Open House

The SCENE begins with Karen, a 20-year-old real estate assistant, putting a batch of cookies in the oven. She's working on preparing a new property for an open house, aiming for perfection. As the cookies bake, she ensures everything downstairs is in place: adjusting cushions, using an air freshener, arranging a flower bouquet on the table, and neatly placing house flyers by the entrance. The young woman's nerves are evident; it's her first solo showing, and she aspires to become a genuine seller's agent. She checks her appearance in the mirror, straightening her tight skirt and blouse... before stepping out to the lawn to place an 'OPEN HOUSE' sign. A prolonged POV shot shows her reentering the house and shutting the door, before a sinister young man comes into view, revealing that he's been observing her. He touches the bulge in his trousers and heads towards the house. CUT to Karen arranging the baked cookies on a platter as the man silently steps inside. He observes her from the hallway before she notices him. As he approaches, she recoils in shock. 'I didn't mean to scare you,' he says in a composed manner. 'I'm here for the open house.' Karen regains her composure and apologizes, quickly switching into professional mode. She offers the man a cookie and starts showing him around the kitchen, enthusiastically mentioning that this is her first property listing as an assistant and that selling it would allow her to climb the ranks at her agency into a full-time role. As she speaks, the man lingers behind her, his gaze fixed on her. POV shots reveal he's closely observing her every move. His constant gaze makes her nervous. His answers to her questions are always calm... but his eyes never leave her. He seems peculiarly keen on seeing the master bedroom's view. As they're about to ascend the stairs, the doorbell rings, signaling the arrival of another visitor. Relieved, Karen excuses herself to answer the door. She starts showing the new arrival around, while the man lingers near the stairs, watching her. After a while, he ascends the stairs and disappears from sight. Two Hours Later Karen closes the door after showing the last visitor out, thanking them profusely for their visit and encouraging them to check her other listings online. The young agent seems desperate. She leans against the door after closing it, cursing. All that effort to prepare the house and ANOTHER failure. She had assured the listing agent she would sell it today, and she knows they won't give her another chance now. Grumbling to herself, she kicks off her high heels, throws the flyers, flowers, and leftover cookies in a trash bag, and heads upstairs to turn off the lights. Upon entering the bedroom, trash bag in hand, she's startled to find the man there, admiring the view. She gasps as he turns around and grins at her. 'The view is stunning from up here,' he comments. Stammering, she apologizes... she hadn't realized he was still there. The man studies her for a moment before slowly approaching. 'I overheard you downstairs,' he continues. 'It's unfortunate that you didn't get any leads today. Real estate can be so ruthless! How old are you, you look so young?' Karen glances down at the bag and her bare feet and tells him she's 20. This was her final trial with this agency, but she'll find another one. 'Everything happens for a reason, right?' she says, trying to keep a positive attitude. The man takes another look around the room. 'Maybe I can assist you with this,' he suggests. 'What's the asking price again?' Karen's ears perk up, and she rummages through the trash bag for a flyer, handing it to him. 'The asking price is $749,000,' she replies. 'But I'm sure the owner would be open to negotiation.' The man studies her as she encourages him to go over the details again. He smiles. 'I'll take it.' Karen is in disbelief. A huge smile spreads across her face as she embraces the man, thanking him profusely. She tells him she'll need to prepare some paperwork and an initial offer today to meet her quota. The man assures her he's willing to pay the full list price and, because she was such a good agent, he wants to double her commission. The young woman can't help but jump for joy. The man calmly walks over to the bed and sits down, causing Karen to stop awkwardly. 'This bedroom is quite spacious,' the man remarks. 'Do you think I could entertain a lot of women in here?' Not wanting to jeopardize the sale, Karen agrees and assures him it would make an excellent bachelor's pad