L'avventura di Luminos: grafica e traduzione in lingua inglese (testo integrale).

Ci sono ancora delle cose che devo fare sul testo di Luminos; una di esse è farvi vedere la grafica che ho disegnato.

Di sotto posterò tutte le pagine illustrate e sistemate:

Da qui potrete scaricare il PDF inglese: Download Eng.

Da qui, invece, quello in italiano: Download Ita

L'altra cosa che devo fare è postare la traduzione in lingua inglese ...

Eccola:

The adventures of Luminos

“Unpublished book”

Translated by: Zunino L .

Edited by: Madron E .

A special thanks goes to the people who worked on this text.

Without them it would not be possible to write in English language.  

                                          The author

© Copyright 2012 

The adventures of Luminos

By: Pasquale and Matthew Santamaria.

Italy; June 12,  2012 – June 18, 2012  finished

 

The firefly is an insect (beetle) with an evident difference between male and female: the female seems more like a caterpillar than an adult insect, while the male has wings and therefore it can fly.

The fireflies, when they are adult don't nourish a lot, but when they are larvae they eat snails; they are in fact predatory animals and nocturnal insects that love humidity.

These insects, during daytime, hide themselves under stones, leaves, secure and lovely cool places because they hate the sun.

The larvae of the fireflies hunt during the night when humidity is more; when snails go out from their shelter.

They live also up to three years, changing three or four times before becoming adult fireflies.

“They look for a partner and then they glow in the month of June and July”.

Dedicated to every child, the most satisfaction a man could aspire.

Children: learn as much as you can and try to work for an equal world where there is room for everybody, not only for the privileged.

                                                                                 

       The Author:

                                                                                  Pasquale Santamaria

PREFACE

The sun shone high in the sky that day: it was summer, it was hot, really very hot …

The butterflies flied happily to catch the nectar and even the bees. Everybody worked until dawn.

An exuberant meadow stood up showy: it was full of daisies, tulips and violets of different colors.

That ground was crossed by a small river, a river big enough to permit the various forms of life to develop without problems.

Near the little river there was an edge: a plot of various plants where the leaves let pass the rays of sun with difficulty.

The edge really hid a community of insects: little animals that didn't love the heat of the sun but lived in humidity: they were nocturnal insects, little souls that going around in the dark in search of food.

The colony of insects struggled to survive and their leader of them was a king called Neon.

During the day time some were hidden in that edge and some of them took a rest in little shelters under the ground.

But not all of them had a rested during the day: some fireflies had to protect and the biggest one had to protect the community when this wasn’t in attention.

A group of fireflies remained awake over the branches of a thick flora.

The colony must be protected but overall the larva: they were the future of the species and therefore had been educated to live by themselves since the first days of their life.

These insects went out in groups during the night time and struggled to conquer the best preys.

Their preferred food were: the snails and insects that lived in fields that ate leaves of every types. The fireflies, armed with lances and taught in hunting techniques in a severe way, hunted every evening till dawn; only then they hid again far from the  heat that they produced.

The life was hard for the larvae, because the adults demanded a lot from them and  King Neon was a real tyrant; The King had to show his force or the colony would have been scattered.

CHAPTER 1

I want to introduce myself: my name is Luminous and I am a firefly; exactly, a normal firefly.

I know that in this moment you are imagining me flying over the fields but it’s better précising that my butterfly wing’s didn’t go out since two years, years in which a lot of changes happened. Yes … We are like caterpillars until the adult age, in which we change our aspects and even our way of eating. At that age we live only by nectar and we don’t hunt anymore.

The hunt …

Really there should be a lot to say about this unpleasant and savage practice but let me explain my affirmations:

I was part of a group of twenty larvae, all of the same age, born about a year before the story I’m about to tell you.

Our instructor wanted the best from every member of our group and for us it wasn’t possible to make mistakes.

Waiting for the big trial, we tried to recover every single larva and none had to be left behind.

Finally the special day arrived for us: we had to hunt with the other five squads of larvae …

When the sun started setting everybody was euphoric, everybody was getting ready for the nocturnal exit.

In my storeroom nevertheless it was calm; inside a comfortable hole in a rock.

I had a rest in a bed of leaves.

With me there were other  five fireflies that obviously attended at my same course.

I was awake for a while and saw indistinctively what happened: all the larvae was already ready and lined up on the ground.

The voices of their instructors rang out …

Somebody said : «Here we are. Today we will show you how to hunt and will obtain very good results».

Another instructor said: «Come on control your arms and remember what we learned».

A more acute voice said: «I have always been very hard with my soldiers. Today I’ll be much more. There is only one imperative: win!!».

I recognized that voice: It was the one of our instructor.

At that point I stood up quickly and told  my four companions : «Oh my God». I shouted.

Then I added: «We have to hurry up, otherwise we will risk that the instructor punishes».

Everybody was with me.

We stood up quickly and we washed ourselves with the drops of frost that was in the shelter.

But we couldn't reach our companies; before going out two of them came and called us.

«Come on». Shouted one of the new guys hat arrived.

Hum ... From his voice we understood that he was the first of the class, Watt.

According to him only two kinds of fireflies existed those destined to fail that came from a poor social class and those destined to were that was the sons of the richest fireflies of the colony.

Watt was the most vain of the course and was surrounded by fireflies of the same social class.

Their small group was formed by five fireflies: Watt, son of  an eminent nurse and of a collaborator of king Neon; Abatjour, sullen female and egotist, so impudent beautiful; Light, rich fireflies.

Fluorezierend, coming from another colony, at the end there was Gaia, my friend since the first days of my life.

I couldn't understand how Gaia could stand those mates …

I remembered with affection the days in which we moved the first steps in the colony time in which we were inseparable; but unfortunately, that period lasted only two weeks.

Since time passed by our birth, I couldn't understand the cause of its moving away.

«Come on! The hunt is waiting for us». Its companion said.

The firefly that had just spoken was “Light”.

«We are arriving». I replied.

We went out very fast and ran to the place where our companions were.

They were waiting only for us. Our companions stood in line in a way to form a rectangle, with their spears in their hands and ready for the hunt.

When we arrived our chief looked at us, shouted at us because we were the last.

They looked at us and told us to come back in the queue: we were ready for the coming out.

«Now we are full, we can leave». The instructor said.

But immediately the night came and all the fireflies began to produce their luminous signals; everyone besides me.

I never would be able to light my light; in one year I tried a lot, but I never understood the way to make it function. That evening I was near Gaia that looked at me trying to say something but I was called by Watt.

The arrogant derided immediately: «No, you aren't able to light your light yet!». They shouted.

Obviously his voice was clear and also the others turned down to see what was happening.

I felt embarrassed, a thing that for us as fireflies was fundamental, to me was extremely difficult.

This was the cause of derision for me and all thought that I was an incapable.

I was about to answer to them, when the instructor said: «Shut up! It's time to act». He came to me and said: «Starting from now the hunt begins. Good  luck to everybody. Remember: follow the instructions and collaborate». When he finished saying everything, every group moved.

I was about to follow that huge amount of intermittent lights when the instructor stopped me and said: «Luminos».

He stared at me and said: «You must try to light up your light. For the moment I will try to ignore your inability but if you want to become an adult you'll have to do what the others do».

Then he spread his wings and made the intermittency of his light more visible; this light was visible far away: it was unmistakable .

«I will look at you from the height». At the end he asserted; and made a sign to the others, as if I had to follow them.

The instructor then flew and stayed always over me.

CHAPTER 2

We went out from the edge and every group went to the fixed direction.

We followed the intermittency typical of our group and soon we arrived  in front of a furrow of the ground: there we knew that our preys had been seen: the snails.

Personally they didn't do anything but since we were born, we have been told that they were a nourishing and necessary form of meal for our growth.

Everybody hunted snails, even if at a  certain time those species started becoming always less numerous: something was killing our preys.

Of this, our colony showed those effects and a lot of us didn't have enough food.

I had never hunted a snail; I pretended, so, after I bought some in a shop where they sold snails. Those shop sold snails already packaged and as an exchange, I offered tools.

Exactly: I was a real master in making tools with wood; I helped myself with my spear and was able to build glasses, cutlery and everything that could help in an ordinary day and thanks to a little trick, I was able to survive.

A voice disturbed me: «Hi Luminos». It was my roommate Barlume that caught my attention saying: «Blow! You aren't visible unless our instructor lights you us in the dark». Then I said: «I'll be next to you, so none could hit you by mistake».

I answered to him: «Thank you Barlume. I'll remember your help».

Our instructor saw that scene and went away from us, going to the head of the group.

Barlume and I were just the last couple and we couldn't see what was happening, then we saw some disorder on the movements of the first of the company.

In that place it seemed that they had found snails and that they were fighting with them.

Every larva, with the spear between their legs, threw themselves up a snail, that couldn't do nothing else but move to her house that she dragged with difficulty on her back.

I stopped away from the fight and so did Barlume.

He asked me: «Why did you stop?».

I didn't want to answer but then, I looked at him and said: «I am not going to participate to this slaughter».

«Slaughter? ». My mate replied surprised. «This is the law of life: the weak lose, and the strong win».

I couldn't kill inoffensive beings like snails; this seemed to me to be a coward, but I was aware that I had to do my part unfortunately.

Suddenly we heard a noise behind us and in the darkness a round creature appeared.

Barlume lighted that zone and intensified the lighted zone.

There, in front of  us, was the house of a snail, the strange thing was that the house trembled ...

At a certain time we heard a little voice, it seemed feminine: «I beg you; don't do any harm to me». Then two dishes come out from that shelter.

Barlume was almost ready to fight but I stopped him and told him not to hit.

It seemed a young snail, in fact that shelter was smaller than the other one.

«Why do you wont to attack us?». He asked .

«Because we have to eat». Barlume answered, trying again to attack.

I held him and so the snail saved herself.

He looked at me in a strange way and I told him that it wasn't right to attack a snail cub.

Barlume puffed and said to me: «If someone catches us, we will end up polishing the colony for an entire month».

In that moment I said to the snail: «Go away!».

The little snail went out of his small home and said: «If you want to kill me, do it now»

«We don't want to kill you, you should  hide yourself if you don't want to be attacked by a bigger firefly». I answered.

Suddenly the snail went towards a small split of the ground and disappeared.

In that moment I understood that she was safe: nobody would have found her.

Barlume and I looked at the chaos made by our companions; from there were able to listen to a voice of whom we already knew and that boasted to have hunted his prey.

Some fireflies boasted who hunted more; but suddenly something changed.

A scream of joy became a scream of desperation of whom had been attacked.

Something very big came to the battlefield  and was attacking the fireflies.

That shape was enormous and I couldn't see where it finished; the only thing that was clear was the ferocious that attacked our companions.

He kept something in his hands and that thing seemed to have sucked all the adults that remained trapped in transparent cage.

The light of our companions raised up and the scene appeared, it was unbelievable: more than half of our companions had been  captured and the others laid down the earth restless and without their lights.

«Switch your light». I said to my friend.

After a few moments even his light vanished and the obscurity wrapped up, but didn’t hide the enormous being that continued to kill the fireflies: he was catching hundreds of us.

At the end when he had enough he moved and a deafening thud echoed every part; he moved away in little time.

The rumor ended  with his disappearance  but we realized that a lot of fireflies disappeared.

After this from where the disgrace had happened, we heard some voices.

They were requests of help.

Only in that moment we moved to that place; very carefully and ready to use the spears that we had with us. 

CHAPTER 3

After a while we arrived near the group that had been attacked and effectively there was a big chaos; the thing that attacked, didn’t have a lot.

There was lots of bodies on the ground and someone moved with difficulty as if  they  had been crushed by an incalculable weight.

Even the snails had been crashed, their shelter couldn’t protect them: it was completely destroyed.

«What was that big thing». Asked Barlume.

«I have no idea». I said and then I stared at the ground around me; I was looking for Gaia.

Among those voices I seemed to hear his, but mine was just an exact impression: not to far away from me he was helping the wounded: I was able to recognize her continuous light among million of lights.

I was going to her, when I was called.

«Luminous». She said with a small shaped tone of voice hidden in the shade.

I tried to see who was the thing that called me but I couldn’t see a lot.

Barlume lighted his intermittent light and finally we could see who called.

We went and saw that that person was our instructor; he had been hit by something and he had a broken wing.

The light of the instructor was switched off and according to their words, was unable to light again.

We helped him and we accompanied him to a secret place, where there was all the wounded; There was a nurse firefly that was helping them.

With the help of Barlume I was able to find the way in the dark and after hours of fatigue, we were told to enter to the colony.

Only ten of our group remained unhurt, amongst us there was also Watt and his company.

Them, bolder than ever before then, praised to attack that Cyclopic being.

They told of having seen him very well and that he had two huge arms with which he hit a lot of fireflies.

Those five told that our companions had been put in a transparent cage .

«I had been very courageous». Watt said.

«I tried to hit with my spears but everything had been vane: he seemed not to feel the top either». He said after.

Everybody was staying and listening to him as if they were listening to hero even Gaia was fascinated by his figure.

At a certain point someone said to me: «And you Luminous what have you done during the attack?».

Everybody stared at me, I felt to be at the center of the attention.

In that moment we were in the colony, safe; the edge protected us from the predator and inside there was everything we needed for our survival: both food and a comfortable shelter.

I didn't know what to answer but I was telling where I was and what I did after the attack of that being.

Before I spoke I heard a comment: «What did you want him to do?». And then another voice affirmed: «It is out of order, doesn't work. He certainly hid himself».

He was thinking at my incapacity to light my light.

«But leave him alone». One of them said.

«It's only a bother». Said another firefly.

At that moment I felt very sad none of them saw me as I was therefore a firefly like the others.

I turned down and went without saying nothing, but Watt laughed behind my back; and with him all of his company.

But a voice raised at my defense; It was Barlume: «How can you know where he was? And if I told that we were together?». He answered finally.

«Yes together hid in a hole». Replied one of them.

All the fireflies in front of us started laughing at us.

Barlume left him and went near me and said to me: «Leave those arrogant alone».

After that he turned to them and raised the tone of his voice: «It isn't worth talking to stupid fireflies».

At that point we went to our shelter, that was digged in the  stone.

For that evening we didn't go out, too dangerous they said: «The big being could be still around, in fact it had forbidden us to produce light». While I was walking to my

hole I asked to myself why Watt and their friends pulled my leg and how they enjoyed it so much.

But I knew that all the fireflies conformed to the most of them otherwise they had been alienated.

The diversity was terrifying for them.

Barlume tried to consulate me and was the only friend I could count on: «Come on you will see that when the moment will come you also will be able to turn on your light». He said truly.

I smiled at him with all my gratitude.

I had been told that smiling at a firefly sometimes could be exchanged as an offense, but to me it was a real demonstration of affect.

Barlume was a real friend. We divided everything till that moment.

He and I had grown up together and had never been separated; and it's true; a friend is a priceless treasure .

Then my thought went to Gaia, I didn't justify her behavior ...

We arrived to our shelter, we entered the door and, exhausted, for having been out, we lied on our beds and I started to sleep immediately.

But the fear of that Giant tormented me also in my dreams ...

CHAPTER 4

My awake up was abrupt; I woke up that there was still the light. The terrible heat of those days seemed unbearable; we were lucky because we had a reserve of water almost inexhaustible .

I couldn’t sleep anymore, watching Barlume sleeping heavily I envied him a little bit;  anyway, his tranquility was understandable, he hadn’t been pulled by his legs.

But at the end of the day, what counted was what the other had told; I knew how much I was valid and I knew also that you must not prove something to someone else but only to yourself. While I was thinking I didn’t realize that the light left it’s place to the darkness: another night was arriving, probably of work, during which there could have been another hunt.

Barlume in that moment woke up and called me: «Have you been awake for a long time?».

«For a lot of time». I answered.

«Well, I suppose that it’s time to go to the meeting». He said. Yawning; he woke up, washed his face and came next to me.

«Take the necessary to reach our companion». He said.

I said yes and did what he told me to do.

When we arrived at the pint of gathering we saw less people than usual; most of them disappeared the night before: there were only ten fireflies in that place.

The whole group of Watt was staring at us because we were still the last but I didn’t care of them: I was completely indifferent.

But a voice said to us: «So?».

«Is it the time to come?». He asked finally.

After, a lot of excuses, Barlume and I were able to enter into the group lined up on the ground from a lot of time.

As usual Watt and his friends laughed at that is the call that we got ...

When the instructor saw us he began to speak: «Well you larvae». He said to us.

He wasn’t our instructor, but a surely adult firefly that was famous for his severity throughout the colony.

He did the usual speech: «I am your new instructor. He said to us  his name and made a list of recognitions that he had».

And blah … Blah …  Blah ...

At a certain point I didn’t hear it.

I was attracted by the figure of Gaia: she stood still next to Watt and seemed astonished by his presence, bah what she could find in him.

Barlume gave me a little nudge and then I heard the voice of my new instructor that called me so I ran out of the queue.

«I’m arriving». I said.

I went next to him and he looked at me and then the rest of the company. «Look at him». He said to the others.

At that point I stared at him perplexed.

The others were laughing, even Gaia was almost laughing.

The only one that did nothing was my company Barlume.

«Why did he save himself from the attack of the Cyclops last night?». The instructor  asked to the rest of the class.

At first no one answered, than Watt said: «He should be hidden».

«Absolutely». I replied.

«I didn't sparkle but I was very close to you». I said.

«Well ... It is not a new thing that you don't work». Said a voice that came from the small group and then they started to laugh.

«Stop it». The instructor exclaimed.

Everybody became quiet from that moment.

«I told you because he saved himself». The adult said at first. Then kept on: «The Being that attacked us didn't see him at all because Luminos didn't have the luminous signals lighted. The fact that he didn't switch his light on saved his life».

After those words we stopped for a moment and looked at all the group severely.

Suddenly his voice started again: «Learn: there are moments in which it is better to hide our presence, others in which it is necessary. This  experience  will teach you that when the enemy is stronger than you in potency, you have to act with intelligence».

He stopped again and looked at all of the group and stared at the faces of their components.

«Hide your presence and camouflage with the environment; it is the only  possibility that we have when we meet those monsters». He said quietly.

The nine in front of us said  yes and I did the same thing.

The instructor told me to go to my place in the queue so I went there, he started again: «You'll be curious to know who attacked us last night».

Everybody said yes.

«Well». He said. « We call that Cyclops the Pink Giant. It is a huge being ghat that has no rivals in the world of insects. He owns a humungous force and is very bad, he destroys everything he touches and he is able to destroy the entire colony if he wants to».

We remained petrified for that explication, we never heard of those Pink Giants, but the words that we heard agitated us more than what we were already.

«Think that who attacked us last night is only a child of that specie. Ah ... I assure you that an adult is three times bigger and much more lethal». The instructor affirmed.

«But why did he attack us?». Asked Gaia.

«Well ... We don't know precisely. We are only able to do some hypothesis. We could have invaded his territory, or touched his food, or he just wants to collect us». He answered.

Our months were open wide; what kind of possibilities could we have had with a such a big thing?

We fireflies are so  little in his comparison, he is so big, but he attacked with so much wickedness that I think he was scared of us.

The adult kept on talking: «Some of us went to the forbidden zone of king Neon and that’s where they kept the information about them. That information is kept in a castle where our king lives and isn't accessible to everyone. But what we think is that he also nourishes himself of snails. It is for this we have forbidden to all the fireflies to go through that zone».

«But we weren't in the forbidden zone». Said one of us.

«It is this that we are worried about. In fact today  King Neon will do a  speech, for avoiding them». He said finally.

We understood a thing; that big beast was dangerous for us; we should avoid him.

CHAPTER 5

We reached the square where the King would have spoken to us; everybody was there.

After a while the King appeared from the royal balcony: Neon was a firefly very big;  he wrapped up with his red cloak with a white coat at the end, he exposed himself to the balcony.

He began his speech: «My citizens ...».

«We are living in difficult times, days in which the difficulties multiply and new menaces expose at the horizon».

Between the big amount of larvae and adults fireflies you can't hear any rumor, everybody was concentrate upon what he was announcing; I really couldn't not to do without listening what he was telling.

The King kept on talking: «The being that attacked us is a big worry for the whole colony». Then he watched another time the square where we were gathering. His chin was leaning forward and with arrogance he put his fists on his pelvis, then he pumped up his chest as he had gathered all the air he had in his body.

We fireflies watched his big figure surrounded by decorations of which had pervaded that kind of little balcony, there there was the Royal Coat of Arms: a firefly drawn on a white cloth, which produced a sparkling yellow light.

The flag waved moved by the summer breeze that, that evening was particularly irritable .

The violets instead, went down the balcony in garlands and tangle of violet and white, for the light that all those fireflies made, was an incredible performance.

The balcony was ten inches from the ground and was at the third floor of the royal palace entirely digged into the rock.

The noise of the water heard itself stronger than ever, perhaps that day there was a unique being that spoke and his voice didn't cover the rocket of the water.

The King was around the Real Guard, ten times more valorous than the adult fireflies, armed very good and ready to fight to possible bad people.

«Listen!». The King said suddenly: «We are not allowed to stay in this zone. If we want to survive we have to move to a quiet place; away from the Pink Monsters».

From the rowed people were  surprised by these affirmations and the King told us to shut up.

When we were in silence, he explained: «That Being that we saw last night, wasn't an adult of the species. More over  he didn't use his weapon against us. It is sure that they can also raise a blue dust that if we breathe can kill us immediately».

At that point was clear that was a problem we couldn't  solve, we should do what the King said.

I was almost laughing at those fireflies sparkling: imagine a dark place and the lights yellow-green that sparkled continuously.

What a show!

There was adult fireflies that flied and then they spreaded their lights in the air and female fireflies that reproduced fixed lights that covered a lot of space on the ground.

At the end there were larvae like us, that had intermittent lights, other fixed lights: there was weave of lights and darkness that was really fascinating.

But the surprise for the colony weren't finished yet: the ground started to vibrate and we could hear deafening sound, so big  that we should close our ears.

Around us the edge started to move and appeared that scene again, the same of the previous night.

Some enormous hands fell down the ground and sometimes they crushed the fireflies what was listening to the king before.

«GO AWAY EVERYBODY!». King Neon screamed.

I watched Barlume worried ...

He also seemed scared from that situation but we tried to go away; whatever was happening, we weren't safe there. We decided to repair ourselves in the holes digged in the rock and we found one just near there.

From that place we could see what was happening; there were four pink arms that were shaking the ground so how does a cherries tree.

Two hands held tight a transparent bowl, there the fireflies were kept, the fireflies that was so unlucky to finish in their trajectory .

The jars were immediately closed with a cork of an unknown material, so the trapped fireflies couldn't go out.

I saw also what I wouldn't like to see: Gaia was captured; I was almost going to save her but Barlume blocked me.

«What do you think you can do?». He asked me.

I watched him, but I couldn't answer to his question, he was right: I was so little that in front of those arms I will be certainly dead if I had gone out of our hiding place.

I watched Gaia trapped in that transparent prison and I realized that also King Neon had been captured at the same way.

The colony had been attached by two enormous things.

When the lights of the fireflies lowered of intensity, quiet also the two arms.

They seemed not to have intention to keep on their attack and at the end they retired leaving the ground free.

On the ground there were a lot of restless fireflies, while others, trembling, couldn't walk neither.

All the fireflies switched off their lights, but anyway we could see what was happening.

I saw Watt also; he was under a rock with his friends and he didn't try to save Gaia: in fact he drove her away from his hiding place because there wasn't enough room for everybody; he had been a real coward.

Watt trembled restlessly and couldn't move ...

Then my attention was captured by the enormous shapes: lighted by the light filtering through the transparent prisons, they were watching their booty.

The two giants reproduced a not understandable scream and they left causing the usual trembling  of the ground.

I turned to Barlume and said: «We have to follow them».

The face of my friend became dark, it was clear that he wanted to say something.

CHAPTER 6

«Are you joking?». Asked Barlume.

«Not at all». I replied.

At a first moment I looked at the place we occupied previously, then I asked him: «The colony has been devastated. We  have to look for the King, because only he can conduct us to a more quiet place».

«But we have no hope against those giants». He said.

«I know we must try anyway, because there is no hope without the King». I said at the end.

When we were sure that the Giants went away, I went out of our shelter and we helped all the wounded.

Only at that moment I realized that Watt went out of his shelter and boasted that he can fight against the four big arms of the Pink Giants.

The fireflies believed in him. He was also surrounded by curious people that tried to understand what happened.

But I knew that he didn't tell the truth; I saw well where he was in the moment of the attack: he trembled like a leaf and protected his head with his four arms .

But that wasn't important, now we had to try to report back King Neon.

At that moment I indicated Barlume and asked him: «Could you accompany me?».

«Luminous is a mad thing try to accept it». He said.

I sighed and then I walked to the external part of the colony.

«Wait!». I heard, and Barlume reached me.

When he was near enough, he said to me: «You'll get us killed, but I had to accompany you: we grew up together».

A smile appeared on his face, that smile that I always saw in the moment of need the only demonstration of kindness that I was used to.

«I am happy that my best friend is with me in this journey». I realized.

«Just because I am your best friend I am obliged to follow you. I couldn't imagine what you could do without me. You and the fear are miles away so you will put yourself into trouble if I don't stop you». I said to him, then we smiled.

Barlume and I went just near where he boasted: with him there was all his companies.

I didn't even wave to him because I was thinking deeply of my thoughts, but he called back my attention.

But this time we did it with these guys more then ever showed us: «Hello, loser where are you running away?». He asked me.

I turned to him, I almost wanted to cry to everyone what he did during the attack of the pink giants ... But I was advanced by Barlume.

My companion replied to him: «Keep on keep on behaving like a larva; now or after the fireflies will see what you really are: an arrogant coward».

Barlume said to keep on walking and probably Watt and his friends even heard that answer.

I saw only that they kept on laughing and telling what we had done.

I even heard that they boasted themselves that they wounded one of the four arms, according to what they where telling that was the cause of the giants retirement.

I shook my head to say no, but I had much more important things to do at that moment.

Then Barlume and I went on to the exterior part of the edge and when we where out we tried to follow the foot print of the Pink Giants but we couldn't see anything: it was all dark in that place.

The foot prints where oval and deep almost two centimeters; we were sure that those signs weren't there before.

Suddenly Barlume light made us see the enormous foot prints digged in the ground

«These are surely left by those beings». Said Barlume.

I went closed to him and agreed with him.

«What could this these enormous footprints be?». I thought loudly.

«It is sure: they are the footprints of their feet». Said my mate.

Both of us sighted and looked at each other and contemporarily we said: «Let's go».

At that moment we went along the street following the footprints left by the two giants.

It wasn't easy following those footprints; they were a difficult hurdle to pass through …

We tried to avoid those footprints but it wasn't easy because they were so wide that getting around them would have taken us the triple of time.

Barlume and I understood that it was more convenient going down into the deep than going up and keeping on like that until we would have reached a place in which there was that enormous Being.

After a couple of hours the tiredness began to appear; and we couldn't keep on, it was too big for us.

«Do you want to stop?». Asked Barlume.

«We can't. We must keep on». I said.

«But could you at least imagine where those giants go?». He asked.

«No, but I think where their shelter is». I said.

«What?». Barlume still asked, not understanding what I said.

«Look there». I replied.

I was already looking in front of us. He moved his eyes towards where I pointed and also he was able to see very very enormous stone. That stone could be seen thanks to the moonlight that that evening lighted up more than other nights.

«What is this?». Barlume said perplexed.

«I don't know». I answered more perplexed.

«We had to reach it whatever it was. But I would have said that it seems like their shelter». I affirmed that after.

«You are right. It is so big that it could contain those big Pink Giants». Said Barlume.

After a few minutes of uncertainly, we went to that enormous stone and when we got nearer we noticed that it wasn't a stone like the others ones, but it seemed to have a different form.

Both noticed some strange projection; it  wasn't round but rectangular precisely a cube …

Barlume and I went much more nearer till a field, with some high grass at least five cm, for us that grass represented a difficult obstacle and thought that that forest could be dangerous for us so we decided to rest.

A lot of time past since our departure and we walked without stopping; we needed to sleep.

We saw at a stone not far away from the field and there was a hole. We went in, and since there wasn't any danger inside, we put inside; just on time: there was the dawn.

CHAPTER 7

But I, before going to bed, wanted to see where we arrived: I stuck my head out of the hole where we found a shelter and the scene I saw was unbelievable for me.

The big stone was colored, the superior part seemed brown while the bottom under was white.

It was put in the green and I could notice some flowers that surrounded it; there were daisies, violets and even sunflowers with their intense yellow color.

In a corn field, I could see far away, a strange shape; covered by dangling cloths there was a Being that seemed like one of the Pink Giants, but he still didn't have their color; it was brown.

The shape was immobile under a burning sun and kept his two thin arms open wide.

I thought that it would be wise to stay away from that monster ...

Also the birds seemed to agree with me; flying in the field but they didn't land.

There, sometimes I could hear a deafening thud, being much more irritable by the echo we could hear.

After a while I finally saw the giants I was looking for; their pink color was unmistakable with their big screams.

The giants seemed many in this colored stone, in fact, from a strange brown closable machine four pink things come out from it.

I didn't recognize their faces, they were very far away and they were running very fastly along through the field, keeping a thick cord that was tied-up to something that flied high.

It was so high that I couldn't see the thing that impressed me, but out of that mobile brown machine another Pink Giant come out, this time three times bigger than the one that came out previously: massive.

His hands were pink but his face was dark green with very big glassy eyes and I couldn't see neither the mouth and neither his nose …

Instead of a nose and a mouth there was a long face and an enormous under hand disk.

That big one had something on his shoulder; it seemed like an enormous cylinder: inside was big enough to contain our entire company.

One hand held a stick that sparkled and the other one moved a sparkling lever too.

Suddenly a blue numb began to appear  that went to ground where the Giants passed; and at that time I could clearly hear a scream of insects.

I seemed to hear the screaming of snails, crickets, ants, bees, mosquitoes, flies and also the screams of snakes.

Those insects begged for help and they said that they were out of breath.

The numb Should have had to surrounded some part of the ground that seemed to be very thick, even if it disappear after a lot of time from the passage of the strange Giants.

The Giant, undisturbed, spreaded their toxic numb and did it for all the perimeter of the stone in which they lived; then they moved away from that shelter and went along the road to the cultivated ground.

But the Being didn't go in the corn crop where the shade with the open wide arms was.

«Perhaps he was scared of it». I thought.

When the Giant stopped to go through the streets, having spreaded the numb everywhere they became quiet and didn't move the sparkling lever that till that moment they moved up and down continuously.

The gray stick from which that blue numb arrived was put down and the Giant walked to the stone with long steps.

In the meantime, the search for help of the insects multiplied; it was clear that none of them was able to fly, in that place there wasn't any insect that flied.

The complaints afterwords stopped abruptly and they could hear only the terrifying screams of the minor Giants.

The Pink Being passed near the corn crop and I wished that the monster with the wide open arms would have gone against the Giants, but if didn't happen; I had the impression that also the monster in the ground was scared of the Big Pink at that moment ... He remained still and exposed to the sun.

«Have you seen». Asked Barlume.

«What a wickedness». I replied.

«They are practically invulnerable». My friend affirmed.

I didn't answer even because it was right ... Of that multitude of voices, that implored piety there wasn't anymore track and so the insects were all dead.

The Big Pink, armed of a shining evilness, wiped-out the entire colony of insects in a little instant of time and without any fatigue.

At that moment, I thank that he didn't arrive to the stone where we were hidden, I looked at Barlume and I said to him: «It's better that we rest. This night we will go to the stone that contained them». Barlume said yes and went in our shelter, we put ourselves comfortable and tried to sleep.

Personally I couldn't sleep immediately but even Barlume couldn't.

The light of Barlume shined intermittently in the cave where we were hidden; our worry was big we were going to go to the house of pitiless where we had been easily killed like little fireflies like us.

I wanted to say something to Barlume but I would have only worsened the situation, I just had to rest, that night I would have decided how to reach that big stone and kept in safe both King Neon, Gaia and eventually fireflies still prisoners of giants.

CHAPTER 8

I opened my eyes and everything was dark, even outside was dark; that was the moment to go to the shelter of the Pink Giants.

I looked for Barlume, but I couldn't find him he had already woken up, here fore I went to the exterior part of the hole in which we slept.

Outside I found him with his nose up. When he saw me he said to me: «Well, are you awake?».

I said yes and I went next to him.

Barlume looked at the sky and the million of lights that we could see from it.

At a certain point he said: «Who knows if  we could conquer a place up there ...».

Well … Barlume was asking it to the wrong firefly; I wasn't able to light up that light, as well as to aspire a place between the fireflies that sparkle in the sky.

Then I replied: «Well, dear friend I don't know what to say, neither I light up my light». After those words I made a smile.

«You'll see when there is the right moment you'll do as well». He answered, just to console me. But I didn't care if I could do it or not, I had already known that you hadn't to fix on things, when they had to happen, they would have happened and that's it.

Everybody seemed to be in a hurry and pretended that the others adapted, as if everybody were similar.

Barlume asked me another question: «Where do you think they are imprisoned?».

«I don't know exactly; we should go closer and discover it». I replied.

«And if they produce another blue numb?». He answered again.

«Well that would be a problem, we should try to hide our presence». I replied.

After chatting for a while we said yes and we went to the great stone in which there was a strange continuous light.

Barlume and I went near the high grass and I had to say that in that moment I was expecting a lot of threats, but it wasn't so, desert there was none.

We agreed that we hadn't to reproduce any lights and went on following a position with the moonlight.

The light was strong enough to permit a good vision of that night.

After a few moments we found ourselves in front of the real truth: the field was full of carcasses of insects of every kind.

They lied dead on the ground with their mouth open: that numb had poisoned them.

After a while we arrived just in front of a stone lighted from inside, it was time to find where our companions had been imprisoned.

Barlume and I searched everywhere, but we couldn't find a passage to go into that shelter, then we saw a kind of light familiar to us; its color was yellow-green; there was no doubt; that was the light that the fireflies gave out.

We both went to that light and went into that sort of hole.

Inside that rock we found a quite strange situation: inside there was some wood and a sack of dry grass; it was pressed in enormous cubes put one upon the other.

The end of those cubes of grass couldn't be seen ... High, upon some wood shelves there were transparent cages that we found.

The cages contained some fireflies, but we couldn’t see who was inside.

The wood supports were very high and we didn't know how to reach them.

Barlume and I looked at the environment very well; and we decided that the dry grass cubes could have helped us to the exploit; they brought just to the height of the shelves.

Both of us tried immediately to go up and that was very difficult ... After a while we were able to arrive to the half of the distance; there we began to see clearly what there was in the cages; there were eight transparent cages.

But not all those cages contained alive insects, only three boxes contained weak fireflies but still alive.

Between the alive fireflies there was also King Neon, anyway it was clear that he was exhausted, it was as if he was breathless.

The fireflies inside the glass prisons were put to those transparent walls and sometimes they gasped just to inspire much more air.

«We have to move». I said to Barlume.

«I think so». He said; and there we went up to the steep dry grass with more diligence.

Finally we arrived to the shelf; from there we were able to see the pavement of the room and it was quite high, if we would have fallen down we surely would have died.

We moved immediately to the prison where King Neon was; with him there were at leas ten fireflies, amongst them there was also Gaia.

Gaia stood on the pavement of the prison, also transparent, and seemed dead.

We moved to the walls and tried to attract the attention of King Neon; but of him it didn't seem to have found very much: he was completely slim, his face was destructed.

«Nothing!». I exclaimed.

«They are not aware». At the end I said.

«We have to get them out before they die!». Barlume said.

I tried to climb but everything was useless: I slipped; the walls were slimy and I didn't have a good grip.

Barlume did the same and disconsolate, said to me: «We are passed off. We can't save them».

He surrendered ...

I couldn't let go of all those fireflies, I had to try any way to save them.

I tried to climb moving my legs fast but I did only a few millimeters and then I fell off; I stood up suddenly and I looked at the wall disconsolate.

Suddenly a noise disturbed us as if we heard a laugh almost unperceived; then it became so strong, up to be annoying.

A shape appeared a little far from us and was ten times bigger than a firefly.

Condition that alarmed us; we had finished in to trouble: what did appear in front of us? That Being was going to attack us; were we able to defend ourselves?

All those answers were in our minds in a fraction of seconds but I couldn't think of anything else: that shape went out in to the darkness in which he found himself and a quite strange vision appeared clearly.

CHAPTER 9

«Ah! Ah! Ah!». A hairy animal with a gray cloak started laughing.

«And do you believe that will be so little enough to open those containers?». He asked at the end.

«Who are you?». I wondered.

«Ah ... Don't be scared. I am not an enemy». That strange being replayed.

Then he looked at us and also observed what there was in the transparent prisons.

«I suppose that they are your friends». He affirmed.

«Yes». Barlume answered. Than he added: «We want to free them».

«You couldn't open those thinks». The just appeared being said.

«Tins?». I answered.

«Exactly: tins. You should know what they are». The foreigner with the gray hair affirmed proudly.

Then he understood that we effectively had never seen those Beings and reaffirmed: «I think that you don't know effectively what they are. Well ... It doesn't matter; I will explain it to you». He stopped  for a while and than kept on with his speech: «They are nothing else than tins of glass. The humans use those to keep the food».

He went next to a tin and, looking inside, made a strange face.

Afterwords  he affirmed: «But I think that in this case they use them for their games; poor them!». He said it speaking with the dead fireflies.

Well those fireflies according to that being were hunted and killed for amusement.

What kind of a beast in the world could ever think a thing like that: kill to amuse ...

«How can we open it?». I asked the being.

«Well, let me think; they can't be opened: they are all dead». He exclaimed laughing.

We changed our expression and every once and a while we looked at King Neon and the others in agony; we felt powerless.

«But I was only joking». Added that for feet being.

«Well before the presentation; my name is Zuzu and I am a field mouse and I also want to add: one of the least lucky survived of poison that the human being systematically use to kill us».

He made a pause and affirmed: «And now come to the problem: look up; can you see that circular gray cap?». He asked us.

We said yes and we made him understand that we had already tried to reach it but he stopped us immediately: «Don't worry I'll go there. Certainly  you can do it».

Zuzu climbed without any difficulties on the slippery wall and went and stayed just on the cap.

Well: he made it  turn on by itself anticlockwise and then blew the lid that prevented the passage of air into the prison.

«Please: do it also with the others». I said to him.

He said yes and opened also the others two containers with the alive fireflies. But the containers in which there were dead bodies of the dead fireflies didn't open.

After a few minutes the faces of the prisoners became red and one by one they stood up on their own legs.

King Neon woke up and when he saw us asked: «Where are we?».

«Sir. The Pink Giants captured us, we are in danger; we have to run away». Barlume affirmed.

The King, as soon as he heard those words flied and, with the help of the adults, carried all the larvae out of the prison, Gaia included.

The alive fireflies were all safe, breathing and it was only a question of time before they completely recovered.

Zuzu went next to us and said: «You were lucky that I didn't pass near to hear you hardly would open those traps». Referring to the closed containers.

«Thank you». He confirmed.

«You are welcome; I am sure you would have done the same. But tell me: how will you go away now?». He asked us after.

«As we arrived here». I answered.

«Well, quite unlikely». he replied.

In that moment King Neon came next to us.

King Neon said: «We owe you a lot. Once you arrive to the colony even you will be rewarded». Said to Zuzu. «You'll have our gratitude for what you did».

«Ah … Majesty don't worry, now you should concentrate above all on how to be able to go away from here». Replied the mouse.

King Neon said yes and looked around. Then he observed the larvae and whispered: «It will be a difficult exploit bringing back all the larvae». And, full of thoughts, he kept on looking around.

«Now try to find the shelter, then we will think of how to run away. Even because the down is next to come». King Neon said.

«Come on I will bring you in a safe zone». Zuzu suggested; then, that one, walked in front of us and brought us inside a dry grass cube, there, there was a little cut big enough for everybody.

We took place inside and laid comfortably but the surprises weren't finished: Barlume and I, Gaia and four larvae felt well indeed.

I didn't know what was happening but my legs became weak and I couldn't stand up; my head started spinning and I had a strange taste; I had to lie down and hope to get better.

My companies did the same; afterwords I saw Barlume sweated and suffering.

I had pain everywhere and my shell seemed to be too small for me, at that point I didn't resist anymore; I went to sleep because I couldn't go further.

CHAPTER 10

I felt so bad that I didn't realize of the time gone by, I opened my eyes and I saw a strange fact; next to me there were pieces of shells I wondered of whom they were.

I raised and noticed that the pain that I had, had disappeared; now I felt better.

Next to me there was Barlume, he also was surrounded by pieces of shells, the same material of which our protection was formed.

The intermittent lights that the fireflies gave off, afforded me to see little of what was happening, but touching the body I understood that something happened to me.

I got scared and I called my friends: «Barlume».

He said: «Did you notice too?».

«What is happening». I asked.

Suddenly the place was lighted by a light made by some female fireflies; it was continuous, so this permitted us to observe what had happened .

Our body had changed; we didn't have the larva's shape anymore, but we had become complete fireflies.

I became an adult firefly with wings two legs and four arms.

The same thing happened to Barlume and to other fireflies that the day before were simple larvae: five of us underwent the transformation.

At that moment also King Neon arrived in that zone and when he saw what had happened, he remained breathless, We understood why and said: «This is really a good thing».

«Now we can go away from this place». He affirmed afterwords.

I allowed myself to ask how we could do it and he answered these words: «With your wings. Think, we are ten adult fireflies plus you five. Any of us will bring a larva or a female firefly. Doing so we didn't leave anybody behind ». The argument was logic, but we couldn't fly.

Barlume told the King about it and the King laughed; he affirmed that it was a natural thing and that we can fly immediately.

I thought that at least I should do a try out and I imagined to fly; well: in that moment my wings spread and, as it was natural, they began to move without my control.

My body began to rise from the ground up to the ceiling of the shelter that had hidden us till that moment.

My head hit against it as I didn't expect to be able to fly at the first try out. The other fireflies did the same and they were able to fly.

Since we could fly, we talked about what to do; well, everybody should take a larva.

The voice of Zuzu disturbed our reunion: «Well are you ready?». He asked.

«This is the right moment if you want to go away. During the night we'll have many more possibilities». He said later.

After his words he invited us to follow him, we went out from our shelter and checked that the Pink Giants weren't around; they seemed to be in their shelters.

Well … That was the right moment to fly away.

We went fast to take the larvae and the female; I took Gaia, instead Barlume took a larva.

All the fireflies were flying after a few minutes, going to the end of the field from where we had come days before.

I, while I was in flight, looked down to the ground and didn't noticed Gaia who was clinging to me; was looking at me.

I only imagined that hidden in that grass there were a lot of dead insects; I was happy to be able to fly because I didn't have to assist to that horrible scene.

The intermittent lights of the fireflies started to see clearly, while far away, in the shelter we left, Zuzu was waving to us.

Looking back I saw Zuzu that was waving his arms around, it seemed he wanted to tell us something.

He insisted, so I asked myself what could agitate him so much; well, I understood immediately what he wanted to tell us; in front of us we found three figures of the Pink Giants, those less big, but dangerous anyway.

The Giants had found us and it could had been difficult to stay away from them, anyway we weren't afraid; this time we weren't forced to crawl, but we were able to fly.

With the help of the wings we were able to avoid all shots that they shot towards us; their hands were too big to catch flying insects.

We were going forward to the end of the fields full of insects’ carcasses, when we heard  a terrible noise that echoed everywhere.

The three Pink Giants were trying to take us in any possible way.

The noises were caused by the sudden union of their enormous hands, because they were trying to crush some firefly.

They often repeated  that action and unfortunately some fireflies were hit; then they fell out on the ground dead; the hit fireflies disappeared in the high grass that we flied above.

«Come on, don't stop!». King Neon exclaimed . «Go to the end of the field». At the end he affirmed.

This was useless: the Pink Giants demolished everyone, one by one without mercy.

The terrifying screams of those three  Giants were continuous and the hits disoriented us, so was its force.

But suddenly they stopped and they did when a scream much bigger and terrifying arrived.

The Giants stopped and moved to the stone where they lived, then they moved to that one; at that point we could hear that scream again.

I turned my face towards that place where those noises came from and saw a Being three times bigger it was emitting those screams, probably they were the call for three minor Giants.

After a little while the three Giants vanished in their shelter and we were able to reach the end of the field.

CHAPTER 11

Our group landed just on the borders of the field; we did it because we all needed to rest.

First I put Gaia on the ground and, then I put my feet; I looked at her and asked: «Is everything all right?».

Gaia said: «Yes, thank you». It was a long time she didn't ...

In the meanwhile also the others came next to me; we remained in fourteen: seven fireflies were dead, when they were trying to go away from the Pink Giants.

«We have to move». King Neon affirmed.

The King was right, there would have been danger and we knew that now or after the Giants would have reached us.

Us fireflies, certainly, if we would have found ourselves infront of the Big Ones, we would have been able to emit the poisonous cloud, which would have been deadly immediately.

«From this moment do not emit your bright signals». King Neon said.

As soon as  the King stopped talking, everybody switched off their lights, but not me; I had never lighted up and I had no idea on how to do this.

But in that case it didn't matter, nobody told me anything.

Barlume had been able to escape from those Giants like all of us and after a while I went next to him.

«Then?». I asked.

«Everything is all right». He answered to me.

Then he said: «Flying is a marvelous experience. But I imagined it to be different; and not trying to escape from a Pink Giant». And finally made a face.

At that point I smiled, just because we needed a distraction at that moment.

After this, Barlume and I became serious and asked ourselves how to get out of that trouble.

But, there was a good thing: if we had been able to escape from those three Big Animals, we would have been able to reach the colony again.

We decided to move immediately, that night the moon wasn't full so we couldn't see a lot  and for this reason, we didn't fly but we moved along the path.

We were able to see the way, even with difficulty, after a long time we arrived near a bush; there was the ideal shelter for us.

Also King Neon realized that the sun was going to rise, so we decided that it would have been wise to hide in the bush, in it seemed like the one in the colony: comfortable and humid.

The strange thing was that there weren't any insects; but we knew that, knowing the nearness of the Pink Giants everything was possible; even that the Giants could have arrived till there and could have sprinkled toxic cloud in the zone.

Our group took place in the bush and established guard, and this also included me and Barlume, and we were the first to whom the task was given.

Barlume and I began to do a couple of things: we went out of the bush looking for a shelter  under some leaves and we watched well the entire zone.

If some Pink Giants had been in the zone we would have seen  them certainly.

For me it was hard to keep my eyes open, first for the tiredness, then because I wasn't in the habit of sun rays and so I decided to talk with Barlume.

Us two talked of what had happened, and also of the change that happened, then we talked  a lot about the Pink Giants.

«It is  unbelievable that in nature such Beings could have existed». He affirmed.

«The Pink Giants ... What strange Beings». I said.

«Zuzu called them Human Beings. He also affirmed that those Beings hunt for amusement and that have no rivals in nature». Barlume said.

I sighed and said: «I look forward to start again the life we used to have before, when our only worry was that of learning to be able to survive».

Our turn of guard passed and they gave us the change, finally we could rest; we went into a bush and took place near the other fireflies and I feel asleep immediately.

When I opened my eyes the sun left place to a beautiful full moon and in front of me the King  and two adults were organizing to decide which would have been the best way to go.

«Flying was the best thing to do». Referred an adult firefly.

«We can't». Objected King Neon.

We replied: «Every time we were discovered and chased, we were flying and with our lights on. I think that they saw us thanks to our luminous lights that we emit».

To these words nobody answered, even because it was obvious: our lightning was object of interest of the Humans; that was enough to unleash their wrath against us.

CHAPTER 12

The moon emitted a strong light the following evening and then we moved towards the path: we left the bush that had given hospitality till that moment ...

Every once and a while I turned to observe that strange stone which had given hospitality to the Pink Giants but the only thing that I could see was the strong light that was inside.

Even if we were enough far away from that shelter, it was visible and this thing showed his greatness.

Our group marched in the total darkness, one after the other, we saw each other and tried not to lose ourselves; our King preceded us.

Suddenly we were able to hear a thud again, and the ground vibrate ... We almost lost our balance for those vibrations, but despite this discomfort we kept on walking.

But, the vibrations increased of intensity as the time passed; by from those effects, we realized that something was going to approach us and unfortunately we knew which being was able to reproduce those disasters.

«Come on, hide yourself». King Neon suggested to us.

We did this very fastly; Some found a shelter under a stone, others hid themselves in the thick grass.

Three enormous figures suddenly arrived and began to search in the grass.

I was next to Barlume and Gaia; I whispered: «But how can they reach us so easily?».

For us little beings, their space of movement was unbelievable, obviously their steps covered unbelievable distance.

A big dust raised in that place and we couldn't see anything; the giants were making a terrible mess around the place.

Our mates began to scream, then the sad vision: the transparent prisons appeared again and inside there were four fireflies; the giant had begun to make prisoners again.

We knew where they moved with those poor beings and also knew the destiny that a waited those that had been captured: we had to do something ...

«What will we do?». I asked to Barlume.

«Nothing». He said.

«We had only to hide ourselves». Exclaimed instead Gaia.

But I didn't want to run away again; I needed to think about something: I looked at Barlume and looked towards the Giants.

«No we can't!». I nodded.

Barlume objected: «We want to be able to find a way out in the dark».

Normally he would have been right but he didn't know that I was good at moving in the dark: I could move inwards.

In that moment I whispered: «Hold me and when we'll be near the prisons, I will try to release our friends».

I looked at Gaia and said to her: «You should go away from this area».

She said yes and afterwords she hid herself in the middle of the thick vegetation and went to the opposite side to the one occupied by the three Giants that were hunting from the beginning of our adventure.

At this point we realized that the only thing to do was to starting to flying not to make them hear our presence and we moved to the prison that contained the fireflies  that the Giants had captured.

When Barlume and I arrived near the transparent prisons, we realized that the prisoners for fear, emitted an intense yellow-green light, so we didn't move just not to be discovered.

Barlume was behind me and asked: «How could we get closer if they do not stop to emit the light?».

«I don't know!». I exclaimed. «Give me time to think about it». I said to him.

After a while I realized that those Beings pointed the object with their face before hitting it; the thing made me curious.

I flied higher and Barlume followed me, when we were above their heads, we saw a bad thing: that face was enormous and inside there were two swellings colored in a strange way.

It seemed to me to see three colors: the white on the external part of the two semi spheres, a strong color that I had never seen before, seemed the blue color of the sky, and a black circle as big as a firefly.

The black circle after changed his shape, stretching  sometimes or become smaller; I think it was a reaction to the light.

Then, suddenly these two semi spheres pointed at me and once they noticed me, they kept on following me wherever I went.

In that moment I was worried , because even the body of the Giant noticed me and came to me, wherever I moved; I was afraid that the fatal shot was going to hit me.

«Barlume; pay attention!». I exclaimed worried about my friend.

He began to flash; probably it was the fear that induced him to do so.

«No!». I screamed. «Turn off your light». I said to him.

But I did not have enough time to say any other words, that the light produced by my dear friend, paid attention to that Giant that was pointed at me.

Then I clearly saw his movement; he threw against Barlume an open tin and hits him; doing so he was able to imprison him closing the lid.

If I wouldn't have done something Barlume would have died for my fault.

I didn't know how to move, I felt only a great anger that grew inside of me; and in that moment, without realizing it, I reached to the level of the two strange hemispheres and screamed angrily: «Go away monsters with no mercy leave my species in peace!».

I concentrated myself so much that I felt a pain in my stomach, so painful that I almost fell on the ground.

A light appeared under me and it was so intense that I found it difficult to look at; that sudden light that appeared to me, was stronger than that one noticed in the house of the giants.

The Pink Giant suddenly threw the transparent prison and took his hands on the hemispheres, covering them both; then he crumbled it on the ground and moved fastly: something had wounded him, but I couldn't understand what happened.

When I turned around to see where his friends were, I realized that even they were on the ground and had their hands on the hemispheres.

In the meanwhile, the light compared and lighted up the whole zone and even the shelter of those Beings.

The box where Barlume had been imprisoned fell down on the ground and went into a thousand of pieces; then I rushed towards that place and I was afraid for my friends’ life.

CHAPTER 13

The fragments of that material spreaded  around and the Pink Giants kept on laying down on the ground; they seemed to be immobilized by pain ...

I went to a less higher height and landed just when the transparent prison crashed.

Over there, there were the still bodies  of the fireflies that were captured; I went near Barlume and I asked him: «How are you?».

At a first moment he didn't answered to me then with a feeble voice he replied: «How do you think I?».

«Ouch! What a blow!». Then he said.

Barlume opened his eyes and  in that moment I clearly saw that he hadn't reported any wounds; even the others were fine, infact, they stood up a little bit painfully but in good health.

A strange light was lighting up all the zone, it seemed like the sun appeared, considering how intense the light appeared.

Barlume told me something but I couldn't understand well; till he raised up the volume of his voice: «Luminous, turn your light up!». My friend said, staring shocked at me. «And what amount of energy!». Exclaimed protecting his eyes.

«Where do you take the energy from?». He asked me.

«I have no idea, I only know that the wrath raised in me and then realized to have produced an intense light». I replied.

Suddenly we saw the shape of a firefly, it was that of King Neon; he come next to us and protecting his eyes asked: «Who is emitting a so strong light?».

when the King saw me he remained surprised and said: «You Luminous ...».

I think that in that moment he asked himself how it was possible that I emitted a so intense light, seeing how seconds before I wasn't able to.

I was also surprised, but perhaps what was happening, after all I waited for since I had always believed in myself and in my abilities; I was aware that I wasn't similar to the others, but I had something more; something that now or after could have distinguished me from the others.

I remembered when my companions pulled my leg because I wasn't able to light up: how many offenses I had to bear; everybody thought to have more abilities than me, as it was more a survival competition than proving their skill to the others.

Instead I have always maintained that others do not have to prove anything; there aren't fireflies worth of privileges and fireflies not able and so burden to the others; before or after everybody show their value and you can see the best surprise from who you don't expect.

Well ... You wouldn't believe it but I have always known that I could do better and I was conscious of how much I was worth.

The fireflies of the colony tried to understand why I didn't work for such a long time, but now I lighted up more than the sun and was able to face even the bad Pink Giants.

The pursuit of diversity, the forced classification of the fireflies, made me feel uncomfortable ... Everybody is unique, foolish and make it equal to the other.

My thoughts suddenly were disturbed by the voice of the King: «We have to go away before those things stand up». Referring to the Pink Giants.

My intense light kept on lighting up all the zone till the horizon.

The King turned to me and said: «For how long do you think you can emit your light?».

«I don't know. By now I don't feel the need to switch it off». I replied.

«Well». Said King Neon. «Young …». Then he said to me: «In my life I have never seen somebody light in that way».

I proudly said so; it was the first time that he made me a compliment.

We decided to move before the Giants would have done so, but for the moment they didn't move kept on protecting those strange balls with their enormous hands.

As long as I was able to emit that light they couldn't annoy us; just as well ...

Seeing how I had no idea whether to switch me off.

Barlume came close to me and asked me: «How can you do this?».

He didn't say it with envy, but with amazement; I could tell that he was happy for me.

«Have you see that it is how I told you?». After he answered.

But Barlume didn't  let me answer and said: «Now you light more than the sun and the fireflies put together: nobody before you ever was able to do this, do you know?».

A smile gleamed across my face, I was happy of what he had just told me.

«Now it isn't  important we must move». I said.

He said yes, and then  reached the others; fortunately no one has been injured during the attack.

We moved towards the opposite side of the place where the three Giants lied and we did it fast; in little time, we moved enough, in the meanwhile I continued to shine and those three Big Things didn't stand up; they kept on protecting their face.

«Are you ready to fly away?». Asked King Neon.

We all said yes and after a while everybody took or a larva or a female assigned to him and then we flied away from there.

The light that I emitted allowed us to see the road without problems and so we were able to fly fastly; we moved away very far from the Giants, so as to arrive at the edge, that was our shelter since our birth.

All the fireflies were waiting attracted by the light I emitted; they couldn't realize the intensity of that light, there was even who said that a star fell down on the ground.

When they saw us arrive, first with King Neon, everybody was happy to see their sovereign.

I took Gaia, the firefly that I had always ran after and probably that I wished I would have had as a companion of my life.

I posed her on the ground and I also landed; needless to say the astonishment of the whole colony when they realized that I was the one to emit that light.

CHAPTER 14

When I landed, everybody looked at me with their mouth wide open, they didn't expect that scene; there I also saw Watt with his gang.

Watt and friends didn't come towards me, but stayed far away from me; and not only that: they hadn't changed their appearance, they still had the shape of larvae.

Gaia said to me: «Thank you Luminos».

With great pleasure I realized that she hadn't forgotten my name, but that was not the right moment to think of such things; probably the Giants would have soon arrived.

There was another problem to solve; if I didn't want to attract their attention I had to switch off my light; it was too strong to be invisible.

I asked Barlume: «How can I turn my light off ?».

«It is simple, think intensively of darkness and when you'll be concentrated enough the light that you emit will turn off». He said.

I did what he told me to do, and after a while the light disappeared; I switched it off and we returned into darkness.

We all went back to our shelter, but we knew that it wasn't safe because there they had already attacked us; and so King Neon talked to us, words that lasted few moments: «Follow me». He exclaimed and he went towards a stone at the center of the shelter.

There, there was a kind of passage which went into the basement; we walked in doing a single file .

The light began to flash and they were the only instruments to orientate ourselves; I didn't turn on my light, even if I was curious to discover if effectively I had understood how it works.

After a while we went out in a place I had never seen: we were inside a cave  in which there was a rise; on that rise  there was a big puddle of water fed by a stream .

The puddle of water flowed gently inturnily down from the inclined edge, not to flood the shelter.

The place was quiet and it seemed that it had been already lived by the fireflies.

There was everything in that place, shelters in which you can sleep, food well preserved and a variety of exits that permit to us to go out in search of snails.

At that point, the King raised on a big stone, again talked to us: «This place had been built for difficult periods. Here nobody could hurt us, seeings how it's impossible also for the pink Giants to arrive. Well: take place in the shelters, the dawn is near and we deserve some rest».

After those words everybody went to a shelter; Barlume and I did the same thing.

Suddenly King Neon came next to us and said: «My dear sons». 

«There are no words to thank you; but I can assure that I won't forget what you did for me and for your brothers». After he said it he moved away, saying that he would have called us to the real palace to give us some communications.

Barlume and I looked at each other very proudly, and then we moved to  a shelter near us.

While we were occupying it, a voice disturbed us; the voice of Watt: «Where  do you think to go?». He asked to us.

This time I looked at him perplexed and I felt sorry for him.

«Is it possible that he keeps on with this attitude?». I asked myself.

It was so: he was still acting like a superb.

«Watt, it is time to stop. Look at you ...». Barlume said.

He was still a larva, but he behaved, as he didn't realize what had happened.

I saw and for the first time I replied: «You can't be the boaster».

He tried to answer but I stopped him immediately: «I saw how you hid during the attack of the Giants, you were very scared , you trembled, enough to drive away  the other fireflies from  your shelter seeing how they didn't take your place. You don't care if they would have died; do you?». At the end I answered.

Barlume said: «You are a coward Watt; here is the reality!». He exclaimed angrily.

His group did not say any other words, even because a lot of adult fireflies rushed and seeings how Barlume and I have had the transformation before them, we deserved respect.

Watt, after hearing my words , became red of embarrassment: he didn't know what to answer and moved away, together with all his companions; besides Gaia.

She talked to me: «You know Luminos, I have always looked at you with particular eyes».

She was going to add something more but I stopped her: «Don't add anything else». I said to her.

I remembered  well how she looked at me time before.

«Then, can I share the shelter with you?». Gaia asked.

I observed her, then I looked at Barlume that was sick; he had always criticized her for her posh behavior.

So, I answered: «Well, no, it's better not to».

«But why?». She asked.

I pointed towards Watt and his companions then I replied: «I think that your friends need you more than I do». I turned, I looked at Barlume, that was laughing and went to the shelter we had chosen.

At the end Barlume said to her: «See you later». Then he reached me.

Gaia remained perplexed .

Barlume and I finally went to the place we had chosen and we laid down on the couches; we didn't see what Gaia did afterwords, but I didn't care anymore: I realized that she wasn't a good friend.

***

A dazzling light invaded the shelter; I looked at it as if I was the one to emit this but this time it was not me: it was the sun.

The place where we were, permitted us to see the edge where we lived before; and it wasn't a good sight: we realized that we went away just on time from when the Pink Giants came again and put in a terrible mess that place; but this time they found nothing because we were safe on a hill difficult to reach: we could sleep peacefully.

Lighted by the light of the sun, immersed in the pleasant sound of nature and with a lot of humidity, us, fireflies were enjoying a period of peace that would have lasted a lot.

EPILOGUE

Well ... Our adventure has been wonderful, but now it is time for you to know what happened to all of us after, the fireflies moved to the shelter anti-Pink Giants.

Two years have passed by from the first time that we had been attacked by the Giants, eight months from when we hid; seeings how we didn't move away from our shelter, the colony increased day by day.

King Neon left our colony and moved towards the protected field; these ones were places where nobody had the permit to fly, unless he was with his life companion.

An adult firefly had never returned from those fields; and this was really strange.

After a little while from moving of the adult fireflies, a lot of larvae arrived in the colony, but we didn't  know anything about their relatives.

The succession of King Neon was to be a labor, therefore difficult.

You would think that I was the successor to the throne, but you are wrong; even if I was the most luminescent firefly, I was not elected King.

And who if not me … Certainly I was one of the candidates; but the choice fell right on him: Barlume,

My best friend became King of the fireflies and I was entrusted the task to work over the insurance of the colony.

I became very well known from the day we brought back King Neon, everybody waved at me and brought the right respect to me, also Watt and his friends talked to me with the right reverence; not as they did during our youth.

I often saw Gaia but we remained only friends and she approached herself much more to Watt, since the day they went to the protected field: they had become mates for life.

After a while, from their departure, in the colony many larvae arrived, some similar to Gaia, others to Watt; I would have recognized the ways of behaving in everyone.

That fact made me think and then I realized that I was standing in front of the sons of the two fireflies who had attended the same classes in my youth.

At the same time I asked myself a lot of questions ... Everything happened in the protected field, for sure it wasn't the case to find out.

The Pink Giants ... I saw them many times over again, but I stayed away from them; the only thing I was interested in, was the nocturnal  flying of my light; and a lot of intermittent  dots illuminate the darkness of the night .

I saw those intermittent lights till I became big enough to lose part of my force to fly.

Barlume did the same and so he didn't find his mate like me.

Together we were able to see the best days that the colony had ever lived; but when we were able to, especially at night, we flew in the moonlight emitting our intermittent lights.

For the human beings: well ... We hoped that they would have left in peace two old insects like us, our only guilt is in dreaming to join the fireflies scattered in the sky and shimmering for eternity

                                                                                                                      Luminos

The end.

Mi sa che non posso scrivere altro ...

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