Sam and Carl reach the quiet ruins of Elmwood, where empty streets and frozen lives reveal the true extent of the disaster. Inside the deserted Shop Smart Superstore, they gather supplies for the children—until Carl discovers a terrified young girl who has miraculously survived beside her unresponsive mother. As they take her under their protection, Sam’s sudden dash into a nearby pet shop leads to an unexpected rescue mission of her own.

As Helen prepares lunch for the children, Nancy struggles to balance protection with the growing need for structure and independence. When three mischievous boys wander off on a risky escapade, Frank retrieves them just in time, prompting Nancy to establish the colony’s first official rule. Moments later, Carl and Sam return with supplies—and a bus full of puppies and kittens that fills the children with long-lost joy.

When Sam, Carl, and Frank reach the athletic complex, they find Geoff and Amy struggling to save an athlete whose implanted modem has triggered fatal convulsions. Sam steps in to attempt a second disconnection—one that works, but with disturbing and unexpected results.

Carl and Frank return to campus with much-needed supplies—and surprising news. Sam, Amy, and Geoff have begun reviving medical staff at the hospital, including a surgeon who helps them restore full function to Janet. By morning, Nancy may finally have the support she’s been praying for.

As the children settle into routines, the colony begins to take shape. The boys serve an impressive homemade dinner, the girls discover the student store and dream up a supply system, and Carl guides them toward practical leadership. Later, the older kids organize the younger ones to clean and play with the rescued animals, giving the exhausted adults a glimpse of hope.

As the pets settle in for the night, Nancy looks for ways to keep nearly two hundred exhausted, grieving children grounded. Before she can decide, Tim and a team of girls unveil a surprise: a movie night complete with fresh popcorn. The brief spark of joy that lights up the group gives Nancy a moment of relief—until the children ask the question she can’t answer: When do we get to go home? With honesty and steady leadership, she sets the first official rules of “The Colony,” while Sam and Nancy debate the growing responsibility to search for more lost children beyond campus.