It was difficult to believe the guide, but the purpose of the adventure was too exciting to let go. So I prepared for the night trip to the middle of the forest.
At this stage in life, I was ready to explore the idea of taking risks to chase dreams, after realizing how life buries dreams one day at a time.
Once I told my parents that I aspired to be a marine biologist, exploring the ocean looking for living beings that no one had seen before. To forget the known world behind in search of the unknown in the infinite blue waters. Very soon, I was signing an application for engineering college. I was told, “No one will pay you to get lost in the ocean and its charm. You need money to survive. Engineering is a safe bet.”
Despite her apprehensions about the venture, Natasha was too protective to let me go alone. We followed the guide into the forest.
Nothing was visible in the dark, apart from the swaying torchlight beams. Nothing much audible, apart from the sound of us stepping on dry leaves and snapping twigs. Didn’t expect the forest to be as quiet.
Soon I realized, there was another set of footsteps. Crushing on leaves and twigs. Coming from somewhere behind us. I almost froze. “Two young women abducted during an excursion.” Didn’t want to fizzle out as another crime stats on the newspaper. I always wondered about my death; imagined a hundred ways. Was it time for the one true version to reveal itself?
I stopped walking, switched off my torchlight, stopped Natasha with my arm, and signed her to hush as she flashed her torchlight on my face.
Glancing back at us, our guide stopped too. The footsteps were still audible. He looked startled as well. All the torch lights went off. Darkness prevailed.
Suddenly, there was this loud bestial grunt. My heart jumped and started pounding hard. Natasha clenched me.
A beast! Not a human. So, “Two young women killed by a man-eater!” Definitely better than being abducted by humans. Yet, nowhere close to closing the eyes while sinking in the blue. Sigh! I wish it was daytime, my last view would have been a lush green one.
All three of us were squatting, listening to the footsteps of the beast. The sound traversed, from behind us, to somewhere on the left of us and away, gradually faded to nothing.
After some time, my heartbeat dropped to normal. We rose again carefully, looking in the direction. I heard nothing. However, I could see something. There were quite a few dots of fluorescent green light, flying around in a distance.
Fireflies!
“This way,” the guide whispered pointing in the direction ready to lead. Natasha instantly threw a muffled yet angry retort, “What! To get eaten tonight? Are you crazy?”
He looked back and said, “Look. We are this close. If you want to see it, the time is now. If not, we will walk back. Your choice.”
We didn’t budge from our spot on the ground. After a brief moment of silence he added, “There are no man-eaters in this forest. I swear on my mother’s grave.”
Unbelievable! He would swear on our grave to the next guest.
Natasha flashed her torch on my face looking for a “NO!”.
What the hell. We are this close. Might as well, take a few more steps. Who would take this risk to come here again? “Let’s go,” I said.
Natasha sighed with frustration, “I can’t believe you!” Then she looked at the direction where the fireflies were floating around and muttered, “It better be worth it, or else I am going to kill this guy before the unearthly beast does.”
Minutes later, we witnessed something that is quite difficult to describe in words or capture in pictures.
We were in the middle of myriads of tiny fluorescent green lights. Dancing in the air. Twinkling in rhythm. Hundreds of thousands of them. All around us. Like a miniature galaxy, full of stars. Cosmic. Psychedelic. Magical!
I wanted to scream, run around and then lie down on my back. Not best for survival. So I did it all, in my mind. I chuckled quietly while wiping my tears of joy.
Now, fireflies are not bioluminescent algae or jellyfish. But pretty damn close.
While I was experiencing the immense joy in this rare natural yet extraordinary phenomenon, I promised myself something. If I get out of here alive tonight, I am going for marine biology!
