The Intruder

The Intruder

There was someone in the house. Jean, up since sunrise since her husband was away, planned to get a lot done. Time alone was welcomed, she and Darren hadn’t been getting along well, and she wasn’t sure why. He was only in the city one night, but had stayed over due to a dinner the night before the seminar. He’d invited her to come, but halfheartedly, they both knew she’d rather be home.

They had a security system, with video, if only she could get upstairs, but she was in the basement laundry room and no cell phone. Her charger had recently gotten broken somehow. Darren promised to get a new one in the city and she wasn’t in a hurry; they still had a house phone. Unfortunately, it was in the kitchen, where she’d heard the footsteps. She couldn’t call the police. If she stayed quiet, when the intruder left she could call, or maybe the video would show who it was.

The intruder seemed to know his way around. After quickly checking the rooms he’d come down the cellar stairs. She tried to hide as she saw him, dressed in black with a full mask over his head, but there was no time. It was like he was looking for her. He had a club in his gloved hand and hit her quickly, then again until she was still. He left as quickly as he’d come, grabbing a mailing package near the door on his way out. Seeing the video, the police would probably assume an abandoned robbery plan after an unplanned murder.

As Darren entered the house Saturday evening, with an expression of calm at finally being home on his face, he was frantically repeating to himself, ‘act surprised, act surprised…’