PART TWO

Chapter 7

You will not fear the terror of night – Psalm 91

1999

Bray was relaxing underneath the tree in the back garden with a pair of hedge trimmers next to him. Erick was picking up the cut pieces and placing them in a large black garbage bag. Bray watched with faint interest at yellow butterflies flitted across the garden stopping occassionally on any open flower. The perpetual endless summer of Georgia in full effect. He had become used to and accustomed to the peaceful nature of the orphanage, if one could still call it that. Ashley and Kevin were adopted last year, leaving only himself, Bray and Lucy. Sisters Eliza and Alice had left as well. Only Sisters Marguerite and Abigail cared from them now. They were all teenagers now, except for Lucy who was twelve. Bray had turned thirteen in the spring. He didn't know when Erick's birthday was but he guessed that he was fifteen going on sixteen now.

The orphanage had truly become a home. He guess that he could consider Erick and Lucy his siblings. Their friendship had grown closer over the past two years, not without fights and the occassional squabbles, well mainly between Lucy and himself. Erick usually just watched them with an amused look on his face.

Bray hadn't realized that he had nodded off until he heard Lucy calling his name.

" Bray, look!"

Bray opened his eyes as Lucy knelt down in front of him with her hands cupped together. She had two small blue butterfly clips holding her long bangs off her face. Her face was flushed with such pure happiness that her hazel eyes shone. Her freckles fading across her nose. Bray thought that she was pretty. He hadn't seen many girls his age except for the times he went into town with Sister Marguerite but there was something pleasant about Lucy's features that he liked looking at.

He finally looked down at her cupped hands feeling her eagerness radiating off of her. " What do you have there?"

Lucy parted her hands just a bit so that Bray could have a look.

He peered in and saw a yellow butterfly fluttering around. " Oh cool."

" It's wings are so soft and they tickle." Lucy smiled as she gazed at it. Her long black hair brushing against her forearm.

Lucy admired the butterfly for a moment longer before opening her hands and allowing the butterfly to fly free. She watched as the butterfly soared off into the clear blue sky before disappearing into the brilliant sunshine.

" You know what I really want to catch?" Her hazel eyes glinting mischievously.

Bray was a bit intrigued. " What?"

" Fireflies!" Her excitement transparent.

" Where in the world would you find fireflies?"

" I see them all of the time outside of my bedroom window. They'd be down the drive among the willow trees." From the eagerness in her voice Bray deduced that her mind had been on the fireflies for a long time.

Lucy smiled earnestly at him.

Bray's eyebrows shot up. " No."

" Bray!" She whined. " C'mon. It would be fun."

Bray shook his head vehemently. " No. You know that Sister Abigail doesn't like us to be out at night."

" It's not like if we're really out," Lucy reasoned. " We'll just be down the driveway." She used her best pout. " Please?"

" Lucy." Bray warned.

" Please?" That whine was wearing down his nerves. " Don't be chicken."

" I'm not a chicken."

" So you'll come with me?" Lucy perked up, smiling at him sweetly.

Bray sighed. " Fine. But if we get in trouble I'm putting all of the blame on you."

Lucy was already to her feet. " Whatever. Imma go ask Erick if he wants to come." Lucy sauntered off casually over the grass to where Erick was picking up the cut pieces of shrub.

Apparently Erick was a man of stronger fortitude than him, Bray thought as he zipped up his hoodie that night. Erick was in his pajamas watching him dress with a bemused smile on his face. When he had finished tying his sneakers he saw Erick pulling out a glass jar from under the bed. He handed it to Bray who looked a bit confused until he realized that it was for him to catch the fireflies. Bray told him thank you and then closed their bedroom door softly behind him.

Bray walked softly across the hall to Lucy's room and tapped once lightly on the door. He knew that he didn't really need to be so cautious as the nuns never checked on them after their bedtime but he reasoned that one could never be too careful. It reminded him of the times that he used to sneak out of his home back at Magnolia Creek and go down to the lake at night while his father was in a drunken rage at home. This time he was sneaking out for more pleasant reasons.

Lucy came to the door quickly. Her long black hair in a ponytail but this time adorned sparodically with silver butterfly clips. Bray didn't understand the fascination with those things. She was wearing a regular t-shirt, jeans and sneakers.

She eyed the glass jar in his hand curiously.

" For the fireflies." He whispered.

She smiled at him and then closed her bedroom door. Lucy led the way quietly down the stairs and to the front door. The locks were easy to undo and soon they were out in the crisp night air.

They walked quickly down the garden path to the road while looking around them. They were never out at night. The sky was dark and clear and dotted with stars with a cresent moon. It wasn't that scary he thought as the gravel crunched underneath his shoes as they made their way down the driveway. The tall willow trees looked dark and a bit omnious as they drew close to them but Lucy was more concerned at spotting the fireflies.

She tugged on Bray's hand. " There they are!" She whispered loudly pointing to a spot in between two trees. Bray could see five or six of the lively insects darting here and there.

They darted off the path to the trees. Bray gasped when he saw them in full effect. Their had to be at least a hundred of them darting around and dancing against the blackness of night. It was almost magical the way they flew over his head and around his body. He glanced at Lucy who was lit up from the inside at wonderment of the flying insects. Flashes of yellow, orange and even green flew around them in an enchantment that rendered the humans speechless.

After a few minutes Lucy grabbed the glass jar from Bray and unscrewed the lid and she darted off behind some the glistening creatures.

Bray took a couple steps back until his back hit the trunk of a tree. From there he watched in amusement as Lucy darted here and there trying to catching the elusive creatures.

Fifteen minutes later she walked up to him proudly showing off the jar. It looked as if she got about ten of the fireflies inside. Her face glowed from her physical exertion.

" Look!" She thrusted the jar at Bray who took it.

The fireflies continued their dance inside of the glass jar. The flashes of yellow and green bouncing off the glass walls and illuminating the entire wall.

After a while Bray felt Lucy leaning against him. " Tired? You want to go back inside?"

Lucy shook her head against his chest and he could feel the butterfly clips poking him through his hoodie. " Nah. Just a bit cold, that's all."

" Hold this." Bray handed the glass jar back to Lucy and unzipped his hoodie.

Lucy seemed to have understood and leaned back in once more with her arm going around Bray's waist as she rested her head against his t-shirt. He could feel those dull pricks of the butterfly clips even more now but he decided that he would bear them quietly for Lucy. He placed the opened side of the hoodie over her and allowed his hand to rest lightly on her waist to keep it in place.

He had never been so close her but it didn't feel too weird he guessed. They watched as the fireflies continued their dance in the quietness of the night with the occassional cricket making its mating call.

He didn't know how long he stood there watching the fireflies. It just felt so good to back outside in the night air. It made him remember home. His old life that felt as if it was forever ago and not just a couple of years. But this was better. The nuns were kind to him. There was plenty to eat. Lucy and Erick were his best friends. His chores weren't that difficult and he didn't have to worry about anyone coming home drunk and waking him up.

Lucy pulled away from and unscrewed the jar releasing the fireflies. She walked back to Bray who placed his arm around her. " Ready to go back?"

Lucy nodded.

Bray kept his arm around her, pulling her lithe body against him as they made their way back to the orphanage. They got back to their rooms without any fuss. When Lucy opened her bedroom she turned around and pulled Bray into a hug. " Thanks for coming with me."

Bray hugged her back. " No problem. It was fun." In truth it was, the images of the fireflies burning bright in his brain.

When he got back to his room, Erick was already sound asleep and snoring lightly. As quietly as possible Bray removed his clothes and put on his pajamas and then got into bed. Fireflies. They had little lanterns attached to their bodies brightening up the world where ever they went. People should be more like fireflies he thought before he drifted off to sleep.

" The kids got out last night!"

Sister Abigail barged into Sister's Marguerite's office without even knocking, farless a courteous greeting.

Sister Marguerite barely looked up from the newspaper that she was reading. " Well I suppose that you can't keep them cooped up forever."

Sister Abigail stared at the elder in great disbelief at her nonchalance. " Don't you even care?"

Sister Marguerite licked her index finger before turning the page. " They're teenagers. That's what they do. Besides all they did was chase some fireflies. That's hardly any reason for alarm."

Sister Abigail leaned over the desk with her hands resting on the dark polished wood, her back tense. " You're enjoying this aren't you?"

A small smile played on the nun's lips. " Well I suppose I am. What are you so worried about? That they'll see your true form?"

Abigail glared at her. " Oh be quiet. I'm not a vampire."

" You could be the way how you like to steal souls." Sister Marguerite smirked and finally looked up from the newspaper. " Are you mad that your threats of alligators no longer work?"

Abigail's mouth twisted into a frown.

Sister Marguerite laughed much to Sister Abigail's chagrin. " A little night air never killed anyone."

" Yet." Abigail muttered under her breath.

Sister Marguerite leaned back in her chair as she observed Abigail. Her face growing serious. " I think the problem you're having is that Lucy is growing attached to Bray and you don't want that."

When Abigail didn't respond, Sister Marguerite knew that she had hit the nail on the head. " It's just puppy love." Abigail snorted. Sister Marguerite picked back up the paper and began to peruse it once more. " Besides you wouldn't be as stupid as to lay one finger on that girl." Her voice remained light but the underlying threat was clear.

When her door slammed and Sister Marguerite was alone in her office once more, she pulled open her top drawer and took out the small vial. She dabbed her finger with the liquid and made the sign of the cross in the air while reciting a short prayer. It never hurt to be prepared.

A/N: Do you remember that they call Bray's followers' fireflies whenever he makes his entrance? Let me tell you it's a lot of work trying to incorporate buzzards, rocking chairs, lamb masks and fireflies and such into a story and making it plausible, lol.