I apologize that I cannot remember the name of this story. I’m unsure if it was a movie or a tv show (like the Twilight Zone) but this has haunted my dreams for years. It’s definitely science fiction. It’s my hope that someone will see this and recognize the story so I can rewatch it / view it to get over these thoughts.
The world is attacked by aliens. The type of aliens appears to be buglike. A group of humans (6-8) are placed underground in special bomb shelters. They have communication links to each other but can only recieve some information from the outside world.
Inside these shelters, their vitals are recorded. There is about two weeks of food and water for each of them. Each is alone in their shelter. Some pass time with a game of chess over their video communication.
There is a button in each of their shelters. An alarm goes off when it needs to be pressed. If any of them presses the button, nothing will happen. But if the button is ignored and not pressed, nuclear weapons will be used to strike the earth. In essence, the buttons is to be ignored if they are down there more than 2 weeks or if they recieve communication that the war is lost.
One by one though, the aliens discover these bunkers. Having no weapons of their own, the people are killed. The last two remaining are a man and woman who have bonded. The man is starting to lose his sanity, wanting to let the nuclear strike happen. The woman reassures him that they are still fighting and will win.
Its been over a month now. Food and water is all but exhausted with the idea of starvation becoming a reality. On screen infront of him he witnesses the woman’s bunker being opened and the aliens taking her, ending her life.
Its 1 hour now until the button needs to be pressed. The man has given up any hope of surviving, knowing full well he may die down here. Having watched everyone else die infront of him he sits alone in his bunker waiting for the clock to tick. As long as he’s alive and the button is ignored, those weapons will kill those aliens that took his friends.
Suddenly, a communication from the government comes through the screen. Its the President of the United States. He tells the man that he is a hero. That mankind has successfully pushed back this alien attack. He tells him that they have his location, that they just need him to hold on a little bit longer.
The communication ends - its all a lie. An alien was wearing the presidents face. Rather, the communication came from the oval office with the alien wearing the dead presidents body. They do know his location. They are coming for him. But not to save him.
The alarm goes off once more. The man is exhausted, barely able to move at this point. The button has to be pushed. With the last of his strength he pushes the button, thinking he has done the right thing.
Does anyone remember this story? Do any bits or pieces of it sound familiar?