Doctor Who_ Companion Piece - Mike Tucker [11]
A voice rang out across the melee. Swearing under her breath, Cat dropped to her knees and rolled sideways under one of the stalls. She heard a cry of alarm, but the crowd was too intent on its purpose and swept by in a noisy rush.
Keeping low, Cat darted under the wooden trestles, putting as much distance as she could between herself and the mob. There was no chance of getting back to the TARDIS. Not yet. She had to disguise herself, and quickly. Stalls temporarily abandoned in the heat of the moment gave her access to everything she needed, and soon she was wandering back towards the angry rabble, swathed in the muted fabrics of the prairie people.
The crowd had made its way towards the edge of the market, near to the place where the TARDIS had landed. She could see curious people eyeing the police box shape warily, crossing themselves as they did so. Cat hurried past them, shawl pulled tight over her head, desperately trying to get a glimpse of the Doctor. She could hear raised voices in the distance.
Being careful not to draw attention to herself, she tucked into the shadows of the city wall, skirting round the edge of the noisy mass of people that had gathered there. A small set of steps set into the crumbling stone provided a natural platform. Eager children clustered at the top. Cat pushed up alongside them, making sure the long fabric of her dress was pulled tight around her jeans. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt her eyes blur with tears as she looked down into the courtyard below her.
The Doctor was hunched on the cobbles, his hands tied behind his back. His jacket was torn and mud-splattered, and his face bloodied. As she watched, one of the men kicked at him savagely, sending him sprawling in the mud. Cat dug her nails into the palms of her hands. She wanted to scream out, to kick and punch and bite at these people that were hurting her friend, but for the moment there was nothing that she could do.
The man that had started all this was standing behind the Doctor, arguing heatedly with a group of traders. Cat struggled to hear what they were saying, but the angry babble from the masses below drowned out their words. Abruptly, one of the men stepped forward, grasping the Doctor by the hair and wrenching his head back.
A hush fell across the crowd. The man who was holding the Doctor was obviously important in some way. He gestured angrily towards the TARDIS.
`It seems that Philippo was right; a witch does walk amongst us, and a clever one at that, beguiling us with his tricks, engaging us with his stories.'
He bent down, sneering at the Doctor. 'But you will find us no easy pickings, witch.'
He spat in the Doctor's face, and released his head.
`And so what are we to do?' the man continued. 'W hat are we to do with the witch that has come amongst us? Philippo here thinks that we should wait, that our beloved Church will deal with him for us. But I, like many of you, lost loved ones to the madness.'
He paused, staring into the faces before him.
`Do you, like me, still lie awake at night haunted by howling, shrieking winds? Do you live in fear of the sudden pains, like skreetah claws digging into your skull? Do you still see jagged bolts of lightning every time you close your eyes? I do!'
There was a roar of agreement from the people.
`W e all know the price that must be paid for trafficking with the Devil. W e've all seen the way witches are dealt with. W hy wait for the Church? W e know what we must do!'
A single voice rose from the crowd. 'Burn him!'
The man nodded in agreement. 'Yes . . . It is our duty.'
`Burn him.' The two words rose like a chant now, voice after voic joining the refrain. 'Burn him, burn him.
`No!' Cat felt the word escape her throat, drowned out by the nois from below. She watched as the Doctor was manhandled onto the bac of a low wooden cart. The square was suddenly alive with activity, trader and townsfolk gathering twigs and branches. Cat was sick with fear Her friend was going to be burned to death