Flash was a little firefly who was very good at some things. He was a very good speller, for instance. He could also fly very fast. In fact, that’s how he had earned the nickname “Flash.”
But there was one thing Flash couldn’t do: He could not glow. No matter how hard he tried, Flash couldn’t make his tail light up — not even one little flicker.
One evening, just as the sun was setting and the sky was getting dusky dark, Flash’s friend Dusty the moth flew by. “Hi Flash!” called Dusty. “We’re going to play games by the garden. Wanna fly over there with me?”
Flash suddenly felt shy. “Um, well, I’m kind of tired,” he said. “No thanks.”
Flash wasn’t really tired, but he didn’t want to be the only firefly there who couldn’t glow.
Soon the sun was hidden behind the horizon, and the sky grew darker and darker. Flash saw lots of his firefly friends flying home from the garden, but Dusty wasn’t with them. Flash got a funny feeling that something might not be quite right.
“Hey Blinky,” Flash called out to one of his friends. “Have you seen Dusty?”
“Nope,” replied Blinky, and flew along her way. Flash began to worry.
Flash waited and waited for Dusty to fly by, but Dusty never showed up. The moon climbed higher in the sky. It wasn’t like Dusty to stay out so late all by himself.
“Where could he be?” Flash wondered. He was really worried now. “I know what I have to do. I will fly near and far, quick as a flash, until I find my friend!”
Flash knew that the light of the moon would guide him. He flew off into the night, determined to find Dusty.
Flash flew to the garden, but not a single bug was there. Flash looked everywhere he could think to look, until there was only one place he hadn’t been: the field. Flash had never been to the field before, but he knew the way. He set out at top speed right away.
Flash flew over the hedge and into the field. He zipped and zoomed about until he saw something fluttering in the shadows. Flash flew closer. It was Dusty! “Oh, Flash!” said Dusty. “Am I glad to see you! This field is so big and dark. I got lost!”
Happily reunited, Flash and Dusty headed for home. But just then, the moon went behind a big, dark cloud. It was suddenly too dark to see! Flash and Dusty flew this way and that, but soon they were hopelessly lost.
“If only I could glow!” said Flash. “Then we could see our way home!”
“You can do it, Flash!” Dusty said. “Don’t give up. I know you can glow. Just believe in yourself!”
And Flash did really want to glow. He wanted to glow more than anything. “I do want to glow!” said Flash.”I need to glow! I’ve got to glow! I…I believe I can glow!”
Flash concentrated harder that he ever had before. At that very moment, some firefly friends arrived from over the hedge. “Thank goodness!” exclaimed Flash. “How did you ever find us?”
“It was easy,” they said. “We just followed the light of your glow.” It was true — Flash was glowing!
Flash was so happy, and so proud. He positively glowed with happiness. “Now we can play all night long, Dusty!” he said with a laugh. And that is just what they did.
