CHARLOTTE, ASH and EMMA have 2 TICKETS to the RESETTLEMENT ZONE. They’re trying to get to ASH’S PARENTS’ HOUSE as they think it’s safer than their own. Once there, they’re going to try to find a 3rd TICKET, so they can all go to the Resettlement Zone.

 

Decisive Charlie tends to side with this government. Ponderous Ash tends to resist them.

 

Stuck on a street between scary SOLDIERS and scary PROTESTORS, they’ve flipped over which group to try to escape through.

 

THE COIN is HEADS. CHARLOTTE WINS. They’re going to try to drive by the SOLDIERS.

 

Ash reluctantly drives slowly towards the PLATOON OF SOLDIERS. Charlie winds her window down, ready to speak to them.

 

As they approach, the soldiers aim their rifles at the car. Ash stops. Charlie starts to lean out of her window to shout over to them - the SOLDIER IN FRONT points his rifle at the sky and BANG! fires a burst.

 

Ash panics. Emma’s crying. He reverses, at speed, back towards the PROTESTORS - and SLAMS! into a parked car (oof!) knocking the wind out of everyone.

 

What do they do? Charlie takes charge: out of the car! Grab what you can and let’s go!

 

Charlie grabs Emma and the SURVIVAL KITBAG. Ash grabs what supplies he can carry - leaving much. Charlie heads for a PATH between houses, and Ash follows.

 

But Ash realises he’s forgotten his SATCHEL! He darts back and searches for it; Charlie’s furious, shouting at him to leave it.

 

The soldiers are getting closer. Suddenly a Molotov cocktail flies over the car and smashes in front of the soldiers (the protestors are stepping it up a gear). Ash finds his satchel, rushes back to his family, and they flee down the path.

 

This chapter, and the stories that branch out from it, are about our leads struggling to adapt to this new world. Who should they be, now? What does that mean for their relationship? Can they change? Should they? What will it take to survive?

 

At the back of the platoon, PRIVATES BLAKE and WILSON (20s) approach their leader, SERGEANT JOHNSON (40s), who’s standing beside a jeep a little way behind. He informs them they’re on ‘pick ups’.

 

Wilson enquires when they’ll be able to go to the Resettlement Zones. Johnson assures them that he’s looking out for his men. (Subplot!)

 

As they scuttle between houses, keeping an eye out for other people, the Dhumals consider what to do now. They’re still miles from ASH’S PARENTS’, so they both agree it’s best to go home. It’s too crazy out here - best to bunker down until their PICK UP TIME, and search for a 3rd TICKET in the meantime.

 

The PROBLEM in this chapter: surviving the night at home.

 

Ash can see that Charlie is angry about the satchel, and apologises. Charlotte wonders aloud whether she can guess what’s in there - his NOVELS? His LAPTOP? Ash leaves an incriminating silence, then starts to talk about the soldiers with an air of ‘I Told You So’.

 

The walk is a long way to carry crying Emma. Ash tries to take her off Charlie and there’s a slight TUSSLE OVER EMMA before Charlie lets go. They hear PEOPLE nearby, and duck into a front garden to hide behind hedges.

 

At Charlie’s direction, they approach their house from the ALLEY behind their GARDEN. This way, the NEIGHBOURS don’t know they’re inside.

 

They enter the house through the CONSERVATORY, and breathe. Charlie heads upstairs - she needs space to cool down. Ash puts Emma with her (depleted) TOYS in the LOUNGE, and flumps onto the sofa.

 

Ash reads over the GOVERNMENT GATEWAY’S site on the lottery and tickets. Is there a HELPLINE to call? There is a number, at the bottom of the page. The fineprint notes that the call will be charged for. Ash goes into their cupboard under the stairs, and dusts off a novelty LANDLINE PHONE in the shape of a burger (an old birthday present from a distant relative). He places the call, and a robot asks why he’s calling. He explains that his wife hasn’t received a ticket to the Zone.

 

Charlie sees a series of texts from workmate DARREN, and we see her replying.

 

Charlie returns to the lounge. Ash is on his mobile. The landline is piping out polite queue music. Ash notes that his PARENTS didn’t get any tickets, and they’ve decided to head to Cornwall as soon as possible.

 

Ash goes up and puts a fussy Emma to bed.

 

9pm. Ash receives a NOTIFICATION ABOUT A ‘PICK UP POINT’, from the government. This is a place that ticket holders can flee to if their house is not safe. The Dhumals’ Point is a local airfield, about a 20 minute drive away.

 

Ash hears a commotion outside on the street. Charlie sneaks over and they both look out. It’s nosy neighbour PENNY (45) arguing with their sweaty next door neighbour MARK NEWMAN (47). She’s seen him packing - why is he going to break the curfew? Does he have a ticket to one of these ‘Zones’ she’s heard about? Mark is refusing to give anything up. Penny makes a leap, and accuses Mark of knowing something about the crisis.

 

Charlie doesn’t understand why Penny would think that. Ash explains that Mark is a scientist at the local university - and smugly notes that this is why she should befriend the neighbours (CHARLIE DOESN’T GET ON WITH THE NEIGHBOURS). We CUT TO:

 

A BRIEF FLASHBACK: talking to Mark at a STREET PARTY, Ash asks Mark what he does. Mark tells Ash that he’s a scientist at the local university, but when Mark begins to provide more detail, Ash zones out - white noise as he sips his drink.

 

Ash wonders whether they should go and help Mark; Charlie stops him. Mark heads back inside and slams the door in Penny’s face. She shouts that she’ll be back, and stomps off across the street.

 

Charlie rushes out of the conservatory into their back garden, and leans over the SHARED FENCE with Mark’s house, tapping on Mark’s conservatory. Mark sidles into his conservatory, confused, and then into his garden. He’s not happy to see Charlie. Charlotte’s all smiles: she just wanted to check how he was. Mark points out that they’ve never spoken before today. Charlie drops the act, and begins to pressure Mark into explaining why he’s packing up. Mark grows very uncomfortable.

 

Just as Mark is about to snap, Ash comes outside and stops Charlotte. Mark is thankful. Ash genuinely asks how Mark is, and Mark admits that he’s not doing well. Ash asks Mark’s advice on the crisis, and Mark tells them to just stay inside and keep their head down. He’s worried about what people might do in such dire circumstances … Ash and Charlie share a glance: dude definitely knows something.

 

Charlotte decides to take a risk - she starts to explain their situation. Ash joins in, and asks if Mark could help them get another ticket, or even just give them some information to help them through the night -

 

At which point Mark snaps. He threatens them both: they’d better leave him alone. Ash tries to talk him round, but Mark heads back inside and locks his door.

 

Charlotte’s miffed, but she notes that Mark is at least ‘an option’. Ash jokingly asked what she means, and Charlie - dancing around it - points out that Mark probably has a ticket … Ash jokes that ‘WORK CHARLOTTE’ (a.k.a. The Shark) is out on the prowl - but is also genuinely uncomfortable at Charlie’s behaviour.

 

ACT THREE.

Charlie thinks they should be active to stay useful - they’ll both search for a 3rd ticket and FORTIFY THE HOUSE. Regarding the latter, she mocks Ash’s DIY skills - all he’s put up is a RICKETY DIY SHELF in the lounge, which looks like it could collapse at any moment.

 

MONTAGE time! We see the Dhumals being practical, but also being best mates. Charlie sees Ash being clumsy and a bit useless, but loveable; Ash sees Charlie preparing for the end like a pro.

 

Charlie plugs and fills the bath and every sink in the house with TAP WATER.

 

Ash changes from his VERY TIGHT TROUSERS into trackies in their BEDROOM.

 

Charlie tapes up windows.

 

Ash finally fixes the BROKEN PATIO DOORS, with lots of gaffa tape. It’s not pretty, but it’s done.

 

Charlie removes a BASEBALL BAT from on top of their cupboard.

 

Ash looks at TICKETS ON EBAY. They’re going for 500k each. Ash starts to run the numbers, but he knows they don’t have anywhere near that much ready cash.

 

Ash gets a news alert on his phone and the MONTAGE pauses. It’s 10pm. He shows Charlie: it’s about a LEAK OF A GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT PREDICTING MASS CASUALTIES.

 

Back to the MONTAGE: Ash calls round various RELATIVES, noting cash sums, trying to raise the money they need. As he does, he watches the price of the tickets on eBay rise …

 

Charlie reviews their depleted SUPPLIES in the PANTRY, taking notes on a clipboard.

 

Ash posts to an eBay seller: will you take a house? The seller won’t, but they will accept crypto. Ash drops his head into his hands. The MONTAGE pauses. Ash looks back to his laptop screen to find that eBay has disappeared. It’s 10.30pm. He refreshes the page, and gets directed to the Government Gateway website. He checks his phone - he can only get on the Government Gateway site on there, too. He shouts for Charlie with the urgency of a man being attacked; Charlie comes running, and Ash checks her phone too - only the Government Gateway site. In a tone indicating that the apocalypse has really arrived, Ash announces that THE INTERNET IS DOWN.

 

Outside, while her wife  DIANA (45) watches, Penny stabs the tyres on Mark’s car.

 

Charlie and Ash call FRIENDS, asking if they have, or know of, any spare tickets. No luck.

 

11pm. There are GUNSHOTS IN THE NEAR DISTANCE. Emma is afraid.

 

Ash helps Charlie to move cabinets, dressers, tables in front of windows and doors.

 

Outside, Penny and her wife DIANA have gathered a group of NEIGHBOURS, who all watch Mark’s house.

 

11.30pm: A LOOTER (20s) tries to break into Ash and Charlotte’s house through the PATIO DOORS. Ash, Charlotte and Emma hide in the GROUND FLOOR HALLWAY while he does; Charlie has her baseball bat at the ready. But the Looter can’t get inside, so he moves on.

 

12.20am. Ash and Charlie watch as the group of YOUNG WHITE MEN (who harassed them at the PHARMACY) enter the cul-de-sac, and head for the SMITH HOUSE. They know that the SAMAANS (who have claimed asylum in the UK) live there. The men attack the Smith house - breaking windows, and attempting to kick the door down. The Smiths and Samaans watch from the upstairs windows, terrified. Penny and Diana watch from behind their curtains too, as do other neighbours. Just as one of the men is about to throw a Molotov cocktail inside, a POLICE CAR drives past, and the men scatter. The Molotov cocktail is dropped though, and sets fire to the SMITHs’ car.

 

Ash stands biting his nails in the lounge. What the hell are they going to do?! It’s all looking pretty dire - both for the Dhumals, and for their neighbours.

 

A voice, in the lounge. The MONTAGE ends. Ash looks around - what is that? It’s the landline! He rushes over and answers the phone. A HELPLINE OPERATOR asks how she can assist him. Ash explains the situation. The Operator thinks that sounds like a mistake - it’s meant to be whole families, whole households. But, looking at her records, Charlotte isn’t listed as living there. Ash realises the problem, and starts to explain -

 

FLASHBACK: Charlie’s working in NEW YORK. The two have an awkward zoom call - long distance isn’t going well. Ash has had a few drinks, and tells Charlie that he barely feels like he’s married at this point. He wakes hungover, and forces himself to sit down to write. He gets a calendar notification: complete CENSUS. He puts down himself and Emma as living there, and gets on with his work.

 

The Operator is sympathetic, but unfortunately can’t help. Ash begs her. The Operator relents - she’ll see what she can do. She puts him on hold again. Ash is gutted that his mistake has led to this.

 

Charlie joins a guilty Ash in the lounge. Both are anxious - still no ticket. Ash vents his guilt and anxiety by ranting: he’s disgusted at what this government is doing. How can a country this wealthy have reached this point? RATIONING?! Charlie thinks there are situations where it’s necessary to leave the weak behind. Ash thinks that position is just an excuse for being a lazy and selfish ruling class. Charlotte believes that leaders have to make hard decisions, and that Ash is lucky he’s avoided having to do that.

 

Ash wonders what the Zones will be like, with a government this shit. With stuff happening like soldiers shooting at them in the street. For the first time, he questions aloud whether him, Charlie and Emma should actually go to the Resettlement Zone. Charlie’s a little shocked, but resolute - the Zones will be good, and the best way for Emma to survive. Then she moves onto more dangerous ground: she asks if Ash would rather not go. The atmosphere in the lounge has shifted. After a super pregnant pause, Ash (finally) announces that, of course, if only two of them could go, it’d be Charlie and Emma. (A forced concession. Is it really felt?) Charlie insists (falsely, as she doesn’t believe it) that they won’t reach that situation.

 

We should be noting by now that Charlie is always tempted to do what seems to her the safest, if most brutal, thing. And the most brutal safety tends to be the government’s offer: the Resettlement Zones. This is all despite her keen intelligence and ability at survival - which should help her to figure out ways to save them all, if she weren’t so cynical.

 

Meanwhile, Ash always tends to think there’s another way. He’ll blow up an opportunity in the moment because he’s certain they’ll figure something else out - even if he has no ideas. He’s rarely sure of how to beat the government’s offer, but he’ll try until all hope is lost.

 

Charlie reveals that she wants to teach Ash something she’s beginning to think might be useful: a few suggestions for HOW TO FIGHT. Along with her SURVIVAL TECHNIQUES, she learnt a little of this from her dad (‘BIG BILL’ BURTON), and she’s had some more training over the years. Ash tries to laugh it off - he really doubts he’ll need to fight, which is lucky as he’s PUT ON WEIGHT RECENTLY. Charlie tries to coax him into the training, then insists. She starts to play-box with him, but he’s not having it. She lands an actual punch that actually hurts Ash’s actual face; he’s shocked. As is she, realising she’s gone too far.

 

Emma’s in the doorway, awake again, and shocked at what she’s seen. Ash scoops her up. Charlie comes and hugs them both, whispering an apology to Ash.

 

Ash is beginning to grasp how scary this new world is, and how suited Charlie is to it.

 

Charlie is seeing her instinct - that Ash isn’t designed for this new world - confirmed. But she’s also seeing that she still loves him - especially as a father to Emma.

 

Charlie receives a call, and takes it into the conservatory. Ash comforts Emma: mummy and daddy are fine, it wasn’t serious, they were just playing around. Charlotte returns to report: that was their friends in Bristol - they can’t help with tickets. They also told Charlie that they’d heard that Cornwall is particularly fucked - army blockades around it, and many dead. Ash is sad that his back-up plan is out the window … Charlie reminds him that his parents are planning to go there! Ash remembers and prepares to call them.

 

It’s 1.15am. There’s the noise of people outside. The Dhumals look out and see Penny, Diana and many of their other neighbours gathering around Mark’s house. Diana has a HUNTING SHOTGUN. Inside, Mark is terrified. Penny wants Mark to let her in – she just wants to talk. Mark refuses.

 

Meanwhile, the Smiths are saying goodbye to the Samaans at the Smith house. The Samaans are fleeing the street while they still can.

 

Diana starts to smash one of Mark’s windows. Ash decides to intervene. Charlie wants to flip a COIN, but Ash says that he isn’t going to flip a coin over someone’s life. As he unlocks the front door, neighbours are helping Diana to climb through Mark’s window.

 

But a jeep containing PRIVATES WILSON and BLAKE is pulling into the street. The neighbours pause. The soldiers pull up to Mark’s house and get out, brandishing their rifles. They’re here to pick up one Mr Newman. Ash has paused, the front door open a crack, watching.

 

Penny makes a bold move – she stands in the soldiers’ way. She wants to know what’s going on. She demands that they take her – and her husband, and all her neighbours – to safety. The soldiers refuse, and start to muscle their way towards Mark’s house. Mark comes out, thinking he’s saved.

 

Meanwhile, the Samaans are trying to quietly loop around the commotion, and exit the street.

 

Suddenly Diana aims his shotgun at Wilson, and a neighbour grabs Mark. The soldiers aim their rifles at Diana, and Penny attacks Blake. Blake panics and shoots her. Wilson shoots the other neighbours, and Blake opens fire on others too. Diana and Mark are shot.

Charlotte dives to the lounge floor with Emma. Ash scuttles away from the front door.

 

Blake and Wilson stop shooting. Blake is hyperventilating - what have they done?!

 

Ash, Charlie and Emma lie in a huddle behind their sofa. Charlie has her hand over Emma’s mouth. She asks Ash to calm her, and then creeps to the lounge window and surveys the situation.

 

The Samaans have been hiding behind a car across the street. They attempt to run, but Wilson sees. Wilson shoots NAZIM and MAARA, and goes to shoot ALI. Blake breaks out of a daze to tell Wilson to stop. Wilson says they have to – he’s a witness. Wilson turns to shoot Ali - but Blake shoots Wilson first. Ali sprints off, out of the cul-de-sac. Blake stands alone, shivering.

 

Ash creeps over to Charlotte, and looks out at the scene. Charlie reveals a crazy idea: she wants to ask Blake for help. He was attacked - he didn’t want to kill anyone - and he refused to shoot Ali. Ash thinks she’s deranged - after what Blake has just done?! Blake will kill her! Besides, they need to help any neighbours that they can. The gasps and moans of a couple of dying neighbours are audible.

 

Charlie insists: we have to, this could be our last chance! Ash insists that they hide.

 

Charlie takes out her COIN. Ash really doesn’t want to take the risk, but he calls ‘Tails’. The Decision Point appears onscreen:

 

EITHER Charlie, ‘Heads’: ‘Ask for the scary soldier’s help’

OR Ash, ‘Tails’: ‘Hide from the scary soldier’

 

Whatever you choose is this story’s midpoint. Going for the safety they want, the Dhumals will either engage directly with this new scary world and discover its realities, or they will hide away, turn inwards, and go to war with each other. This will have huge repercussions for their marriage, and may cost them their lives.