**Burning**
Prompt: Burning
The fire roared to life, consuming the dry timber with a ferocity that echoed the chaos within Lisa’s mind. She stood at the edge of the clearing, legs trembling slightly as she watched the flames dance and twist into the night sky, casting flickering shadows on the trees that loomed like ancient sentinels. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration, a farewell, but the air crackled with tension—a palpable undercurrent of fear and anticipation.
Her friends clustered behind her, their faces illuminated by the warm glow, but they seemed distant, their laughter barely reaching her. The bonfire was the centerpiece of the evening, a pyre meant to symbolize her new beginning. But all she could see was the inferno that reflected her internal turmoil, the part of herself she felt was burning away in the flames.
“Lisa! Come on!” Katie called, her voice bright with enthusiasm. “We’re going to start the speeches!”
Lisa forced a smile, moving toward the group. They had known each other since childhood, charts of their lives interwoven with laughter, heartache, and tears. But the weight of impending departure pressed heavily on her chest. She had accepted a job in another city, far away from the familiarity of home. As they gathered around the fire, she watched her friends band together, their warmth contrasting sharply with her growing sense of isolation.
One by one, they took turns sharing memories—funny anecdotes of childhood mishaps, sweet reminders of shared dreams. Each speech pulled at her heartstrings, igniting a nostalgia that made her yearn for the moments they had forged together. But with every shared laugh, she heard the undertow of distance surging closer.
“Lisa, do you want to say something?” Tom’s voice broke through her reverie, and all eyes turned toward her. She felt the weight of their expectations pressing down.
“Um, sure,” she stammered. Heart racing, she stepped into the circle, her fingers brushing against the rough bark of the tree beside her, grounding herself temporarily against the storm brewing in her soul.
“Wow, I can’t believe it’s time for me to leave,” she started, her voice shaky yet resolute. “This place… you guys… you’ve been everything to me. The memories we’ve created, the laughter we’ve shared, they’ve shaped who I am. I’m incredibly grateful for every single moment.”
She looked at each one of them, their smiles encouraging yet tinged with sadness. “I’m excited for what’s ahead, but I’m terrified too. Leaving means starting over, and I just—” her voice caught in her throat as anxiety clawed at her. “What if I forget? What if I burn these memories away, as if they never existed?”
Silence hung in the air, thick and heavy, until Sarah stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Lisa’s shoulder. “You won’t forget us. We’ll always be a part of you. Remember how we used to write our dreams on slips of paper and throw them into the fire? To symbolize letting go, but also to ignite our future?”
Lisa nodded, a wave of nostalgia washing over her. They had tossed paper dreams into the flames, watching the words dissolve into ash, lifting toward the stars. It had felt both liberating and binding—an acknowledgment that while they let go of innocence, they were simultaneously fueling their aspirations.
Suddenly inspired, she reached into her pocket, pulling out a small folded piece of paper that held her reflections of the past year. It was a list—daring dreams, hopes, and a few fears she wanted to cast to the fire. “Let’s do it one last time,” Lisa proposed, her voice steadier now. “Let’s burn our fears together.”
Chuckles spread through the group, igniting the shared energy. One by one, they produced their papers, each adorned with doodles, phrases, and wishes. They handed them to Lisa, who positioned herself before the flames. With her heart racing in rhythm with the crackling fire, she tossed her slip into the inferno, watching it unfurl, the words igniting, burning away in a brilliant flash.
A collective gasp escaped her friends’ mouths as they joined in, casting their own doubts and fears into the fire. Each paper sizzled and vanished, consumed by the hungry flames, leaving only the smell of burnt ashes wafting through the cool night air.
As the embers ignited blazes of orange and red, a sense of catharsis began to wash over her. Each flicker of flame felt like a release, every popping sound echoing her determination to move forward. She could almost feel the remnants of her worries rising, floating into the atmosphere, melding with the stars.
“I’ll miss you all,” Lisa finally said, tears glistening in her eyes but not falling. She stood taller now, a newfound strength pulsing in her veins. “But I know this isn’t the end. Every place I go, I’ll carry a part of you with me. The laughter, the lessons, and yes, even the fears.”
With the last paper consumed, the fire crackled down to glowing embers, transforming the clearing into a warm cradle of light. Lisa felt lighter as if she had shed something heavy from her heart, an understanding that the bonds they shared would transcend miles and time.
As the friends settled into comfortable silence, a sense of belonging wrapped around them like a cozy blanket. Who knew fire had the power not just to consume, but also to purify? Standing together, illuminated by the fading glow, they realized that while the flames may have consumed their paper dreams, the essence of their friendship would never burn away.
