Two Moths

[CosmoFursi]

It was your average, rainy testing day. I had to be somewhere at 9:00am for mine. It was a four-question test,
three out of four were essay questions-things I cannot do.

But this story is not about me. It is about two moths; Sun and Moon.

My mother opened the front door, only to be greeted by Moon. The moth was on our welcome mat.
I came to look, and I got the feeling of fear from the poor creature. After a while of struggling with
what to do while also learning of a moth on our windowsill, I scooped the little guy up into my hands.

"Mom, I have the moth." I said, but my mother did not hear me.

My sister then looked at me with shock, "She has the moth." She said blatantly to my mom, who
looked with terror.

"Get it out of the house!" She yelped. I knew my mother did not like bugs, but I had to help the guy.

"Can I take him out back?" I asked timidly, unsure of my mom's answer. After all, I had broken down
earlier during my ISAT test.

My mom agreed, wanting the moth out of the house as soon as possible. I brought him outside as
promised and began looking for a dry spot for Moon to rest. The rain wasn't quite pouring, but
it was enough to make any poor moth unable to fly.

During my search in the cold air with no shoes or jacket, Moon had crawled onto my shirt from the
small shelter I made with my hands. He crawled up to my necklace, and there I found the one dry spot
in my whole backyard; A dried out fountain we never use anymore that was laying against the house.

I gently tried to scoop Moon into my hands, but he did not want to let go of my necklace. He held
on with as much strength as he could, which wasn't much given his weakened state.

I spoke calmly to him, and softly tried to pull him away from my necklace. Eventually, he let me hold
him, and I placed him onto the fountain. At this point, I realized how tired and weak he was. Moon
couldn't even stand up!

I went back inside after double checking to make sure Moon would be alright. I thought about the
other moth out on the windowsill, and asked my mother if I could take him to Moon.

Mom agreed, either from my sad, worried look in my eyes or because she thought I'd get too upset
if I was denied. I quickly went outside and went over to where the other moth, Sun, was and gasped.

The poor guy had an injury on his back!

I spent no time in scooping him up as well. He didn't even struggle, and seemed to latch onto my hand
immediately. I took him outside, my mother staying far away, and turned to the fountain, where Moon
had not moved.

I calmly tried to place Sun on the fountain, but he would not get off of my hand, no matter what I tried.
Moon seemed to be getting weaker in the cold, rainy, and windy air.

Knowing my next thought couldn't possibly work, I opened the door, Sun and Moon in my hands.

"Mom? Can-can I keep them?" I quietly spoke, "I-the first one is too weak- He can't stand. And
the other one won't get off my hand."

My mom, after many hesitations, gave me a tiny box to put them in, still outside. I tried the idea,
but Moon fell from my hand, and Sun still wouldn't let go- this time climbing up my arm in fear.

I took a deep breath and came back in.

"Mom?"

"What?"

"Do you think I could... Not leave them outside?"

My mother quickly refused.

"But mom-" I began quickly, stepping inside and closing the door, "Mom, the first one's too weak
to be out there, and the second one's injured... Can I keep them inside?"

"Absolutely not!" My mother was staying away from me still.

"Mom, please!" I looked at her, struggling not to cry. She seemed to sigh and told me she had a
bigger box in the garage somewhere.

I waited, my sister coming downstairs and my brother going into the kitchen, before mom came
back with a shoebox.

I waited with Sun and Moon in my hands while my mom stabbed the box with a knife to make air holes.

After that, I gently placed the two moths into the box, Sun still defiantly refusing to leave my hand.
I got him to go into the box after a minute, and I carefully walked up the stairs.

I had asked my mom beforehand to get some sugarwater for the two, which she agreed to.

I opened the box once I was in my room and on my mountain of a bed, allowing mom to place the
sugarwater into the box.

Mom went to leave once Sun and Moon were safe in a shelf on my bed, but I stopped her.

"...Thank you." I said quietly, hugging my mom, "For letting me save them."

"Alright," My mom replied, "But don't get too upset when they die. It's the circle of life, and they
don't live long."

"I know," I assured her, crying, "I'm just happy I can make their last living moments, the best moments
of their lives."

~~End~~



Even the smallest favors can mean the world to someone else.
ps. moths are literally fluffy butterflies

[Azurain]

I think....I have something in my eye. Hold on.... -goes and bawls eyes out while rolling all over the floor-

So touching. I'm so glad you were able to make Sun and Moon's last hours so happy. It's people like you that make this world a little less dark.
Like a tiny light in a sea of darkness. Don't ever stop being you Cosmo. This was beautiful.

[Gigi]

A truly amazing story. I love it.

Very nice details <3

[CosmoFursi]

thanks, guys.

sadly, however, Moon was too weak to survive. when i checked on the two, Sun hadn't
moved from his earlier spot, and Moon didn't react when i pet his back.
Moon's in a small, black box under my apple sapling now, and Sun's flown
off now that it's no longer rainy and cold.

i'll always remember Moon, and how grateful he seemed when i picked him up off the cold welcome mat.

[Azurain]

So happy to hear that Sun was able to regain his strength and fly off. But I'm so sorry about Moon. But we all know she passed peacefully.