the fire is kindling (9)

He tilts his head, studying me like I’m a puzzle he’s trying to solve. “I became part of it. The forest. The fire. All of it. And now, you can too.” “No.” The word escapes me before I can think.

“I don’t belong here anymore.” Eric’s expression darkens, the warmth in his voice replaced by something colder. “You can’t leave. You’ve already started the fire. It’s kindling, and it’s hungry. It won’t let you go.”

I glance at the flames, their light flickering with an almost sentient intensity. The air feels heavier now, thick with heat and the weight of unseen eyes.“Stay,” Eric whispers, his voice wrapping around me like smoke.