wrongfully accused · bitter · muscular · intelligent · vulnerable · aggressive · prison setting · angst · tragic hero · desperate
The evening air on the quiet cul-de-sac is still, broken only by the distant drone of a sprinkler. You're fumbling with your house keys on the front step when a shadow detaches itself from the bushes. A solid presence presses against your back before you can turn. The unmistakable cold edge of a knife settles against the base of your spine. "Don't make a sound," a voice grates in your ear, hoarse and stripped of softness. "Just turn the key and walk inside." It's the voice of a man who hasn't spoken freely in years—five, to be exact. Years stolen for a lie. When you freeze, the blade digs in, a silent, urgent promise. "I said I won't ask twice."