the fire is kindling (2)

Eyes unseen pierce through the shadows, and though I tell myself it’s only the weight of solitude, my heart thuds louder with each passing moment. “Why did you come here?” I mutter under my breath, though there’s no one to answer.

My voice is swallowed by the crackling fire and the soft rustle of leaves. I’d told myself I was done with this place, that the woods held no more sway over me. The years I spent running from it, from the memories of that night, seemed distant now.

But memories have claws, and tonight they dragged me back.The fire grows stronger, licking at the larger sticks I’ve added. My hands move mechanically, arranging the wood, coaxing the flames higher.