Quote:
The Lantern Festival (7) : Scientists have been hard at work trying to understand the strange, glowing qualities of the luminescent caterpillars found in the caves by the reservoir. The caterpillars still shrivel up if they are taken out of the caves but their glowing secretions have been processed into an organic paste that can withstand the outside world. The city is selling paper lanterns infused with various seeds. The glow paste is full of minerals to support healthy plant growth without risking damage to the environment; all lantern purchases come with a small packet of activating power that will heat the paste up enough to mimic the effects of a candle without the concerns of flammability. When the glow paste loses its heat, the lantern will return to the Earth and upon the first rain (or any contact with water) the paper will dissolve and the seeds may begin to grow. All proceeds from the lanterns are put right back into the community to support local conservation and environmental protection efforts.

Wordcount: 617


It was rather simple really. A frame covered in paper, a little packet of powder, and a dark night. A few dozen people lighting the hundreds of lanterns and sending them off to soar through the sky. A beautiful sight for sure. One straight out of a Disney movie in fact. A perfect backdrop for a very special question. One that, if answered ‘yes’, would change two people’s lives forever.

Ophilia, though, was not impressed. She was there to be one of the people who would send off the lanterns. How she ended up doing this was a bit of a mystery even to herself. And yet there she was, slathered in bugspray and prepping the dozen lanterns she was given. The concept was sweet, she guessed. Each lantern was meant to symbolise a different moment in the couple’s lives. A memory. At least metaphorically since there were definitely not enough lanterns for that. Each lantern would eventually return to earth, dissolving and in the process, sprouting new life as the seeds embedded in the paper scattered into the ground.

“How romantic,” one of Ophilia’s friends, more like an acquaintance, sighed. Talking to the woman next to her. Ophilia wasn’t a part of their conversation but she couldn’t help but overhear. It wasn’t exactly like they were being quiet.

“Oh, I know. I wish my boyfriend would do stuff like this.”

“LoL,” Ugh she actually said lol outloud. “Your boyfriend wouldn’t know romantic if you hit him with flowers.”

“He would too! We actually went out to watch the meteor shower just the other day. Did your boyfriend do that?”

“Nope… we just enjoyed our own little shower if you get my drift,” Ophilia nearly gagged at the idea of her friend’s personal life. Why? Why did people think it was appropriate to talk about such things in public? At home, sure. In someone’s living room with a glass of wine while they chatted, fantastic. But in an open space with more than a dozen people around? It was bizarre.

“What about you Ophilia?” It honestly took a moment for the dark haired woman to realize they had turned their focus on her.

“What about what?” She asked, both confused by the question and doing her best to pretend that she hadn’t just learned some spicy info that she would rather have not learned.

“Did you go see the meteor shower?”

“Oh, yes. My parents held a viewing party so it was quite enjoyable.” For the most part, she silently added. The party really had been entertaining if only she hadn’t been introduced to ‘a very nice boy’. Again. Ophilia was getting rather tired of her mother’s machinations, at least she got a little gold star charm out of it.

“That sounds like…. Fun,” The first woman responded before tossing a look over at the other. “Oh look! They are here!” She pointed at the couple that just appeared on the walking path, glad to have an excuse to change the topic.

On the predetermined signal everyone started to light their lanterns until one after another the paper creations took flight. As the lights floated into the sky the man got down on one knee and pulled out a little box, he was proposing. Even Ophilia paused lighting her last lantern to watch. A cheer arose, along with her lantern, as the woman practically flung herself at the man. She had obviously said yes.

Ophilia didn’t really understand the hype but she hoped the union would be a happy one. Rather than watch the two blubbering engaged people she watched the lanterns float into the dark sky.

It really was pretty, if extravagant.