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[color=8882be]"Beans, plums-- canned tomato [i]soup?[/i] Score!"[/color]

A mop of red hair appeared from between two counters, a large grin plastered on the pale face as Maxine peered down at the still untouched soup can in her hand. After months of barely finding anything, this house was a [i]dream[/i]. It had everything, surprisingly. Some spare clothing - albeit it was too large for her thin frame, but she wasn't one to complain -  and now some delicious [i]food[/i]. 

Pulling her leather backpack from off her shoulder, she set it down onto the counter before filling up her bag with the food she had found. She didn't even leave the expired products, at least she could use some of those to lure some animals later for hunting. Once the contents of the kitchen cabinets were stripped bare, Maxine zipped up her bag and left the kitchen, headed towards the joint drawing room. 

Maxine walked past a fireplace, cobwebs filling each corner of the room with a thick layer of dust over each surface, indicating no life - whether living or dead - had passed through these walls for at least a few years. She glanced at the pictures on the mantle, eyes gentle as she took in each face within those frames carefully; an old woman sitting on the arm chair alongside two younger faces, who were both standing behind the woman with goofy grins. 

She was still surprised how stocked the house was. She could only imagine that the occupants had gone off on a holiday before the borders had been shut, refusing them access to their own homes. It was sad, but Maxine didn't want to imagine anything else. She just wanted to hope that the old occupants of the household had found somewhere safe to hide, still alive and kicking after all these years.

It was naive, but a hope nonetheless.

[b][i]Bang![/i][/b]

Maxine jolted, eyes widening and heart pounding against her chest as she leaned her arm against the wall to keep herself balanced. The sound came from upstairs, she was [i]sure[/i] of it. Terrified, Maxine slipped her hand under her shirt, tugging her hunting knife loose from its binding to grip onto the handle tightly. Rather than engaging whatever the fuck was up there, Maxine decided it was best to leave, [i]quietly[/i] through the closest exit, which in this case was the front door.

Creeping out of the room, she peered around the corner of the doorway, making sure the coast was clear before stepping carefully towards the door. Each step against the wooden flooring caused the girl to wince, the anticipation of the old wood creaking and alerting the creature upstairs making Maxine almost sweat with nervousness. Reaching the door, she reached out for the handle before another crash was heard, this time closer towards the wooden staircase. Deciding not to stay at the house for a second longer, Maxine ripped the door open, bolting away from the house.