CHARLOTTE, ASH and EMMA have 3 TICKETS to the RESETTLEMENT ZONE. Charlie is driving home, having killed DARREN and fought her way through GABIE and MICHAEL KING’S party. Ash is at their HOME, guarding Emma, unaware that a group of violent YOUNG WHITE MEN are on the CUL-DE-SAC, looking for someone to attack.

 

Charlotte thinks Ash is waiting for her - and that killing Darren was worth saving her marriage. She has a lingering worry that Ash is going to betray her, after the night’s arguments.

 

Ash knows he should wait for Charlotte, but wants to leave for the PICK UP POINT. He’s afraid of the chaos around their house, and he keeps imagining that Charlie has run off with Darren. Part of him wants to punish Charlie (for insulting him, for kissing Darren).

 

Our heroes started out a loving family united in their desire to save their daughter from the apocalypse, but they’ve been driven apart by past mistakes, petty desires, cruelty and miscommunication. Unfortunately for Emma, her parents have been unable to understand each other’s positions, or make decisions without the COIN. This road is a dark apocalyptic satire - no one’s coming out of it well.

 

Ash flipped over whether to abandon his soulmate and flee with her child, or to wait for his soulmate and risk being attacked.

 

THE COIN is TAILS. Ash is going to abandon Charlie.

 

Ash grabs BAGS and starts to load the SMITHS’ CAR.

 

The group of young white men are standing at the entrance to the cul-de-sac. They see Ash.

 

Ash grabs Emma, and heads outside, pulling the FRONT DOOR closed as he goes -

 

To see the young white men coming for him. ONE of them is further ahead, striding right up to Ash. Ash puts Emma down and moves her behind him, and begins to address the men -

 

But the one in front bottles Ash on the side of the head.

 

It’s at that point that Charlotte begins to plow HER CAR through the MEN at the back of the group. Charlotte hits the brakes and skids into the Smith car, then climbs out readying her BASEBALL BAT.

 

She clocks ONE near her on the head, and then swipes the ribs of the one who just glassed Ash.

 

She grabs Ash - they have to go. He tells her to get into the Smith car, all of their stuff is in there.

 

Charlie bundles Emma and Ash into the Smith car, and sets off driving. The young white men, rolling around on the street and the Dhumals’ FRONT GARDEN, groan in pain.

 

The streets are hellish – car crashes, fights, SOLDIERS firing.

 

As Charlie drives, Ash breaks down and apologises for trying to leave with Emma.

 

ACT FIVE.

Ash explains what happened: he was waiting, but they were attacked, and to be honest -

 

Here comes The Confrontation.

 

He was worried that she’d left him and Emma, and run off with Darren. After all of Ash’s fuck-ups tonight, and after the things Darren said earlier … He knows that him and her are a total fucking disaster half the time - they never talk, they use the goddamn COIN. He knows that Darren could give her a more exciting life. He knows that Charlotte’s had her doubts about this family -

 

Charlotte insists that she does want this family. She brought them DARREN’S TICKET. What she had to do to get it … -

 

Ash sees the blood on her clothes, and realises what’s happened. He apologises for not going with her.

 

Charlie tells him that they’ve both made mistakes tonight, and they should put them behind them. In the Zone, they can work on their relationship.

 

Ash thinks that they have to stop using the coin. It’s poisonous.

 

The Dhumals reach the airfield, abandon their car, tell some SOLDIERS they have tickets, and join the queue to get into the Pick Up Point. Around them scores of PROTESTORS and DESPERATE PEOPLE are trying to breach the FENCE, and soldiers are threatening them. There are SOLDIERS CHECKING TICKETS, and, beyond them, SOLDIERS CHECKING TICKET HOLDERS’ EYES. An odd number of people at the Pick Up Point have brought their pets with them.

 

A MONTAGE. A SOLDIER scans their BRACELETS, and waves the Dhumals into the Pick Up Point. They get onto a BUS, driven by a SOLDIER. It’s 12.15am - a part of the fence comes down, and protestors and desperate people rush onto the airfield. Panicked soldiers begin shooting them. Ash and Charlie’s bus pulls away quickly. Ash, Charlie and Emma cuddle up close in their seats. A SOLDIER comes down the bus, confiscating PHONES and other electronic devices (to ensure the location of the Zones remains secret); Ash doesn’t care when he has to give up his LAPTOP - he returns to hugging Charlotte. They drive through the night - England is chaos. They pass a TOUR BUS, with a BAND arguing outside on the road. They take the PRINCE OF WALES BRIDGE into WALES – it’s heavily guarded. They arrive at the SWANSEA SAFE ZONE. The outskirts of Swansea are heavily guarded – watchtowers, jeeps and tanks, anti-vehicle bollards. Their bus is directed to another entrance, and they drive around the outskirts, where a fence and other protections are being freshly constructed. They’re unloaded in NORTH SWANSEA. Their bags are checked; they’re inspected by ARMY DOCTORS. And they’re in! They cling together, exhausted but hopeful.

 

The MONTAGE ends. They’re guided to an ACCOMMODATION CENTRE. Ash gets into a queue to receive accommodation, while Charlotte takes Emma for a wee - given directions by a HELPFUL SOLDIER (20s).

 

Ash receives the Dhumals’ accommodation - a TENT on the outskirts of Swansea. He leaves the queue to find Charlotte and Emma waiting. 

 

Charlotte grabs Emma’s hand and starts to leave the Accommodation Centre. Across the room, she spots two faces she recognises … who are they …? It’s GABIE and MICHAEL KING! Charlie begins to panic.

 

And, as she watches them, they spot her, and begin to wonder themselves where they’ve seen her …

 

Ash is trying to talk to Charlie; Charlie grabs him and drags him out of the Centre. As they walk, she explains who the Kings are. She thinks they’ll have to do something about the Kings.

 

The events of the night have broken Charlie a bit. She’s more prepared to go to extremes.

 

Charlie wants to threaten the Kings, but Ash talks her down - what if they just talk to them? They might be reasonable people. Sick of the night’s violence, Charlie agrees to try.

 

The Dhumals watch the Kings exit the Accommodation Centre. They’re having an animated conversation - is it about me, Charlie wonders …?

 

The Dhumals follow the Kings to a FANCY FLAT BLOCK. Ash follows them up the stairs, and watches them enter a FANCY FLAT. Charlie follows with Emma, and the Dhumals knock on the flat door.

 

Gabie opens the door, and is shocked to see Charlotte. The Dhumals ask if they can come inside.

 

In the FLAT’S LOUNGE, the Kings watch the Dhumals carefully as they explain the situation with Darren.

 

The Kings go to one side and confer, and then return and ask: what would the Dhumals give up, to have this kept quiet?

 

The Kings are characters who use the end of the world as an opportunity act out their desires, to get what they want.

 

Charlie bridles - we won’t give you anything! But the Kings threaten them: one phonecall and the Dhumals will be thrown out - or worse! They’ve heard that A MAN IS GOING TO BE HUNG in the morning, for ‘subversion’.

 

Ash and Charlie begin to offer up their valuables, and the Kings um and ahh. Then Michael reveals what they really want: Emma. Emma is the price.

 

Ash and Charlie are too horrified to speak.

 

Michael explains: it’s not as bad as it sounds! They can’t have kids, they’ve been trying to adopt.

 

Charlie moves as if to attack them, but Ash holds her back. Gabie has their LANDLINE in her hand: one call …

 

They hear distant explosions. The Kings’ landline receives a call, and Gabie picks it up. Apparently LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM HAVE BEEN BOMBED.

 

The Dhumals are exhausted, and terrified of being thrown out of the Zone. They could attack the Kings, but then what? Go on the run in the Zone?! Charlie’s still wrecked from killing Darren.

 

They look at each other. Charlie has her hand in her pocket, holding a COIN. Ash puts his hand on her arm - stop. And he tells her: what choice do we have? Also: it’s anything for Emma, remember.

 

7am. A MAN outside the DHUMAL TENT tells a WOMAN: the government knows what’s causing the crisis, they’re going to announce it soon. They’re all going to survive this!

 

Inside the tent, Ash and Charlie spoon on a camp bed.

 

Meanwhile, Emma sits, confused, at a BRUNCH party with the Kings. PENNY is there, but doesn’t recognise Emma.

 

Charlie watches Emma’s empty bed. They’re all safe, at least.