I Sit Beside The Fire And Think Novels & Stories

Sighing deeply I found my way to the fireplace and sat on the edge of my seat, my elbows on my knees and a steady burn radiating in my chest as it gave out loud thuds enough to fill the room. I could feel my soul burn, scorching under the heat of the flames. I heard her moving away from her spot to where I was, but didn’t look up. I didn’t even remember she was there as the past minute had passed without each of us saying a word. “A little word of advice.” she muttered sitting in the chair across from me. "Apologize." I didn’t respond, just watched the blaze eat up the images that were playing in my head, deep in my subconscious mind I hoped it could burn memories as well—only if memories we

I thought it was exactly what I would be if I was sound. The more I laughed, the more I kept going. Not out of amusement, not even my misery will grant that to me, it was more like a chain reaction, and I was curious if this was ever going to stop. Just then, my gaze fell on the hearth, the stone bright and gray, the firelight pulsing with life in every burn and pop. Fire. It never went out.. Something clicked within me. This was another way out.. I crawled on all fours towards the hearth, my favourite place in this room. The journey took forever.

Waiting. Shaking off the unease, I crouched beside the small fire Caesar managed to ignite. Its orange glow flickered weakly, casting distorted shadows across the trunks around us. It wasn’t much, but at least it was something to push back the dark. I sat with my knees pulled to my chest, staring into the flames. My mind refused to rest, running in endless circles. Was I rushing back to Damion for his comfort… or to break the curse before the full moon rose completely?

My entire body is flaming. That is the least concerning part, my thoughts are. I keep thinking, Why not right now?

I took a peek at her as she stood up and went to Mike, helping him with the map in his hands. I sighed and stared at the small flames dancing on the ground, burning the wood we collected earlier, I found myself mesmerized by it. The brightness it gave, the flickering, the way it danced freely with the small wind that passed by, the warmth it gave in the night. There were things that were on my mind – how could such a thing that provides light be so dangerous that could burn you to death? I sighed silently.

It was a comfortable and stunning place to just sit around and chill, but sometimes when silence reverberated and the ravens would caw, it would make you feel unsettled that you would suddenly spring from your seat. I sat on the beige-colored seat and watched as Liam lit the bonfire that stood in the middle of the chairs surrounding it. He placed some firewoods in it, pouring a liter of gas before he threw a lit match that ignited the bonfire. I thrust my hands nearer the fire and rubbed them together to create more heat. It was freezing out here and my silk dress with spaghetti strap didn’t help the situation.

Not right now. Theodore moved swiftly, piling chopped wood and setting it on fire with a flick of his wrist. The wood caught and the fire leapt to life, casting a warm, flickering glow that danced across his features. He fiddled with the small fire pit, before slowly coming to sit beside me on the back porch of the cabin. He bounced his knee, and I set a hand on his knee. “It's okay if you don’t want to talk about it,” I began softly, trying to ease the tension I could feel radiating from him. “But if you do, I’m here.”

And maybe he did, maybe better than I wanted to admit. He turned to leave, but before he disappeared into the trees, he looked over his shoulder. “You know,” he said, “some people think fire’s dangerous and destructive. But it’s also how forests grow back. Just something to think about.” Then he vanished. *** Back at home, I closed the door behind me and pressed my hands to the wood. They were warm again. Not glowing or burning but definitely not normal. I moved to the drawer and pulled out the candle from yesterday. Set it on the table and stared at it.

My world had narrowed to the woman sitting in front of me, and I wasn’t about to let anything pull me away. Lumi watched me from the couch, her expression open but tired. I sat down beside her, close enough that our knees brushed. The apartment felt smaller now, more intimate, the city sounds muffled beyond the windows. “I’ve been thinking about what you mentioned last time,” I said, keeping my voice low and even. “About the fire. If you want to talk about it, I’m here. But if you’re not ready, that’s okay too. I won’t push.”

It just burns. That’s why I always come back to it. Not for the heat. Not for the light. But because it’s the one thing that quiets everything else. When my thoughts get too loud, when the faces from the past crawl out from the corners of my mind, when I see Thorne’s blood, or hear my father’s voice like he’s still in the room, the fire is the only thing that drowns it all out. I let my eyes unfocus, watching the flames twist and snap.