With July 4th just days away, everyone was going crazy. "Calm down, calm down," said Ashley, but everyone ignored her. She just sat there watching everyone.

"Ashley, help out," her mother told her.

"No. I don't wanna be like everyone else," she replied.

It was hectic until the night of the celebration. So far everything was running horribly for Ashley. Ice cream had been dripped on her head. She had been slapped in the face with a doll. And she got pushed into the water!

"Mom I wanna leave!" the ten-year-old demanded.

"No," her mom replied and walked away.

Then it was time for the firework display. "Five. Four. Three. Two. One!" everyone counted down.

"Ow!" Ashley shouted. Wherever she went, she got burnt by the extra sparks of fire.

The night’s events finally ended. "I am so angry right now! I am never coming here for the fourth again," she said.

"We agree," she heard everyone else say. It was true. Everyone regretted going to celebrate July 4th at a place where things were not well organized and so they never went back there again.

© 2009 Ashley W. Original for CCF. Ashley W grants CCF first electronic rights for one month; CCF may archive the material indefinitely and include it in an eBook anthology.

* CCF does not publish students' last names on the work they submit for publication.