The Star Under the Banner — Under the loud pop-pop-pop of July fireworks, Etta held her little flag tight and wished for a quiet place to watch. Read the full story →
Under the loud pop-pop-pop of July fireworks, Etta held her little flag tight and wished for a quiet place to watch. The blanket was crowded, the grass tickled her ankles, and the banner by the flagpole snapped in the warm wind. Then something silver winked under its curled corner. Etta stepped out from the blanket, past sparklers hissing like tiny cats, even though the shadows under the trees looked extra dark.
The silver thing was not a coin. It was a paper star, taped to a note: “For the first brave watcher—try the gazebo steps.” Etta’s knees felt wobbly, but she walked the curving path anyway. On the steps waited a small pair of paper glasses with star-shaped rims. When she put them on, every firework became a secret flower. “I found it,” she whispered, and next time the banner snaps in the wind, see if one corner is hiding a wink for you.
