As Cory and Annelise ponder the future, the Commander struggles in agonizing pain in his prison at the White House. He’s beginning to understand what hunger feels like when it isn’t satiated for a long period of time. Emily has left the room for the night, but is thrown back in once morning arrives. She’s quite shaken.

  Emily: Have they given you anything to eat?

  The Commander shakes his head.

  Emily: It’s as if they know nothing about biology! If they’re going to…draw your blood, you need to be healthy.

  Commander: I do not suspect that my health is a priority for them. All they want is blood.

  Emily sighs. The Commander begins to feel lethargic and tired along with the pains in his stomach.

  Commander: What’s happening to me?

  Emily: You’re starving. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. If you’re lucky, these things holding us here might give you a moldy piece of bread or something they find in the trash. They gave one to me once. It tastes terrible, but it’s food.

  Commander: Why are you still serving the Empress, then? She only takes from you.

  Emily: I told you. I want to keep my family alive. I want to live.

  Commander: Your family is likely already on the rockets taking people to the moon.

  Emily: How did you know about the rockets?

  The Commander smiles: Right before I was captured, someone looked on their phone and saw the news. I think you know that your family is on one of the rockets.

  Emily suddenly seems hysterical: No! NO! They’re not! They’re here! They’re at home! And if I don’t do what she says she’ll kill them! She’ll murder my husband and twins…

  Commander*interupting*: You’re only doing this to save yourself. Your life is the one in danger, not your family’s.

  Emily ignores him and starts yelling: They killed my sister! They killed her! She’s dead! DEAD!

  Commander: Your sister?

  Emily: Janis Daun! MY SISTER IS JANIS DAUN! She didn’t mean to doom the world! SHE DIDN’T! The people…they killed her!

  The Commander then remembers the appearence of Janis Daun. Wyverna has taken a form that looks almost exactly like Daun, save Wyverna’s long hair. The Commander then realizes the extent to which Wyverna has emotionally manipulated Emily Dante. The Commander glances at the clock on the wall. It reads 6:12 p.m. Thirty-six hours have passed since the countdown began. Half of the time has gone away. Only thirty-six hours until humanity’s fate is determined.

  Meanwhile, Annelise and Cory are trying to stay collected. Annelise looks at the countdown timer on the television. It reads that there are only thirty-four hours until Wyverna’s plan is executed.

  Annelise: There are so many things that I wish I could have taught Beyond.

  Cory: Like what?

  Annelise: Like my favorite song.

  Cory: You mean Bonfires by The Lotus Field Band?

  Annelise: Yes, that’s it.

  Cory: Honey, Beyond would’ve probably known the song before you could have sung it to him. You know how he is.

  Annelise: I know, but I suspect that he would’ve let me teach it to him anyway.

  Cory: I’ll play it on my phone. I don’t know. Maybe Beyond will hear it from wherever he is.

  Cory turns on the song and puts his arm around Annelise’s shoulder.

  Annelise: This reminds me of him.

  Cory: Oh! Do you want me to turn it off?

  Annelise smiles: No, leave it on.

  Cory: Alright.

  Annelise: I know he’s only been living with us for four years, but…I just can’t imagine life without him.

  Cory nods. Annelise leans against the arm of the sofa.

  Cory: How did this happen to us? I mean, we were so…normal.

  Annelise: I don’t know. But…I’m glad it happened.

  Cory: Me, too. Annelise?

  Annelise: Yes?

  Cory: I love you so much.

  Annelise smiles: I love you, too.

  Cory checks his watch: It’s getting late. We should try to get some sleep.

  Annelise nods. The two of them then head to bed and fall asleep. Cory wakes up in the middle of the night to the sound of weeping. He turns around and sees Annelise crying. Cory rests his hand on her shoulder. He then realizes that Annelise is still sleeping. She’s crying in her sleep.

  Annelise: No! NO! Please! Stop! NO! *she wakes up abruptly, though she is still in the mental state of the dream* Why?! Why are you hurting him?! Stop! NO!

  Cory shakes Annelise out of her dream.

  Cory: Annelise!

  Annelise: I’m…I’m…

  Cory: You’re with me. We’re safe. It’s alright.

  Annelise sighs: Was I dreaming?

  Cory nods: You’re scaring me. What’s happened to you?

  Annelise: I don’t know. Grief, I guess. I’ve never felt this much grief before.

  Cory: I know you’ve had grief before, but never to this extent.

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  Annelise: I’m sorry I’m scaring you. I don’t mean to.

  Cory: How bad is it really?

  Annelise: What?

  Cory: You’ve always been good at dealing with pain, but how much pain are you actually in?

  Annelise: I don’t know how to describe it. It…It feels as if my heart is burning and pumping hot lead into my body instead of blood.

  Cory hugs Annelise: Will you be okay?

  Annelise: I’m not sure.

  Cory puts his face in his hands.

  Cory: You really need to rest then. I can’t have you pushing yourself too hard.

  Annelise: I don’t push myself too hard.

  Cory: Well, from what it sounds like you’re feeling, I think that any pushing needs to be avoided.

  The two of them fall back asleep. In the late morning, at the invaded White House, the Commander struggles to remain conscious. He has not eaten or drank anything for over two days. He also suspects that the wound in his head have become infected. Suddenly, the Commander hears someone open the door to the reception room. He looks across the room and sees that Emily is still asleep on the floor.

  Wyverna: Dante! Wake up!

  Emily wakes with a start: What is it?

  Wyverna: The specimen needs to be fed!

  Emily: With what?

  Wyverna: I don’t care! Find something!

  Emily rushes out the door.

  Wyverna walks up to the Commander: What is your name, human?

  Commander: Why does my name matter to you if my health does not?

  Wyverna:...Well, you look pitiful. Even Dante didn’t deteriorate as quickly as you have. Why might that be?

  Commander: Why would it matter if my health declined faster than Dante’s? All you want is destruction.

  Wyverna: You keep answering my questions with questions! Ugh! Your kind is so infuriating! I’ll be quite pleased with your extinction!

  The Commander tries to stay awake, but falls asleep. Wyverna slaps his cheek and he wakes up.

  Wyverna: You must be the weakling of humanity! Well, it’s better that I have a weakling man than no man at all.

  Commander: Why are you doing this?

  Wyverna: Well, let’s see…I can. I have the option to. I can execute my plans and there is no one preventing me from doing so. I can do everything in whatever way I please. The way that it’s supposed to be done. I’m not certain that will make sense to your feeble mind. No matter!

  Commander: I understand quite clearly.

  Wyverna: I highly doubt that! It looks like your time is running out. With your entire blood supply running through my veins, perhaps I’ll be like a god. *She laughs* Very fitting, is it not, that the weakest of my kind already view me in that way? You’re of humankind, even weaker than the most frail of my people. *She forcefully grabs the Commander’s chin and pulls his face towards hers* Maybe you should see me as the highest of gods.

  Wyverna then lets go of the Commander and heads out the door. Emily comes back in with a sandwich that she found in a trash can outside a restaurant.

  Emily: I brought you some food. It’s really fresh compared to a lot of the stuff I’ve been given. I’d say its only a day and a half old. Here.

  Emily hands the Commander the sandwich, but he pushes it away.

  Emily: Aren’t you starving? Eat it!

  Commander: No, Emily. You need to eat more than I do. You have been deprived of food for much longer than I have.

  Emily hesitates for a second, but then begins consuming the sandwich ravenously.

  Emily: *with her mouth full* Thank you.

  The Commander nods. In the hotel, Cory realizes that there’s a vending machine on the first floor. After scolding himself for not thinking of it sooner, he takes the elevator to the first floor and buys five granola bars out of the vending machine. Then, Cory returns to the hotel room. Annelise is laying on the sofa. As soon as she hears Cory come in, she perks up.

  Cory: Good news! I found us some breakfast.

  Annelise: Thank you so much, Cory.

  Cory: No problem.

  Cory gives Annelise one of the granola bars, which she quickly opens and begins to eat rapidly and messily.

  Cory: Whoa! Easy, easy! Don’t make yourself sicker than you already are!

  Annelise puts the food down: I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.

  Cory: You’ve only drank coffee and water for two days. You’re probably just hungry.

  Annelise: I guess I am.

  Cory: Just don’t eat too fast, alright?

  Annelise nods and finishes her granola bar slowly. Cory opens one for himself.

  Cory: These should tide us over for a bit.

  There’s a knock at the door. Cory rushes to the door and opens it. Susanna and three unfamiliar men stand in the hall. Two are in their mid-twenties, but one is Cory’s age.

  Susanna: Sorry to bother you, but Ethan Young just rushed into the hotel. We’ve been gathering everyone…

  Cory: As in the Speaker of the House?

  Ethan shakes his head: Unfortunately not. I didn’t win the recent election.

  Cory: Oh. Well, I guess I’m not up-to-date on politics. I was sure that you were going to win, but…um…why are you here?

  Ethan: If you look at the ominous red countdown clock on all the screens, there’s only about five hours left until the end of the world. There’s a saferoom under the capital that’s meant to withstand nuclear bombs. Of course, I don’t know if what we’re dealing with will be anything like a nuclear blast, but it’ll be much safer in there than an above-ground hotel. There’s a two-year supply of food for about ten people, too.

  Cory nods: I’ll get Annelise.

  Cory runs toward the sofa. Annelise is lying on the sofa, clutching her stomach.

  Cory: We’ve gotta go, Annie. There’s a safehouse that should protect us. We’ll be fine for a while.

  Annelise: I’m coming.

  She gets off of the couch, grimacing and groaning. Cory helps her to the door.

  Ethan: Is she okay?

  Cory shakes his head: She’s sick, but I don’t know with what. We thought it was grief at first, but she just keeps getting worse and worse.

  Ethan sighs: We only have limited medical supplies in the safehouse, but I’ll see what I can do.

  Cory(to Annelise): Do you think you can make it there?

  Annelise nods. The five of them then head to the safehouse. Once they are inside, Ethan closes and locks the door. Annelise spots the stash of food in the corner and eyes it for a few minutes before Cory snaps her out of it.

  Cory: What are you staring at?

  Annelise begins to cry: I…I was staring at the food.

  Cory: You just had a granola bar. How are you still hungry?

  Annelise: I don’t know, but I’m more hungry than I’ve ever felt. I’m so sorry!

  Cory: Here. I’ll get you something.

  Annelise: No! Don’t!

  Cory: Annelise, there’s clearly something wrong with you! You need to eat!

  Annelise: I don’t think anything will fill me. The granola bar didn’t satisfy my hunger, but it should have. This isn’t normal.

  Tyler: Maybe I can help. I’m a doctor. I think I saw you two on the plane.

  Cory: What do you think is wrong with her?

  Tyler: Hmmm…She doesn’t have the usual physical symptoms of starvation or malnourishment, but I’d have to do a blood test to rule it out completely. I’m honestly not sure. It could be psychosomatic.

  Cory: Mr. Young, are there materials for a blood test in the safehouse?

  Ethan: I’m afraid not. Just call me Ethan, it’s the end of the world.

  Cory nods and sits next to Annelise. He pulls her towards him. Annelise’s stomach growls violently. She sucks in a breath.

  Annelise: Whatever happens, just remember that I love you, okay?

  Cory: Don’t talk like that! You’ll be okay! You have to be okay!

  Susanna: Is she gonna eat us when we run out of food?

  Everyone except Annelise turns and glares at Susanna.

  Susanna: What? Don’t tell me you weren’t thinking the same thing!

  Annelise: I would never do anything like that. If I did, I could never forgive myself.

  Levi: I honestly just don’t see Annelise as the kind of person to resort to cannibalism. She’d probably rather die.

  Susanna: True.

  Ethan: Can we stop acting like this is something trivial?! No one is going to eat anybody!

  Cory:(to Annelise) I’m sorry all of this happened to you. I wish there was something I could do.

  Annelise: Don’t be sorry. You can help by keeping me grounded. Making sure that I stay stable. Don’t let me*She grimaces in pain*...Don’t let me lose myself.

  Cory: I’m not worried about that, honey. I’m worried…

  Annelise: That I won’t make it?

  Cory nods. A tear rolls down his face.