Page 44 - LIfesOuttakes2

he talked about fire safety, including the fact that fireworks and such items were not only banned, but illegal, two of the camp staff, symbolically dressed as chiefs of fire, lit the huge campfire that was set in the middle of the ceremonial grounds. The camp director continued to talk when, suddenly, a loud pop came from the fire. Everyone’s attention turned to it, and then the whole hilltop turned into a blaze of fireworks and explosions. Everyone dove for cover as fireworks shot from the fire, whizzing past us, exploding into trees and rocks. Benches were overturned for protection as the gathering turned into what resembled an ambush. The camp director, who was too traumatized to take cover, had his papers engulfed in flames, and found his own hair and clothes singed. Once the chaos had ceased, and there was nothing left of the fire or the cage in which it had been built, everyone dashed around, stomping out the fires in the brush. The camp fire ceremony was cancelled, and the camp director angrily sent us all back to our camps to “...think about this inappropriate behavior!” My group walked silently back to our camp, eyes 39