The rain began at 11:47 p.m.
Elias remembered the exact time because that was when the lights went out.
He had been sitting alone in the living room, staring at his laptop while the storm hammered against the windows. His internet connection had died ten minutes earlier, his phone was down to twelve percent, and the old wall clock above the television had been ticking loudly enough to irritate him.
Then the clock stopped.
11:47.
The entire house went dark.
Elias sighed.
"Of course."
He closed his laptop and reached for his phone.
No signal.
He turned on the flashlight and looked toward the hallway.
The house suddenly felt much larger.
He had rented the place three days ago because it was cheap. Ridiculously cheap, actually. A two-story house with four bedrooms, a basement, a backyard, and enough furniture to make moving almost unnecessary.
The previous owner had left everything behind.
The dishes.
The paintings.
The furniture.
