Dead of Winter - James Goss [46]
‘Never!’ I cried automatically.
Boris nodded sagely. ‘You love your wife, don’t you?’
Outraged, I demanded he explain himself.
He cleared his throat. ‘I cannot pretend that I can see the future… but Bloom, I know things. I know terrible things. Allow me to make a prediction. Very soon, someone will try and kill your wife. I pray they won’t succeed. But if they try…’ He wrapped my hands around the gun. It felt cold, ever so cold. ‘I want you to be protected.’
His voice hung in the air. I stared at him, at the gun, and then at him again. He didn’t blink.
He nodded, gravely serious. ‘Please, Bloom. Take this gun.’
He was so stern. Almost as if he was issuing an order.
I pocketed the gun and then didn’t know what to do. There really isn’t a social precedent for a man telling you that someone will try and kill your wife and then handing you a firearm. There just isn’t. So instead I found myself talking banalities to him about his treatment. I even fluffed up one of his pillows and then, as quickly as I could, I left his room.
As I walked down the stairs, the gun weighed heavily in my jacket, like it was trying to pull itself free from my pocket with every step.
I made it back to my study and sat down, heavily.
When I was quite sure I was alone, I pulled the weapon from my pocket and held it, turning it around and around in the candlelight.
‘Someone will try and kill your wife…’
What Amy Remembered
I sat down, numb.
The Doctor repeated what he’d just said, but there was just a buzzing noise in my head.
‘I’m cold,’ I said, rubbing my shoulders.
That didn’t seem to be the reply the Doctor was waiting for, but stuff that.
‘Did you hear what I said about Rory?’ his voice was slow and patient.
I nodded. ‘Yeah. But I’m cold. Really cold.’
‘I see.’ The Doctor looked around the conservatory. It was freezing and there was what looked like sleet coming down. Big, loud drops of rain fell on the filthy glass roof. It’s funny where mould gets – pretty much everywhere, really. Even on a glass roof.
I’m sure the conservatory was cheery enough in the summer – it wasn’t really a greenhouse, but more of a fancy shed nailed onto the side of the building. But, you know, stuffed full of plants. All of them looking like they needed a blanket and a cup of cocoa.
The Doctor stood over me, all concern and fumbly fingers.
‘It’s all right, Doctor, I’m not in shock. I just want to know what we’re going to do about it.’ I took a deep breath. ‘So, Rory’s dying?’
‘Well…’
‘Is he?’
‘He… Amy… I’m so sorry…’
‘Yeah. I just wanted to know. Can I see him? Where is he?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘What? Of all the times to lose him. Can’t we get him space medicine from the TARDIS?’
The Doctor pulled a face. ‘Um.’
‘What?’
‘I’ve lost the TARDIS as well.’
I was outraged. Considering my husband was dying and we were stranded in the past, the Doctor seemed fairly calm about things. ‘Someone’s nicked it!’
‘Not so much, no.’ The Doctor looked awkward. ‘There’s a mechanism… thingy. If the TARDIS senses a threat it removes itself from the scene. First sign of danger, it goes and hides behind the curtains.’
‘Whose genius idea was that?’
The Doctor swallowed, embarrassed. He claims to be the last of the most advanced race in the universe. Sometimes I’m just not convinced.
‘Well, look, it sounds like a good idea on paper. But when your life is one long “Kill the Doctor!”, having a spaceship that jumps a couple of hundred yards to the left when you really need it is a bit of a pain. So it’s mostly switched off. But when we crashed we overloaded the buffers on the warp transfer coil, which would have switched it on. Good old Hostile Action Displacement System. I’ve missed you like a hole in the head.’ The Doctor’s arms were starting to windmill with awkwardness.
‘And where is the TARDIS now?’ I demanded. The only thing that could save Rory was missing, and the Doctor just seemed