The Wait

Set in contemporary times, the events unfold during wildfire season in rural Oregon and rely on smartphones, social media, and a viral video. The characters' actions are influenced by the immediacy of modern communication and the constant presence of danger outside the home. The setting blends current technology with natural threats to heighten tension.

Set in a rural community in central Oregon, the story centers on a family home threatened by encroaching wildfire. Smoke and ash color the landscape, pushing the residents to improvise amid danger. The house becomes a pressure cooker where grief, superstition, and a longing to preserve a loved one collide.

🕊️ Grief

The sisters grapple with their mother's death, embodying contrasting ways of processing loss. Emma's longing to revive her mother reveals how grief can blur the line between reality and fantasy. Angela's pragmatism clashes with Emma's rituals, highlighting how family members cope differently under pressure. The theme explores mourning, memory, and the desire to preserve a loved one at any cost.

🔮 Superstition

Emma is drawn to psychic claims and ritual acts to bring her mother back, testing the line between belief and manipulation. The lo-fi ceremonies and decorations illustrate how superstition can shape behavior and create danger. Tension grows as the possibility of resurrection destabilizes the family and questions what counts as truth. The theme examines how belief can override rational judgment in times of grief.

🗝️ Family Ties

Secrets and tensions surface as the family debates what to do with their mother's body, revealing cracks in trust. The siblings clash over boundaries, loyalty, and the ethical implications of their actions. The will, portrayals of care, and covert moves expose how love can coexist with deception. The theme centers on loyalty, fracture, and the fragility of familial bonds.

🔥 Nature's Threat

The encroaching wildfire frames the story, forcing characters to confront danger beyond their control. Smoke and ash dull the night, mirroring how fear can obscure judgment. The external threat drives isolation and hasty decision-making, testing resilience. The theme examines survival and the ways nature wounds and unites a family.