The best worst day ever

“Are you coming tonight?” Marcus asked staring at the oncoming traffic. His friend Cassidy made a face.

“I guess, it's over on Maroa, right? Cassidy said signaling for him to run, they darted across the street. Barely making it in time. Marcus rubbed his arm sheepishly.

“Please come, it will be fun I promise”

“Last time you promised we would have fun, we had to outrun the cops your nigh or stupid dog, ” She yelled kicking him.

“Ow, what was that for?”

“Not letting me kick the dumb dog” she huffed walking over to the bus bench for a break. Rolling his eyes Marcus followed after her and flopped down on the bench. Waiting to make sure she still wasn’t angry he waited before he spoke.

“If we go Donnie promised to bring some fireworks” Marquez tried hard to bribe her and eventually broke her down. Cassidy begrudgingly agreed to attend the festivities. It wasn’t her favorite thing to do. However, if Donnie Malone was involved it was going to be a good time. Donnie was two years older, just pushing the adult factor. So he was able to hook them up with fireworks, beer, and all kinds of other things.

     While Cassidy was listing her demands the bus turned the corner, signaling the time as 3:30. Waving the bus driver on, she stood up agreeing to meet him at his house at 5:00 sharp there alibis would be they were staying at each other's houses. Now for most boys and girls, this would be wired. However, the two had grown up side by side. 

“Your mom's gonna want pictures” Cassidy laughed snapping a picture only to receive a tongue sticking out sassily at her.

“I know, let's just take them to your place before we go,” Marquez suggested happily pleased that she would be attending with him. Cassidy and Marcus made their way towards Cassidy‘s house. She unlocked the door and ran upstairs to talk to her mom and ran back down to pillage the kitchen. Snatching up all the good foods in Menchie’s they made tons of snacks, put them into a bag, and snatched up some drinks, and left the house. Quickly they circled back around snapping a photo in front of her rose bushes, in the kitchen, and on the couch, after that, they had headed to Marcus’ House and played the same charade 

   The whole entourage and the fact that he made to escape to the words was eventful and hilarious. The scene they were met with was even more hilarious considering that half the people there had their faces painted like at a kids’ carnival. Annamarie, one of Donnie's best friends ambushed them and made them let her paint their faces. Marcus went with a cat while Cassidy went with a butterfly.

“Thanks, Anna”

“You're welcome,” she said, snapping a picture of them. “Remember we’re not here” “oh got it,” Anna said untagging the photo she was about to post. 

“You guys wanna see my new pet!” She said pulling out her phone. Enthusiastically she rattled for the next 20 minutes before Donnie came and save them. Donnie and what one would call a big personality which meant that he likes to go big. Unveiling a red wagon he pulled back the covered crate which held hundreds of different kinds of fireworks. 

“I got these from a guy in San Diego,” he said the whole thing of a strange green-colored firework that had a long twisted fuse. Cassidy eyed the firework with caution. Before she could voice her concern about having so many fireworks in one place the boys began launching them off. Not wanting to be the bearer of bad news She allowed them to continue with their fun because after all, how often did something bad happen?

    As if to lull her into a false sense of security the first few fireworks went fine and they went off with a bang filling up almost the whole night sky. It was a grand old time. That was until Donnie's friend Copper got A little too big for his britches and picked up one of the big as he was lighting that one. In his free hand, he had picked up a Roman candle and lit it. Chaos and pain into it after that. With an instinct, he dropped the Roman candle into the box of fireworks sparking a change reaction. Like a bomb had been dropped each fire worked reacted. 

     It was A mad scramble of 10 teens in varying directions. Boom. Blast. Pop. Trees and fire flow about and a fiery distraction that rains down upon them. Cassidy and Marquez did their best to avoid the following flames. Annamarie was not so lucky as a piece of falling fire had landed on her shoulder and singed a golf ball-sized hole into her flesh. Her hair Head also taking damage shortening it into a bob on one side. Frantically they ran from the chaos. Not Knowing that Copper and three others were dead or dying.

The whole Mount side was ablaze that spread fast fanning out around them like a plague. It ate up everything that it touched. Frantically the survivors scattered running from the flames. Cassidy looked around taking in the other faces. Each one left their own amount of terrified and heard the thing that stuck with her for the rest of her life was the fact that there was nothing she could do to help them. If it hadn’t been for Marcus they all would have died. He had to lead them towards the river where they hide until fire and rescue showed up. They were less than forgiving. The fire refused to quit and consumed hundreds of miles of land and did a horrible amount of damage. The children were all separately charged with different counts of vandalism and destruction. Only Donnie was charged as an adult. What started as a good night and a fun time ended with the worst day of all of their lives beginning a part of public record. A global scrutiny.