First Fires

A young girl, cheeks flushed with excitement, celebrates her first real Bonfire Night. She stands near the roaring blaze, its golden light flickering across her wide-eyed face. Her red hair catches the firelight like a crown of embers. She wears a cozy knit jumper and corduroy skirt, bundled in a scarf too big for her, its ends fluttering in the crisp November air. Around her, sparklers crackle, fireworks bloom in the sky, and the scent of smoke and toffee apples fills the night. Her joy is unfiltered, part awe, part freedom. As if this moment marks a rite of passage into something bigger than herself. The scene is both intimate and theatrical, a memory being etched in fire and light.