Doctor Who_ Attack of the Cybermen - Eric Saward [34]
A moment later, the crypt door was torn from its tracks, and in the opening stood a slime-covered Cyberman, emitting a sound like a soul in agony. The Leader opened fire and the tormented creature died.
Seeing their chance of escape, the Doctor pushed Peri on her way. ‘Run!’ he screamed.
Peri hesitated, waiting for the Doctor to follow.
‘Don’t wait for me – GO!’
The Cyberguard turned, and seeing Peri, raised his gun to fire. Quickly the Time Lord shoulder-charged him, managing to deflect his aim. As the bolt of laser energy hissed past her head, Peri turned and ran as she had never done before.
During the confusion Lytton had also taken his chance, and grabbing Griffiths by the arm, had pulled him along a nearby side-passage and into an already opened tomb.
The Doctor, now held by the guard, watched helplessly as he raised a mighty fist. Although he struggled with all his strength, he couldn’t break the powerful grip holding him.
‘Wait!’ ordered the Leader. ‘He must not be harmed.’
Slowly, almost reluctantly, the guard lowered his hand.
Such was the Time Lord’s terror, it was a full minute before he could sigh with relief.
Breathlessly Peri ran into a long gallery that seemed to go on forever. She stopped and leant against the wall trying to recapture her breath. It’s pointless to continue, she thought. Must re-orientate myself.
To help concentrate her thoughts, she closed her eyes, but the silence was awesome and overpowering. And now that she was alone, the cold seemed to bite even deeper.
Why not have a nap, a voice whispered. Lie down for a few minutes. It will do you nothing but good. She knew that to obey would mean certain death. You’ll find the ground soft and comfortable, the voice persisted. A short rest will restore your strength. I must keep moving, she thought. Generate heat and clear the phantom voice from my mind.
Summoning up her last reserves of energy, she struggled to open her eyes. Lie down and rest, the voice purred convincingly. It won’t do you any harm. Slowly her mind began to obey and she drifted into sleep. That’s right, it urged. Now you’ll feel much better.
Slowly warmth flooded back into her limbs, generating a satisfied feeling of contentment. She no longer felt hungry, afraid or alone. She was suddenly with friends, who beckoned her to join them. Peri started to run, waving and calling... but now they seemed further away. She increased her speed, calling louder...
But suddenly, in the distance, on the fringe of her warmth and security, she heard another familar sound.
The voice, which now dominated her mind, urged her to disregard it. But Peri sensed an overpowering feeling of danger. Clawing at the fringes of reality, she slowly dragged herself back. As she did, she heard the noise again, only this time much louder. What was it? she thought.
Why was it so familiar?
Then suddenly the truth filled her mind, and she was wide awake - her warmth and comfort gone. Next to her, having punched his way through the door of his tomb, flayed a pair of slime-covered Cyberman’s arms. Peri tried not scream, but exhaustion and fear prevented its containment. As her panic exploded, each cry seemed to generate yet further pairs of arms, as other entombed Cybermen attempted to punch their way to freedom...
At last one succeeded.
Peri, too exhausted to run, stood helplessly in his path as he lurched towards her. As consciousness slipped from her mind, she thought she saw two white shapes fire a finger of flame at her attacker, but the shutter of darkness closed before she could be certain...
Charlie followed Lytton blindly along a dark tunnel. How Lytton had known it was there more than puzzled him.
Suddenly the tunnel blossomed into a large cave illuminated by small white