Stuck In Midnight

The Night Time Stopped Pt 1

It all started back before WW3. . .

The world after that would never be the same. As soon as New Years' hit, everyone, and their grandma thought the next year was going to be paradise. The year for second chances, completing goals, and having fun. Looking back I laugh at how wrong we were. For the sake of time, I'm going to spare you the details. 

By the time New Years' came around, everyone was ecstatic as always for the next year to begin and bring what we all hoped was a bright and happy future. Nobody knew what was actually coming and nobody wanted to.

I got ready to leave my house and go to the town square for the fireworks display. My older brother had picked me up and drug me out of our house so I knew I didn't have a choice not to go. When we got there I couldn't see the streets or sidewalks because of the sea of people, some wearing masks and others not. People had bulky winter outfits and scarfs piled up to their ears and the air smelt like frost and gasoline. I pushed through the people to get to what I believed was the great lawn but I couldn't be sure. I stopped because I caught a glimpse of a young boy about 15 behind the display. I crept up to the side of the display and realized he was tampering with it! So I crawled behind the display and through the grass to the pedestal. 

He didn't see me because his focus was trained on what he was doing. I saw two other kids creeping up towards him from other directions. I felt something behind me and I jumped. A hand went to my mouth and I turned around slowly to see a dark handsome face in front of mine. He looked at me sternly and motioned not to speak. Then I turned back around and he crawled beside me staring at the other people who looked surprised and exchanged stares till everyone nodded and we jumped towards the guy tampering with the display. 

"HANDS UP AND STEP AWAY FROM THE PEDASTAL!" I shouted as the others shouted different things. The boy fell backward, mouth open in shock.

"AHH!! Who are you?!".

I glared at him and said, "That doesn't matter right now! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? That firework isn't yours is it?".

"Uh...No. B-But I can explain!" He reasoned shakily.

The others circled him as he stood up. I could tell from his eyes that he was scared. Although he seemed scared he managed to take a deep breath and slowly explain himself.

"Ever since COVID began I was subjected to stay in the house thus forth not being able to complete any science projects that I was working on at school. So when I saw the commercial on T.V that Boise was going to have a grand fireworks display, I wanted to fix the fireworks." 

"Wait, what do you mean by fix?" I asked quietly as the others all turned their gaze to me.

"I was getting to that!" He told me, sounding frustrated.  "The fireworks that people make are so boring. I was hoping that with my knowledge of science and mechanical engineering I could improve the design of the explosion and also prolong the effects. Thus making the firework show more entertaining and being able to contribute my talents to SOMETHING. "

The two others looked at each other talking with what seemed to be just facial expressions.

The one on the left was a short girl who, like me, had a fluffy/bubbly frame. She had short blue hair and dark brown eyes with gold-like centers. Her fashion sense seemed to be goth and witchy, with lots of blacks and other dark colors. The one on the right was a guy who was taller than her but pretty short to me, he had a small shriveled frame and orange hair like a pumpkin spice latte. His freckles seem to dance around his face like brown stars and his eyes were more blue than the ocean. He seemed to dress in sweaters or anything plain.

"If it doesn't hurt anything or anyone maybe you should do it." The short girl softly suggested.

"I second that! It would be awesome if the explosion looked better than whatever the government instated for this city." Shouted the pumpkin boy.