"Come on, Mum!" Dan yelled. "We're gonna miss it!"
"Can't you pity your poor mother? I'm out of shape and don't have the energy for all this running," Lizzy called back, panting.
"Yeah, yeah, but you always have energy when you're with Dad," Dan teased, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"Ah! You naughty child!" Lizzy laughed. "Well, I'll show you your mum has energy every time not only with your father!"
With that, she dashed forward, her feet kicking up dust as she overtook him effortlessly.
"Come on Mum, now you're too fast! I can't keep up," Dan huffed, his small legs pumping harder.
"Now you're complaining that I'm too fast, kid? Well, make up your mind!" Lizzy laughed, her voice echoing through the trees.
It was the middle of the night, the air cool and thick with the scent of pine and damp earth. A meteor shower was supposed to light up the sky soon, and earlier that day, Lizzy had promised her son the perfect spot – a hidden valley just beyond the forest with an unbroken view of the stars. But Dan, impatient as only a child could be, had started fussing the moment the sun dipped below the horizon.
They crossed the dense forest, Lizzy leading the way with sure steps, while Dan trailed behind, his breathing growing ragged from the run. The trees eventually thinned out, revealing a wide-open grassland bathed in moonlight. A sea of wildflowers swayed gently in the breeze, their petals glowing softly thanks to hundreds of tiny glow worms flickering like living stars on the ground. With no trees blocking the horizon, the sky stretched endlessly above them – the perfect canvas for the coming spectacle.
Lizzy collapsed into the field of flowers, chest heaving. "W-well... slow poke... ain't your mum fast?" she gasped, trying to catch her breath, a tired but proud smile tugging at her lips.
"No fair! You're just bigger with longer legs," Dan yelled from a distance, still catching up. "Don't worry, when I'm all grown up, I'll be faster!"
After a while, Dan finally emerged from the forest and plopped down beside her. "Well, look at that. You're definitely faster... but at least I have more stamina," he teased.
"Oh, shut up," Lizzy said playfully, grabbing his leg and yanking hard. Dan tumbled into the flowers with a yelp. "See? You're tired too, or you wouldn't have fallen so easily," she laughed.
"Whoa, there are flowers everywhere!" Dan gasped as he sat up, dusting petals from his hair. "Aren't you scared of bugs, Mum? I'm sure they're all over, and you're just laying on the floor."
"If I was scared of bugs, would I be on the floor right now?" Lizzy replied with a smirk. Then her tone turned mock-serious. "Let me tell you, Dan... there are worms everywhere, and they could attack at any moment."
Dan jumped with fright. Worms were his deepest fear – the one creature he could never shake, no matter how hard he tried. The thought alone made his stomach twist.
"W-w-why would you bring me here if there are worms around?" he stuttered, eyes darting everywhere.
"Well, they're worms everywhere," Lizzy said matter-of-factly. "Most are just not in plain sight."
"Don't tell me that!" Dan's eyes welled up with tears. "I don't wanna be eaten by worms... they're everywhere!" He jumped again as a flower brushed his ankle, convinced it was something slimy.
"I'm joking," Lizzy burst out laughing. "There are worms everywhere, but I've never met one that eats people – alive, that is. Apart from the ones that turn into monsters. If there were monster worms here, I'd never bring you." She chuckled as Dan jumped at another flower.
"You're in a field of flowers, you can't keep jumping every time one touches you," she said, sneezing from the pollen. "When are you gonna get over your fear of worms?"
Lizzy got up and walked over to her son. "You see these lights around us?" She pointed at the tiny moving glows dotting the grass. "Would you believe if I told you they're all worms?" She smirked at the horrified look on his face.
She gently picked one up and brought it closer. Dan backed away, jumping at every little touch until he lost his balance and fell straight into the flower bed. The shock hit him hard – surrounded by what he imagined were worms everywhere. He burst into tears, body shaking.
Lizzy sat down near him but didn't pick him up right away. Instead, she spoke softly. "Wanna see something cool?"
She dropped the glow worm, then lifted her hand over his face, palm facing the sky. Her hand suddenly burst into bright flames. Dan's tears stopped instantly. He sat up, wiped his eyes, and leaned in closer, amazement replacing fear.
Lizzy smiled – her plan had worked. He'd forgotten all about the worms. She raised her hand higher, and the flame shot upward, exploding into tiny swirling sparks that danced in the air before gently landing back on her palm and vanishing.
"Whoa!" Dan yelled, completely forgetting he'd been crying moments ago.
"How did you do that? Was that magic? Do another!" he demanded excitedly.
"I will, but it'll be our little secret. Don't tell your dad, or he's gonna flip, you hear?" Lizzy said, pulling him into a warm hug.
"Why?" Dan asked, confused. "I'm sure Dad would be amazed that you use magic too."
"Oh no, you got the wrong idea," Lizzy laughed. "Your dad knows I use magic."
"Well, can he too? Can Dad use magic?" Dan's eyes lit up.
"Yeah, actually. Your dad can use magic, but he prefers not to. He says it makes us lazy," she chuckled.
"Can you do another?" Dan begged.
"Yeah, I can. But I'm an adamant user of flame magic – other types are beyond me." She stood up and walked a few paces away. "Now watch, and stay right there. I wouldn't want you getting hurt, or your dad will have my head." She joked, mimicking her head being chopped off. Dan giggled at the silly image.
She took a deep breath, spread her arms wide as if embracing the night itself, then slowly brought her palms together like in prayer. The air grew still. A huge gush of wind suddenly swirled toward her. Lizzy burst into flames – the fire lifted from her body like a glowing veil, forming a large ball of fire high above. It split into three smaller orbs that began revolving around her in a graceful, fiery dance.
She moved carefully, aware that even these beautiful flames could ignite the dry flowers if she wasn't precise. After a moment, she lifted her hands. The orbs shot skyward, collided in a brilliant explosion, and then – with a clasp of her palms – the fire dissolved into a million tiny sparkling lights that faded one by one, leaving only the moon and the soft glow of the worms.
"Whoa... that was so cool!" Dan yelled, jumping up and rushing toward her.
"Wait... wait!" Lizzy called urgently. "Don't come near me for another three minutes or you'll burn yourself. I'm kinda hot right now – and I mean it literally."
"You were like swoosh and clasp and pray and boom!" Dan said, trying to imitate her moves with wild arm gestures.
"Sorry, I'm a horrible dancer," Lizzy laughed, picking scorched petals off her clothes. "Other flame users would've done it way better."
Dan was about to reply when Lizzy suddenly hushed him. "Look up," she said with a wide grin.
A bright white streak crossed the sky, soon followed by dozens more. The meteor shower had begun.
After a while, Lizzy quietly moved beside her son and pulled him close. They sat together in the fragrant field of flowers, surrounded by the gentle glow of worms and the endless dance of shooting stars above. In that quiet moment, under the vast night sky, everything felt perfect.