Oppressive dark clouds gather around the houses, hammering them with relentless rain. Trees and foliage thrash violently under the onslaught of tempestuous winds. The streets are eerily deserted, the storm being too violent for even the snails and slugs to reveal themselves.

Despite the thick darkness, it's still late afternoon, but the storm has driven everyone indoors prematurely. Normally quiet at this hour, the houses are now bustling with sound and life, a byproduct of everyone being holed up together. However in one particular house, the deathly silence still lingers. Although well-maintained, signs of neglect begin to show: the kitchen sink is overdue for its daily cleaning, beds lie unmade, and weeds are beginning to overrun the driveway. The emptiness of the house is almost palpable, the absence of its residents hanging heavily in the air. Where they might be in weather like this remains a mystery.

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Amidst the unsettling stillness and deafening silence, a stray television flickers, mistakenly left on, its glow the only movement in the lifeless living room. The voice of a news anchor echoes through the empty space.

“…A teenage boy has been reported missing after failing to show up at school for two consecutive days. The boy was last heard from as he was returning home a few days ago. Police have already identified witnesses and potential suspects, who are scheduled for questioning. It has been sai—”

The TV abruptly shuts off, silenced by a booming clap of thunder that sends tremors through the empty house.