Follow My Lead Flash Fiction Contest

Happy Friday, all. A little bit of flash fiction today in the form of my entry in Candilynn Fite's Follow My Lead contest for July 2012. Here's the image prompt:

Hope you enjoy! Head here to check out all the other wonderful entries.

Remember, Remember (300 words)

Molly shifted on the windowsill and looked down at the ground, then back at the fireworks which continued to boom and flaunt their colours above her. Remember, remember, the 5^th of November. She wasn’t going to forget last year’s. That’s when she’d gone to the big display on the common, like she had every year since she was little – except, instead of her parents, she’d gone with Neil. Of course she’d replayed that night an infinitesimal number of times, but tonight, it was showing in 3D.

“Come on,” he’d said. “They’ve got millions, they’re not going to miss one or two.” She didn’t mind helping him steal. She always used to be up for a laugh and a thrill. Used to be.

No one could explain what had made the box blow up in her hands. Just a freak accident. Neil had disappeared, rather than get into trouble or – God forbid – try to help. The skin on her face had been melted so that she hardly resembled the girl she used to be, and a year later she still had hospital appointments each week and still felt the agonising tightness.

She knew some people were disgusted at the sight of her. They thought she’d brought it on herself by helping a loser like him in the first place. She used to love a bad boy. That had changed too.

He was there tonight, trying to impress a new girl who didn’t know his reputation. But they were just there to watch.

Molly looked at the ground again. She pictured it rushing up to meet her as those exploding fireworks had rushed to singe her skin and ruin her life. But that wouldn’t change Neil’s. How could it when he had no conscience? Sighing, she lowered herself down into her bedroom.