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  SAMUEL. Aye.

  Pause.

  JUDITH takes SAMUEL’s hand.

  JUDITH. Sam, the quickest way to get rid of him is to answer all his questions and show him there’s nothing wrong here.

  SAMUEL. Huh.

  JUDITH. Once he’s gone we can think about the future. Next year’s going to be better.

  SAMUEL. It could hardly be worse.

  She puts her arms around him.

  JUDITH. We’ll be all right, you’ll see.

  He nods.

  SAMUEL. I don’t deserve you.

  JUDITH. Don’t be stupid.

  She kisses him. He kisses her back. She presses, trying to make the kiss more passionate. He pulls away gently.

  SAMUEL. I... it’s late.

  JUDITH nods, resigned. They start getting ready for bed.

  WILLIAM is in the spare bedroom, on the other side of the wall.

  His travelling coat is hanging on the back of a wardrobe, dripping. His bags sit at the foot of the single bed.

  WILLIAM. The Personal Journal of William Bloor. Monday. Arrive at the farm of Mr and Mrs Samuel Covey. During the journey here, I noted several birds circling overhead in a suspicious manner. Due to the rain, was unable to make an accurate identification, but was in any case glad to reach cover. The Covey’s farm is very remote; prime territory for an infestation. It is late, I am tired and this room unusually cold, but this only serves to drive any distractions from my mind and remind me of the seriousness of my mission. My preliminary questioning, which took place after an excellent leek and potato soup provided by Judith, and my own first impressions lead me to some immediate conclusions – 1: The death of the Covey’s only child Daniel, Samuel’s illness, disappearance of cat and downturn in the farm’s productivity all occurred in March of this year. 2: Judith is attempting to be friendly but is clearly afraid of me. Despite this, she challenged my presence here and came close to telling me to leave. An unusually brave woman, or a desperate one? 3: Death of son was not reported. Why? 4: Samuel tense almost to the point of aggression. Parental grief combined with stress, possibly, but it could be something more.

  WILLIAM puts his ear to the wall separating his room from JUDITH and SAMUEL’s. There is silence from the room – they are lying still. WILLIAM makes a note in his notebook.

  WILLIAM opens one of his bags and takes out a shirt. He opens the door of the wardrobe and is hanging the shirt up when he sees something inside the wardrobe.

  He pulls it out. It’s a child’s toy, a wooden horse on wheels, very dusty.

  4

  Morning. JUDITH is in the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee for SARAH, a neighbour.

  JUDITH. It’s not you he’s investigating.

  SARAH. If he thinks he’s found something here, he’ll be knocking on our door next. Stands to reason.

  JUDITH. He won’t find anything if there’s nothing to find.

  SARAH. If?

  JUDITH. You don’t think we’ve got them, do you?

  SARAH. No. Definitely not.

  JUDITH. Then he won’t find anything. He’ll be gone in a few days.

  SARAH. I hope so.

  Pause. SARAH looks at JUDITH.

  How’ve you been? You look tired.

  JUDITH. I am. Feeling... like this, every day... it’s exhausting.

  Pause.

  SARAH. I don’t know how you cope.

  JUDITH. One of us has to be the strong one.

  SARAH. At least Sam’s out of bed now.

  JUDITH. He is. He’s doing much better.

  SARAH. What about...

  JUDITH. Well. No. He keeps saying he’s tired. Or he stays up until I’m asleep.

  SARAH. You’ve got to keep trying.

  JUDITH. I don’t want to push him. Might make it worse.

  SARAH. It’s been half a year, Jude. More.

  JUDITH. He needs time.

  SARAH. What about what you need?

  Pause.

  If he finds out you’re not... it’ll count against you.

  JUDITH. How’s he going to find out? I’ll not tell him.

  SARAH. And Sam...

  JUDITH. Sam won’t even talk to me about it.

  SARAH nods.

  SARAH. What’s he like?

  JUDITH. Young. Thin. Too thin.

  SARAH. They raise them up like monks. And they live like monks too. No women. No drinking. No nothing.

  JUDITH. Oh. I offered him a drink last night.

  SARAH. Be careful! You don’t want him thinking you’re a couple of lushes!

  JUDITH. I asked him if he wanted a cider, that’s all. We didn’t have any.

  SARAH. Good. He’s dangerous. One word from him and that’s it, you’re out.

  JUDITH. He says he’s here to help us.

  SARAH. Jude... last time I went up to town with Abe... someone gave me this.

  She pulls out a crudely printed pamphlet entitled ‘Foxes – Not Our Enemy’. She gives it to JUDITH.

  JUDITH. Good God! Why did you bring this here when I’ve got him under my roof?

  SARAH. It says the fox is almost extinct in England.

  JUDITH. That’s wonderful!

  SARAH. Is it?

  JUDITH. Of course!

  SARAH. If the foxes are gone, things should be getting better. Do you think things are getting better?

  JUDITH. I... I don’t want this, Sarah.

  SARAH. You need to read it.

  JUDITH. No! Take it back. I’ve got enough to worry about.

  JUDITH pushes the pamphlet back into SARAH’s hands.

  WILLIAM appears in the doorway. He is behind SARAH so he can’t see what she’s holding.

  Mr Bloor. Good morning.

  WILLIAM. William, please, call me William. Good morning...?

  SARAH pushes the pamphlet into her pocket.

  JUDITH. This is Sarah. Sarah, this is Mr William Bloor.

  WILLIAM. Sarah Box, Mrs. Married to Abraham. Children; Nathaniel and Rebecca. Your farm is west of here, I think?

  SARAH. That’s right.

  WILLIAM holds out his hand, smiling. SARAH shakes it.

  I... I was just saying to Judith. She’s lucky, having a foxfinder stay. It’s a real privilege.

  WILLIAM. I’m sure Judith would rather I wasn’t here getting under her feet.

  JUDITH. No. I mean. I’m glad you’re here. You’re trying to help us.

  WILLIAM. Indeed I am.

  JUDITH. You’ve missed breakfast.

  WILLIAM. Yes. I had a rather restless night. And then I overslept. Not like me at all.

  JUDITH. Something wrong with the room?

  WILLIAM. No, no, it’s fine.

  JUDITH. Sit down. I’ll make you something.

  WILLIAM. Do you have a piece of bread?

  JUDITH. Uh...

  WILLIAM. I’ll take it with me.

  JUDITH gives WILLIAM bread. He puts it in his bag.

  Goodbye then, ladies.

  WILLIAM leaves the house.

  SARAH. Oh –

  JUDITH. Ssh!

  JUDITH goes to the door.

  He’s gone.

  SARAH. Do you think he heard what I said?

  JUDITH. I don’t know. No. No I don’t think so.

  SARAH. You said he’d already gone out!

  JUDITH. I thought he had!

  SARAH. You should have checked his room!

  JUDITH. I listened outside the door. How was I supposed to know?

  Pause.

  SARAH. If he heard me...

  JUDITH. He didn’t.

  SARAH. I’m going home.

  JUDITH. Sarah...

  SARAH. What?

  JUDITH. He knows that you and Abe are going to be low this harvest. Sam said something about it.

  SARAH. It’s not Sam’s business to talk to him about our farm!

  JUDITH. He didn’t mean to –

  SARAH. For God’s sake! We don’t need you giving him reasons to investigate us.

  JUDITH. No. I know.
/>
  SARAH. I’m going. I need to talk to Abe.

  JUDITH. I’m sorry.

  SARAH. Just be careful what you say around him.

  JUDITH. I will.

  She leaves the pamphlet on the table and goes out.

  Don’t leave that here. Sarah!

  JUDITH looks at the pamphlet on the table as it if were a dangerous animal. Eventually, she picks it up, folds it small and shoves it into her pocket.

  5

  WILLIAM is crouching in a muddy field. He stares intently at something in the distance.

  SAMUEL appears at the edge of the field. He looks at WILLIAM.

  SAMUEL. Uh.

  WILLIAM. Samuel. Good morning.

  SAMUEL. It’s one o’ clock.

  WILLIAM. Ah. Good afternoon then.

  Pause.

  SAMUEL. What’re you looking at?

  WILLIAM. Those woods.

  SAMUEL. Oh.

  They both stare at the trees.

  Did you see summat?

  WILLIAM. I found...

  WILLIAM reaches into his bag and pulls out a small animal skull.

  ...this. It was lying in the next field, with its empty eye sockets pointing directly at those trees. Directly. As if it were staring. Do you see?

  SAMUEL. It’s a rabbit skull.

  WILLIAM. It’s a message.

  SAMUEL is totally nonplussed.

  SAMUEL. What?

  WILLIAM. The red beast preys on the rabbit. Which makes the rabbit our ally.

  SAMUEL. Does it? Because they eat half my crops every year.

  WILLIAM. I think the rabbits on your farm could be trying to warn us.

  SAMUEL. You’re saying this rabbit... it decided to lie down and die, pointing at that tree, because it knew that you’d come along and find it?

  WILLIAM. Nature is full of symbols, Samuel. You just have to know how to interpret them.

  SAMUEL. Huh.

  WILLIAM. This field, this farm... this entire country is a battleground between the forces of civilisation and the forces of nature. If we lose, England will starve. Our towns and cities will crumble, and trees will grow amongst the ruins using the bones of dead men as fertiliser. Do you see? They want nothing less than our complete annihilation, Samuel. Without man, the fox will rule.

  SAMUEL. That’s why the rabbits are helping us?

  WILLIAM. Exactly. I hypothesise that when I investigate those woods, I will find further evidence of an infestation.

  SAMUEL. You’ll find rabbit holes. Loads of bloody rabbit holes. And you don’t need to... interpret the symbols of what that means.

  WILLIAM. On the contrary, I do.

  SAMUEL. Rabbits. In those woods. That’s all. And when I see a rabbit, I shoot it. So I’m damn sure they’re not trying to help me any.

  Pause.

  I’ll show you. The rabbit holes. Come on.

  WILLIAM. No. Thank you.

  Pause. SAMUEL is at a loss.

  SAMUEL. Right. Well. You coming in for lunch? Judith’ll have something laid out.

  WILLIAM. No.

  SAMUEL nods, is about to leave.

  Samuel. While you’re here, there’s something I want to ask you.

  SAMUEL. Oh?

  WILLIAM. Your son. Daniel. How exactly did he die?

  Pause.

  I know this is hard for you, but the sons and daughters of farming families are a valuable shared resource for the future of this country. Daniel’s death affects us all.

  SAMUEL looks as if he’s considering punching WILLIAM in the face. WILLIAM takes a small step back. He puts on his gentlest tone of voice.

  Sam, I thought it better to spare Judith these questions. But if you’d prefer, I can ask her instead, this evening.

  Pause.

  SAMUEL. No. Ask me.

  WILLIAM. How did Daniel die?

  SAMUEL. Drowned.

  WILLIAM. How?

  Pause.

  SAMUEL. It was just getting dark. Jude had gone to Abe’s to see Sarah. I put Dan to bed. Fell asleep in front of the fire. I woke up. I thought someone had said my name. But there was no one. I saw the door was open. I looked at the clock. My dad’s clock. Ten past nine, exactly. I went upstairs. He wasn’t there. I called for him. I went out... I looked everywhere.

  Pause.

  WILLIAM. Samuel?

  SAMUEL. Found him. Found Dan. Dead... in two foot of flood water. He slipped in the mud, is what I reckon. He was all muddy.

  Pause.

  WILLIAM. Did you call for a doctor?

  SAMUEL. I think he must of said my name. When he come downstairs. He said my name. Dad, he said. That’s what I heard. In my sleep. But I didn’t wake up quick enough.

  WILLIAM. Did you call for a doctor?

  SAMUEL. I should have locked the door. I should have... I was looking after him. It was my fault.

  WILLIAM. Sam. Did you call a doctor?

  SAMUEL. I tried to get him breathing. But he was dead. Cold.

  WILLIAM. Then he must have been there for some time. If you woke because Daniel spoke to you, only a few minutes would have elapsed. He would still have been warm.

  SAMUEL. It was a cold night.

  WILLIAM. Hhm. A doctor came?

  SAMUEL. Said he drowned.

  WILLIAM. I’ll have to see the death certificate.

  SAMUEL nods.

  SAMUEL. Ten past nine. I was going to give him that clock. My dad’s clock.

  Pause.

  WILLIAM. Tell me... was Daniel a sleepwalker?

  SAMUEL. No.

  WILLIAM. He’d never gone outside by himself at night like this before?

  SAMUEL. No.

  WILLIAM. Thank you for telling me. I know that must have been hard.

  Pause.

  SAMUEL. I’m going in.

  SAMUEL leaves. WILLIAM makes a note in his notebook.

  6

  JUDITH is in the kitchen, setting the table. WILLIAM is watching her, and she is uncomfortable under his intense gaze.

  JUDITH. Did you, uh... have a good look round then?

  WILLIAM. I did.

  JUDITH nods.

  JUDITH. The weather stayed clear for you.

  WILLIAM. Yes.

  Pause.

  JUDITH. I wasn’t sure if you’d be eating with us. You didn’t come in for lunch.

  WILLIAM. We try to avoid eating to excess.

  JUDITH. No lunch?

  WILLIAM. I had the bread you’d given me.

  JUDITH. That’s not enough. Not for breakfast and lunch together. Didn’t you get hungry?

  WILLIAM. Hunger is a suitable reminder of the spectre of starvation that haunts our land.

  JUDITH. Oh. Why don’t you sit down? Sam will be in soon.

  WILLIAM. I will. Thank you.

  WILLIAM sits.

  Can I do anything to help?

  JUDITH. No, no... you’re our guest.

  WILLIAM is pleased to have been called a guest.

  WILLIAM. It does smell very... appetising.

  JUDITH. You must be hungry. If you don’t want to wait I can –

  WILLIAM. No. I can wait.

  Pause.

  What is it?

  JUDITH. Casserole.

  WILLIAM. Oh, good.

  Pause.

  JUDITH. You must do a lot of travelling.

  WILLIAM. So far, I’ve worked entirely in this county.

  JUDITH. Like me then. I was born in the next village. Lived here all my life.

  WILLIAM. It’s a beautiful area. Very green. Very English.

  JUDITH. Very wet.

  WILLIAM. Indeed. Quintessentially English, in that respect.

  JUDITH. Where are you from?

  WILLIAM. Uh...

  WILLIAM frowns.

  I went to The Institute when I was five, to begin my training.

  JUDITH. What about your parents?

  WILLIAM. I’m sure they were very proud.

  JUDITH processes what WILLIAM has said. She’s not quite sure what he means.
>
  JUDITH. Who looked after you... at The Institute?

  WILLIAM. Each dormitory had a house father, and we were taught to consider this England... this... Earth... as the only mother we would ever need. Indeed, she is mother to us all.

  JUDITH. Yes, but... she couldn’t tell you a bedtime story. Or comfort you, when you felt afraid.

  WILLIAM. She feeds us, she clothes us. She gives us everything we have. I think her a very good, kind mother.

  JUDITH. And your... house father... was he kind?

  Pause. WILLIAM thinks.

  WILLIAM. He instilled in us the necessary discipline. I am often thankful to him for that.

  JUDITH. Ah.

  Pause.

  WILLIAM. I was glad to leave him behind when I left The Institute to begin my work, but isn’t every son glad to leave his father when he comes of age? My mother, though, will be with me always. When I want to see her, I go outside.

  JUDITH. You never saw your real parents again?

  WILLIAM. No.

  JUDITH. I can’t imagine giving up a child. Do you know why they –

  WILLIAM. I walked up the hill today. And... the way the valley curves... it’s like a mighty hand, cradling the farmhouse. As if the Earth sought to shelter those who live here.

  JUDITH. Ah... it does. The worst of the wind breaks up on the ridge. The tops of the trees are bent, from growing into it. Did you see?

  WILLIAM. No. It’s a breathtaking view.

  JUDITH. It puts things in perspective.

  WILLIAM. Oh?

  JUDITH. Our problems... our lives... they’re so small. They don’t matter. Not really. The sun rises every day... the wind blows, the rain falls. Things go on, just like they did... just like they did... before.

  Pause.

  WILLIAM. This year has been very hard for you.

  JUDITH. Hard. Yes.

  WILLIAM. Remember, the night is darkest just before the dawn. We suffer and toil to bring our country back into the light. History is watching us, Judith. We have to fight! We can’t give up!

  JUDITH. This farm is all we’ve got. I’d fertilise the fields with my own blood if I had to. I’ll not give up.

  WILLIAM is impressed.

  WILLIAM. That’s the spirit. But... I hope that you won’t have to use such extreme measures.

  JUDITH smiles at WILLIAM. She puts a basket of bread down in front of him.

  JUDITH. Here. Help yourself.

  WILLIAM looks at the bread. He wants to take a piece, but instead he pushes it away from him and gets out his notebook. He opens it and readies himself for a moment before speaking.