WHAT THE FIRE TOOK.

r family home. It had been ten years since the fire. Ten years since the night her world fell apart. She was jus

not for closure, but because something inside her whispered that th

ire was an accident. But

tion, weeds growing through the cracks. Her heart beat fast, not fro

in thought, a voice beh

pect to se

uickly. Her

e he

s Ha

iliar way of speaking like he saw right through you. He had been her best fr

" she w

ets of his jacket. "I heard someone was poking ar

strand of hair behind her ear. "I d

he said gently.

not uncomfortable. The wind stirred a

he truth?" he as

y dad never left the stove on. And the fire spread too quickly. I'v

his voice low. "You th

omething tells me it

something in his gaze soft

inked.

staying for a while, I'll help. Y

t. Not after all these years. Not after ho

y?" she

se I cared then. An

g to say, but it cracked

ery. The town felt both familiar and strange. She could still hear the crick

zed. A messag

ves tomorrow morning.

armth bloomin

conversations in the library. They found old maps, diagrams of the house, and one strange ar

ent project," Elias explained. "They want

d print. "So... someone w

is jaw tight. "And the fire s

rting to come together. But there

tween her and Elias. There was a quiet closeness returning, the kind that didn't need words. One night, a

r w

e. For not giv

r. "I never gave up, Helena. You ju

tretched. Her

he steppe

, "if things would've been differe

rs brushing his cheek. "M

st, then deeper. It felt like some

ou're this kind,"

He said, smiling at her pretty face. What? sh

lly more beautiful when you smile, I

t my peace, I lost my dream of making them proud, I lost everything. It i

everything

ered her up and ac

oday, you really made my

ess I was a comedian who mad

es, y

, sweet dreams, by

ps staring at hi

they got their f

na

b Ry

t project. A man with a history of shady deals

," Helena said, her ey

Let's finish wh