Round 4

As Jeane stepped into the hallway, the creaking floorboard beneath her feet seemed to echo through the room, a stark contrast to the oppressive silence that had preceded it. The rain drummed against the windows like a relentless heartbeat, underscoring Jeane's growing unease as she moved towards the narrow hallway leading to the kitchen. Her eyes darted towards the back door, where another floorboard groaned under weight, signaling the intruder's presence.

The Force moved through the sitting room with calculated precision, her flashlight beam sweeping low and tight under furniture, checking corners, and listening past the blood pounding in her own ears. Her hand closed around the heavy iron fireplace poker, the cold weight a reassuring presence as she continued her methodical sweep of the room. The kitchen door hung open down the narrow hallway, a potential escape route or ambush point - either way, Jeane's survival depended on it.