Chasing Fireflies

Karen was pure innocence.

Whether it was the way the moonlight seemed to give her a luminescent glow as she danced after flickering fireflies, or how she smiled through the pain. No matter what, she was innocent. Boy did Karen love fireflies though, and she would always chase them around the house. It was like an escape for her, and she needed it more than anything. Kenny always kept a close watch over her as it grew late, he couldn't bare his little sister getting into anything. Even though the young boy was only in 4th grade, he lived to protect his sister. It always hurt him when his dad beat her, he always wanted to make him stop. Kenny was scared to though, he was scared that he would die again. The blonde was scared of death; he had faced it so many times. Being to hell and back always worried him, after being so close to finally reaching heaven, he falls back down to the firey pits. Every time he goes, he becomes terrified. One night though, while he was in hell shifting away his daily lust duties, he decided to do something with his life.

Kenny devoted his life to protecting Karen from the cruel world they lived in on that day. Being poor and physically abused didn't help him from helping her, yet, he would do anything else he could. The trick to it was that he went on as a superhero that goes by Mysterion. He didn't want to worry Karen with the thought that he was putting himself in danger. Kenny looked over at Karens brown hair, it was matted and greasy, darker near the top and lighting at the end. They didn't really have running water, they only got it when they went to a friends house, their parents had stopped paying bills about a month ago. Quickly enough they adapted to what was happening. Soon, they would live on the streets and Kenny would have little purpose. Then again, what purpose did he have now?

Karen blinked up at the sky, her blue eyes gleaming against the darkness. She had wondered when that "angel" would come again. He always gave her a comforting feeling, and she loved him more than anything. At least, not more than her brother though. Her brother reminded her of Mysterion in many ways, both brave, and strong. Those were two things Karen wanted to be, she wanted to be strong to stand up against her parents. Then again, what could someone like her do besides chase fireflies? Then again, she's perfectly okay with that. Mysterion told her last night that he would always be there, he would always save her, and that all she needed to do was to say the same. Mysterion never wanted her to lose that innocence she possessed. All Karen needed to do was to continue chasing fireflies for the rest of her life. That would please Kenny, at least she would be safe.

Minutes passed into the midst of midnight, the only thing lighting their path was the broken street lights that surrounded them. "Kenny, will you come inside for a minute?" the red headed mother said, her voice was sharp and ringing. Kenny grew tired of her voice on a daily basis, just like he grew tired of her.

"Yeah, yeah, hold on," Kenny mumbled through his hood before taking one last look at Karen and slipping behind the screen door and into the shattered house. Karen jumped a little as she heard the door slam. Her head turned around to the door, all she could do was hope that it wasn't her dad. Hope that he wasn't here to hurt her once again. She bit her lip as she saw that no one was there. She was safe, and she could go back to the fireflies that burned so bright.
A small grin spread on the girls face as she lunged and snapped her hands together around one. Slowly she opened a crevice to see if she caught it.
Nothing.

Karen looked around, her eyes scanning for the bug. She spotted it next to the road, and she was determined to catch it. Even though she was oblivious the the car zooming down the road. The man in the car was drunk and had no consideration for anything. He had no meaning to live anymore, and didn't believe others should live. Because of this he didn't notice the young girl wander into the road, looking for the bug. With a determined grin she snatched it in her hand and looked down at her hands. Karen didn't notice the car as she was too fazed by a challenge. She loved being challenged and feeling like she could accomplish something greater than anything anyone else could.

There was a tickling sensation in her hands and she grinned with accomplishment. She had finally caught it, and she could go back to safety. Karen could go back to her brother and pretend that this never happened. At least that's what she wanted to do before the pain struck her head on. The pain was a blow to her side, knocking her onto the cool surface of the speeding car. The drunk sped up, he wanted her to die. No one would ever know it was him, he'd just run away before anything else could happen. Who would miss some poor little girl? He sure wouldn't.

Karen fell underneath the car and felt it flatten her legs before rolling over her, smashing her down against the concrete. Red dotted her vision in a flash, this was all happening so fast. "Karen!" Kenny said, his voice rising with every step he took to her. He had just made it outside to witness the hit and run. Karen couldn't respond to him though, she was in too much pain. While the drive just went on, his laughter filling the air that surrounded them.

She stayed there, more red dotting her vision before she couldn't see. Nothing was available to her, not even her voice. But somehow she managed to say her final words. "I love you," was all she could bare to whisper before she gave out. Karen was too small, too fragile that when the car hit her she was already a goner. Tears welled up in Kenny's eyes before he looked down at the dirt that surrounded his lonely home. "I'll see you in heaven." Kenny began to cry, but he should have realized that she would always be innocent. That she would always keep chasing fireflies.