Breathe

In the desolate near-future, the world teeters on the brink of catastrophe, beset by an eerie scarcity of oxygen. Once a vital resource readily available to every living being, breathable air has become a precious and highly coveted commodity, forcing humanity to adapt to a desperate new reality. Amidst this unforgiving environment, a mother and daughter duo, struggling to eke out a meager existence, finds themselves in a precarious predicament as two strangers arrive, their very existence hanging precariously in the balance. As the story unfolds, we are introduced to Rebecca and her daughter, Sarah, who have managed to scrape together a fragile existence in this unyielding world. In a seemingly abandoned, dilapidated building, they have found a makeshift sanctuary where they toil to survive. Rebecca toils tirelessly, scavenging for any scrap of materials that can be repurposed into makeshift medical supplies, fuel for their dwindling oxygen reserves, and even a few paltry scraps of food to sustain themselves. Meanwhile, Sarah, a bright and resilient young girl, keeps up her father's research on the dwindling oxygen levels, studying his incomplete notes to find a solution. As they strive to comprehend the reason behind this cataclysmic event, their isolation from the outside world intensifies. With each passing day, their connection to humanity grows more frayed and tenuous. However, their fragile tranquility is disrupted when, in a desperate bid for survival, two strangers emerge from the arid wasteland that surrounds them. Strapped to an oxygen tank, an injured young man, Kyle, and his father, Mark, stumble upon Rebecca's sanctuary, their air supply nearly depleted. Rebecca and Sarah are hesitant at first, aware of the risks of taking in outsiders in this unforgiving world. As Rebecca contemplates the decision to let them stay, tensions begin to rise within the makeshift family unit. Sarah resists the introduction of outsiders, fearing they might disrupt the precarious harmony they've achieved in their isolated sanctuary. Meanwhile, Rebecca grapples with the possibility of opening their home and air reserves to these desperate strangers. As negotiations unfold between Rebecca and Mark, Kyle is left lying in the makeshift infirmary, clinging to life. Faced with the very real possibility of watching him perish, Mark makes a promise: in exchange for taking them in and offering a safe haven, Mark offers to share crucial information with Rebecca about a possible solution to their oxygen shortage. The promise comes with a catch – a solution that would necessitate Rebecca to reveal her past to them, something she keeps hidden even from her daughter. Rebecca's inner turmoil grows as she weighs the risks and potential consequences of making such a crucial decision. With Mark and Kyle's oxygen supplies dwindling and their desperation intensifying, Rebecca must navigate the treacherous waters of trust, compassion, and loyalty to make a decision that could either save their guests' lives or risk exposing the deepest secrets of her and her family's past. Throughout the story, Rebecca and Sarah grapple with various personal demons as they strive to protect their makeshift existence. As their bond is put to the test by the arrival of this unlikely duo, Rebecca's inner struggles to reconcile her past become an integral aspect of her present. Mark's information, if true, could potentially change the dynamics of their sanctuary and force the trio to confront new challenges that could either be an opportunity for growth or potentially seal their fate. In Breathe, Rebecca and Sarah must confront a reality of limited air and a plethora of uncertainty, but also one that is driven by compassion, loyalty, and trust. The very fabric of their relationship as mother and daughter is redefined through this struggle to survive in a world with an air supply as scarce as trust.