The State Files

Happy 4th (and 3rd) of July!

The fireworks blasted off from the streets, lighting the trees around them and mixing with the sound of grilling meat.

The states all crowded around the picnic area. The sun had just started to lower into the southern horizon. The fireflies had just started to come out, and the crickets cooed from their hiding places in the grass.

Samuel Jett Jones, the personification of Idaho, layed on the cold summer grass, watching as nearby sprinklers were interrupted as Citali and Macario ran through them.

He loved the 4th of July. The smells, the sights, the feeling, it just felt so..homely to him.

A bigger state sat down next right to him, along with another smaller state to his left.

"Porter and Beau are firing the fir-"

BOOM!

"-Fireworks," Wilder grinned, unfazed by the loud interruption. Wilder was a lot bigger than his two neighbors but wasn't the tallest compared to other states. His hair was messy brown, his skin a slight tan, and his eyes green. A Montana cowboy hat rested on his head, matching with Wyoming's Bullrider hat.

Next to the Gem State, Jesse Jones simply nodded. Wyoming was never big on talking, being the least populated state. He had blonde hair and blue eyes which made him look a little like their dad, which Idaho was a bit envious about. The only difference was that Wyoming didn't need glasses and that his skin was a tiny bit tanner.

Sammy hummed in response. "Let's just lay here for a bit."

"You wanna lay here? How boring! C'mon, let's play catch or something, I hate sitting here," Wilder complained.

Jesse rolled his eyes, crossing his legs.

"Just for a bit," Sammy looked into the distance, watching as Tennessee and Missouri set up fireworks.

Santiago and Evangeline threw different meat and vegetables onto the grill by the house. Vangie was adding various spices to give the steak that famous Louisianan taste-a taste Idaho appreciated very much. The American flag hung from a pole on the house, brushing against anyone who walked near it.

Standing nearby, America stood talking to a guy Sammy hadn't noticed before. He held a white stuffed bear thing in his arms, and Wilder could have sworn it moved.

Sammy smiled. Despite not being the most popular state, he still had great pride in his father. He usually found himself comparing himself with him. Blonde hair, blue eyes...Okay. Idaho was exaggerating. Sammy's own eyes were a lot darker, and his hair was a curly ball of dull blonde, like wheat fields.

Idaho sighed. Not noticing how Wilder was nudging him until he called out, "Sammy! You damn cowpoke, im talkin to ya!"

"Huh? Oh yeah, what is it?" He smiles.

Wilder huffs, and grins. "Well...Me n Jesse gotcha a lil somethin'," Wilder shuffled, fishing for something behind him and pulling out a box.

"What's this?" Sammy questioned.

"Don't tell me you forgot!" Wilder looked at Jesse and grinned. "It's July 4th!" He puts the box into Idaho's hand.

"Shouldn't ya be giving gifts to Dad?"

"We already gave him one! Plus, Dad said he didn't need all that much, though I think he was just trying to seem modest." Wilder explained. "Plus, you never get gifts."

"Why would I get gifts on Dad's Independence Day?"

"What comes before July 4th?"

"...July 3rd, but-"

"Exactly! July 3rd! Your statehood," Wilder chimed. Jesse helpfully added in with a nod.

"That already passed."

"It was a day ago! Cmon! It still counts," Wilder assured. "Your old rats, dude. We couldn't forget it."

Sammy's eyes lit up, he took a glance at the box, rubbing the edges with his fingers. "Well...I couldn't turn it down, that would be rude."

He broke out into a grin as he tore the paper off and ripped the box open.

Inside the boy, a small figure was messily wrapped in tissue paper. As he unwrapped it, he found the clay figure of a mountain bluebird.

Okay...a very poorly made figure of one.

The paint was chipped and uneven, the blue color was a lighter shade than how it was supposed to be, and there were fingerprints and smudges everywhere. It looked more like a deformed duck than a bluebird.

Despite its poorly made workmanship, Sammy tenderly lifted it out of the box and smiled widely.

"Im guessin you made this?"

"Yep! Me and Jess spent all day making it, ya like?"

Sammy grinned even wider. The truth was that it looked absolutely hideous. Extremely revolting. "It's perfect!"

How long had it been since he received a gift? It felt like ages...maybe since 1994? Eh....Sammy doesn't remember. States he was close to like Utah, Montana, Wyoming, and the occasional Oregon usually just spent time with him on his statehood day. Even then, it would be a few days late. Everyone was always caught up with the 4th, the 3rd didn't seem as special.

Sammy slapped them on the back, earning a slight gruff from Jesse.

"It's awful! Thank you."

"Heh, you're welcome!" Wilder puffed his chest out and grinned back. Jesse cracked a smile and chuckled to himself.

He smiled to himself and let out a breath, watching the horizon get dimmer and dimmer, the fireworks getting brighter. This had been such a wonderful celebration so far, and Sammy wished it could last forever. Given his immortality, it was a possibility.

A firework in the distance crashed into the car window, shattering it into pieces and making the alarm go off.

"Porter! Beau!"

Yep. What a wonderful celebration.