The car trundles to a stop, and you wake up.

"Sleep well?" Erica asks, and you nod, rubbing your eyes. The sun is just beginning to rise, with only the faintest bit of light coloring the skies. You're parked at a dimly lit diner, its neon sign flickering sporadically. You look south to a vast sea, a reminder of the slow apocalypse that'll eventually swallow all the land on Earth. No one knows when it'll be; the land sinks unpredictably, and telecom lines are dead from the Great War. Could be a month, could be a year - all people know is, it's inevitable.

Still, life goes on. The two of you get out of the car, shivering at the chill, and hurry into the diner. The bell jingles as you enter, and the waitress glances up. She looks tired, but her face still breaks into a warm smile. "Morning. Feel free to sit anywhere. Are you two messengers?"

You give the affirmative as you and Erica slide into the seats at the counter.

"Ah, I knew it!" the waitress says as she serves you and Erica cups of steaming coffee. "Delivering anything?"

"Just making a rest stop," you say as Erica dumps copious amounts of sugar into her cup.

"Well, you'll likely pick up a few requests here," she says. "What'll you have?"

Erica makes her usual order: blueberry pancakes with dollops of maple syrup and whipped cream. You opt for eggs, toast, and bacon. As the waitress bustles off, a haggard man a few seats away glances at the two of you, then comes over. "Excuse me…are you two messengers?"

"That's right," you say.

The man smiles tentatively. "Heading west?"

Erica raises her head from her coffee, noting the quiet plea in his voice. "Is there a message you'd like delivered, sir?"

The man nods sheepishly. "Yes indeed. Was wondering if you'll be stopping by a little town called Mapleton. A friend lives out there by herself. Haven't seen her since the Great War began…so if you two could deliver a message to her, I'd appreciate it."

You look at Erica, who nods. "Sure.