Zachary didn’t care for the majority of Independence Day festivities. Parades were too loud and crowded, the town barbecue was much of the same. But the one redeeming quality was what they had at night: pyrotechnics. The lighting designer had always had an interest in them and knew the basics, he was far from being licensed to operate fireworks. But inevitably he found himself hanging back when they lit up the sky, wondering if he could ever do something that grand.

A smile creeped over his features when the first explosion went off, red, white, and blue sparks covering the canvas of the blank sky for a few short, wonderful moments.