the fire is kindling (10)

“Stay, and you’ll see. You’ll understand.”The fire roars, embers spiraling into the night sky. I take a step back, then another, my pulse pounding in my ears. “I can’t,” I say, shaking my head. “I won’t.”Eric’s face twists, his grin collapsing into a snarl. “You can’t run from it,” he growls.

“The fire doesn’t forget.” I turn and bolt toward the trees, the firelight fading behind me. The forest closes in, branches clawing at my skin as I race through the darkness. Eric’s voice follows me, echoing through the woods like a ghostly chant.

“The fire is kindling. The fire is kindling. The fire is—”I burst into the open air, the edge of the woods giving way to a dirt road. My chest heaves, and I collapse to my knees, trembling. Behind me, the forest looms, silent and still. But I know better. The fire doesn’t forget.