The Clockmaker’s Fireflies

A clockmaker who despised gears and springs invented clocks powered by bottled fireflies. The tiny insects glowed brighter at midnight, dimmer at dawn, and flickered playfully whenever someone nearby felt hopeful. People loved them, saying the clocks made time feel alive. When the clockmaker grew older, he released all the fireflies into the night sky. For years afterward, villagers claimed that time itself sparkled over the rooftops, reminding them that moments—like fireflies—are precious because they glow only briefly.