1) A disease is spreading through a village, causing multiple deaths over the course of two weeks including Constable Brian Robertson, Anne Miller, Henry Miller, Sarah Fletcher, Mary Wilson, John Ball the surgeon, Walter Baker, Matthew Jones, Jane Jones, Anne Cooper, and Gilbert Cooper. 2) John Ball initially suspects the disease is highly contagious after examining the first three victims. As more villagers become ill and die, the priest warns the village is suffering for collective sins. 3) By the end of the two weeks, even John Ball the surgeon and Walter Baker have died from the disease, leaving the village without a surgeon as the illness continues to spread.

1. Body Count

2. Yesterday….
Constable Brian Robertson
Anne Miller
Henry Miller

3. How is this affecting…
• John Miller, Henry’s surviving son?
• Christian Miller, the grave-digger?
• Father Thomas, the priest?

4. 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.

5. 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?

6. Sunday

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. Tuesday night
• Sarah Fletcher

11. Wednesday
• Mary finds Sarah’s body cold and stiff in
the morning.
• How is she feeling?

12. Thursday
• Walter Baker hears from Matthew Jones
that poor Sarah has gone to meet her
maker.
• What is he thinking?

13. 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.

14. Saturday
• John Ball has now seen four people die in
two weeks.
• Do you think he would come to treat
Mary?

15. Sunday
• Mary Wilson

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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)

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

20. 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.

21. Tuesday
• John Ball
• How do the village people react to their
only surgeon’s death?

22. 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.

23. Thursday
• Matthew Jones
• Jane Jones
• Anne Cooper
• Gilbert Cooper

24. 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?

25. 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.