A set of grey doors stands before us.
As we approached a set of metal double-doors, Diego gripped the handle with an exaggerated flourish.
DIEGO AMO
Now, my humble followers...
(x)
Behold! The treasures of the modern age!
Before we had time to figure out what he meant, he shoved the door open, revealing...
INT. A/V SUPPLY ROOM - DAY
An expansive A/V SUPPLY ROOM unfolds into view, its shelves crowded with cutting-edge equipment.
Professional-grade video cameras rest beside mixing boards and microphones of all shapes and sizes. Boxes of wires and spare parts create a feeling of cluttered claustrophobia.
It's an impressive assemblage of tech, but...
CALVIN WALKER
Wait a minute.
(x)
Isn't this just the A/V supply room?
DIEGO AMO
"Just" an the A/V supply room? Do you not see what lies before us?
(x)
This is the media arsenal amassed by the world's greatest apostles of video content.
(x)
Such a collection exists nowhere else in the world!
ISABELLA RUIZ
So...is the secret tunnel behind cameras or...?
DIEGO AMO
No! Don't touch them!
(x)
If you break a camera that isn't yours, you'll be cursed with seven years of sub-par content!
(x)
And Key! Keep that furry menace away from the microphones.
KEY FAYE
Rude. As if Plum doesn't know how to work around a boom.
(x)
Wait, hang on, didn't you guys say that you found something awesome?
(x)
How is a bunch of production gear awesome?
TOBY JONES
Wait...you mean it isn't?
BECKY APPLEBAUM
"Production gear?" That's all this is?
CALVIN WALKER
Oh man, don't tell me...
DAMIEN VOLKOV
*Sigh* I knew following them would be a waste of time.
(x)
Although the looks on all your faces are almost worth it.
DIEGO AMO
For the love of Kubrik, can't you see?
(x)
Those are Nova BLU cameras! And SuperAutomica mixers!
(x)
This stuff isn't even available in stores yet! It's priceless!
TIFFANY HARPER
Uh, that's...really cool but...
(x)
I'm not sure how it's supposed to help us escape.
TOBY JONES
Well...it's...it's technology right?
(x)
Can't we like, use it call for help or build a super robot or something?
REGINA JACKSON
Um, I don't think any of this stuff can broadcast over cellular or radio networks...
(x)
And I don't even know what a super robot is so...
BECKY APPLEBAUM
(pissed)
Toby, are you tellin' me you don't know what any of this stuff does either?
(x)
When I asked if this was gonna help us get out, you said "for sure!"
TOBY JONES
Yeah, I said "for sure" but not, like "for sure for sure" I just meant, like "totally, for sure!"
BECKY APPLEBAUM
Arrggh! You idiot!
MIKEY CALDWELL
Uh...sorry, but I'm kind of lost.
(x)
Is...is finding this stuff a good thing or...?
CHIYO ITO
It's a case of the blind leading the blind.
(x)
Or, more accurately, the deluded leading the incompetent.
ZELDA BROOKS
Sh-shoulda known better than to listen to a dude wearing th-that much eyeliner.
(x)
Those jeans probably c-cut off the circulation to his brain too.
DIEGO AMO
Feh. You're blinded by your own ignorance! All of you!
TIFFANY HARPER
Um, this may seem dumb, but I just had an idea.
(x)
Is there any way we could make this stuff useful if we took it apart and built something else?
(x)
Like when my sweaters have holes in them, I'll break 'em down and use the yarn for a new scarves and stuff.
JO
...
(x)
You may be onto something.
REGINA JACKSON
Hmmmm...I dunno exactly what we could build outta all this but...
(x)
I guess it's not impossible.
CHIYO ITO
Perhaps we can fashion a primitive communication array to signal for help.
(x)
The equivalent of an S.O.S. beacon, or some such device.
BECKY APPLEBAUM
Maybe we can build an IED and blow the mastermind to hell.
MAX LUNDBERG
Wait, are you saying you know how to make bombs?
CHIYO ITO
In any event, it would be useful to take a stock so we know exactly what we're dealing with.
(x)
The same could be said of the food court supplies as well.
(x)
We should split into two groups and take inventory of each repository.
ZELDA BROOKS
Uggghhh you gotta be k-kidding me.
(x)
First y-you want us to break our legs running around this st-stupid place...
(x)
...A-and now your n-next big i-idea is fucking spreadsheets?
(x)
Y-you're a goddamn sl-slave driver!
CALVIN WALKER
Actually, I'm with Chiyo on this one.
(x)
Making a list of everything we have will make it easier for us to plan our next move.
(x)
Plus, it'll be useful if anyone decides to...mess with this stuff.
AXEL STORM
You are referring to sabotage, yes?
(x)
Do you really think anyone here would employ such a lowly, underhanded tactic?
CALVIN WALKER
Well...you can never be too sure.
DAMIEN VOLKOV
Ugh, so we're really going to spend our precious time counting rice bags and microphones?
(x)
What are you guys tryna do, bore me to death?
MIKEY CALDWELL
Don't worry, it'll be fun!
(x)
I'll go to the dining hall and start making us some dinner.
(x)
It'll give us something to look forward to while we work.
(x)
My dad used to do the same thing whenever I had chores, and it made the time zoom by!
MAX LUNDBERG
Hey, that's a great idea!
(x)
In fact, let's sweeten the deal.
(x)
First team to finish their work gets dibs on desert!
ISABELLA RUIZ
(intense)
We will not lose.
(x)
Our lips will be stained by the sweet fruits of victory!
ZELDA BROOKS
(pervy smile)
Wh-whoa. Put me on HER team.
FADE TO BLACK.
Feeling re-energized, we divided into two teams and started taking stock.
FADE UP ON:
We get an illustration of the A/V team hard at work. Chiyo consults a piece of paper with Reggie. Key tries to coax Plum down from a tall shelf. Damien lingers in a corner, pretending to adjust a box while keeping his eyes on everyone else. Axel easily carries a huge Subwoofer with one hand. Diego stands nearby, terrified it might fall. Tiffany and Cal sort through stacks of Blu Ray players and mixing boards.
It was a lot harder than I thought it would be.
Every box we opened had, like, ten different kinds of cables we had to organize.
And Chiyo made us test each of the players and speakers, to see which ones still had working parts.
It was slow work, but in a weird way it felt kinda good.
Having something to focus on gave us a sense of purpose, and it kept us from worrying about what we couldn't control.
Our normal view of the supply room resumes. Tiffany brushes a loose strand of her hair aside.
TIFFANY HARPER
Alright, next is this pair of wireless speakers.
(x)
Though I dunno how we're gonna test 'em. It's not like we have our phones or laptops.
(x)
I guess we can just put 'em in the "good" pile to be safe?
CALVIN WALKER
Yeah, sure.
(distant)
(x)
Uh, hey, Tiff?
TIFFANY HARPER
Yeah?
(x)
I-is something wrong? You look like you just thought of something bad.
CALVIN WALKER
Oh, no, it's just...
(x)
I wanted to thank you for getting between Max and I earlier. And to apologize for making you do that.
(x)
I can be...hard to deal with sometimes, especially when I get too negative.
(x)
Which...uh, happens more often than is probably healthy.
(sheepish)
So...thanks for putting up with my bullshit. And for making sure I didn't make things worse.
TIFFANY HARPER
H-hey, you don't have to be so hard on yourself.
(x)
I mean, this isn't a situation that really brings out the best in everyone.
(x)
It's normal for things to be a little...tense, right?
CALVIN WALKER
Maybe but...
(x)
That still doesn't excuse my actions.
(x)
You've been through as much as I have, if not more. But you haven't let it get to you.
(x)
You're not picking fights or trying to control everyone.
(x)
You're just honestly trying help us. Without ego or agenda.
(x)
I wish I could be that selfless. It's...kinda amazing.
...I tried to think of a response to this, but my cheeks were suddenly burning.
Fortunately, Cal looked away before my whole face blossomed red.
CALVIN WALKER
(sheepish)
Looks like we're down to one last Blu-ray player.
TIFFANY HARPER
Y-yeah. Let's see if it works.
(x)
Nope. Won't even turn on. Another dud.
(x)
I-I'll move it over to the junk pile.
CALVIN WALKER
Here, Tiff, let me help -
FADE TO:
Another illustration: Tiffany is in the midst of moving a Blu-ray player, when Calvin intercedes, trying to help. In the process, his hand accidentally closes over hers. Both Ultimates are startled.
TIFFANY HARPER
Oh! Uhh...
CALVIN WALKER
Ah, sorry!
(x)
Didn't mean to...
TIFFANY HARPER
W-wait!
FADE TO:
Our normal view of the supply room resumes.
*Crash!*
As soon as Cal tried to move his hands, I fumbled and dropped the Blu-ray player like an idiot.
God, what is wrong with me?
TIFFANY HARPER
S-sorry! I can't believe I...
CALVIN WALKER
Don't worry, it was broken anyway.
(x)
You're okay, right?
TIFFANY HARPER
Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just embarrassed.
(embarrassed)
You'd think the Ultimate Knitting Host would have steadier hands but...
DAMIEN VOLKOV
Huh? What happened here?
(x)
Which one of you guys decided to go all Black Friday on a Blu-ray player?
TIFFANY HARPER
I-it was just an accident! We...
DAMIEN VOLKOV
Whatever. Doesn't really matter to me.
(x)
More importantly...
(x)
Did you guys know there was a disc inside that thing?
Damien pointed to the floor, and that's when we saw it.
The player had cracked open, revealing a white DVD inside.
TIFFANY HARPER
Oh...that's weird. I didn't even notice something was in there.
(x)
Hang on, let me grab it.
(surprised)
Huh?
An INSERT shot of the DVD slides on screen. The disk is scratched up, but you can still make out squiggly WRITING in black ink:
"HXPHAEXTUS / CLXNICAL TRIXX / X41XX9."
TIFFANY HARPER
The writing is all scratched up.
(x)
It looks like..."H-something...clinical tri-something?" And then a buncha numbers.
CHIYO ITO
What's going on over here?
REGGIE JACKSON
Did you guys find something?
As the rest of our group clustered around me, I passed around the disc.
CHIYO ITO
If I had to take a guess...
(x)
I'd say this reads "Hephaestus: Clinical Trial."
(x)
And then a string of digits. Could be the case number of the study, perhaps.
TIFFANY HARPER
This doesn't make sense.
(x)
Is Hephaestus some kind of medicine?
(x)
Why would YouCon have a DVD of a medical experiment?
REGINA JACKSON
M-maybe it was gonna be screened as part of a panel?
KEY FAYE
Maybe Hephaestus is a sponsor, and this was supposed to be at their booth.
CALVIN WALKER
I'm not sure about that.
(x)
I didn't see any panels on the program that would need footage of a clinical trial.
(x)
And as far as I could tell, there's also no company called Hephaestus sponsoring the con.
DAMIEN VOLKOV
Maybe it's some kinda weird, obscure porno.
(x)
That'd explain why someone tried to hide it so well.
AXEL STORM
Do we even know what a Hephaestus is or was anyway?
CHIYO ITO
Hephaestus is the Greek God of metalworking, masonry, and sculpture.
(x)
He was known as the chief blacksmith on Mt. Olympus, and forged the Gods' many weapons.
(x)
In some myths, it's believed he taught mortals the arts alongside Athena.
(x)
In others, he's associated with volcanoes and fire.
DIEGO AMO
Ahhh...
(x)
Then perhaps this DVD demonstrates a ritual to summon the ancient gods into our realm.
KEY FAYE
Probably not.
(x)
I mean, what sorta ritual needs a "clinical trial" phase?
DIEGO AMO
...You can't even allow me to hope for a second, can you?
AXEL STORM
Whatever it is, we will never learn by just standing around!
(x)
Let's play it already and get some answers!
CALVIN WALKER
It's in pretty bad shape. I'm not sure how much we'll be able to...
AXEL STORM
PLAY IIIIITTT!
CALVIN WALKER
Alright, alright. Gimme a sec.
(x)
Tiff, mind giving me a hand...er, helping me set this up?
TIFFANY HARPER
Uh, sure.
Together, Cal and I rigged a working player up to a nearby T.V.
We opened the disc slot and...
Buffer Bun pops up.
BUFFER BUN
You finally found it!
TIFFANY HARPER
Aaah!
Without warning, Buffer Bun leaped into view and snatched the DVD from my hands.
BUFFER BUN
Ah, thank the gods, old and new! I was looking everywhere for this thing.
(x)
Who would've thought my prized DVD would be hiding in a DVD player?
(x)
Always in the last place you look, right?
AXEL STORM
You! Where the hell did you come from!
(x)
Are you here for a rematch? Come face me like a man!
BUFFER BUN
Relax, I'm just popping by to take back what's mine.
(x)
Then I'll be off, back to the nooks, crannies, and secret tunnels we adorable rabbits call home.
DAMIEN VOLKOV
I knew it, that DVD IS your porn stash!
(x)
It must be some pretty perverted stuff if you're this worried about it.
BUFFER BUN
(embarrassed)
What? Perverted? Of course not! This is...
(realizing)
Ohh...very sneaky of you, wiseguy. Almost made me slip up there.
(x)
Well too bad! You'll never see what's on this DVD because it's for my eyes only!
(x)
You kids with your snapchats and your insta stories might like to lay it all out there nowadays...
(x)
...But some of us still value a little privacy!
CALVIN WALKER
So what you're saying is...
(x)
You're not gonna tell us what's on that disc.
BUFFER BUN
Right-o buck-o!
(x)
This ain't some fair-use fan project for you to like, comment and share with your friends.
(x)
This disc and its distribution rights are the sole property of Buffer Bun LLC!
(x)
Which means only I can choose when to exhibit it, and only I can reap the royalties!
DIEGO AMO
First it's a home video, now it's an...intellectual property?
(x)
The rabbit's riddles are vexing indeed.
CHIYO ITO
Insipid jokes aside...
(x)
I don't suppose you'd be willing to shed any light on the "clinical trial" the disc references?
BUFFER BUN
You suppose correctly!
(x)
Just because this video is very precious to me doesn't mean it's any concern of yours.
(x)
Why are you pokin' around in here anyway? Don't you have a murder spree or something to worry about?
(x)
You should be focused on killin' and conivin', not content theft!
(x)
Don't worry, this DVD will still be here when the bloodlust dies down.
(x)
I'll make sure to take good care of it.
At that, Buffer Bun snapped the disc in two.
AXEL STORM
(shocked)
...
TIFFANY HARPER
(shocked)
...
CHIYO ITO
(glare)
...
BUFFER BUN
...
(x)
Wow. Guess it's true what they say about the death of physical media.
(x)
Well, no use crying over out-dated scrap.
(x)
Onward to a glorious, digital future!
And with one last maniacal giggle, Buffer Bun was gone.
REGINA JACKSON
Did...any of you understand what just happened?
CALVIN WALKER
I dunno if I could follow everything he was saying but...
(x)
It's clear this DVD is...or was...important somehow.
KEY FAYE
Or maybe that's just what Buffer Bun wants us to think.
CHIYO ITO
If it were a merely a red herring, I doubt he would've stopped us so quickly.
(x)
It's too...incomplete to be a competent misdirection.
DAMIEN VOLKOV
Yeah, if I wanted to mess with you guys, I woulda put something super creepy on that disc.
(x)
Like a fake police report saying Chiyo's actually an escaped serial killer.
(x)
Oh! Or maybe evidence that the Clarity Complex was built on an Indian burial ground!
DIEGO AMO
A futile ruse. I always check for burial grounds before I travel.
REGINA JACKSON
Maybe we should show this to the others and see if they have any ideas.
(x)
It never hurts to get more data, right?
TIFFANY HARPER
That's a good point!
(x)
Just because we've never heard of something like this doesn't mean no one else has.
(x)
There still might be a simple explanation for this, right?
CALVIN WALKER
(distant)
...
CHIYO ITO
Very well. Our inventory work is finished anyway.
(x)
Let us reconvene with our peers and see if there are any bright sparks among them.
DAMIEN VOLKOV
Hope shines eternal.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. FOOD COURT - DAY
A sleek, multi-tiered food court unfolds before our eyes.
A far cry from the plastic chairs and fast-food kiosks of the past, this emporium of eats boasts faux wooden tables, tastefully decorated lounging areas, and colorful, contemporary cuisine.
At the court's center, a long communal table hosts several piping hot pizzas. It's around these that the majority of the Ultimates congregate.
By the time we got to the dining hall, most of the other Ultimates had already started eating.
The atmosphere was surprisingly inviting, warmed by lingering scents of fresh mozzarella and basil.
Unfortunately, my hunger did little to dull the sharp anxiety in my gut.
MAX LUNDBERG
Hey! Perfect timing: the food just came out of the oven.
(sheepish)
Though I guess this means you guys win. We're not even close to done counting all this stuff.
KADEN KADIR
It wasn't really a fair contest.
(x)
This food court is more like a food court circuit.
(x)
We'd have to work all night to take stock of it all.
BECKY APPLEBAUM
What do you mean "we?"
(x)
You just spent the whole time messing with the stove.
KADEN KADIR
Didn't you hear it?
(x)
That clicking it made...it was a perfectly syncopated 9/8 rhythm!
(x)
If a simple oven can commit to such a bold rhythmic path...what's holding me back?
BECKY APPLEBAUM
Prolly all the gas fumes you inhaled.
ISABELLA RUIZ
Zelda, you should try some of this pizza before it gets cold.
(x)
Even my divine tongue is no match for the flavors in this crust.
ZELDA BROOKS
D-didn't you idiots here me? I-I'm lactose intolerant.
(x)
Un-unless you want my t-title to become literal, keep that gr-greasy slop away from me.
MIKEY CALDWELL
Sorry, I forgot to ask what you guys wanted to eat, so I wasn't sure what to make.
(x)
I figured pizzas were a safe bet, but...
(sad)
I'm sorry...I really messed this up.
ISABELLA RUIZ
That's okay. Zelda has a kind and forgiving soul.
(x)
I'm sure she does not hold it against you.
TOBY JONES
Huh? We're talkin' about Zelda, right?
ZELDA BROOKS
Sh-shut up!
(x)
J-Just keep the bread sticks coming and n-no one gets hurt!
REGINA JACKSON
Oh man...that pizza does smell really good.
(x)
M-maybe we should eat something before we talk about what we found.
(x)
A good diet is essential for memory and critical thinking, you know?
JO
What do you mean by "what you found?"
REGINA JACKSON
Ah!
I hadn't noticed, but Jo had been sitting behind us the whole time.
How could somebody who made a living off her looks be so good at fading into the background?
Anyway, Regina's startled squeak quickly captured everyone's attention.
Meaning...
REGINA JACKSON
Uh...what I mean is...
CHIYO ITO
There's no use putting it off now.
(x)
We'll just have to talk as we eat.
(x)
I assume that you are all adequate at multitasking enough to manage that.
TOBY JONES
(mouth stuffed)
Mmghf? Mulghi whagt?
While the rest of us ate, Chiyo explained what had happened to us in the supply room.
Reggie then showed everyone the disc, holding it together so we could read the writing.
A chilly silence swept through the room as everyone tried to process what all of this meant.
TIFFANY HARPER
So...has anyone heard of a company or medicine called "Hephaestus" before?
(x)
Or know why video of a clinical trial would be at YouCon?
MAX LUNDBERG
I don't think so.
(x)
I'm pretty keyed into the behind-the-scenes stuff at YouCon, and none of that rings a bell.
AXEL STORM
It's not a dietary supplement. I would have heard of it if it was!
MIKEY CALDWELL
What about all the numbers? Does anyone know what they mean?
BECKY APPLEBAUM
Could be coordinates. Or a passcode.
ISABELLA RUIZ
...
(x)
...It's a code word.
TIFFANY HARPER
Huh?
ISABELLA RUIZ
I was just thinking. "Hephaestus" doesn't sound like a drug or company.
(x)
It sounds like a code word for some kind of secret super weapon.
(x)
One that will wipe out all life in the galaxy.
CHIYO ITO
I don't know if I'd go that far, but the theory has merit.
(x)
Perhaps "Hephaestus" is a code word for the operation that placed us here.
(x)
Buffer Bun's reaction to the disc lends credence to that notion as well.
CALVIN WALKER
Maybe the "clinical trial" is them testing out ways of kidnapping and drugging us.
TOBY JONES
Dude, maybe we're all part of like, some kinda crazy experiment.
(x)
It's like...that one school thing where they made the students prisoners and guards?
DAMIEN VOLKOV
The Stanford Prison Experiment?
(x)
That's a hell of a pull coming from you.
TOBY JONES
You don't know me, dude. I went to college.
(x)
Sort of.
REGINA JACKSON
If we're all part of some kind of experiment, it can't be a legal one.
(x)
Drugging and trapping us without our consent breaks so many ethics laws its not even funny.
(x)
I mean, it breaks regular laws too, but, you know.
KADEN KADIR
None of this explains why the DVD was there in the first place. Or why it was all scratched up.
ZELDA BROOKS
Aaagh! Wh-what's the point of finding a c-clue if it just m-makes things even w-weirder?
(x)
This is such bullshit!
CHIYO ITO
Don't be so quick to give into your emotions.
(x)
We can actually glean some information from this find.
TOBY JONES
Like what? That Buffer Bun couldn't afford 4K?
CALVIN WALKER
For starters, we've pretty much confirmed that the mastermind is watching our every move.
(x)
He sent Buffer Bun to stop us, like, the second we tried to watch the DVD.
(x)
And I don't think I saw a security camera in that room.
(x)
So he must've set up his own gear in secret to keep tabs on us.
CHIYO ITO
Precisely.
(x)
Furthermore, we can now confidently deduce that the mastermind is not a lone actor.
(x)
For events to have unfolded as perfectly as they did...
(x)
...It would take a team of surveillance operators or a mind-boggling stroke of luck.
(x)
Of the two explanations, the former is far more likely.
DAMIEN VOLKOV
A "team of surveillance operators" huh?
(knowing smile)
Well...I guess that's one way of looking at it.
MAX LUNDBERG
Even if there's an army watching us, this disc proves one other important fact.
(confident)
Whoever's behind this isn't perfect. Which means they can be beaten.
MIKEY CALDWELL
Ooh!
TIFFANY HARPER
You're right!
(x)
No matter how you look at it, the mastermind made a mistake letting us find this.
(x)
Maybe there are other places where they slipped up too!
TOBY JONES
Hell yeah!
(x)
And the next time they screw up, we'll be ready for it!
That's Buffer Bun's cue.
BUFFER BUN
Iiiiiit's showtime!
TOBY JONES
(terrified)
Aaaaaahhh!
BECKY APPLEBAUM
Shit! Where the hell did he come from?
BUFFER BUN
Oops, did I say "showtime?" I meant...
(x)
Iiiitt's nighttime!
TIFFANY HARPER
Huh? What are you talking about?
BUFFER BUN
I got so excited earlier with all the killing game business, I forgot to explain the day-night cycle here.
(x)
Even though you're stuck indoors, I wouldn't want you to lose touch with your natural rhythms.
(x)
So! From now on, nighttime will commence from 7:00PM to 7:00AM.
(x)
Starting at 7:00PM, the main lights will slowly dim until they completely shut off at 10:00PM.
(x)
It'll be like our own little sunset. Isn't that nice?
(x)
Hopefully it'll help you all get a good night's rest...
(x)
...Or pull of an ingenious murder scheme.
(x)
It's all up to you!
(x)
Sweet dreams everyone!
Buffer Bun slides out of frame.
CALVIN WALKER
Great. As if we needed something else to keep track of.
MIKEY CALDWELL
D-does that mean the lights are gonna turn off soon?
(x)
I...don't think I can find my way back to the hotel in the dark.
MAX LUNDBERG
Maybe we should call it a night for now.
(x)
We can pick this up tomorrow, when we're better rested.
At the mention of rest, my eyes felt suddenly very heavy.
Maybe it was all the stress, or the pizza, but nothing sounded more inviting than a hot bath and a soft bed.
Looking around at the others, I could tell they felt the same.
CHIYO ITO
Very well.
(x)
We shall adjourn for the night and resume our discussion tomorrow morning.
(x)
At 7:00AM sharp.
DAMIEN VOLKOV
Ugh, does it have to be that early?
(x)
I can't be the only one who needs his beauty sleep.
CHIYO ITO
Even if we don't have a strict limit on time, it would be best not to waste it.
(x)
So. Unless anyone has a reasonable objection...
Nobody spoke up. It was settled.
We headed back to the hotel together and turn in for the day.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. TIFFANY'S ROOM - NIGHT
Tiffany's room is as we left it last. The Buffer Bun doll sitting on the desk. The bed with disheveled sheets.
My joints ached from hefting T.V.'s and heavy boxes all day.
Even though I needed a shower, I could tell I wouldn't be able to stay upright for much longer.
With the last of my strength, I staggered to my bed and collapsed, allowing the sea of sheets to envelope me.
Still, even as the tension in my body relaxed, my mind continued to pulse with anxiety.
Half-formed questions and concerns raced through my brain.
I was too tired to chase them, but also too tired to make them stop.
So I just lay there, drifting on a strange ocean of exhaustion and unwelcome thoughts.
Until...at last...the waves of worry slowed...then ceased.
And I sunk wearily into unconsciousness.
FADE TO BLACK.