Drive Me to the End

Kate Lister,Tracey Wilkinson

Caring son RYAN makes the difficult decision to leave his terminally ill mother LOUISA and drive to the Highlands of Scotland to attend the funeral of a yet-to-be revealed stranger. Already worried about leaving Louisa alone, Ryan is dismayed to learn his Mother has arranged for a very distant relative, SUNNY, to travel with him. Aware that any wish of his mother's could be her last, Ryan begrudgingly agrees and sets off to collect Sunny in a banged up Vauxhall Corsa that will become their home for the next 3 days. Sunny waits impatiently for Ryan's arrival, seemingly desperate to escape the anxious protestations of her mother CASSANDRA and the obvious unhappiness of her domineering father JASON. Ryan exudes friendliness as they set off, trying his best to initiate conversation, which Sunny reacts to with monosyllabic responses that only inform him that she is Australian, and that she is autistic. They continue North, trying to ascertain why each of them is going to the funeral, engaging in the smallest of small talk. Sunny reveals she makes art out of pinecones, and that she killed her neighbours cat. Ryan sets about trying to help Sunny relax, which goes splendidly until he puts diesel in his petrol car and they are forced to stay overnight at a cheap motel. The change to her routine is deeply unsettling for Sunny, and for the first time Ryan witnesses how forcibly her autism can affect her. Instead of trying to make her comfortable he actually comforts her, and as they set off the next morning they appear to have formed a fragile and unlikely bond, opening up to each other about their hopes, fears and dreams. Cautiously beginning to trust Ryan they visit a bar, and for the first time in her life Sunny drinks alcohol. The next morning, for the first time in her life, Sunny throws up from drinking too much alcohol. Negotiating the Highlands with biblical hangovers, Sunny becomes anxious when Ryan picks up a disabled hitchhiker, SIMON. Despite her initial fears she develops a bond with him through sign language, leaving Ryan feeling isolated and jealous. After dropping Simon off, Sunny confesses that she recently attempted suicide. Having a mother with a terminal illness, Ryan chastises Sunny for wanting to throw away life, until she forces him to stop the car and runs off. Ryan desperately tries to find her eventually coming to a vast lake where he spots what he thinks is Sunny floating in the water. Despite not being able to swim, Ryan dives in to save her, but after thrashing around for approximately 3 yards he turns to the shore, where he sees Sunny, who realises that she in fact needs to save him. Laying soaking wet on the lakeside, Sunny explains the extent of her issues. For the first time Ryan understands all he needs to do is listen. The next morning they arrive at the church, where Ryan confesses it's his estranged father's funeral. Sunny reacts with fury that he didn't tell her and, seeing her distraught, Jason knocks Ryan to the ground and pulls Sunny back to his car. On the orders of Cassandra they drive away. Ryan travels back alone, lamenting the way he and Sunny parted. As he arrives home to see his mother in worsening health he realizes he will soon be all alone. And 4 months later that proves to be the case. Having seen, but not spoken to Sunny, at his mother's funeral Ryan cautiously visits Sunny at her home. Ryan produces a bag of pinecones, but his romantic gesture is batted away when Sunny tells him they're everywhere so she has plenty. They're back to square one. Maybe even further back. But determined not to let her slip out of his life, he tells her how much the time they spent together meant to him. To his surprise, Sunny reveals she feels the same. Ryan takes his car keys from his pocket, both sharing the realisation that they have the whole world and the rest of their lives in front of them, and in a weird and wonderful way they are the perfect companions for each other on that journey. The only decision is where to go first...