The tension in the air was near palpable as Emily and Alex stood in the threshold of the kitchen, hearts thumping as one. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins, and instinctively, she sidled up to him, drawing upon his strength.
"What was that?" she whispered almost inaudibly.
"I don't know," came his steady reply. He peered into the shadows of the kitchen. "Whatever it was, stay close to me."
The two of them took a few cautious steps into the kitchen, and Emily's breath stopped in horror at what she beheld. An overturned table with shards of glass gleaming across the floor. She felt a wave of panic trying to piece together what had just happened.
"Alex, what if someone forced their way inside?" she stammered.
"Let's check the windows and doors," he suggested, scan
