little light

Whenever I start to write a poem or a story, I always need to find a song or any piece of music that matches it.  I play it again and again while writing. It's like wine to my muse.

So today, I needed to submit a writing exercise to the Internet writing workshop. The theme of the week was "Little light of mine":

In 400 words or less write a scene that takes place on the night of the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, and show us someone or something bringing light into the darkness.

I had no idea what I was going to write. So I thought of things that light up: candles, light bulb, sunlight, and then I got it-- fireworks!  Then I remembered a song I heard from a Taiwanese boyband:

I don't speak Chinese and yet this song managed to bring a story out of me. Music is wonderful that way, yes?   I kept playing it over and over the whole day, even though I didn't understand a word.  Here's the little scene that I wrote, I hope you all like it-- I do. Thanks F4!  Happy New Year everyone!

Two small figures ran to the playground. "Hurry up! Someone might see us!"
The girl felt her heart pound. She was tired.
"Faster, fat ass." the boy whispered.
She glared at him. "My parents will kill me if they found out about this."
"I know." he said and smiled.
"I hate you."
He laughed. She always made him feel better about being an orphan. He sat on the ground and watched her lumber.
"Hey, that's the watch that you wanted."
She looked at the pink glow-in-the-dark watch on her arm. "Yeah, my sister gave it to me this Christmas. Jealous?"
"Please, it's a girl's watch. What time is it?", he said.
She pushed up her glasses and looked again. "Uh.. it's late."
"Really, what time?"
"Like, bedtime late."
"Like, what exact time?"
"Like time for you to shut up that's what!"
He laughed so hard, he fell back on the snow. He barely felt the snowball that hit him in the chest. His laughter echoed, probably all the way to The Home. He didn't care.
Suddenly, she was standing over him, hands at her hips.
"Did you bring a lighter?"
"Yeah." she said.
He stood up and opened his backpack. There were four small skyrockets inside. One of the kids at the orphanage knew someone who knew someone who made them.
"This is going to be awesome."
"I know!"
He set them carefully on the ground and then bowed at her. She booed him.
"Alright, I'll let you have the first one. Then I'll go, then you again." he said.
Her smile faded. She took out the lighter, images of blood and burnt hands came to her mind. She looked at him, afraid. He took the lighter from her hand.
"Sorry."
He waved his hand. "Hey, if you're scared you might do something wrong. I don't want you to lose your arm. How else can you wear that pretty watch and tell the time?"
She laughed and punched him in the chest.
"Alright here goes." He lit the wick of the first one. "Stand back!"
They ran and covered their ears. The rocket made a hissing sound and shot upwards. They screamed and hugged each other as it burst in the night sky, forming a brilliant ball of gold. A cold winter wind blew at them, yet they had never felt this warm before.