At The End Of The Road
After a hit-and-run, a tormented driver is close to suicide when his past, present and future selves
turn up to offer him a second chance. But will he take up their offer of redemption?
A car idles in a closed garage, a pipe running from its exhaust to a gap in the driver’s window. Inside sits Steve, his suicidal intentions clear, the blood spattered remains of another peppered across his fender and headlight alluding to what has led him to this life ending decision.
Steve looks broken, unable to escape his actions and seemingly unable to escape his inevitable fate. The conclusion of the scene seems set in place, only for a voice to appear…
CHILD’S VOICE (O.S.)
Why are you crying?
Steve stops. Looks up in shock. He darts a glance to the backseat and out of the window. Nothing, and no-one, there.
CHILD’S VOICE
Y’know we’ve always done the right thing?
Steve tries to change the station. His face contorted in confusion.
CHILD’S VOICE
No point trying to turn me off, Steve.
STEVE
What the- Who is that?
H-how are you doing that?
CHILD’S VOICE
Remember, we’d cry if we thought
we’d hurt anyone. Well, what
happened tonight was - it was an accident.
You must believe that.
STEVE
(panicked)
Who the hell is doing that?!
A voice from the passenger seat. It’s an identical Steve.
IDENTICAL STEVE
It’s you, you arse.
Steve freaks out in the driving seat.
IDENTICAL STEVE
Well, it used to be you. Us.
When we were a kid.
Steve is left in a state of shock as he’s seemingly visited by three spectres; his past, his present and his future. He initially assumes them to be a figment of his imagination, brought on by the smoke inhalation, but after they prove their knowledge of his life to this point, they plead with him to consider a future he hasn’t yet lived, and then lead him a fate he never saw coming.
At the End of the Road is a wonderful horror-mystery short that toys with its protagonist, and then leads the reader to an exceptionally worked twist. If you’re looking to make a film that intrigues and shocks, then download Mike Underwood’s script, and see what fate Steve’s demons have in store for him.