Because even though she survived the car crash, he did not.
I stare at the wall, blinking and blinking, but no tears come.
Even though I desperately want them to.
I’m frozen in place, stuck in those two words.
He’s. Gone.
My body begins to quake.
My lips quiver.
My hand tightens around the knife.
And I scream louder than I ever have before.
Present
* * *
I drive as fast as I can, passing several cities before stopping only for gas and some food and drinks. I’ve been on the road for hours, but I won’t stop until I get to my destination.
I pick up the piece of paper lying next to me that has Liam’s picture on it along with a timestamp and a location. It’s in a remote area near the mountains in the middle of the woods. Standing in front of a small wooden cabin, he has a beanie on his head, and his beard is fully grown. He’s become almost unrecognizable, yet I know those eyes. Those eyes have haunted me since the day I thought he’d died.
The image is incredibly blurry, but one thing’s for sure … the look in his eyes is murderous.
I swallow hard and put down the picture.
Despite my fear of what’s to come, I won’t back down.
Even though this blood debt could mean the death of me.
Liam
* * *
Lying down on the mossy ground, I stop breathing as the deer comes into view. It nibbles on the branches of a new tree sapling, barely a few years old. Its eyes rapidly flick across the area to spot potential predators, but it hasn’t noticed me yet.
My thumb moves to the trigger in slow motion, sweat drops beading on my forehead as I aim.
BANG!
The loud sound of my rifle going off triggers a string of forgotten memories flooding my brain.
* * *
“Keep your eyes open when you shoot, boy,” my father says. “And hold that damn thing steady. Don’t be so fucking scared.”
“Why do we have to learn this again?” I ask, gazing up at the little creature perched on top of the tree branch near the edge of the yard.
“You know what we do, son. Stop asking questions you already know the answers to.”
I keep my eyes on the animal even though my mind is somewhere else. “But what if I want to do something else?”
“There is nothing else. There is only family. Our line of business is taken to the grave. The only choice you have is who you kill before they kill you. Now stop crying about it and shoot the damn squirrel.”
I aim and press the trigger. The sound is deafening to my ears.