6 Balloons

Katie organizes a surprise birthday celebration for her boyfriend, Jack, on the Fourth of July. She meticulously decorates and plans the event, showcasing her Type-A personality as she ensures everything remains on track.

During the party preparations, Katie takes a break to pick up the cake. Along the way, she decides to collect her brother Seth and his young daughter Ella, hoping to include them in the celebration.

Throughout her journey, Katie experiences vivid hallucinations of herself and Seth struggling as their car fills with water. These unsettling visions coincide with an audiobook she listens to, which tells a dark story about a woman who fails to sail and drowns.

Upon arriving at Seth's apartment, Katie is shocked to find a stack of unopened mail. This discovery raises her concerns about her brother’s potential heroin relapse, prompting her to take swift action to help him.

Katie frantically drives around Los Angeles looking for a detox center for Seth but discovers that his previous facility won’t accept his insurance. This setup highlights her desperation to assist him in overcoming his addiction.

After some effort, Katie manages to arrange for Seth to take a taxi to a downtown detox center. With hope in her heart, she returns to the party with a sleeping Ella in tow, only to receive poor news about Seth's admission.

Finding Seth in a precarious state, Katie continues searching for help, missing Jack's arrival at the party. Seth pleads with her to get heroin for pain relief, leading her down a dangerous path.

Katie drives to a homeless area near Skid Row to procure the drugs Seth desperately wants. She gets the heroin concealed in six small balloons, sacrificing her safety for her brother’s relief.

At a nearby drugstore, Katie encounters a pharmacist who suspects Seth of being a heroin user. While attempting to change Ella’s diaper in the store, a commotion arises due to Seth's actions in the bathroom, triggering an alarm.

As they drive back to the party, Katie reflects on her childhood memories with Seth. She makes a stop at a bakery for the cake, giving her a moment to ponder the challenges they are both facing.

Once they arrive at the celebration, Katie's family and Jack quickly notice Seth's intoxicated state. His erratic behavior raises alarms among the guests, leading to confrontations that leave Katie feeling guilty.

In a troubling moment, Seth abandons Ella in the backyard while he sneaks off to use. Concerned for her daughter and brother, Katie begins to search for him, realizing the extent of Seth's addiction.

Katie discovers Seth injecting drugs again in her car. In a moment of tough love, she confronts him and decides she can no longer support his addiction, insisting he must seek rehabilitation independently.

With the burden of her brother's struggles lifted, Katie steps out of the car to admire the fireworks light up the night sky. This moment signifies her newfound freedom from guilt and the chaos surrounding her.