Blink

Heather Feather’s favorite time of day was when the sun set and the sky turned from orange to pink to purple. As a firefly, it was the best time for her family to leave their home, blink, and dance above the grass.

Each firefly family had their own way of blinking. The Drift family went Blinky Blink Blinky Blink, and the Woodspot family went BaBlink BaBlink BaBlink. But Heather Feather’s family went Blink Blink BaBlink.

“Dad,” Heather Feather asked, “Why do we always go Blink Blink BaBlink?”

“That’s how we can find each other in the darkness,” Heather Feather’s father responded as he walked to their front door.

“Oh,” thought Heather Feather, still not convinced.

She looked out over the small rolling hills and saw thousands of firefly lights turning on and off across the landscape.

“Ready! Steady! Go!!” yelled Heather Feather’s Father as the Feather family jumped out of their home and flew into the yard.

Heather Feather watched as her father, her mother, and her little brother danced and blinked with all the other families in their neighborhood, but only her family went Blink Blink BaBlink.

She decided then and there that she would blink however she wanted. And darting over the grass, Heather Feather went Blinky BaBlink Blink Blink. She flew through flowers, past a grove of mushrooms, and over a hedge shaped like a duck. All the while blinking the way she wanted to blink.

Blink Blink Blinky BaBlinky Blink Blinky Blink.

Heather Feather picked up speed, skimming over the waters of the small brook that trickled through the woods and hopped up rocks piled near the shore. With each blink, she felt more powerful and independent, and she imagined a trail of light following close behind her.

Suddenly, she found herself deep in the forest, away from her neighborhood and her family.

She blinked once. Then twice. But no one blinked in return.

She tried to retrace her flight but only felt herself growing more and more lost.

In all her blinking, she’d forgotten how she’d gotten here, and she could feel the dark and towering trees closing in around her. A cold northern wind began to blow. Heather Feather was all alone. She landed on a fallen log and, feeling that all hope was lost, began to cry.

Heather Feather tried blinking again—a dim single blink—but again, she got no response. Finally, in a last attempt, she went Blink Blink BaBlink.

Somewhere, deep outside the forest, she saw three tiny lights go Blink Blink BaBlink.

With a start, she began to fly toward the lights, and the lights began flying toward her. Closer now, she could see that it was her father, mother, and brother racing quickly toward her.

Heather Feather flew right into her mother’s arms, then kissed her little brother on the cheek, and finally gave her father the biggest hug she could possibly muster.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” Heather Feather said with tears in her eyes, “I should never have tried to blink differently.”

Heather Feather’s Father hugged her tightly and said, “Oh, Heather Feather, you can blink however you want to blink. We only blink the way we do because it reminds us that we’re a family. We want you to blink in whatever way makes you happy. And if you ever need us, just go Blink Blink BaBlink, and the entire family will be there to help.”

“Thanks, Dad,” she said, pressing her face deeper into her father’s arm. Then, using his shirt to wipe away her tears, she wiped away her tears.

The entire family returned to their home together, happy they’d found Heather Feather safe.

And when she’d finally gotten cozy in her bed and just before shutting her eyes to fall asleep, Heather Feather went Blink Blink BaBlink and smiled.