Body Count

Yesterday….

Constable Brian Robertson

Anne Miller

Henry Miller

How is this affecting…

• John Miller, Henry’s surviving son?

• Christian Miller, the grave-digger?

• Father Thomas, the priest?

It’s Friday…

• What a week. The town’s lost three poor souls to the Grim Reaper.

• Sarah Fletcher, maid to Lady Norman, is particularly sad about little Anne’s death. She used to play with Anne while she waited for Lady Norman’s shoes to be repaired. She convinces Mary Wilson to join her at the tavern for an ale after work.

It’s Friday…

• Surgeon John Ball has had a tough week. He’s pronounced three people dead from what he suspects is a highly contagious disease.

• What is he thinking right now?

Sunday

Sunday

• Sarah Fletcher had a big night at the tavern on Friday, and is feeling guilty at her unladylike behaviour consorting with bachelors in the tavern.

• She confesses privately to the priest, who warns her that God will punish her for her sins, and to repent.

Monday

• Sarah’s job includes buying bread every morning, but she’s got a headache and nausea, so she asks Mary to fill in for her.

• Mary visits Walter Baker’s shop, picks up some eggs from the Jones’ farm, and chats with Jane Jones before heading home.

Tuesday

• Sarah took a downhill turn overnight and has woken this morning with a swollen black bulge in her underarm.

• Mary panics, and rather than call the surgeon (which would be at great cost to their mistress), she secretly visits Jane Jones to borrow a chicken to place under Sarah’s arm.

Tuesday night

• Sarah Fletcher

Wednesday

• Mary finds Sarah’s body cold and stiff in the morning.

• How is she feeling?

Thursday

• Walter Baker hears from Matthew Jones that poor Sarah has gone to meet her maker.

• What is he thinking?

Friday

• Mary Wilson slept fitfully, and wakes with a swelling developing in her neck.

• Her mistress, Lady Norman, has already lost one good servant this week and doesn’t want to lose any more, so she calls in John Ball.

Saturday

• John Ball has now seen four people die in two weeks.

• Do you think he would come to treat Mary?

Sunday

• Mary Wilson

Monday

• Lady Elizabeth Norman has lost two staff in a week, and Father Thomas has warned her that the village is suffering for its collective sins.

• She flees to a friend’s home a few miles away.

Monday

• Walter Baker has a cough, but his apprentice is only seven years old and can’t run the shop by himself, so he has to work anyway.

Monday

• Anne Cooper and her two oldest children walk to the bakery for bread, and past William and Helen Richardson’s house on the way home. (William owes Gilbert Cooper four ears of corn for a bucket he bought last Tuesday)

Monday

• As the day goes on, Walter’s cough gets worse and worse. By nightfall he’s spitting up blood.

Tuesday

• Walter Baker

• Meanwhile, John Ball is lying bedridden, lancing huge boils that have grown on his

neck and armpit. He’s told his wife Catherine to take the kids and run away.

Tuesday

• John Ball

• How do the village people react to their only surgeon’s death?

Wednesday

• Anne and Gilbert Cooper ate bread for breakfast.

• Jane and Matthew Jones got their chicken back from Mary a week ago

• All four of them fall ill on Wednesday.

Thursday

• Matthew Jones

• Jane Jones

• Anne Cooper

• Gilbert Cooper

Your Task:

• Write a creative response based on your character in the Body Count story.

• Victims: what had you heard about the illness? How did you react? Were you frightened? Did you turn to God, ale or crime? When were you struck down?

• Survivors: Who did you lose? How did it affect you? What will you do now?

Your Task

• Your creative response is due on Friday. It should be a minimum of one hand-written page in length.

• Write a draft in your book first, then proof-read it and produce a final copy. Your final copy can be either hand written or typed.