Member-only story
The Snow Bee’s Journey
Making a lifelong friend
Jamie didn’t consider himself a hero, but his discovery on a crisp autumn afternoon would change that forever. While trudging home from the library, his nose stuck in a battered copy of an astronomy book, he stumbled upon a strange insect caught in a sprawling spider’s web in the park. It wasn’t just any bug — it looked like something from a science fiction movie. Around six inches long, it had an iridescent white body, wings shimmering like frozen waterfalls, and a peculiar, trunk-like mouth that reminded Jamie of a shrunken elephant. Its eyes, huge and glassy, seemed almost human in their depth.
The creature struggled weakly. Its icy glow was beginning to fade. Jamie didn’t think twice. He grabbed a stick, carefully lifted the spider’s web, and freed the insect. The tiny creature rested on his palm, its body cold as ice. Suddenly, a voice — not spoken but felt — echoed in Jamie’s mind.
“Thank you,” the voice whispered. “I am a snow bee. I need the cold to survive. Please, help me. Keep me cool.”
Shocked but determined, Jamie sprang into action. At school, his lunch box was the thick, insulated kind. It was perfect. He gently placed the snow bee on an ice pack inside, snapped it shut, and hurried home, his mind racing with questions.