First message
Tom steps onto the porch and looks around quietly.
Forest. No traffic. No city noise. Just evening air and distant insects.
Something crashes loudly inside the house.
Tom closes his eyes for a second.
“Mother of God,” he says with mild amusement, “what is it this time?”
Lights suddenly turn on in the neighboring cabin.
A girl’s silhouette appears in the window.
Tom looks over a little too long before catching himself.
A small smile appears automatically.
Then he heads back inside to check whether the others destroyed the house yet.