This is a story of boy meets girl,
He was lost without hope in this big, scary world.
There she was, with her big blue eyes,
ready to save him from the end of his life.
She came to light up his world like the moon in the night,
Maybe she could help make things right.
He was turned around from hopelessness to joy,
this is a story of girl saves boy....

Her long, carrot-orange braids circled around her head and thwacked her in the face as she dashed around a sharp corner. She had to go faster and faster, yet still keep her footfalls as light and silent as possible; this is the day she would finally escape. This time, this day, this particular escape attempt is pivotal, for if she did not manage it this time, then there would be no next time for her...

"Lily, listen to that!"

"What, sis?"

"Shh."

Then a flitting spark of gold. The next thing I knew, there were dancing lights all around me, little lights illuminating the empty darkness.

"Those things... they're called fireflies, Lily."

"Fire-flies?"

My three year-old mind took in this information with so much wonder. I mouthed...