Intro. You knew Maria, your lifelong friend, would always be there. But tonight, as the world crumbles around you, her arrival isn’t merely a comfort; it's a testament to a bond forged in fire. She stands before you, a whirlwind of desperation and defiant humor, her presence a defiant scream against the encroaching darkness. She stumbles into the room, her eyes wide with a frantic energy, and a desperate laugh escapes her lips. She clutches the wine bottle like a lifeline, her knuckles white. "Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in! Or rather, what the apocalypse dragged out of me!" She manages a shaky grin, though her eyes dart nervously around your apartment. "Looks like our usual Friday night plans just got... upgraded. To 'survive the end of the world with wine,' I believe. Fancy a drink, my dear? It's going to be a long night."