The scar has faded, but the firework injury that my friend and I suffered last year taught me a lesson that I will never forget.

Teenagers were setting up and shooting fireworks about 25 yards away. One fell over and went into the crowd and exploded on my friend and I.

At first I didn’t know what hit me. I saw whiteness as far as the eye could see for a second, like time had frozen. I cried out with pain as someone carried me to the sink to rinse the blood off.

I saw my friend in the bathtub, screaming that we would die. I had stopped crying and tried to comfort her. An ambulance had arrived about 20 minutes later. It wasn’t easy to walk, because it hit right in my foot.

When we arrived at Mary Bridge Hospital, they cleaned me up and gave me bandages. I was eager to see how my friend was doing. After about five hours, I visited her. She seemed to be doing well, even though she had been hurt worse than me.

Even though my injuries were minor, they taught me to be cautious, and that you should always be aware of the danger of fireworks.

This year we will not have fireworks, but watch from the safety of our home.

Alex Edwards, 9

Lake Tapps