Birth of a Hope (TV story)

***Birth of a Hope*** was the first episode of *Series 2*, and the fourteenth overall of *Survivors*.

## Synopsis

Jenny is due to have her baby, but the doctor seems to have vanished.

## Plot

Greg drives a horse and cart through the woods. He sees a sign pointing towards Whitecross and caries on in that direction. He is met by a friendly woman, Pet, and explains he's looking for Charles Vaughan. Pet confirms Charles is there and invites him in. Greg says there are twelve in his community and he's there to buy some wheat: He has brought some furs to trade, along with the formula for making them, since theirs was sown too late. He notes they only have ten gallons of petrol left, which he's using in his lighter. Pet says they only have one and a half. Greg intends to go back tomorrow and talks of their produce and animals. He recalls meeting Charles a year ago. Charles joins them, greeting Greg warmly. Greg explains Abby left them when she got news of her son. Charles produces some grape wine for a welcome drink. Greg asks about Ruth, who came to check on their babies. Charles says Isla's survived but Lorraine's was stillborn and they both left not long after. Ruth moved on and he isn't quite sure where she is. Greg explains about Jenny expecting a baby.

Back at the Grange, Jenny is reading a baby book by firelight. Paul checks on John and Lizzie in a nearby room. He goes back to Jenny, who has been brought a drink by Emma. She wonders about the baby and recalls how John and Lizzie adopted her and Greg as parents. Paul recalls how people have passed through the place but there's no-one for him. Jenny says Ruth fancied him, which he didn't know. Jenny asks him to stay.

Greg talks with Charles about how there was always tension between him and Abby over who was in charge and it's better to have one boss. Charles says Pet travelled around until finding them and her father used to run a continental cafe. He is keen to keep links between their communities. Greg ponders ways to set up a primitive telephone system and Charles dream of everyone setting up a line connecting them. They discover they both use mutton fat for their lamps.

During the night, John and Lizzie realise several rooms are on fire and cry out for help. Paul goes to investigate and discovers the fire as well, telling Jenny to warn the others. Arthur heads down the stairs after her. Paul gets the children out while Jenny in the courtyard, tries to shout out a warning. In the fire, Vic flails around wildly.

Next morning, Greg says goodbye to Charles and Pet. Charles offer to send someone to look for signs of Ruth. Later, Pet wonders why Charles let Greg go instead of inviting him to join them. Charles thinks Greg won't want to follow him after being his own boss. Meanwhile, John, Lizzie, Jenny and Paul have taken refuge in a barn. Arthur hails down Greg on his way back and tells him the house has been burned down but Jenny's all right.

Greg and Arthur arrive back at the Grange and Greg rushes to console Jenny and the children. They have been living on raw vegetables until a rain storm put the fire out. They only have one cow left for milk. Greg and Paul check out the wrecked interior. Paul says Donny and Petey were sleeping by the straw when the fire started. He has checked out the nearby cottages but none of them are fit to live in. John and Lizzie haven't been told that the others are dead, just that they're sheltering somewhere else. Greg says he'll tell them.

Greg rejoins Jenny, Lizzie and John, who are trying to find ways to keep warm. John and Lizzie ask about Emma and the others. Greg says all of them there came through the fire but the others couldn't get out and were put to sleep by the smoke. Lizzie says she thought that was what happened. John looks at her quizzically but quickly accepts it. Greg says they're going to go on to a friend of his, where there's plenty of children and Ruth will join them.

The group set off with the horse and cart, eventually taking shelter for the night in an open barn. Jenny and Arthur are both exhausted while the children run around playing. During the night, with the children asleep, Greg and Jenny discuss the rodents they can hear. Jenny asks about Charles and the set-up at Whitecross. Greg says there are five children there and they have separate houses. Jenny asks about the two babies. Greg says there was just one but he didn't see it, denying there was meant to be a second one, and also says Ruth is fine. Nearby, Paul checks on Arthur, who is just staring into space. Arthur thinks it's a blessing that he won't last as long as the others. He dwells on Charmian and their other friends dying in the fire, saying he adapted to life after the Death but can't take this last blow. He reflects on craving warmth and shelter anyway.

Back at Whitecross, Pet finds Hubert wandering around. Pet accuses him of taking and killing one of her pigs but Hubert denies it. However, he is unhappy about one of his sheep being killed. Pet said they only had seven pigs and Charles killed one of the excess rams. She says they have no more salt to preserve the pig. Charles comes along and says they only divide labour, not property. He can't send someone to get salt from the sea in January and Hubert's only been there a month so doesn't understand. Greg and the others arrive and explain what has happened. Charles welcomes them.

Greg and Pet settle Jenny in a bedroom. Charles provides a hot water bottle. Paul, John and Lizzie gather wood for a fire. Pet advises letting Jenny sleep. Hubert joins them and is introduced to everyone. Arthur arrives with charcoal for the fire. Charles hands wine around and welcomes the newcomers to Whitecross. He says they all live their own lives but work around the community. Greg goes in to check on Jenny, who wonders where Ruth is. Pet offers her a wash and calls in Hubert, who went looking for Ruth and found she'd moved on from several different places. Greg tries to reassure Jenny.

Pet asks Charles if they have a spare kettle. Charles seems unhappy with the situation. Pet thinks Greg will join them after all, and is bound to stay unless something happens to the baby. He goes to join Greg, who is walking around the grounds. He offers to let Paul and Arthur move into the White House but Greg says they'll all stick together for now. Charles dreams of growing sugar beet. Greg says he's not sure if he'll stay and they might move on after the baby's born. Charles says they can't stay without working and Greg agrees. Charles asks if he'll move on from the work he's done. Greg thinks there isn't room for the two of them there. Charles suggests there's enough work for both of them. He shows him a tinderbox they've made and gifts it to him. Greg offers to improve the design.

Pet plays with John and Lizzie. They run into Hubert, who is carrying the pig carcass in a sack. He offers it as a present to the newcomers. Arthur and Paul talk to Greg about moving out. Hubert and the others arrive with the "present". Greg says there's no salt to preserve it so suggests they share it around. Pet knowingly says Hubert didn't have any salt either. Greg goes to check on Jenny, who is having contractions. Hubert bundles in with Pet, offering his experience of lambing. Greg tersely says they'll find him if they need him. Pet tries to reassure a scared Jenny, who wonders where Ruth is. Greg suddenly realises something.

Greg tracks down Charles and explains he forgot to leave a note to Ruth saying where they were going. He suggests if she went to the Grange and found it burnt out, she might have headed back the way she came. Charles uses their remaining petrol in a motorbike to go looking for her. Pet continues to look after Jenny, who says Charles left a watch to time the contractions. They have hot water but no soap left, since they can't make it. She says her four sisters had babies; she also had three brothers and was the youngest.

Greg returns to the hut. Pet says the contractions are six minutes apart and Jenny has read up on it. Greg wonders if Charles wants him to stay out of gratitude for finding Ruth. Pet says Charles thinks they need an engineer like him and encourages him to stay. Charles arrives back with Ruth, to be greeted by John, Lizzie, Arthur and Paul. Greg says he's glad to see her and thanks Charles. Charles and Greg share wine while Ruth checks on Jenny. Ruth comes back in and says Jenny is doing fine. Charles explains his dream that more people will more time to do other jobs and teach others how to do them, to do things like fetching salt and making soap. Ruth sends Greg to check on Jenny.

Pet asks Charles if Greg will stay now. Charles hopes so. Pet talks about all Charles has given him, which Charles refers to as the instruments of survival. In her room, Jenny tells Greg it's going to be all right.

## Cast

* Greg Preston - Ian McCulloch
* Charles Vaughan - Denis Lill
* Jenny Richards - Lucy Fleming
* Pet Simpson - Lorna Lewis
* Paul Pitman - Chris Tranchell
* Hubert Goss - John Abineri
* Arthur Russell - Michael Gover
* Ruth Anderson - Celia Gregory
* John Millon - Stephen Dudley
* Lizzie Willoughby - Tanya Ronder

## Crew

* Written by Jack Ronder
* Produced by Terence Dudley
* Directed by Eric Hills