Round 4 Transcript

The kitchen's stillness is shattered by the sound of The Force's flashlight hitting the counter, sending a faint spark flying as it lands on the ceramic ashtray. Jeane's grip on the lamp base tightens as she watches the intruder position herself, the dim light casting eerie shadows on her face.

Jeane grips the brass lamp base like a club, her knuckles white, watching the kitchen doorway where The Force's flashlight beam just disappeared into the darkness of the hall.

The footsteps are getting closer now—deliberate and heavy. I can hear them moving through the living room, toward the kitchen. Her voice is barely a whisper, though there's no one else in the house to hear her. Whoever this is, they're not trying to be quiet anymore. She backs away slowly, pressing herself against the counter opposite the door, lamp held ready. I should call for help, but that means moving past the back door and whoever's coming through the front... The wood floors creak under her weight as she shifts position. If they're after me specifically, the phone might be a death trap.

The kitchen air is too still. That's the first wrong note—the house shouldn't feel this empty when someone is home. I move to the window over the sink, careful to stay clear of the glass. The woods outside are solid black, no headlights on the road. No sign of anyone watching or approaching. But that doesn't mean they're not already inside. The lamp on the counter has a heavy base—I pick it up, grip tight around the neck. Makes a decent club if needed. The drawer pulls slide smooth and quiet—knives inside, but reaching for them means letting go of the lamp. Better to have both hands free for now. I check the back door lock twice, then move toward the hallway. The house is too quiet. Every creak of the floorboards under my weight feels like an alarm going off. I stop at the living room doorway, listen. Nothing. No TV sound, no movement upstairs. She's hiding somewhere close—probably in one of the bedrooms with a weapon ready. That means she knows someone's here and she's afraid. I check the lamp again, then move to the stairs. Each step up makes the wood groan louder. If she's listening, she knows I'm coming.