The Future Hour (TV story)

***The Future Hour*** was the tenth episode of *Series 1* of *Survivors*.

## Synopsis

The community at the Grange encounter a pregnant woman and a man, desperate and on the run from a scavenging trader called Huxley.

## Plot

Tom Price stands on watch near the Grange. He is startled by Greg and says he's heard dogs circling. Greg sees smoke in the distance, in an area they thought deserted. Nearby, a heavily pregnant woman, Laura, and her younger companion Norman hide when they hear a vehicle coming along the road: Greg and Paul in the land rover. Laura wants to steer clear of the road. Greg and Paul find the source of the smoke: A group of apparently abandoned vans. They find the remains of a campfire and a meal and a wealth of supplies inside the vans. Paul tries to help himself to some cigarettes. Greg tells him to put them back, as does the supply's owner, Bernard Huxley, who suddenly appears. He introduces himself and says he's planning to make regular trips to the area. He offers them a drink and asks where their place is. His right hand man, Phil, joins them and Huxley wonders where Norman and Laura are, assuming they've gone for a walk. Greg stops Paul pointing out their place on the map and establishes Huxley is interested in trading. Paul asks what Huxley wants and he and Greg are both bemused that Huxley wants gold. He thinks it will be valuable once things are back to normal and says he and his men have taken the risks to get the supplies. They also starts fire to clear out diseases. Greg suspects he's also destroying spare supplies. He leaves to look for Laura, saying to mark their place on the map if they want him to call. Phil shows Huxley a note from Laura and tells him two bags of gold are missing. Huxley insists they look for the pair: Go easy on Laura but take care of Norman if they have to.

Norman tries to convince Laura to go back, knowing Huxley will look for them. Laura tries to argue he'll give up after a couple of days. She is horrified that Norman took the gold, having only wanted to take what she brought with her. Greg and Paul return to the Grange. Jenny tells them they have visitors, introducing Laura and Norman. Later, Jenny checks with Abby, noting Lizzie has been scared of the dark since Wendy died and wondering if they could trade with Huxley for candles. Emma has put Laura in with her while Norman is going to share with Paul. Abby has little memory of giving birth but Emma remembers well. Charmian and Jenny discussing making clothes and a crib for the baby. They discuss giving gold to Huxley but Greg thinks it's dangerous to keep Laura there with Huxley about, knowing he killed the man who ran away with her last time. Paul thinks Huxley is mad. Greg explains Huxley won't let Laura keep the child. Emma thinks Huxley would need someone to look after him in his old age. Abby refuses to send Laura and Norman away, saying they'll hide them until Huxley has gone.

John and Lizzie talk to Laura about her pregnancy and she lets them feel the baby. Vic calls out from the roof that a car's coming. Norman has been working with Paul, Price and Arthur. Greg tells Norman to hide in the cellar with Laura. Abby locks them up, with Emma insisting on providing Laura with a chair. Abby greets Huxley and Phil, claiming ignorance of the two runaways but knowing about them meeting Greg and inviting them in for milk and bread.

Huxley explains he has a base outside Northampton: He has eight men there and, with Laura and Norman gone, four with him. Abby offers him a fresh loaf. Left alone, Huxley searches the house. Outside, John and Lizzie run into Phil, and John mentions feeling the baby kick. Abby and Huxley emerge. Huxley leaves with Phil, and Abby fills in Greg. That night, Paul is on watch. Emma and Charmian talk to Laura about the baby. Laura says Huxley took her in and treated her as his wife in exchange for her leaving the baby behind at a settlement. She recalls she'd been on her own for six weeks after the Death and agreed because she didn't want to be on her own again.

Huxley comes into the Grange with his men. He and Phil press on, not noticing Paul hiding behind them. Emma gives Laura advice on childbirth. Huxley and Phil enter with guns, insisting Laura come with them. Emma offers to get him the money. Huxley ushers Emma and Charmian out, wanting to find Norman. Abby, Greg and Price cover the group with guns from the landing, with an armed Arthur also appearing. Greg insists Huxley let the women go and hand over their rifles. Paul and Norman are already holding Huxley's other two men at gunpoint. Greg has Norman hand Huxley the gold, saying he's taking nothing else from there. Huxley insists he'll be back. Laura warns Abby that Huxley will try again. Greg agrees, saying Huxley is vain. Emma shows Laura up to bed as Greg presses the point to Abby.

Next morning, John and Lizzie point Greg to where Arthur is tied up, the crop burning. He says Huxley will be back at ten o'clock. Abby tries to argue the defence to Greg but Greg says Huxley can chip away at them and pick them off from a distance. Arthur observes that any bullet wound would be dangerous now. Greg thinks their only options are to send Laura away or take the fight to them. Abby is still reluctant to send Laura away. Arthur suggests they keep the baby there and send Laura back to Huxley but Abby says Laura would never agree. She insists no-one will ask Laura to leave.

During the night, Laura tells Norman that she's going back and thinks Norman will be safe if he goes with her. Norman agrees. Next morning, Greg tells Price that Paul will be looking after the sheep, sending him to dig the potatoes. Abby appears, having discovered Laura missing, and realises Greg told her of Huxley's ultimatum. She slaps him in anger. Greg heads out on his own as he and Paul discuss the wild dogs and Paul recalls reading that a wolf pack turn on a wounded member. Greg finds Norman running back; he explains Laura is in labour. Greg sends Norman to the house to get Emma and the land rover, while he finds Laura. He understands that she tried to get back.

Huxley mobilises his men. At the Grange, Abby and Emma are looking after Laura upstairs, with Jenny and Charmian bringing supplies. Greg directs Arthur and Norman, while John and Lizzie sit on the steps waiting for the baby to be born. Lizzie wants to have a look and she and John argue about whether or not girl babies cry all the time. Paul is surprised by Phil while watching the sheep. John and Lizzie hear the newborn baby crying and renew their argument until Abby confirms the baby's a girl. Greg and Arthur hear gunshots. Paul is tied to a tree as Phil opens fire. By the time Greg and Arthur arrive and free him, all the sheep have been killed.

Greg and Abby discuss the feasibility of keeping watch day and night. Abby apologises but Greg recognises they didn't have much choice. There is an explosion outside and Huxley calls out, saying they have explosives and will use them. Greg decides they need a council of war. He notes Huxley will only be able to lay explosives at night. He thinks he'll come back tomorrow night and throw things through the windows. Abby suggests they could leave but no-one likes the idea, apart from Price. Greg suggests he and the other able-bodied men hit Huxley first. Abby and Jenny want to go with them but Greg says someone needs to look after the children. Emma agrees she can't look after them on her own and Price again offers to stay and help. Greg wants to take them by surprise and take the group's weapons and explosives.

Next morning, Greg and Paul approach Huxley's camp through the woods. Greg is reluctant to just start shooting. Arthur, Norman and Price get to a van but Phil spots them, shooting and wounding Tom, who is left out in the open as the others go for cover. Greg doesn't want to leave without him, but the shooting is halted by the arrival of Abby and Laura in a land rover. Laura agrees to go with Huxley. As Huxley goes to walk away, Price grabs his weapon and shoots and kills him. Huxley's men return fire, killing Price, as Greg shouts for everyone to stop. Greg tries to demand the traders' explosives and ammunition but Phil makes it clear there's no need. Greg instead asks to borrow some spades. Looking down at Price's body, he notes he did worse things. Abby ushers Laura back to the land rover, and back at the Grange, Emma, John and Lizzie look after the baby.

## Cast

* Abby Grant - Carolyn Seymour
* Jenny Richards - Lucy Fleming
* Greg Preston - Ian McCulloch
* Tom Price - Talfryn Thomas
* John Millon - Stephen Dudley
* Lizzie Willoughby - Tanya Ronder
* Emma Cohen - Hana-Maria Pravda
* Paul Pitman - Chris Tranchell
* Vic Thatcher - Terry Scully
* Arthur Russell - Michael Gover
* Charmian Wentworth - Eileen Helsby
* Bernard Huxley - Glyn Owen
* Laura Foster - Caroline Burt
* Norman - Denis Lawson
* Phil - James Hayes

## Crew

* Written by Terry Nation
* Produced by Terence Dudley
* Directed by Terence Williams