Night Time Story: The Butterflies of Midnight

Deep in the heart of the enchanted glade, where the grass shimmered like silver, lived the Butterflies of Midnight. They were no ordinary butterflies—their wings carried the whispers of time itself, revealing glimpses of the future to those who dared to listen.

One evening, a girl named Elara wandered into the glade. She had heard the stories but never believed them—until the moment a midnight-blue butterfly landed on her shoulder and whispered,

“The prince will call your name before the moon fades.”

Elara’s heart pounded. The prince? He had never spoken to her before. Could it be true?

She raced back to the village, her mind spinning. As dawn neared, the prince rode through the marketplace. Just as the moon began to fade, he stopped near her family’s stall.

“Elara,” he called, his voice gentle.

She gasped. It was true.

From that day on, she sought the butterflies every night, eager to hear more. Each time, their whispers came true—small things at first, then greater ones. She knew when it would rain, when the baker would burn his bread, and when a lost traveler would arrive at her door.

But as time passed, she noticed something strange. The more she listened, the less she acted on her own. She stopped making choices, waiting instead for the butterflies to guide her.

One night, she asked, “Tell me—what is my future?”

A butterfly landed on her hand, but this time, it did not speak.

Confused, she begged, “Please! Tell me what happens next!”

The butterfly only fluttered its wings, then vanished into the darkness.

Elara realized then that her future was empty—not because there was no fate waiting for her, but because she had stopped living it.

From that night on, she never returned to the glade. Instead, she made her own choices, walked her own path, and let the future come as it was meant to—one decision at a time.

And though the Butterflies of Midnight still whispered their secrets, Elara no longer listened. She had learned the most important secret of all—her future belonged to her.

By Lillian Evermore