Start // Will Poulter

thirteen

I walked forward. Ryan grabbed my arm to hold me back. I looked him straight in the face and shook my head. I had to do this, if my daughter was in there I had to save her.

The closer I got, the worse Will’s appearance got. He was a mess. His face was scarred, he looked like he hasn’t slept in weeks, and his hair was longer than I have ever seen it. The hatred grew in his eyes as I took every little step closer. Behind the flames of hatred and the face of an insane freak, I saw sadness.

I felt bad for what I had done to him, but it washed away quickly. I was right in front of him now. He grabbed my firmly by my arm and pulled me up the crooked porch steps. He looked back at my numb team.

“If anyone tries to get her, she dies.” He said with a sly smile.

I was sick to my stomach. I thought for a moment that this was all my fault. I caused this to happen, but it’s not. He made his own stupid choices and chose not to move on like I did.

I am dragged into a living room and there is a fourteen looking year old girl tied to a chair. She looks beyond scared and she isn’t saying anything. He probably threatened to kill her if she screamed.

Will let go of my arm and I fell to the ground. I crawled over to the girl and I saw up close that silent tears were rolling down her cheeks. I put my hand over hers and looked her right in the eyes.

“Hey, hey, it’s all going to be okay. I won’t let him hurt you okay. What’s your name honey?” I say in a hushed calm voice.

She stops shaking and looks at me. “A-Ashlyn.” She trembled.

“Well Ashlyn you will be okay I promise. I bet your parents are worried sick about you.” I say softly.

She nods her head and more tears fall. “They s-said if I was l-late again t-they would ground me.”

“Well this time there is an exception okay. I’ll talk to them myself if I have to.” I give her a weak smile and try to calm her down.

“Will you just shut up and stop talking to the dumb girl!” Will yells.

I turn around and see a gun pointed at the both of us. He has anger all over his face.

“I want to know how you felt when you left me! All these years and you get married and move on!” He yells again.

“I’m not talking until you let her go. You got me now let the poor girl go!” I argue.

Will flinches a bit, but I know I have gotten through to him. He motions for me to untie her. Once she is free from the chair he drags her out of the room and out the door. I hear Ryan yell orders from outside. He will know what to do for Ashlyn.

Will comes back into the room and the gun is still pointed at me.

“Talk now!” He yells.

Beneath the anger I can see the sad broken part. I did cause that I know I did. He wouldn’t look like he did now if I didn’t. I had a plan, it was a plan that might get under Dylan’s skin but he understood. I told him about Will when we first met. Of course I left out the part about us killing people at the time.

“Will I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to let them hurt me! I was just trying to protect myself.” I cry out.

His face softens, but it wasn’t enough to crack him. And then I realize that I got the whole thing wrong. He wasn’t going to let them hurt me. He had a plan and I blew it.

“You really thought I was going to let that happen!? You really thought that my love for you was all an act?!” He is yelling again and the gun is pointed right at my head.