A virulent flu bug is spreading through the country like wildfire. Abby Grant (Carolyn Seymour) and her husband David (Peter Bowles) are aware that the flu has reportedly claimed millions of people's lives in China, but they don't think that could happen in England. Abby becomes ill and takes to her bed. Meanwhile Jenny Richards (Lucy Fleming) learns from a doctor that this is no flu bug and that hundreds are now dying. Acting on his advice she flees London for the countryside. Abby wakes days later and fears that she may be the only one left alive...

Abby meets Arthur Wormley who has some strong ideas about how the survivors of 'the death' should organise themselves. Meanwhile Greg Preston (Ian McCulloch) meets a strong willed woman called Anne (Myra Frances) who needs his help to rescue a man who is trapped under a tractor in a nearby quarry. Elsewhere Jenny is still wandering the countryside alone...

Abby, Jenny and Greg have made an abandoned church their base. Abby hopes to find her son Peter. They make a trip to a nearby supermarket to gather some food supplies and encounter some of Wormley's men who insist they leave their loot. Jenny and Greg overpower them and they escape. The men are intent on revenge and begin to search the countryside for the trio...

Abby, Greg and Jenny are still searching for Peter. Greg and Jenny are becoming closer. They meet a man called Charles Vaughan (Denis Lill), a self-sufficiency expert, who has sobering theories about the number of survivors of 'the death' and their prospects for the future. He invites them to join his community, but it soon becomes clear that he has a hidden agenda which could involve Abby...

Abby is still searching for Peter and returns to his school. Meanwhile Jenny and Greg meet two children, John and Lizzie who are keen to join them. They have a lead which may help in the search for Peter. Before 'the death' some individuals, who were nicknamed 'the angels' by the press, foresaw the impending catastrophe and isolated themselves. It is thought that some of the boys from the school went to find them. Jenny, Greg and the children make an abandoned house their base, whilst Abby sets off to find 'the angels'...

Abby becomes separated from Jenny and Greg and rescues a man called Jimmy Garland (Richard Heffer) who is waging his own personal war against a man called Knox (Peter Jeffrey). Garland is heir to the Waterhouse estate that Knox has taken over and he wants it back so he can lead the community that has started there. Abby is captured by Knox and he tries to convince her that Garland has aggravated the situation and that he is willing to co-operate...

A young woman called Wendy (Julie Neubert) and an old woman called Emma (Hana Maria Pravda) have foraged since 'the death' but are now going hungry. Wendy meets Tom Price (Talfryn Thomas) and steals his food. Abby meanwhile rescues Emma from a pack of wild dogs, whilst Greg, Jenny and the children draw them off in their minibus. Tom wants his revenge on Wendy but doesn't reckon on Abby's presence. Meanwhile Greg and the others arrive at a deserted country grange, which may be just the place they need...

When agricultural expert Paul Pitman (Christopher Tranchell) arrives at the grange, Greg feels threatened but the others welcome his expertise. When Greg remembers the supplies in the quarry (Genesis), Tom and Barney are sent to fetch them. Two more survivors arrive, former company director Arthur Russell (Michael Gover) and his secretary Charmian Wentworth (Eileen Helsby) who has stuck with him since 'the death'. Arthur's attitude infuriates Abby. When Tom and Barney fail to return, Greg and Paul set off after them in Arthur's landrover...

Petty arguments are dividing the ever growing community at the grange. Abby decides on a party on May Day as a remedy. The pary goes well and spirits are raised. However, the next morning they awake to discover that one of their number has been brutally murdered. The community meet to decide how to deal with the person they believe to be the murderer...

A pregnant young woman called Laura arrives at the grange, seeking shelter from her partner, a man called Huxley, who wants her back but doesn't want her unborn child. Abby and Greg argue as to whether she should be allowed to stay. When John and Lizzie unknowingly give away the fact that Laura is staying at the grange, Huxley embarks on a series of reprisals until the community agrees to give up Laura to him....

Crippled Vic attempts to commit suicide because he is feeling increasingly useless. Greg tries to convince him that his teaching of the children is an important job. When Anne Tranter arrives at the grange she is shocked to discover that Vic is alive and that Greg therefore knows of her heartless actions when they first met (in Genesis). When Vic learns that Anne is actually staying at the grange he becomes intent on ultimate revenge...

When a flood destroys both their crops and stores, the survivors decide to trade the petrol in the tanker driven there by Donnie and Anne, as its the only thing of value they have left. Greg and Jenny set off in the tanker to trade with a nearby settlement. However they are followed by a man called Lawson and his two cronies, who want the petrol for themselves at any cost...

Abby is tiring of life at the grange and her thoughts turn to resuming her search for her son. After a row with Greg over the taking in of a sick girl, Ruth. Abby sets off for Waterhouse to find Jimmy Garland. Meanwhile Greg and Arthur make their first attempts towards federating the communities that have sprung up since 'the death'. When Ruth recovers, Greg and Jenny discover she is a former medical student and that she has some startling news for them...