2 Illusions and Magical Fireflies!?

Okay, so I was just kidding.

I'm not that much of a rule-breaker and since he said going out is kinda dangerous, I don't want to risk my life just for fun.

And let's say I went out I didn't get eaten by some wild animal, I can bet my pocket money on the fact that I'll get caught by the officials while in the act, with my personality, I can't seem to break rules and go scot-free and from what the guy said, I'm guessing there would be a very gruesome punishment for offenders.

After much contemplation, I decided to just go complain to the authorities after the curfew's over about how much suffering I went through and make sure they compensate me for it in any fucking way.

And when I say suffering, I mean loads of boredom.

I think I forgot to introduce myself, I'm so sorry for my lack of courtesy.

I'm Layla Thomas, a New Yorker who would be twenty-four years old in three months, a blonde with bright and beautiful blue eyes, and a lady with an average height of 5'9.

Height is one of the things that pisses me off about this town.

Over there in NY, I am tall, like I'd be walking in the street and I'd be towering over some girls but over here, I seem to be one of the shortest people around.

If I am beside the males, I always consider it okay and partially cute since generally males are supposed to be taller than females.

But with my gender? No, not a chance in hell will I feel good about it, not when almost all of them tower over me with at least an inch or half, it's just too intimidating.

Their average height if it's to be calculated with the number of people who are taller than me, it's 5'8 and that's what pisses me off.

Wondering why I'm here and not home?

Well after I finished college last year with a degree in business administration which by the way is a very hard course to study, I decided to squander at least a year of my life roaming about in cities my luck bring me to before going back home to lose my freedom by burying myself in the legacy my dad had set up.

Being the only child of a single parent, I had everything delivered to me on a platter of gold which is why life seems like a very boring place to me.

Just so I could have fun, I've always been spontaneous about almost every decision I make in life. It doesn't only help me have fun though, it also made me see life differently.

Not as a suffocating place where I have to be what people or society wants me to be but as a place where I can be myself, where I can act according to the things that makes me happy without thinking of what other people might think about it.

Spontaneity is the best way to have fun trust me, do some things without thinking twice and make sure you don't go back on your word, you'll see just how much your soul will heal and get over the consistent boredom that exists in humans.

Back to where I was, how to spend the next three days alone with the company of nothing but my phone and laptop.

I'm now I'm regretting not getting a pet dog when I went to the animal care last month, at least now I would have one living company with me. It's just that I on a normal day don't have the time to take care of any other thing except myself, so I had to decide against it despite seeing all those cute little things.

Re-thinking, I would love to stay with my neighbors and get to know them better but then, apart from them being total strangers, I'd hate it with passion if I were the one in their shoes.

I hate impromptu visits and even if I were nice enough by not shoving you out with immediate effect, I'll make sure you know I don't like the fact that you're around.

And I don't really like it when I do things I can't allow others to do to me to them.

After much thoughts about how to spend those days, I decided to just accept my fate and go grocery shopping since I don't have many foodstuffs left at home and I have a feeling I would eat much more during those days.

Around 4 pm I went out to get the things I'll be needing which include tons of food, junk, alcohol, and more junk.

After paying I realized the things I bought could literally last for more than a week but I plan on finishing them in just three days and I'll see to it that I do

I hope it's already obvious I love food. I have a personal motto, 'Before anything, food first' and this I because, without energy, you can't face your problems and you can gain energy from food.

On my way home, I saw some of my street members talking in front of the street's church, and guessing it's about the curfew, I decided to join them.

"Milton said he saw some wolves, about four of them while he was doing his evening patrol yesterday night, I guess that's exactly why the curfew was placed" I heard Rebecca say as I got closer to them, she lives like 3 blocks away from me

"Angela also said the same thing like five days ago, she said she was taking a night stroll when she saw a big animal there, it was a very scary story and she couldn't even breath well while telling it, she said she had to run all the way home" a woman whom I recognize as Elsie said, Angela is her daughter and only child and from the horror pasted on her face as she said that, I guess they much have been very scared

"Good evening Layla" the women greeted immediately they saw me

"Evening women," I said getting ready to join the gist, hoping I would know better about what's going on

"Has anyone from Jackson's crew been to your apartment today?" one of them asked, she identifies as Elsa, Elsie's identical twin sister, and please note, I'm not sure I'm calling them by their right names, they are just too identical to be distinguished, and just in case you're wondering how I go to know their names, remember, this is a small town and everybody knows everybody, it's just kinda surprising how I didn't hear about the animal sighting when I came here.

And Jackson is the police chief officer, a hot man in his early forties and I'm guessing the hot guy I saw this afternoon is one of his guys.

"Yes, I saw one of his guys and he told me there is a curfew and when I was coming here I heard you guys talking about some animal sighted in some forest like that," I said, hoping that would be enough response to prying out more from them

"Yes my dear, some of our children and men and even Olivia, said they saw some animals in the forest north of here. Thinking they were just mistaken since there are tons of illusions causing fireflies around that area in the night, the authorities didn't do anything about it, well not until last week when the reports were more than 5 did they agree to check it out with the hunters" June said, the most cheerful of them all, staying right opposite me.

I love her specially, she baked extraordinarily delicious cookies for me the day I arrived and told me I could come to her anytime I need help.

And Olivia is the town's granny. I heard she's 98 years old and she's lost almost all her teeth. I saw her just once and that was when my street members came to give me a housewarming two days after I settled down.

"Wait a moment there, do fireflies causes illusions? Seems like it's my first time hearing that" I asked

"Scientifically they don't, but according to Olivia and some older citizens, they are magical flies which has been in that forest since forever, definitely harmless but sometimes causes illusions based on what's on your mind, but Olivia said she wasn't even thinking anything close to animals when she saw them" Rebecca explained.

It was the magical part for me, I've never heard of it before and that alone makes me more curious than anything.

Right now, it's more than tempting to go into that forest, it's calling.

"Yes, the illusion thing has happened to me like twice now, honestly I've had my happiest moment in that forest," Elsie said smiling as if she remembered something so good and heartwarming which automatically heightened my willingness to go into that forest.

Apart from beautiful trees and flowers, it is accompanied by magical fireflies!?

'I have to go there I thought determinedly

"I actually planned on going there this evening too, but then with the curfew and danger, I guess I can't do that anymore," June said and I look at her with more love, we were thinking exactly the same thing

"Same here June, same here," I said dramatically "It's so painful trust me," I said wiping away invisible tears which made everyone laughed

"I know right" she replied with a huge smile

"I bet Ryan's waiting for me as we speak," Elsa said which brought our attention to the fact that it's getting dark

"Oh yes, we totally forget about our husbands" June said with a smile

"What a shame, I'm the only one here single," I said again dramatically which made them laugh again

"What a funny creature, common we weren't trying to make you jealous and you know that," Elsa said patting my back before she and her twin walked away, leaving just I, June, and Rebecca to walk home since we stay on the same lane

"That reminds me, would you be okay staying alone or would you come over to my place?" June asked as we were walking home

"Oh no don't bother about me, I'm good," I said with a smile so fake, since I know I'm nothing close to good

"Are you sure? You know you are free to come to our place right? Staying indoors can be very boring at times you know?" she said in a persuasive voice and I wanted to scream that I know!

"And if you're thinking about her husband, you can come to stay at mine, my husband isn't around as of the moment, just my kids, and I promise they are not disturbing," Rebecca said and I'll be lying if I said it wasn't tempting, it was so tempting but I just can't, not with the odds

"Dearies don't worry about me, I'll be fine," I said still with my fake smile

"Okay then, if you say so," they said syncing and I almost said jinx but I just kept shut

And after some minutes of walking, we parted and I entered my house after bidding June goodnight.

Now I'm left with just myself and my room and I'd be lying if I said the magical fireflies weren't calling unto me in voices so loud that I had to turn on the music and put it in a very high volume.