Burnt Toast Book Novels & Stories

⸻ Then suddenly— The page burst into flames. The book screamed. ⸻ Reality screamed. ⸻ The sky cracked. ⸻ And the name vanished. ⸻ Gone. ⸻ Destroyed. ⸻ Forever. ⸻ 💔 ⸻ 🌙 The Last Message The burning page released one final sentence. ⸻ A sentence directed only at Ilyaan. ❤️ ⸻ The letters glowed brightly. ⸻ Then slowly faded. ⸻ “The answer was never a word.”

“You slept here!” “Morning, buddy.” He frowned at me. “Why are you not wearing a shirt?” “Because I just woke up.” Chloe turned and looked at me with concern. “You should probably wear a shirt,” she said seriously. “In case the neighbors come.” “The neighbors aren’t coming, Chloe.” “You don’t KNOW that.” I grabbed the cereal box, set bowls on the table, poured milk, and put bread in the toaster. It burned. Apparently that was my specialty now—burning toast in whatever kitchen I happened to be standing in.

“Now go let that mate of yours feed you before he sets the kitchen on fire.” Tora snorted, wiping her cheek. “With Jax? Entirely possible.” She stood, turning toward the smell of sizzling butter and grilled cheese. “Hey, babe? You better not be burning the bread!” “I’m not!” Jax called. “I toasted it aggressively!”

And I had decided—because I was dumb or hungry or both—that toast would be easy. Toast. Simple. Harmless. Bread meets heat. What could go wrong? I slid two slices of bread into the toaster, pressed the button, and turned up the volume in my AirPods. Some lo-fi playlist I didn’t remember clicking on was humming in my ears as I hummed along, off-key, shoulders swaying a little. I tried not to think. Not about Marco. Not about Lorenzo. Not about the house that smelled like secrets and burned money. The smell of something burning started to fill the air, but I ignored it, thinking maybe it was just my nerves.

she said firmly, her voice taking a chastising tone. "No, this is exactly the time," I interjected stubbornly. "I saw fire today. Once you light a fire, it has to burn and it doesn't care if this is the time or place. Fire either burns brightly or it fizzles into nothingness and smoke. Without the fire, there is no light. So, are you two burning or fizzling?" I demanded. I wanted an answer. Andrew looked at me, and I shrugged. I might be confused from the drugs, but it had sounded poetic in my head.

Bitterness surged through him, rendering him momentarily speechless. "You're right..." he sighed quietly as he stared off into space. "Willow… she was always so thoughtful." Those small, overlooked moments now echoed in his mind like fading memories, weighing heavier on his heart. He longed for coffee left on his desk during late nights and the quiet care I offered after every meeting. After a moment, Tucker murmured, "Willow always warned me not to stay up too late… and she made sure there was hot soup waiting when I was done. Damn it…"

Will I ever recover? After enjoying my long, relaxing bath, I slipped into the most alluring dress I own in my closet. Anything to reassure him that everything has been alright. Coffee seems ideal. It would help me recover after my encounter with Noah and allow me to collect myself before going to work from the Hernandez Estate. As I arrive at the last step, Lewis raises his cup in acknowledgment. “Good morning, Sunshine,” he replies, grinning and taking a sip of his oatmeal milkshake. His headphones are placed on the table. He likely just returned from his run.

"Don't say I didn't offer. What are we going with?" "I say truth," Law states. Jeremiah and Jackson nod and Ezekiel reaches into the bowl. He unfolds the paper, smiles when he reads what's on it. "What in your web browser would be embarrassing if someone saw it?" he reads. "Okay, guess I'll go first. Um, I have a folder in my bookmarks bar titledHands." We all burst out laughing. "What the hell does that even mean?" Laury asks. "Hey, hey. I just had to tell the truth. Not explain."

"In that case, I think the pizza can wait." End of Book One: Incendiary