Dead of Winter - James Goss [64]
I turned to the Rory holding my hand. ‘So, what have you got to say for yourself, Rory?’
Value Rory looked confused. ‘I don’t mind about the Doctor, not at all,’ he said simply.
‘That does it,’ I sighed, shoved away the fake, and strode out of the water towards my husband. ‘Right then.’
We stood on the sand, surrounded by that glowing mist tugging at our heads.
‘What a complete mess,’ I said.
Rory nodded.
‘How are we doing?’
‘We’ve rescued three dancers.’
‘Out of…?’
‘Um, a dozen or so. I didn’t really count.’
‘Grand.’ I stared at the empty deckchairs flapping in the wind. ‘Storm’s still pretty strong, though.’
‘Yes.’
‘We have to see this as good news. Somehow. The Doctor will get here soon. The Doctor will get here soon.’
‘Did somebody call?’ That was the Doctor’s voice, coming to us out of the storm.
We ran towards him, calling his name over and over.
There he was. ‘Doctor!’ I cried out. ‘You’re OK.’
‘Ah,’ he said. ‘That’s a bit of a yes and no.’
The mist cleared around him slightly.
He was held in place by the Elquitine sisters.
‘Um,’ said the Doctor. ‘Meet my guards. For little old dears they’re doing rather well.’
The mist cleared some more. Standing a way behind was Prince Boris. Laughing.
‘What’s happening?’ I demanded.
‘Ah, Amy,’ sighed the Doctor. ‘Some days are good days. This is a bad day. Frankly, it’s all gone a bit Pete Tong.’
The two ladies dragged the Doctor forward.
‘I really wouldn’t try and fight them off,’ the Doctor warned. ‘They’re under direct psychic control, I’m afraid. If I get out of this alive I’m going to be bruised till Shrove Tuesday. These two ladies have got a vice-like grip. Well done, girls. I bet you have no problem opening jars.’
They pulled him closer to the water’s edge.
‘What’s happening?’ Rory asked.
‘Oh,’ sighed the Doctor. ‘They’re going to try and feed me to The Sea. Bad idea, very bad idea.’
They dragged him closer.
A Letter from Maria
St Christophe
7th December 1783
Dear Mother,
I ran down to the beach. It was so cold and so quiet. Everyone stood there, like they were waiting for a game to start – all those grown-ups, all staring at each other;
There were the dancers, all of them frozen still in a circle around the Doctor, who was barely standing, held in place by the Elquitine sisters.
Standing over the crowd was Prince Boris, smiling, waiting, daring someone to say something. He looked so happy, which worried me. I did not care for him any more.
No one seemed to notice me. Apart from Amy who was mouthing, ‘Get back, kid’. But I stood where I was. I wanted to watch.
Amy was holding up Rory, who looked pretty bad. Poor monsieur, he looked so tired.
The sea washed in and out around them, glowing and whispering. I could start to hear words in the ocean, muttering and hissing, ‘Feed us, give us’ over and over.
It made me shudder, and I worried, Mother – I worried about all those times you came down here. What happened to you?
What happened NEXT was interesting. In the short time I’ve known the Doctor, I’ve seen him do many things. But I’ve never seen him plead.
He sank to his knees in front of Prince Boris. ‘Please,’ he begged. ‘You mustn’t let The Sea scan me. You can’t…’
Prince Boris smiled. ‘The Sea wants to know very much what’s in your head, Doctor. I must admit I’m curious… Already it is reaching out to you…’
The Doctor winced, sharply, like he had a terrible toothache.
Prince Boris’s smile grew wide with surprise. ‘Why… you have travelled so far… met such amazing people… and a box… such a magical box!’ He clapped his hands together. ‘These are just the things it can sense by tugging at the very frayed edges of your mind.’ He leaned closer to the Doctor, his beard almost scratching the Doctor’s nose. ‘It wants to know more. It wants to know what’s in the depths of your brain. I would let it devour you.’
Quietly, in a whisper that somehow carried across the beach, the Doctor said one word. ‘Don’t.’
Prince