A Tiny Spark

Mmmph! I tapped the edge of an old metal fire pit with the tip of my boot, watching a tiny swirl of gray ash dance in the cool evening air. Right beside the stone pavers, half-buried in dry leaves, lay a forgotten, transparent party lighter! Mmph-hmmm! Dropping into a low squat, I set my heavy gear down against the bricks and poked at the little plastic casing with my gloved thumb. Click, flick—a lively orange spark danced up with a tiny puff of warmth! I tilted my head from side to side in pure delight, watching the little flicker reflect inside the glass lenses of my mask.