Fog and Fireflies

"Norah, make sure this coat reaches Ethan's place by sundown, will ya? The lad can be a bit fussy," Mrs. Blane said as she handed Norah a peculiar garment wrapped in waxy paper. The shop smelled of thread and aging timber, comforting smells that made Norah feel at home. "Don't worry, Mrs. B. I'll deliver it straight," Norah replied, tucking a wild strand of hair behind her ear. She slung the package beneath her arm and waved as she stepped out onto the cobblestoned streets of Glowhearth. Glowhearth was different from most villages. Always blanketed in a certain mystery, with an odd fog that seemed to seep into one's senses with stories yet untold. As Norah wound her way through the lanes, the sun began to dip, casting peculiar shadows that danced with the rhythm of her footsteps. Her destination was a quaint house, painted an odd shade of lilac, situated at the end of Sparrow's End Lane. Ethan, whose reputation for being both amiable and elusive, offered services that ranged from peculiar potions to counsel on matters of the heart. She knocked hesitantly. It wasn’t long before the door creaked open. Ethan, with tousled hair and specks of mystery in his eyes, greeted her with a nod. "The coat, right? I was eagerly awaiting it." He accepted the package and, without much ceremony, invited her in. That was when Norah first noticed something curious. The room glimmered with an unearthly glow, tiny luminescent creatures flitting in and out of view.