Doctor Who: Nightshade Part 23

'Dead?' said Trevithick.

'It's all right. I'll be careful.' He laid a hand on her arm.

'Yes. All rotten. Decayed.'

'Listen out for Cooper, I don't like the thought of her on her Trevithick sighed. 'Just like Mrs Yeadon.'

own out there.'

Vijay looked at the old man's candle-lit features. 'Mrs Medway swore as the flame scorched his thumb. 'I'll Yeadon too? G.o.d help us...'

come with you.'

They could hear Medway's car stuttering into life and 'What about Hawthorne?' cried Holly. 'I'd forgotten all reversing out of the compound.

about him.'

'Well, that's my interview gone for a burton,' said 'He can do what he likes just as long as he stays out of my Trevithick.

way.' Vijay's voice was strained and angry. Medway flicked the lighter again and they set off into the interior.

Medway spun the wheel, p.r.i.c.kles of sweat s.h.i.+mmering Trevithick stumbled towards Holly. 'h.e.l.lo, my dear. I'm over his back and shoulders. He was breathing hard, panic Edmund.'

coursing through him.

'Holly. Hi.' She looked about in the darkness, evidently They had pushed open the door of Hawthorne's room on unnerved.

their way back from getting the candles. He was lying on 'Reminds me of the War,' said Trevithick, struggling to the bed with his back to them and the Asian bloke had make conversation. Holly smiled and nodded.

shaken his shoulder to wake him. But Hawthorne wasn't 'Perhaps,' began Trevithick, 'perhaps you'd like to fill me asleep. He was withered and dry like an unwrapped in on what's been going on here?'

mummy. And the strench...

Holly shrugged. 'I don't know. Strange things. It's like a Medway s.h.i.+vered, did a three-point turn and careered on dream ..." There was a shriek from somewhere in the to the moor road. He was getting out.

corridor. Holly stiffened. 'Vijay?' she shouted.

The tower was dark and silent. For some time, Ace had Trevithick backed against the console as running footsteps been aware of a deep, resonant throbbing sound from the echoed around the room.

monastery below but now that, and the accompanying light, 'Wait!' It was Vijay's voice. Holly sighed with relief. Two seemed to have subsided.

candle flames bobbed across the room like will o' the wisp.

They had staggered up the final flight of spiral stairs and Dark figures flashed by. Trevithick frowned in confusion.

emerged through a trap door into a long, empty room, its 198 199.

corners sheathed in dusty shadow. A solitary window was 'You said "You should see him now". What did you blank and open on to the night outside.

mean?' He smiled, no malice intended.

In a voice cracked by emotion Robin had told Ace about 'I'm not from round here,' was all she managed to say.

his stepmother. She'd pulled him close to her, letting hot, 'I gathered that much. Who is the Doctor anyway? Your salty tears flood over her shoulder. Unable to think of the dad?'

adequate words, she had simply kissed him, feeling him She laughed, a funny, snuffly laugh. 'Oh, that's a good relax into her arms. Desire swept over her and she ran her one. He's worse than a dad sometimes. But mostly he's just hand through his hair, pressing her lips to his quaking face.

my friend.'

He tasted like sugar.

Robin rested his head on one hand and looked Robin pulled away, adding little kisses to her cheeks and thoughtfully into the corner. 'Ace, whatever's going on here, neck, breathing haltingly as his sobs died away.

you seem... you seem to know more about it.' He shook his 'Thanks,' he said.

head hastily. 'No, I don't mean that. You just seem to take it Ace smiled and stroked his forehead. 'No problem.'

all in your stride. Like you've seen it before.'

She held him for several blissful minutes.

Ace sighed, wondering whether to make a clean breast of 'Dorothy?'

things there and then. She thought of something the Doctor She tensed, then laughed. 'The Doctor told you?'

had said and whispered, with as much gravitas as she could Robin nodded, s.h.i.+fting to lay his head in her lap. He muster, 'I've seen some things in my time.'

gazed up at her face, side-lit by the frosty blue night outside.

'That's what the Doctor said.'

'h.e.l.lo.'

They both laughed.

She looked down at him and brushed the fringe from his eyes. 'h.e.l.lo.'

The Doctor was halfway to the monastery when the There was a gentle bleep from Ace's watch. She touched illumination faded, the light bleeding from the monastery the mechanism with her finger and silenced it. 'What's windows falling back like a retreating tide. There was a that?' said Robin, his brow creasing.

disquieting silence and then the low moan of the wind Ace shrugged. 'Some alarm call I forgot about.'

returned.

'You have an alarm on your watch?'

The looming monastery tower was now indistinguishable 'Yeah.'

in the dark night.

'Where did you get it?'

The Doctor stopped and stared at the building, his breath 'Camden Market.'

s.h.i.+mmering in clouds. Gradually, he became aware of the Robin frowned again. 'What was it you said earlier on?

sound of running feet slip-slapping across the moor. He When the Stones were on?'

peered into the night and made out Jill Mason, haring across Ace felt a little uneasy. 'Nothing. I didn't mean...'

200.

201.

the blasted landscape with mud belching underfoot. She ran Trevithick sat in a swivel chair, twiddling his thumbs straight into him and the Doctor held her arms firmly.

anxiously. Holly stood by herself at the window, chewing 'Doctor!' she cried. 'Oh G.o.d, Doctor. They're all dead!'

her fingernails down to the quick. Vijay realised she would The Doctor's face froze. 'Who? Who's dead?'

need some time to get over the shock of seeing James, or Jill bit her lip, her voice broken into hiccough-like sobs.

whatever it was that had appeared in her room. She was 'My old folks. My responsibility...' she wailed.

shuddering involuntarily, her eyes twitching as though 'And Ace?'

pained.

'What?'

Vijay rose from his position on the floor and stepped over 'My friend, Ace...'

the sputtering candles. He put out his arm to hold Holly, 'Oh, I don't - I don't know. She was OK. I don't know! The withdrew it uncertainly and then tried again. She shrugged place is full of ghosts!'

him off at once.

The Doctor thought for a moment and then took Jill's 'No.'

hand kindly. 'Go back to the village and find that policeman He sighed. 'Come on, Hol. You've got me.'

friend of yours. Get as many people as you can and stay She looked at him unsteadily, her eyes flicking about.

together. Somewhere safe. Everyone is at risk! Do you Vijay touched her cheek. 'I don't want you to suffer this on understand?'

your own. There's no need.'

Jill looked dazedly at him.

Holly frowned. 'I'm sorry. I just can't.'

'Do you understand?' The Doctor shook her violently.

Vijay let his hands fall to his sides, helpless. He wandered She nodded repeatedly and put an unsteady hand to her out of the control room to the coffee machine which was still, forehead.

miraculously, functioning. Then he fumbled through the 'Very well,' said the Doctor determinedly. 'I'd better get darkness to Trevithick, holding two plastic cups in his up there.'

hands.

He strode off into the night.

The old man yawned and stretched, peering about as 'Good luck,' Jill called, her voice scarcely a whisper.

Vijay approached.

The Doctor didn't look back.

'Ah, tea. Smas.h.i.+ng.'

'Coffee, I'm afraid. All we've got.'

Vijay was sitting, eyes closed, in a ring of candles. He Trevithick took the cup gratefully. 'Never mind. I love reminded himself of the icons and embroidered pictures his coffee, I love tea, I love the Java jive and it loves me, eh?'

mother used to dot around the house back in Pakistan: Vijay smiled indulgently. 'You're Edmund Trevithick, angular, mystical faces full of wisdom and heavenly virtue.

aren't you? I heard you were in the village. Always meant to But there was no such atmosphere of stillness now.

come down and see you. Big hero of mine, you were.'

202.

203.

Trevithick shrugged. 'Yes, it's been lovely having all this Vijay's lip turned down in a grimace of puzzlement.

attention again, I can tell you.'

Trevithick's eyes lit up. 'Well, don't you see? They're all Vijay took a swig of his coffee. 'I remember all the kids at elements from our past. Our memories. Things we probably school used to want to be the monsters. But I wanted to be haven't thought about in years, come alive!'

Professor Nightshade. I suppose it got me started on physics Vijay folded his arms. 'But what's behind it?'

in a way. All that rocket stuff.'

He frowned and then glanced over at the dead consoles.

Trevithick chuckled. 'Well, I'm very honoured.'

'We're being bombarded by data from s.p.a.ce, maybe...'

He gulped down his coffee in one go. It was black and 'Invaders from Mars, eh? Well, that's your province, not bitter. 'Funny that life seems to be stranger than fiction mine. At least, in the real world.'