A Dragonfly for Pete

It’s a day in March. Eric, the little dragonfly stood standstill on a dry twig of a plant eagerly waiting for his friend, Dolly, the hummingbird, who migrated to the south for the winter. Eric does not feel the chillness of winter as his mother tucked him warm inside their cute little home built at a nook of the bike shed near Pete’s house. Pete is also a small boy like him.

At times, curious little eyes of Pete would peep in and look into their home. In the beginning, Eric was afraid of Pete. As days went on both of them became familiar to each other. Though they don’t talk or play together, they know each other.

Eric always finds Pete chasing butterflies in the garden or swinging in the branches of trees that line the backyard. Pete’s favorite job is to fill in the bird feeder that is kept at the center of their little garden.? Numerous birds come there to eat the grains or drink water from the fountain near the bird feeder.

One day Pete’s mother kept a bird feeder that looked different and special. Pete was asking his mother too many questions about the special bird feeder. Pete’s mother replied to him that the special bird feeder is for the hummingbirds who are returning to their place after migration.?

Every morning Pete will clean the bird feeder and fill it with water mixed with honey.?? One day, Eric went to the bird feeder and tasted the water. It tasted so sweet; he went on sucking the water.

“Hello, can you give me space?”? Eric heard a shrill voice behind him. His numerous eyes glistened in the sunlight and looked at the tiny bird. The bird looked restless and her wings fluttered continuously. Eric flew away from the bird feeder and hopped on the nearby twig.? “Hi, I am Eric” Eric called her.

“I am Dolly,” the hummingbird replied to him.? From the day onwards, Eric always met Dolly in the forenoon.? After greetings, they will fly around the garden for a while. The hummingbird always seems to be in a hurry and never spends more than fifteen minutes with Eric.?

Now, Eric felt lonely without Dolly. Some of his dragonfly friends called him to join them and play hide and seek. Without much interest, he joined them.? Eric searched for a place to go and hide himself.? He flew to the open window of the kitchen and sat on the hinges. The half-opened window helped him to hide from his friends.

Pete at the same time came inside the kitchen to drink some water. Looking at the dragonfly on the hinges of the half-open door, Pete moved near to the window. Stealthily, he stretched his right arm and caught Eric. With his two fingers, he caught Eric by the wings and looked into his rotating multiple eyes.

Pete let him sit on his left arm. The long hairy legs of Eric tickled his skin and he started to giggle loudly.

Though Eric is familiar with Pete, he has never played with him like that. He made Eric tickle him like that for a while.

“Pete, let him fly” Pete’s mother shouted at him. “If the wings are torn, he could not fly.” With a beating heart, Eric waited for Pete to let him fly. Pete examined his transparent wings and the long and thin abdomen.

“Come again, little one.” With a cheerful laugh, Pete let Eric fly into the air.