Wow, really original. Lovely.

how could she burn her stories! I could never do that. It would be like injuring my soul.

(I'm such a dramatic. Hehe.)

Beautifully written - lovely description of the eyes across the fire.

Keep writing!

Great story. The imagery is beautiful, and the character is surprisingly well-developed for the length of the story.

The only thing I would change is the word "incinerating" in paragraph four (and I could be wrong on this). The word suggests to me something that is doing the burning, not something being burned. Other than that, don't change a thing.

I really like this, and can't really think of anything to say other than, it is very good. Wonderful imagery, great atmosphere - very poetic, really
'...slumped in its comfortless plastic embrace' - awesome!

Wow this is powerful, beautiful stuff! I'm gonna go and stare at a fire now thanks! Yeah great work here, although I can't help but feel sorry for Lauren burning her things in the beginning, even if she is better off at the end and 'filled with a lightness and freedom she didn't understand'. Great work!

Was it...a phoenix? Well, whatever it was, this short story was simply breathtaking. You managed to capture each character in a flash; I felt like I knew them fairly well, even though this is such a short story. And the phoenix (I think it's a phoenix...) was just cool. Well, keep writing! -Windsong -

Wow! Wonderfully written. Such emotion you manage to capture. I hope there'll more chapters in the future!