How High We Go in the Dark

Content Warning: This section contains graphic descriptions of illness and bodily decomposition.

Aubrey discusses her work at a forensic body farm, where she studies how the Artic plague affects the body postmortem. In addition, she reflects on Laird, a man with the plague who has donated his body to science. The two of them listen to music while they wait to see if experimental drugs work to beat the virus. On one such night, her husband, Tatsu, texts her about ordering dinner, but she’s dismissive. Their marriage has struggled in the wake of the Artic plague, highlighting their differences, which Aubrey once loved. As an EMT, Tatsu sees a different version of the plague, straining their shared worldviews and motivations.

Aubrey visits with Laird and his sister, Orli, who doesn’t understand why Laird has chosen to donate his body. Laird and Aubrey first met when he asked to do a documentary about her work, wanting to understand his own mother’s death from the plague. Aubrey and Laird listen to music by bands arranged in alphabetical order. After he falls asleep, Aubrey invites Orli to her lab so that she can understand their procedures. At home, she and Tatsu have a brief conversation, but their jobs are increasingly controlling them and pulling them apart.