CHARLOTTE, ASH and EMMA have 2 TICKETS to the RESETTLEMENT ZONE. Their PICK UP is here - PRIVATES BARRETT and BRIDLE - and the Dhumals have decided that Charlotte will go to the Zone with Emma, and Ash will stay behind. But over the course of the night, Charlie has seen that she still loves Ash, and she has just discovered that he is going to commit suicide as soon as her and Emma leave.

 

Charlie believes the best thing for Emma would be to let Ash die, but wants to take his place. She’s left what she does next up to the COIN.

 

This road is about the triumph of the Dhumals’ love and resilience.

 

The COIN is TAILS. Charlie walks away from Ash killing himself.

 

Charlie can’t pull herself away, despite what the COIN has said. She watches as Ash starts to take the PILLS. It’s awful.

 

Meanwhile, the HELPLINE OPERATOR exits her BOSS’S OFFICE. She does not look well at all, and she’s struggling to stay upright. She checks the time, then starts rushing down hallways.

 

Charlie heads back to the JEEP. The soldiers are ready to go. Emma is wailing for Ash. Surely anything is better than this. She has a -

 

FLASHBACK: she’s at a LONDON PUB with FRIENDS. She’s 24. She goes to the bar for another round. She receives a text - it’s from Ash. He’s suggesting a second date. She isn’t sure, though. A HANDSOME BARMAN loads the pints onto the bar, and tells her the price. She banters with him about the cost of a London pint, and then takes out her purse and pays by card. She pauses over her purse. She looks back to the text. She shrugs, removes a FIFTY PENCE COIN, and flips -

 

The coin rises and then spins at its peak. Everything in the bar is frozen except for the coin and Charlotte. She looks at the coin.

 

In the PRESENT, Charlotte is frozen by the jeep.

 

In the PAST, the coin drops -

 

And Young Charlotte’s in a CINEMA LOBBY, watching Ash. Ash is trying to judge what size of popcorn he’d like. She taps him on the shoulder, but he’s too engrossed for the moment in the popcorn sizes, so she taps harder. He spins and is terribly embarrassed.

 

She brushes off his apologies and helps him consider snacks. She suggests flipping a coin over it, and tells him that she flipped one over whether to come tonight or not. He’s a little shocked at first, but then he finds it absolutely fucking hilarious. Off Young Charlie’s grin -

 

PRESENT Charlie turns from the jeep and - ignoring the shouts of the soldiers - returns to the house.

 

Charlie overrides the result of the previous coin flip.

 

Charlie shouts inside (to spare Ash the embarrassment of her having seen what he’s doing). He panics and hides the PILLS.

 

She claims to have forgotten something. While she searches for it, he should go see Emma again. Charlie gives Ash back his LETTER FOR EMMA - why doesn’t he read that to her?

 

Ash heads outside. Charlie enters the lounge, and looks about. She sees what she’s looking for - the SCALPEL.

 

Meanwhile, the Helpline Operator gets back to her DESK. But where’s the Dhumals’ call? She has dozens on hold. She starts to go through them.

 

Ash comforts Emma. She calms down. 

 

CRASH! A noise from inside the house. Ash rushes back inside to discover that Charlotte, sat on the sofa, is about to slit her wrists with the scalpel. Charlie’s paused, looking at what’s caused the noise - it’s Ash’s RICKETY DIY SHELF, which has crumbled to the floor.

 

Charlie turns and sees Ash. Determined, Charlotte starts to cut; Ash rushes forwards and grabs her; they begin to struggle.

 

Charlie orders Ash - let her go! Ash refuses. They struggle until they’re a panting, weeping mess.

 

Ash insists that they’ll stay there, together, as a family - come what may.

 

There’s a voice nearby. It’s the LANDLINE - the HELPLINE OPERATOR!

 

Ash rushes over and picks up the phone. The Operator explains that she’s gotten them a 3rd TICKET. It should be on CHARLOTTE’S ACCOUNT. So congratulations! They’re going to the Zone.

 

Ash tells Charlie. Charlie’s mystified. She comes over and they thank the Operator, both weeping.

 

The soldiers enter and Charlie explains. They wave the Dhumals towards the jeep - they’ve got to go.

 

The Helpline Operator rests, her job finally done. She looks at photos of her family on her phone. Her eyes are bleeding.

 

7am, on a BUS to the RESETTLEMENT ZONE. The SOLDIER DRIVING is radioed by a COLLEAGUE: the government knows what’s causing the crisis, they’re going to announce it soon. They’re going to survive this!

 

In the seats behind, the Dhumals hold each other close.