cheering him on. “I know what I’m doing,” Jordan insisted, putting on her helmet. “Now get out of my way!”

  Jack shook his head, and Liam took a deep breath, but they both complied.

  “All right, listen up!” Sam called, looking from his friend Mike to Jordan. “It’s straight down the hill, no turns or bends. The end zone is by the cluster of trees over there. You ready?”

  Mike nodded, setting his right foot on the pedal.

  Eyes focused downhill, Jordan said, “Ready!”

  “All right then,” Sam called. Eyes shifting back and forth between them, he raised his arm. “Ready, set and…GO!”

  The second he lowered his arm, the two rivals shot down the slope.

  Side by side, both bikes shook almost uncontrollably on the uneven terrain. The wheels had trouble keeping a secure grip on the dry ground, not only rocks and branches but also mounds and holes getting in their way.

  Eyes focused ahead, only occasionally shifting to her opponent, Jordan’s hands tightened on the bars and she pedaled faster.

  Seeing her rush ahead, Mike leaned forward, doubling his efforts. Slowly, he gained ground, drawing closer until they were head to head.

  Eyes squinting in the sun, Gabriel and the others stood up on the hill, looking down. They flinched every time Jordan’s bike shook on the bumpy path.

  “She almost made it,” Jack mumbled. “It’s not far anymore.” His hands were balled into fists, his sinews standing out white.

  Just when the terrain began leveling out and they felt their muscles relax, the front wheel of Mike’s bike got caught in a hole.

  With the sudden stop, the back wheel rose up, sending Mike flying through the air. As he screamed, Jordan turned her head, her attention diverted. As though to even out the playing field, Jordan’s bike suddenly jerked up when her front wheel turned sideways.

  “Jordan!” Jack and Liam screamed as she was thrown off the bike only a second after Mike had hit the ground. He was still down, barely moving.

  Rushing down the hill, stumbling as he went, Jack reached his sister first, Cat by his side. Hand on her shoulder, he turned her on her back. “Jordan?” he called, but she didn’t respond. Her eyes were closed. A deep gash on her temple bled profusely, forming a little puddle under her left ear.

  ***

  Leaving the hospital with his grandparents, Gabriel switched his phone back on. He had ten missed calls. All from Hannah. While they had all followed the ambulance to Kenton Woods General Hospital, Hannah had refused, insisting she needed to go home.

  “Are you all right?” his grandmother asked. She brushed his chin-long hair behind his ear, trying to look at his face. “It’s okay to be worried.”

  “I know,” Gabriel said, opening the back door to their station wagon. “I was, but…she’s going to be fine. It’s just a minor concussion and a broken arm.”

  “She's lucky,” his grandfather said, starting the car. “It could’ve been a lot worse. How often have you guys done this? Race down the hill?”

  Meeting his grandfather’s eyes in the rearview mirror, Gabriel shook his head. “Never. We don’t do that. We just…It was only because of that big guy, Mike Matthews. He said something, and Jordan just wouldn’t let it go. Jack and Liam tried to talk her out of it but…”

  “I see,” his grandfather said. “Just promise me I won’t have to be back to the hospital any time soon, and we’re good.”

  “I pro
mise,” Gabriel said, returning his grandfather’s smile.

  On their way home, they dropped him off on Market Street. Gabriel took his bike out of the trunk and waved as they drove away. His grandparents still didn’t know about Hannah, but they didn’t demand long explanations. They trusted him not to do anything stupid. Gabriel loved his grandparents for that.

  Riding his bike over to Hannah’s house, he left it by the fence in the back yard and started up the rope ladder. Mid-way, Hannah stuck her head out the window, tension visible on her face. “How is she? Is she all right?”

  “A concussion and a broken arm,” Gabriel said, pulling himself up onto the window sill. “She’ll be fine. Honestly, I think the pain doesn’t bother her half as much as the fact that she is now banned from swimming for the rest of the summer.”

  Hannah closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Oh, thank goodness,” she mumbled, sinking down on her bed.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, eyeing her curiously.

  Hannah nodded. “Yeah, it’s just…she scared me. She really scared me.”

  “Me too.”

  “You know, the day you guys came here for the first time,” Hannah said, pointing out the window. “She stood on that branch with nothing to hold on to and…I remember thinking that if she were to lose her balance for only a second, she’d be dead.” Her eyes turned to him. “Does she do this a lot? Risk her life for…whatever reason she thinks she has?”

  Gabriel shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ve only known her a couple of weeks myself. But she seems to be unable to pass on any kind of challenge. Maybe she’s afraid others will think she’s a coward.”

  “It is a sign of strength and character to admit that there is something you can’t do,” Hannah said, in a strangely adult tone. Had it been Eddie, Gabriel would have laughed, but her eyes were serious. “Someone should talk to her before it’s too late. She still has her entire life ahead of her.”

  “I guess you’re right,” Gabriel mumbled, sitting down on the stool Hannah always used when painting. “But I don’t think it will be easy.” As he lowered his head, strands of his hair fell into his face. “If there’s something that scares you, it’s hard to face it.”

  “Speaking from experience?” Hannah asked. She leaned forward, trying to look into his face.

  Gabriel shrugged. “I don’t know.” He avoided her eyes.

  “You do know,” she accused. “Jordan is afraid people might call her a coward, and so she accepts every challenge there is.” She pulled up her legs, sitting criss-cross on the bed. “You are afraid people might look at you—”

  Gabriel’s head snapped up, and he stared at her.

  Hannah smiled. “—and so you try to become invisible. That thing you do with your hair: you only do that when you’re uncomfortable.”

  As though to prove her wrong, Gabriel brushed his hair behind his ears and looked her straight in the eye.

  “I know it’s hard to face your fear,” Hannah said, a tinge of sadness resting on her features. “But usually it’s worth it.”

  Gabriel took a deep breath. He would have preferred to change the subject, but instead he asked, “What’s yours?”

  Now, it was Hannah who looked down, eyes on her hands resting in her lap. “I…,” she started then looked up. “I’m afraid no one will remember me.”

  That, Gabriel hadn’t expected, and he didn’t know what to make of it.

  Hannah shrugged. “I’m home-schooled. I don’t have any friends. I never go outside. Very few people even know I exist.” He saw how the sinews of her fingers tightened and her nails dug into her legs. “No one would remember me if I were gone.”

  “But you did face your fear,” Gabriel whispered, aware that there was still so much he didn’t know about her. “You left your room. You do have friends now.” The ghost of a smile danced over his face. “I'm your friend.”

  “Thank you,” Hannah said, her eyes big and the corners of her mouth curling up. She climbed off the bed, walked across the room and hugged him. “Thank you.”

  Awkwardly putting his arms around her, Gabriel wondered what she was hiding and why.

  As Hannah stepped back, he saw tears glistening in the corners of her eyes while a huge smile lit up her face. “So,” she said, brushing away the small stream that ran down her cheek. “Do you want to take a step out the window, too?”

  “What do you mean?” Gabriel asked, not sure he liked the direction their conversation was taking.

  Hannah grinned. “I mean,” she started as she turned her head and reached for something on the desk behind her. “Do you want to stop hiding and make people look at you? Your parents? Your friends? The whole world?”

  “What are you talking about?” he asked, but then his eyes grew big as he saw what she was holding in her hand. “Don’t you dare! No! Definitely not!” He took a step backward.

  “C’mon,” she said, a hint of mischief in her eyes. “Just a little shorter.” In her hand, she held a pair of scissors.

  “What good would that do?” Gabriel asked, backing into the corner.

  “It will make people look at you, and you’ll see that there is nothing to be afraid of,” she explained matter-of-factly. “Believe me, you don’t want to be invisible. I’d give anything to be seen by the world.”

  “Then why don’t you? Why don’t you go outside? To school?”

  She stopped and took a deep breath. “Because it’s not my decision.”

  “Oh, but it’s mine?” he snapped.

  “I’m just talking about a haircut. That,” she insisted, “is your decision. You don’t need your parents’ permission or anyone else’s. It’s up to you. Only you.”

  His forehead in a frown, he looked her up and down. “How much are we talking? An inch?”

  Hannah rolled her eyes. “C’mon, it’s gotta be noticeable.”

  “Two?”

  Again, she grinned. “Just trust me. I promise you’ll look good.” She took a step toward him. “Unique even.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Gabriel didn’t know why, but he let her push him back onto the stool.

  Chapter 16 – Among Thorns and Roses

  To avoid running into anyone he might know, Gabriel took the long way home through meadows and along dirt tracks. By the time he parked his bike on the front porch, he had all but forgotten about his new hairdo. Only when he walked into the kitchen and his grandparents looked up was he reminded of it.

  “Wow!” his grandfather said. He put away the paper and got up. Staring at Gabriel’s head, he walked around him in circles. “That is short…and artistic somehow.”

  Crossing his arms, Gabriel rolled his eyes. “I knew it looked awful.”

  “No, absolutely not,” his grandma objected, running a hand over his Mohawk. “It’s just unusual. And whenever people see something unusual, they tend to stare. That’s just the way it is.”

  “But that doesn’t mean they don’t like it,” his grandfather insisted.

  “Not at all,” his grandmother agreed. “Who cut it?”

  “A friend.”

  “Does that friend have a name?” his grandfather asked. “Because I really want to thank him. Now we don’t have to take you to the barber’s. He saved us twenty bucks.” He laughed out loud.

  Gabriel cocked his head sideways. “Actually, it’s a she.”

  “Jordan?” his grandma asked then shook her head, remembering.

  “No.”

  “Oh, a mystery girl,” his grandpa said, grinning from ear to ear. “Do we know her?”

  With a moan, Gabriel sat down at the table. “Could we talk about something else? Or not at all?”

  “Sure,” his grandfather relented, pulling out his wife’s chair. When he sat down, he held up the plate in front of his face, trying to see his reflection. “Do you think a Mohawk would look good on me?”

  ***

  “I know they’re going to laugh,” Gabriel insisted as he walked beside Hannah through t
he high grass toward the Sharpe’s house. “My grandfather laughed.”

  Hannah rolled her eyes. “He laughed about you? I doubt it.”

  “Maybe not about me, but he laughed.”

  “But not about you,” she maintained. “That’s what’s important. That’s what makes it different. What makes it okay.”

  Gabriel wasn’t sure he saw her point.

  After they climbed the steps, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Jack and Jordan’s parents weren’t home, and so Hannah had agreed to come along.

  A moment later, they heard footsteps, and then, the door opened. Eddie’s eyes grew wide as he stared at Gabriel. “Awesome!” he cheered, and his face split into a huge grin. “That is so beyond awesome! Who did that?”

  Breathing a sigh of relief, Gabriel nodded at Hannah.

  “Really? Can you do mine, too?”

  Laughing, Hannah shook her head. “Sorry, that would beat the purpose.”

  “What’s going on here?” they heard Jack ask a moment before he appeared beside Eddie. Then his eyes, too, turned into big, round plates. “You know it’s not Halloween, right?” A grin came to his face.

  “It’s all her fault,” Gabriel said, again nodding at Hannah. “And now I’m done talking about it.” He pushed past Eddie and Jack and walked inside.

  With Cat lying lazily by their feet, Jordan and Liam sat on the couch, craning their necks at the commotion by the door. An all-too-familiar expression showed on their faces as they saw him.

  “Okay, get it out!” he challenged them. “C’mon! Give it your best shot!”

  “What do you mean?” Liam asked, his face serious again.

  Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. “My hair. Go ahead, make fun of it. I give you permission.”

  Liam frowned, looking him up and down. “You did something with your hair?” A moment later, a face-splitting grin chased away his serious demeanor.

  Her right arm in a cast, Jordan laughed. “Good one. Now let me. Eh…” Frown lines appeared and then disappeared before she eventually shook her head. “I got nothing.”

  “Thank you,” Gabriel moaned, slumping down in an armchair.

  “Should we get started?” Hannah asked. Her eyes shifted across the room. “Did you prepare the poster?”