The thud came again.
Rose clicked the television on mute, straining her ear against the storm that splattered the roof with a mixture of rain and hail.
The soft thump came from the basement, as though someone, or something, had knocked a book to the floor. Rose gripped the arms of the chair and cursed her husband for leaving her alone on a night like this, knowing she was fearful of storms, empty houses and prowlers, however imaginary they might be. She'd already lit every lamp and overhead light in the house, but they failed to dispel the damp, dreary feeling of impending doom.
Rose was a bit too over protective about things, she wouldn't stay outside for more
"It's Rose Campbell again," she said weakly into the phone. Despite her attempts to sound rational her voice quivered like a woman on the verge of insanity. "You must send someone right away. He's in my home know he is."
Lightning filled the night sky and Rose pulled the receiver away from her ear, fearful of being struck through the mouthpiece. She'd read somewhere about an elderly woman struck by lightning as it travelled through the phone wires and burned her to smithereens. She got more nervous as she thought of it.
"Mrs. Campbell," the officer sighed, "our officers have already checked your home from top to bottom and found nothing, why don't you make yourself a nice cup of tea and…"
"Cup of tea?" Rose shouted as a clap of thunder hit the house. "I don't want a cup of tea… there is a man in my house! I can hear him in the cellar, don't you understand?"
It suddenly occurred to Rose that the intruder might hear her, race up the basement stairs, knife clenched in his fist, and put a quick slicing-end to her cry for help. She lowered her voice to a panicked whisper and listened for footsteps on the cellar stairs.
"Maybe he wasn't in the basement when the officer's checked," she whispered, "or maybe he was hiding behind the boiler maybe or came in through a window after they left."
Rose envisioned the office rolling his eyes