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“Dad!” a ten year old kid sitting in the back seat of the car complained. “Why do we have to go visit Aunt Shelly! She lives in the country.”

“You know why,” the boy’s dad said back. “Her daughter just died and she lost her husband a year ago. She needs someone to be with her at the moment.”

The boy sat back in the seat. He never knew his cousin very well. They sometimes hung out when they were really little but other than that they never really talked. Plus he didn’t like the sad stories and all that stuff. It wasn’t what he liked to be about. The boy sat up and looked out the window. There was nothing but fields and crops, not what a city boy was used to.

When they finally arrived, both the son and father saw Aunt Shelly right away. She was sitting on the porch with a lifeless expression. They both got out of the car and walked over to see her. She didn’t even recognize they were there. The boy’s father put a hand on her shoulder, which made her come back to reality.

“John,” she said with a surprised look. “Don’t sneak up on someone like that.” She looked down at the boy. “Shane,” she said. “You’re here too.” She gave him a painful smile. Shane looked around and thought he saw someone beside her but quickly shook it off. It was probably from the lack of sleep.

“How are you doing Auntie?” Shane asked and walked in front of her.

“I’m doing okay,” Shelly said back. “I just wished she could have lived until tonight. It’s the night of the fireflies and if you go to our pond you can see them clearly. There are many different stories about fireflies and Sam was always so interested in them.”

Shane thought for a second. “I think I will go see the fireflies tonight,” he said. “In place of Sam.”

John looked at his young son. “That sounds like a good idea. Right Shelly?”

Shelly smiled. “Yes,” she said. “Tell me how it is.”

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For the rest of the day it was quiet and they visited Sam’s grave. It made Aunt Shelly cry again but she looked like she needed to let out some more tears.

Finally though night came, before Shane left Aunt Shelly came up to him to tell him a secret. “I have something to tell you,” she said. “Every time Sam was gone I always knew to look for fireflies and I would find her. She always said they were able to make miracles happen. Maybe you can find a miracle there too.” She patted Shane on the head and walked back inside.

Shane’s trip to the pond was short. He got there right before the sun had set and made sure he was at the right spot. He counted down the seconds and right when the sun went down the fireflies came out. There were so many and it was so beautiful, it was like a thousand candles. Everything was calm until he heard giggling. “Whose there!” he yelled out. Then he saw a familiar girl come up beside him. She had shoulder length dark brown hair, deep green eyes, plus she was wearing a white dress and seemed to be the same age as him.

“Sorry to startle you,” the mysterious girl said but her face looked familiar. “I just love the fireflies.”

Shane was staring at her. He didn’t even know what to say at the moment. “I’m-“

Before he could say anything else the girl cut him off. “Your Shane,” she said getting close to the pond. “I only have a few more minutes left. I was only aloud to be here until a saw the fireflies.”

Shane kept quiet to see if she was finished or not.

“Can you do me one favor?” the girl asked him. “Tell Aunt Shelly that Michael and I are always looking out for her. Plus if she ever feels alone tell her to come out here because you never know when a miracle might happen. One last thing, I wish we could have had more time together, Shane.”

Right then Shane’s eyes got wide. It finally clicked about who she was. “Sam,” he said. It was too late for him to say anything else. The most beautiful put white wings came from her back and she went up into the sky.

“Don’t forget to tell her,” she yelled. “Please come back to see the fireflies next year.” Tears formed in the young girls eyes. “Finally tell her I’m sorry for leaving her. Michael and I will be waiting, for her, together.” With those last words she was gone up in the sky. A feather fell down, it was shinning bright. Shane picked it up carefully and headed back to the house.

When he told Aunt Shelly about what happened, and showed her the feather, she believed every word. In the middle of her crying she said, “I knew fireflies could create a miracle.”

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It has been ten years since that day. Shane hasn’t gone back but this year he is going to. Aunt Shelly is alive and doing well, she still lives in the same house alone but she never seems to mind. This time he is going to ask the fireflies another miracle, he want to see Sam another time.

The day Shane got there was just like before, Aunt Shelly told him so many stories and caught him up with everything. Then when night came he walked out there and prayed in the middle of the fireflies. When Shane opened my eyes the ten year old same was standing right in front of him, it looked like only a second had past.

She gave him a smile and said, “Welcome home!”

“I’m back.” He said.