These Hills Called Home | ONC 2024

[ONC 2024 Shortlister]
When turning back isn't an option, what does it take to delve into the unknown?

After a troubled upbringing in the foster care system, Gemma Haywood is used to switching homes. Her latest destination is Milnhome, the rural town where her runaway brother Jacob has resurfaced after five years of silence. With its distant location, picturesque countryside setting, and the chance to reconnect with her only living family, Milnhome carries all the hallmarks of a fresh start.

Yet the move isn't the new beginning that Gemma hopes for. Jacob is nowhere to be seen when she arrives, and it doesn't take long for Gemma's search to turn up her brother's dead body. The news sends shockwaves through the quiet community, exposing deep tensions between the town's residents and the private security company Jacob worked for. And when Gemma digs into her brother's life looking for answers, she uncovers signs of a worrying conspiracy that threatens Milnhome's whole future.

With every step, Gemma descends further into danger. What made Jacob reach out to her after so many years apart? Why did he keep her a secret from the locals? And as new friends and old mysteries spring up around the town in equal measure, can Gemma find herself a home between these hills?

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Written for #ONC2024.

13. "Every family has that one member of whom no one speaks, and that's you."

27. "Sometimes love is what drives you to take your next breath. Other times, it's revenge."