Treatment - Life Destroyed

Life Destroyed

Robert is a middle age clean shaven well dressed divorced dad; his thirst for success in his security system business has driven his wife Lorna away from him and left him distant from his 9 year old daughter Holly. In an effort to try and rebuild bridges between the two Robert suggests that he take his daughter on a holiday to see his parents and Holly’s grandparents down south. Robert arrives at Lorna’s house talking him through what he is going to say as he reaches the door. Building up his confidence he get out of the car and heads towards the door. Half way down the path the door opens and Holly runs down the path hugging her farther in loving embrace. Holly is a happy friendly child that loves her farther despite him not being around all the time. She is followed by her mother who is trying to stop her from running into the road. Telling Holly to run inside and get her stuff Lorna has a talk with Robert telling him to look after their daughter. Lorna is a very protective mother who is not completely convinced by Roberts furthering abilities.
Running out of the house again with her suitcase Holly grabs Roberts hand and lead him excitedly to the car shouting her goodbyes to Lorna as she goes. In the car Holly fiddles with the radio as she talks about how excited she is to be going on holiday with her dad. Relieved his daughter is happy to see him Robert reaches into the back seat for a teddy bear which he hands to a grateful Holly. Robert then turns on the car’s engine and drives off.
On the motorway Holly’s starts questioning her farther on why him and her mother are no longer together, to which Robert explains that it’s his fault and that him and her mother still love her so much.
Stopping off at a service station the two sit in a cafe while the waitress come over to take their order. She introduces herself as Holly to which Holly points out that they have the same name, the waitress then comments on Holly’s teddy bear and smiles at Robert. The waitress brings over their order and the two sips at their drinks quietly. Holly then brings up the previous conversation asking if he and her mother would ever get back together to which Robert replies “we’ll see”.
Walking out of the services Robert accidentally bumps into a man, turning round to say sorry he notices the man is staring at the two of them, putting his arm around Holly Robert guides her towards the exit.
Carrying on down the motorway Holly falls asleep as the day turns to night looking at his daughter Robert smiles and pats the child on the head.
Still driving it is now completely night time, Holly stirs in the passenger seat. Robert asks if his daughter is ok and she explains she has had a nightmare that her father left her on top of a mountain. Robert explains that he would never leave her anywhere.
The car passes a service station notification and Holly announces that she needs the toilet explaining that they are nearly there Holly moans to her father to stop until he finally gives in.
They pull in to the service station and walk inside. They walk towards the toilets but Robert is stopped by someone selling car insurance. Holly tugs at Roberts’s jacket to hurry up so Robert tells her to go ahead. Holly walks off towards the rest rooms teddy in hand. Robert continues talking to the insurance guy until he realises his daughters been gone for a while. Robert excuses himself and walks off towards the toilets. Looking around he doesn’t see his daughter. He asks a woman b the toilet to go check on his daughter describing her and the bear. The woman goes inside and returns with the bear. Roberts face drops as panic sets in.
Grabbing the bear he runs out into the car park frantically looking around, in the distance he sees a car driving away with his daughter in the back playing with a scruffy looking dog. Robert quickly runs to his car screeching off in pursuit of the car. On the motorway Robert gathers speed frantically trying to find the car. Up ahead he sees the car he puts his foot down to catch the car. Suddenly a police car pull behind him flashing his lights signalling for Robert to stop. Slamming his hand down on the steering wheel Robert pulls over on to the hard shoulder. The police officer casually walks to the side of Roberts’s car as Robert opens the window and frantically tries to explain what has just happened. The officer however doesn’t take any notice asking Robert to get out of the car. Fearing for his daughter’s safety Robert accelerates off pulling out in front of a lorry that hits the rear of Roberts’s car causing a huge accident.
A news report explains that Holly has gone missing and her farther has been involved in a horrendous car crash leaving him in a Coma.
Robert lies in hospital motionless as Lorna cries by his side.
Two years later Robert is a totally different person he now looks scruffy in his appearance unshaven bags under his eyes, scruffy worn jeans and t-shirt.
Sat in the hard shoulder Robert makes a phone call to Lorna, she answers but Robert doesn’t respond she asks if it’s him to which he puts the phone down. Robert starts the car which is now a battered old banger and drives off.
He pulls into a service station pulling into a parking bay he shuts off the engine and looks round for a moments sighing. He then gets out of the car and heads inside the station. He sits himself down at a table waiting for service. The waitress comes over and it is revealed it is Holly from earlier on. She addresses him by name and then takes his order. He asks her what time she gets off work to which she says she is just going on her break now.
They sit together quietly sipping coffee before Holly pipes up. She asks him what he does and why he come in the coffee shop everyday and orders the exact same thing to which Robert changes the subject.
Robert heads out of the service station and looking around again before getting in his car and driving off. On the motorway Robert looks into the passenger seat at his daughters bear slightly torn and ripped from the crash years earlier.
Still on the motorway Robert is pulled over by a police car. The police man walks up to the door and again addresses him by name and asks him what he’s doing and explains that he’s seen him doing the same thing every day for over a year. He warns Robert that he hopes he’s not going to do anything stupid and sends him on his way.
Checking the time Robert pulls off into another service station sitting in his car for a while he sighs as a tear comes to his eye; he closes his eyes and gradually nods off to sleep.
CCTV footage shows a UN-descript man walking out of an exit with Holly
Robert is awoke by the sound of a dog barking, startled he rubs his eyes and gets out of his car looking around he sees a young child getting into the back of a black SUV with the scruffy dog in the back. Robert gets in his car and follows the SUV down the motorway.
The car eventually pulls off the motorway onto a B road, Robert continues following the car until he sees the car pull down a dirt track towards an isolated house. Robert pulls up before the entrance and phones a number in his phone. The police man from before answers startled from being awoke; Robert explains where he is and tells the policeman to get here as soon as he can before someone gets hurt. He then hangs up the phone and heads to the cars boot pulling out a crow bar. He then heads down the dirt road on foot.
As he gets closer to the house he can hear the dog barking and a man shout out telling the dog to shut up. Robert looks in through a dusty window seeing the man that he bumped into earlier in the story talking to a young girl. He sneaks round to the side door and through the kitchen. Robert hears a scream and a struggle ensue in the next room. He bursts through the door hitting the man on the hard on the head.
The girl screams and runs out the door and down the dirt path.
The police man pulls up at the end of the path by Roberts’s car he gets out of the car to see the girl running towards him crying, he calms her and tells her to go wait in his car. The officer walks cautiously towards the house entering the house and into the living room. He sees a dead body bleeding from the head on the floor and Robert sat in a chair crow bar by his feet.