Corn Dolly (TV story)

***Corn Dolly*** was the fourth episode of *Series 1* of *Survivors*.

## Synopsis

Abby, Greg and Jenny head back to Brimpsfield in search of Abby's son, Peter.

## Plot

Greg directs Jenny driving while Abby follows a map. She suggests they go through Middlestone, since she's fed up of going around towns. She is worried that Peter has gone home and found the house burnt down. She offers to let them drop her off by a car and take the long way round but they choose to stay with her. The car breaks down and Greg is unable to work out what's wrong. Abby notes they'll have to camp there. Greg realises the gauge is jammed and they're out of petrol. Abby points out a spot where there's likely to be a garage and sets off on foot, leaving Greg and Jenny to handle the cooking. Greg reflects on how Abby has a purpose. Jenny thinks staying alive is a purpose. They discuss dreaming about people. Jenny asks for a hug.

Abby finds the garage, a petrol can and a map pointing to a nearby settlement, Mardale. Not too far away, a young woman, Lorraine, is putting up a similar sign. She reports back to her companion, Charles, who says they've gathered up all the people from the area. Abby shows the map to Greg and Jenny: It's about 30 miles away. Greg tries to work out a way to get more petrol from the garage's tank. Meanwhile, Charles and Lorraine check over a house and make a record of the assets and the dead occupants. Charles realises someone has been eating an apple there and calls out, offering friendship. A boy, Mick, emerges from hiding and says he's on his own. Charles says they're looking for people to join them. They discuss Mick's health and he agrees to go with them. With some effort, Charles catches a piglet in the garden.

Greg continues his attempt to get into the tank. Jenny offers to get the camp stove and Abby irritates Greg by suggesting starting a fire there. Charles arrives and calls out that they're friends and need each other, as he did with Mick. Abby and the others show themselves. Charles examines Greg's modified foot pump, explaining he's been sticking a hose in. He tells them the notice is his and they left Lorraine at the camp site, making roast pork.

Abby, Greg and Jenny tell Charles about their encounter with Wormley. Charles dismisses any attempt at government, saying it won't work without communication. He explains he was an architect and he and his wife tried to be self-sufficient. He has twelve people in his community, including Mick, and is trying to grow potatoes and wheat, as well as breeding cows, goats, horses and other animals. They also have to deal with dog packs. He is looking to build a community of twenty to thirty, then maybe set up another one. Abby says that's what she was aiming to do and they agree to visit him. Charles is keen to do a survey, finding out about hydro-electric and nuclear power and doctors, and also to make sure they have a large enough population to prevent inbreeding. Abby tells him of looking for Peter. Charles isn't aware of two people from the same family or who knew or knew of each other who survived. Abby is still keen to look but may come back to them afterwards. Mick says he was one of the first at his school to get it and no-one else got better. Jenny asks for the date and learns she's missed her birthday. Charles and Greg estimate the survival rate is 1 in 5,000, meaning there's probably about 10,000 people left in the British Isles. They prepare to settle down for the night.

Abby helps Mick build up a camp fire, then she and Jenny discuss Charles' solution. Abby ponders what Mick and other surviving children, like Peter, would have gone through. She says none of the very young children will have survived and asks Jenny about how she feels about giving birth, since there's no point making it through the next few years without having children. Jenny is happy to wait for a bit.

Next morning, Charles leads the group to Mardale and finds the fields and horses abandoned.
They are met by an older woman, Isla, who says everyone else is ill. They caught fish from the river and fried them; Isla didn't eat it. Charles checks on the members of the settlement, some of whom have died. Isla shows Abby and the others a corn dolly that Charles made, saying she told him to make it at harvest, not in winter. Charles speculates that industrial waste or bacteria got into the river. He asks Abby to comfort those who are ill while he'll set the horses loose to feed themselves. He wants Greg and the others to help out with the corn threshing after they've eaten. He tells Jenny he's going into town to get medical texts and medicine.

Abby is trying to comfort one of the sick women, Tessa. Tessa says to tell Charles she said yes. Lorraine tries to reassure another patient. Greg, Jenny, Mick and Isla are working in the barn. Jenny asks about the corn dollies and Isla tell her not to make another one. Greg tells Jenny it's a fertility symbol and kisses her. Mick smiles but Jenny looks rather shocked. Charles arrives back. Abby tells him another three have died and the others are in agony. Charles has brought some morphine to ease the pain, since he doesn't know how to cure them. Abby realises he intends to cure them. Charles points out they're dying anyway.

Later, Greg entertains them by playing the guitar and singing, while Charles produces some elderflower wine and is happy to give some to Mick. Isla comes back from checking on the patient and Jenny goes to relieve her. She realises they're all dead. Charles asks to talk to Abby in private in his camper van. Lorraine looks unhappy. Charles wants to make sure Abby comes back after she's been home, saying he's going to stay and maintain the settlement and asking her to put up more maps. He takes her hand and tells her she must get pregnant. Abby is uncomfortable as Charlie says he loves her. Lorraine comes in and says she was coming to bed. Charles tells her to sleep in the house tonight. Abby leaves. Lorraine tells Abby she's going to have Charles' baby. Isla says Tessa was going to as well, and that she's also carrying Charles' child, noting she's never had a child or a man before.

Next morning, Charles, Greg, Isla and Lorraine are arranging a pyre. Jenny tells Abby that she's coming with her, although Greg isn't sure, since he could be of use to Charles. Neither of them intend to come back. Charles comes in and says Greg's coming with her. Jenny refuses to talk him round. Charles says Greg's going because of her. Jenny isn't sure if there's anything between them. Charles tries to convince her to stay and have a child with Greg. He insists they have to plan ahead: He intended to have children with four women, but now Tessa and Florence alive. He says love means mutual survival and need but Jenny and Abby aren't willing to accept that mindset. Realising they're going, he asks them to add a note to the notices saying not to eat the fish and asks Greg to help him move the bodies before he leaves. Some time later, Abby, Greg and Jenny drive from the settlement.

## Cast

* Abby Grant - Carolyn Seymour
* Jenny Richards - Lucy Fleming
* Greg Preston - Ian McCulloch
* Charles Vaughan - Denis Lill
* Loraine - Annie Hayes
* Isla - Yvonne Bonnamy
* Mick - Keith Jayne
* Tessa - June Bolton

## Crew

* Written by Jack Ronder
* Produced by Terence Dudley
* Directed by Pennant Roberts