[ CW ] Tell a story in a light hearted tone . Then tell the same story with a dark tone .

I slipped into my favorite shirt, looked at myself in the mirror, and smiled. *Today is going to be a good day, * I thought, grabbing my hairbrush from the dresser and brushing my hair straight. 
 
 `` Honey, are you ready to go?'' my mom called from the foot of the stairs. 
 
 `` Yeah!'' I called back excitedly, stumbling to put on my socks. 
 
 I hurried down the stairs, and was greeted with a huge hug from both Mom and Dad. `` Happy birthday, honey!'' they exclaimed. 
 
 `` Thank you!'' I grinned. 
 
 `` Come on, let's get to the car, we do n't want to be late for your own party!'' 
 
 I stepped into my shoes, and hurried out into the bright sunlight. *Perfect weather for the perfect day... * 
 
 `` Oh, honey,'' my mom stopped me with a smile. 
 
 She reached up and she pinned a pink bowtie to my hair. `` Do n't forget this!'' 
 
 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 
 
 *BOOM! * 
 
 A bright light flashed and a force lifted me up from my seat and threw me out into the bright sunlight. 
 
 `` *Cough! *'' 
 
 I felt a warm liquid escape my lips and run down my cheeks, as I stared up into the cloudless sky, my ears still ringing from the blast. 
 
 *What... what just happened? * I thought, as an overwhelming sense of numbness took over my legs. 
 
 Before me was the remains of the the Chuck E. Cheese building, charred black from the flames. 
 
 `` *Cough cough! *'' 
 
 I touched the liquid on my lips, only to recoil from the bright red that coated my fingertips. *Blood...? * 
 
 As I tried to sit up, a pinching pain shot up my lower back, causing me to flinch and lie back down. All around me, I could hear cries come from every direction, car alarms blaring, and people running around in panic and to help others. 
 
 A glimmer of pink in the blackness around me caught my eye -- a young girl, no older than 12 years old, on her stomach in a pool of her own blood. 
 
 `` *No... *'' I thought, flipping myself over onto my front. `` *... no... *'' 
 
 Using the remaining strength in my arms, I dragged myself across the scalding cement to reach her. In her hair, I found a blackened bow tie with a small hint of pink beneath it. 
 
 ``... hey...'' I whispered weakly, lightly shaking her shoulder. `` Hey... open your eyes...'' 
 
 She never did. 
 
 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - 
 
 `` *Tonight, on the CBS 2 News at Ten, a gas explosion at a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant today killed ten people today, including 7 children and 3 adults, injuring many more. *'' 
 
 `` Jya hear'bout that'splosion t'day?'' the old man at the bar nudged the young man beside him. 
 
 `` Yeah I did,'' the young man said, looking up at the T.V., as it showed an aerial view of the charred restaurant and the firefighters struggling to put out the fire. 
 
 `` Somethin' else, id n't it?'' the old man grumbled. 
 
 The young man sighed, before polishing off the rest of his drink in the empty bar. 
 
 `` Where're ya goin'?'' the old man asked, as the young man stood up and picked up his coat. 
 
 `` I just... I need some fresh air,'' he replied, fishing out a box of cigarettes from his pocket. 
 
 The old man grunted, and turned back to the T.V. `` *T'is a damn shame, ya know? *'' he thought to himself, shaking his head. 
 
 He stood up, pulled the dish rag from his waistband and wiped away the cup ring from the counter, before hobbling to the back room. 
 
 `` *In other news today... *''
