2020 WATTYS WINNER in NEW ADULT!
Oliver Ausman has been given a second chance at life, but it's hard to feel grateful when he was the one trying to end it in the first place.
Returning to his normal life after being released from the hospital is har...
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The truck screeches to a halt just feet away from us. I want to run, I want to grab Kat and get in the car, but I can't get my body to do anything other than stare as the doors to the truck fly open. The two tall, burly men from the bar hop out, and their eyes are locked on us. My breath catches in my throat-- as if their appearances weren't threatening enough, they've each got a pistol in one hand.
Kat backs up, tugs at my arm, and the guy with darker hair raises his gun towards her.
"I'd stop moving if I were you." His voice is gruff, expression blank.
I step to the side, moving in front of Kat before my body returns to paralysis, eyes flicking back and forth between the guys. All I can do is watch as they stare us down.
"Where is he?" the other one asks. The words are coated with a sharp accent I'm too preoccupied to place. "Where's Isaac?"
My stomach churns with guilt-- Kat was right. They were following us to get to him, and I snapped at her for even suggesting it. It was the obvious answer, but I didn't want to believe it. Now that I've met Isaac, I don't even care. Just another thing to add to the list of what makes him so screwed up.
"Inside," I manage to answer, nodding towards the house.
He walks over, gun swinging casually by his side. Kat grips my arm tighter and I can hear her breath, quick and heavy, much like my own.
The man scowls down at me, wordlessly intimidating. It's a miracle that my knees don't buckle, that I manage to look him in the eyes and not flinch at all the silent threats behind them. But I'm caught off guard when he grabs me by the shoulders and pulls me away from Kat, grasping my right arm and bending it behind my back.
"Wha-- Stop!" I protest, crying out as hot pain shoots from my right shoulder. I want to struggle but the gun is inches away from my body now, silently threatening me.
"Come on, kid." He pushes me forward, forcing me to walk. "Your daddy's in deep shit. Get the girl," he instructs his partner.
I hiss as his hand tightens around my wrist. My gut churns when I hear Kat groan behind me, followed by the sound of shoes against the dirt path. I could fight to get away, try to run, but I know it would be useless. Most likely, I wouldn't be able to free myself, and even if I did, they have guns. I'm out of ideas. My only hope is that they get what they want from Isaac and go. Apart from my relation to him, Kat and I have nothing to do with any of this.
They bring us up the porch to the front door, and he moves for the handle. It turns easily, still unlocked, and he uses my body to push open the door, the four of us loudly barging into the entryway. There's a moment of silence. A single creak from the floorboards.
"Oliver?" Isaac's voice calls from the living room.
I'm shoved into the room before I can even think about responding. One foot catches on the other and I trip, stumbling before I'm yanked upright, upper body drenched in pain again. I steady myself and my gaze settles on Isaac, wide-eyed and backed against the wall, frantically looking between me, Kat, and the men holding us.
