Doctor Who_ Lungbarrow - Marc Platt [65]
Chris, looking back, saw Innocet step into the Drudge's path. She pushed the large gruel pot into its arms.
'This is finished with,' she said. 'Please remove it.'
Chris didn't see any more, because the Doctor's hand gripped his shoulder and, he wasn't sure how, he found himself in an alcove behind a curtain.
The Doctor peered through the dark at a small chair that was ensconced with them. 'One squeak from you. . .' he threatened.
***
Owis ran as fast as he could. Clamber up the giant steps. Pelt through the deserted rooms. Don't go. Don't leave me!
He stopped at a landing on the fourth floor, wheezing to catch his breath. Misery wel ed up inside. He was on his own. Who was going to feed him if they'd all gone? Soon he'd shrivel away and the House would feed on him.
He felt a sharp sting on his stomach. He pulled open his tunic in disgust. One of the fat feathergills he had scooped up had worked its way through the material and clamped on to his skin. He eased the fungus off and watched it do a slow squirm between his fingers. There was a red circle on his stomach where the feathergill had tried to ingest him. Fear had ruined his own appetite, so he trod on the little vermin instead.
Over his own gasps for breath, he heard the sound of footsteps. Someone was still here. Someone lumbering towards him. A dark shape rounded the corner.
Owis recognized Maljamin, his head lopsided and his eyes dead. The Cousin pushed Owis roughly out of his path and disappeared into the gloom.
So Owis had been wrong. They were still here. He wasn't too late. And someone else was coming up the stairs, dragging a large sack behind him.
'Rynde,' he called. 'Have you seen them?'
'Clear off,' he growled. 'Innocet's looking for you.'
'They're here!'
94
'Who're here?'
'They've come to get us out!'
Rynde grabbed Owis by the pudgy neck. 'I know about you and Glospin's games. Getting dangerous, aren't they?'
'But it's true. Go and see for yourself. They're here.'
Rynde shoved Owis away. 'And I'm the Emperor Morbius. Play your games elsewhere.'
'Innocet's with them now.' Owis was fighting back huge sobs. He grabbed Rynde's arm. 'Don't let them do it.
They'll make us leave the House. I don't want to leave. Make them go away!'
***
There was a swish as something large passed by the curtain.
After a moment, the Doctor put his nose out into the corridor. 'It's gone,' he said.
Chris was ready to move, but the Doctor closed the curtain again. 'Sit down, Chris,' he whispered and pushed the Adjudicator gently on to the chair.
With a high degree of foreboding, Chris waited for the pyrotechnics.
The Doctor's voice was surprisingly gentle. The dark seemed to help. 'Tell me about Arkhew.'
'I didn't. . . I mean, it was difficult. You were so. . . Look, I'm real y sorry.'
The Doctor sighed. 'One day, Chris, you must teach me about that word. It doesn't come easily, does it?'
'Not always. Look, about Arkhew. It was another dream. It's not substantial evidence.'
'But you saw him?'
'I dreamed about him. Yes. Sorry.'
'There's that word again.'
'He was your Cousin.'
'Yes, I have a lot of Cousins. Or I did have.., once. So what happened?'
Chris floundered. 'Look... Wel , I mean... Oh, hell. We saw Quences murdered.'
'Thank you.'
'What for?'
'You didn't say sorry.'
'Oh. You don't seem surprised.'
'About Quences? No. I don't think anyone round here would be surprised, despite that visual display downstairs in the Hal . Did you see who the murderer was?'
'Not clearly. It was an elderly man. About one metre seventy. Quite vigorous though. He wore black and he had longish swept-back white hair.'
The Doctor was silent.
95
Chris couldn't see his expression, so he continued, 'He stabbed Quences with a sort of dagger with two parallel blades. Arkhew recognized him, but he didn't say a name.'
'Or wasn't allowed to,' said the Doctor.
'Quences seemed to recognize the murderer