Doctor Who_ Empire of Death - BBC Worldwide [60]
Doulton pointed down the platform at two dozen soldiers standing to attention. 'They joined the train en route and will accompany us hereafter. I could hardly lead an expeditionary force into this new world with just those already stationed at Con-a Linn. Now, if you'll excuse me, must send a telegram ahead to Carstairs Junction, giving them notice of our arrival'
He marched away briskly, striding through the dispersing crowds of passengers on the platform. Doulton just caught the Doctor's next comment.
Àn expeditionary force? I don't like the sound of that'
Vollmer had forbidden anyone and everyone from bothering Kempshall, who had staggered off to his tent. 'Leave the man in peace,' the sergeant told the others. 'We don't know what the lieutenant witnessed down there but it was enough to turn his hair white. Something similar happened to Ashe and he died as a result. Kempshall will talk about it in his own time.
Now leave him be' There had been some grumbling but the men accepted the prohibition.
The sergeant couldn't take his own advice. He waited until the others had gone about their duties before slipping into the lieutenant's tent and gently shaking Kempshall awake. 'Sorry to disturb you, sir, but I've got orders to send word about what you found'
The lieutenant nodded, pulling himself up into a seated position. 'Yes, of course, Sergeant. But I'm not sure what more I can tell you that will help much. It's closer to a dream than anything else.'
`Perhaps this may help, sir,' Vollmer said, handing him a small shaving mirror. Kempshall looked into it and was startled by his change of appearance.
Ì say! Whatever has happened to my hair?'
`That's what I was going to ask you'
`Well, I don't know I've got any answer to that. But I'll do my best' The lieutenant recounted his journey to the bottom of the river, his discovery of the gleaming white light and how the brilliance seemed to draw him inside itself. 'Felt like I was travelling through a tunnel,' he said. Ì looked down and could see a silver cord extending from my stomach outwards into the distance ahead of me. I grabbed hold of that and used it like a guide rope to pull myself forwards. Then I was there -
on the Other Side' Kempshall fell silent, his face alive with the wonder of what he had seen.
`The other side of what, sir?'Vollmer asked.
`The Other Side - the afterlife,' the lieutenant explained.
`My parents were waiting for me there, as I said before, smiling and welcoming. They told me we were being reunited, that I would become like them. All around me I could see other angels. I don't mean they had wings or floated on clouds. It was more like a state of complete happiness and contentment, being totally at peace. I -' Kempshall shrugged helplessly. 'It's difficult to describe unless you've seen it yourself. You said I was underwater for several hours?'
`That's right, sir. Four or even five'
`But that can't be correct. I was on the Other Side for a minute at most. I remember my mother and father reaching towards me, wanting to take my hand. I was afraid but they reassured me, said it would be fine. I just had to trust them.
So I put out my hand to take theirs and -' Kempshall stopped, trying to find the words for his experience. 'I didn't want to come back, but something made me. It was like a dark, grasping hand had reached out from behind me and pulled me backwards into the river. I tried to fight it but the grip was too strong, too powerful. Then I was back on the bottom of the river, surrounded by darkness. The place where I found the white light, it had been sealed again. I could still see tiny glimpses of brightness but I just felt so tired, so exhausted, that I had to come back to the surface to rest. I started tugging on the guide rope -well, you know the rest'
Vollmer looked down at the notebook resting in his hands.
He had been planning to make a record of the lieutenant's experiences for despatch to Windsor, but he had not written a word. How was he supposed to explain what he had just heard? The sergeant stood