Green

His hair was unkempt.

He liked that word, unkempt.

It made his hair sound like a lawn that hadn't been tended to in a while.

In fact that simile was very accurate as John did indeed have green hair.

Unkempt, green hair.

His hair wasn't really an issue for him at that moment though.

The clock was.

Tick Tock.

In a few minutes the two hands of the towering clock face would come together and midnight would chime its way in.

Oh midnight, you have no idea.

Somewhere beneath his messy green hair a smile appeared.

It was a subtle smile, the sort of smile that you see on people who are either insane or high on heavy duty drugs.

Tick Tock.

He furrowed into the pocket of his jacket, searching amongst the loose change and sweet wrappers for the device.

Ah, the device.

Such a small thing was going to make such a big show.

John chuckled.

The chuckle got out of hand and transformed into a laugh.

The laugh found itself inadequate and evolved into a full blown manic cackle.

He stopped.

The device wasn't there.

He flung his pockets open, throwing to the floor the other items.

It was gone.

The device was gone.

Someone has taken it.

That woman that had passed him earlier, she had come quite close, perhaps he had lowered his guard too much and she had snatched it away.

He needed the device.

John knelt to the floor and sifted through his pocket's miscellany.

There was no device.

Tick Tock.

He looked up to the clock face.

It was barely a minute away now.

They were waiting, they were expecting.

The other pocket.

Oh the other pocket, guardian of his precious leather wallet.

His hand moved swiftly into its depths.

Somewhere at the bottom he felt metal.

The device was there.

With a 'Ha' he pulled the lighter from his pocket and flicked back the lid.

A small flame ignited on the lighter's tip, casting an instant eerie glow onto John's face.

Carefully he moved the lighter downwards.

And lit the fuse.

Tick Tock.

Tick... Ding, Dong.

John shuffled backwards, he didn't want to injure himself.

Ding, Dong.

The fuse ended.

An explosion of coloured light erupted from the cart and shot up into the sky.

The fireworks were impressive.

John smiled again.

Behind him the crowd applauded the sparkling rockets and their myriad of shapes.

His job was done.