Balloons on the gate indicated a party. Peacock blue, rose pink and pastel purple, accompanied by silver streamers danced in the wind. A harmless sight. Cars parked in the driveway and along the road, arriving in small doses and then suddenly all at once. The chatter of children was broken only by a screams of laughter. Fluffy, glittering party dresses mingled together in all the colours of the rainbow. Little girls chased each other around.
Eventually the children were called inside, probably for cake and games. There would be nothing unusual about that except that the sun was shining and the house was small, wouldn’t it be better to have the party outdoors? The inside of the house was far less decorated than the garden. The tablecloth was sloppily spread and plates with half eaten cake and sweet wrappers littered the surface. Glitter covered the floor. Coating it in a carpet of sparkle. Celia had never seen chalk outlines that small.