Revenge (TV story)

***Revenge*** was the eleventh episode of *Series 1* of *Survivors*.

## Synopsis

Vic Thatcher is having problems with teaching the children in the community. But that's not his biggest problem, when he and the group come face-to-face with the woman who left Vic dying - Anne Tranter.

## Plot

Paul, Arthur and Charmian sharpen scythes ready for a reaping. Abby and Jenny join them and Greg with horses and carts. Emma provides a picnic and Lizzie and John are helping up onto the horses as the group (including Ben) depart. Emma heads back inside. She tries to rouse Vic, who has locked himself in his room. He posts a note under the door saying to leave him alone.

Emma summons Greg and Paul: She is worried around how withdrawn Vic has become since being brought there. They go to Vic's room and try and get him to come out. They hear a gunshot and break in to find Vic with a scarred face from the shotgun blast. Later, the group discuss how Vic is left felt out of things. Charmian points out he had to watch them all go off together. Paul thinks he should snap out of it and Emma suggests getting him a proper chair. Greg insists Vic wasn't trying to kill himself, since he would have succeeded. Arthur calls it attention-seeking and Charmian calls it asking for help. Jenny has been looking after the children. Abby has been talking to Vic and sends Greg to see him.

While Vic looks on, John and Lizzie make up after a quarrel and discuss the lack of books. They recall the books they have for the baby and ask Vic what happened to him. He calls it an accident. They ask him for a story. Vic tells a semi-autobiographical tale about a tiger with good legs. Nearby, Anne Tranter's companion Donny has failed to find refuge at a farm. Anne is reluctant to travel on by tanker and objects to the poor food and lack of home comforts. Although losing patience with her, Donny goes to find something in the woods.

Greg and Paul explore a building looking for a wheelchair. Paul thinks they should prioritise petrol. Greg finds a cache of books and says they're the key to teaching their children. He thinks Vic teaching simple reading and sums isn't satisfying him, but giving him more to teach will make him feel more important. Paul finds a wheelchair nearby. Donny goes back to Anne and tells her he's seen smoke, meaning there must be people nearby. They drive on and find Paul outside the Grange, assuring him they've both had the illness. Donny says he was working on a trawler and they're looking for people to join up with. He also reveals the tanker is full of petrol.

Greg presents the wheelchair to Vic, who clambers into it. He thanks Greg for going into town but isn't sure about the books, saying he's not much of a reader. Greg explains they're for teaching the children. Vic admits he isn't an educated manner. Paul turns up and tells them about the tanker and the couple with it. He and Greg go to look. In the kitchen, Emma has provided Anne with food and talks about how they traded with their neighbours for it. Anne asks to lie down and about hot water. Emma says they have some but you have to replace what you use with a bucket. She guesses Anne used to live a "nice life". Anne says she was on a farm but it was badly run and she quarreled with the people who ran it, so she and Donny left. Greg enters and he and Anne recognise each other. Greg says it's been six months. Anne tries to repeat her story to Emma about Vic dying. Greg replies that he didn't die and is there.

John and Lizzie are excited by the books but Vic says to put them away. He tries writing on a blackboard. They manage simple reading and sums. Vic wonders what they need counting for. John suggests buying things, then remembers they don't do that. Lizzie suggests measuring things before concluding they don't need to do that either. Looking at a book, Vic asks if they need to know about the Romans and they say they don't. Lizzie asks to hear more about the tiger. Vic says all the other animals got sick and died so he found a safe place in a quarry, until a beautiful snake came along.

Greg, Paul and Donny prepare to go out cutting grass for hay. Anne asks to go upstairs to avoid Vic. She calls for Donny but he ignores her. Greg tells Emma not to let Vic know Anne is there. Anne goes to an upstairs room. She sees the men from the window as they go to join Abby, Jenny, Arthur and Charmian. Paul introduces Donny to everyone. Greg takes Abby aside and tells her about the tanker and about Anne. They recall how Vic's been waiting to have revenge. Abby thinks Anne has to go but Greg thinks they need Donnie and the petrol.

Vic asks Emma, John and Lizzie about Donny. John says he had a lady with him and Emma tries to dismiss the subject. Vic learns Anne's name. Anne continues to hide in her room as Lizzie reads to Vic. He tells them both to copy out a poem and heads outside, then to the foot of the stairs where he hears Anne's voice. Greg and Donny appear and Vic tells Greg he recognises Anne's voice. Greg and Donny head upstairs and Anne says she needs to go, asking Greg to keep Vic away so she and Donnie leave. Donny is confused but Greg agrees. Donny goes back downstairs where Vic accosts him. Donny admits he'd like to stay but Anne doesn't want to see Vic.

Later, Greg, Paul, Emma, Arthur, Charmian and Donny gather for a meal. Greg goes to get Vic, who asks him about Anne. Greg says she's upstairs and will leave after she's had her meal: They need the people there to get on with each other. Vic wants to talk to her. Greg takes him to the dining room where Abby, Jenny, Lizzie and John have joined the others. Vic sends Lizzie to fetch Anne and tries to convince Donnie to stay. He talks about how he could find nothing to teach John and Lizzie, since he can't drive a tractor anymore. Anne joins them and greets Vic neutrally. Vic says she was a rich brat before the plague and he built a fortress for them, saying they loved each other, and how she overturned the tractor on him and ran away to Greg, leaving him for a better bet. He was left alone for four months. Donny asks Anne if it's true and she admits it is, saying she thought Vic was finished and would have put him down if he was an animal. Vic suggests she do it now but Abby cuts in, saying Anne's leaving and Donny can stay if he likes. Donny says he will. Vic tries to say Anne can stay now everything's cleared up, then leaves. Anne asks if she has to go now, alone in the dark, and Abby says she can stay until morning.

During the night, Vic wheels himself to the foot of the stairs and crawls up them. Anne appears at the top, armed with a scythe. She thinks he wants to kill her. Vic denies it and Anne says she wants to live. Vic begs her to use the scythe, sobbing. Anne lowers it and crouches by him and he grabs her by the throat, saying he's waited for her. Anne begs him not to, saying he has more than her with the children. She says she's never loved anyone or anything except living. Vic releases her as she says all that matters to her is to go on living.

They lie together during the night, Anne recalling the story of how to tell a real princess by having her lie on mattresses like this. Next morning, Anne leaves the Grange with her bags, smiling. Vic pulls himself up to the window and watches her walk away.

## Cast

* Abby Grant - Carolyn Seymour
* Jenny Richards - Lucy Fleming
* Greg Preston - Ian McCulloch
* John Millon - Stephen Dudley
* Lizzie Willoughby - Tanya Ronder
* Emma Cohen - Hana-Maria Pravda
* Paul Pitman - Chris Tranchell
* Vic Thatcher - Hugh Walters
* Arthur Russell - Michael Gover
* Charmian Wentworth - Eileen Helsby
* Anne Tranter - Myra Frances
* Donnie - Robert Tayman

## Crew

* Written by Jack Ronder
* Produced by Terence Dudley
* Directed by Gerald Blake