them boys migrate to where it's hot

I remember asking Jono, my older brother where we were going.

"We're just gonna hang out. Karl found this cool new..."

"... cool new bright spot," I finished his statement bluntly. "But mom said..."

"Yeah. Yeah," Jono gruffly cut her off slowing down to his sister's pace. "Mom said that we should never ever come near bright spots. But see my dearest sister, we just hang out several wings away from the bright spot. Close enough to see it but far enough to be safe."

I frowned. True, mom doesn't want us anywhere near a bright spot. But more importantly, mom doesn't want him to hang with Gabe. She doesn't say why though. And that's what annoys my brother.

Shortly, we saw the bright spot. It was indeed beautiful. Flickering. Dancing with streaks of yellow, blue and orange. And not further from the spot was Gabe who was seemingly mesmerized, busily gawking at the object.

"Heya Gabe," I cheerfully greeted him as I fluttered to his left as Jono landed on the other side.

"Look at that beauty amigo," Gabe greeted Jono while keeping his head aimed straight ahead.

"My sister Keri. You've met her." Jono introduced me as he walked to face his friend.

"Yeah, yeah. Man, get out of the way."

Rude much. I muttered.

"I just have to get closer. It's calling out to me." He added as he pushed my brother aside, spread his wings and fluttered aimlessly towards the bright spot.

Jono was alarmed as he saw Gabe take off. "What the... hey! Stop! What do you think you're doing?" He looked at me and said, "stay here!"

"... but,"

"Just stay there," he yelled as he flew, trying to reach him before the latter reaches the bright spot. "Gabe! Stop!"

But it was too late as Gabe was already half-a-wing away from the bright spot, oblivious to the danger that he's in. Gabe got careless and accidentally turned his back to the bright spot to look at my brother. And then it happened, his wing was grazed by the bright which spread out and consumed him.

Jono rushed to his fallen friend, all burnt and well, dead. My brother stared at me with a defeated look. He was about to fly back when this giant appeared and quickly swatted my poor defenseless brother.

It was heinous. And all I could do was mouth the prolonged version of the word no as I stare at his crushed, flattened body.

"That would be enough Jaq. You may now sit down. That was, an interesting way of re-telling the story. So unless anybody has a question..."

A student rose up and asked, "Professor, that legend has already been taught to countless generations. It may have been told in different versions like how Jaq chose to present it, nevertheless it carries the same moral lesson. And yet, how come many of our kind seem to neglect or discard it and prefer to get, what's the word, burned? Do we really need to feel or experience things first hand in order for us to understand how it is, regardless of how damaging it would be for us?" He paused for a moment, curled up his antennae and added, "isn't it right that the burned moth teaches best?"

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Image from the gallery of ~merpati of Deviantart.com.