The big city may have been peppered with moving dots of light, but once the chimneys gave way to cypresses and the cobblestones to spongy bog, the entire sky was glowing golden. Fireflies swirled in every inch of space, dancing and cheering and generally having a grand old time as only bayou folks could.
"Yeah, lookin' good dere, Cousin Otis!" crowed a bug with broken teeth and a few strands of wispy red hair. The skinny weed of a firefly glowed brightly as he swung his partner around in a circle. "Bon-soir, dere, Leanne!" The broken-toothed firefly darted on tattered wings through the crowd until he found a smaller bug. "Gotta love a good ol' party, yeahright!"
"Hey, Ray-Ray, how come ya'll ain't dancin'?" asked the other bug, with her hands on her hips.
"Jes' lookin' fo' a gal who can keep up wit' me, know what I'm sayin', Angela?" Ray asked with a mischievous grin.
"Somebody who can't dance even when he ain't leadin'?" Angela shot back, grinning with all four of her teeth. Ray laughed—the whole family knew he was the proud carrier of two left wings, but that didn't stop him from joining in the festivities when the sun went down. "Come on, Raymond, we gon' get you t' stop actin' like some kinda waiter o' sumtin'."
"Angela!" Ray feigned shock as she took two of his hands and started to drag him into the middle of the fray. "Dat like dancin' wit' ma sista o' sometin'!"
"It is dancin' wit' yo sista," Angela retorted. "What do ya'll care anyhow? You ain't got a girl t' dance wit', might as well be me!"
"Jes' rip ma wings out, darlin', rip 'em right outta me." Both of them laughed, and Ray swung Angela around in a wide circle to the delight of the whole family. Ray was always the life of the party, chattering away to anyone who would listen and bringing a smile to everyone's face, but it was rare to see him actually join in.
"Hey, Ray-Ray, ya'll heard o' de new bug in de bayou?" asked Angela after a while. "Dey're sayin' she a city bug—no idea 'bout life in de swamp, no way."
"Dat don' mean nuttin'," Ray laughed. "Jes' mean we gotta teach her's all. She gon' be part o' de family in no time, yeah."
"When you get yo' hands on here, I'm sho' she will," Angela smirked. "Ya'll get fireflies from miles 'round to join in de fun. If'n anyone can get de city bug a good welcome it's you, Ray-Ray."
Ray laughed and turned away from her. "Ya'll flatter me, Angie, yeah."
"It true—oh, look, dere she is!"
Ray whirled around so fast he was sure he had ripped another hole in his wings. The "city bug" was flying slowly towards the party, face turned down, but green eyes looking shyly up at the other fireflies. Her wings were perfect gossamer, and her antennae stood straight out of a neat pile of bright red hair. Ray felt his heart skipping a beat just looking at her, even if she did give off the unmistakable aura of being different.
"She a city bug all right," noted Angela derisively. "Look, she even got all her teef! Hey, Ray, where'd ya go?"
The city bug, too, froze in surprise when she realized Ray was right next to her. "Don't be afraid, chere, I ain't gon' hurt ya. Jes' comin' t' say hi dere, yeah!" The bug blinked her long eyelashes at him and seemed to glow a little brighter. "Dat right, we friendly here in de swamp, yeah! My name Raymond, everybody call me Ray."
"E-Evangeline," said the city bug in a melodious, whispery voice.
"Well, wouldja look at dat? She talks!" Ray laughed. "And iff'n dat ain't de purdiest name I eva did hear! Ya'll dance, Evangeline?" And as he led her right into the middle of the party, it stopped mattering that he was the worst dancer in the family. All that mattered was that they were glowing brighter than any of the stars in the sky, brighter than the moon itself.