Doctor Who_ Nightshade - Mark Gatiss [100]
and the old man fell to the floor, his knees cracking off the floor tiles.
Lowcock stood on the threshold of the open vault. The
‘Please, John. Leave me alone.’
church had become unnaturally quiet, the ghostly soldiers
‘You were lucky that day, Andrew,’ hissed the apparition, falling back from their assault and stumbling about as its voice disintegrating into a low rustle. ‘Some of us weren’t though struck blind.
so fortunate. I’ve come back for the future they stole from Lowcock lost no time. ‘Everyone! Down into the crypt.
me.’
Quickly!’
He extended a khaki-clad arm and grasped Medcalfe’s He gestured feverishly with his hands and ushered the chin in his pale hand. ‘Now, old man,’ Cleminson breathed.
villagers through the floor and into the vault. If they were Lowcock sprang up behind the figure and swung the lucky, whatever was directing the attack wouldn’t know massive lectern with every shred of his strength. The great what had happened to them.
brass eagle slammed into Cleminson’s head and took it off in one movement. There was an appalling crack of splintering bone and the head thudded into the pews.
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Cleminson’s body stood for some seconds like a side-
‘It’s OK, Doctor.’ She stood up. ‘I’m fine,’ she repeated, show dummy and then toppled to the floor. Medcalfe stared turning to address the apparition. ‘It’s you that’s in trouble.’
at it in horror.
Audrey smiled. ‘Come on, Dory. Don’t play games. We’re
‘George...’ he began.
going to the school today to see the Head about that nasty Lowcock grabbed his arm. ‘No time. Come on.’
boy Chad Boyle.’
He thrust him down the stairs into the crypt and followed Ace half smiled. It had done its homework. ‘You’re not immediately after, slamming shut the floor plate with a my mother,’ she said quietly. ‘Whatever you are, you’re not resounding boom.
her. You’re not real and I’m not afraid of you. I deny your Ace had formed a picture of her mother now, a composite reality. You have no claim on me! ‘
of every Christmas morning, summer holiday, every blazing The Sentience within Audrey grew taller, glaring down at row. How many times had that face burned itself into her Ace, its face darkening in fury.
sleeping mind. She had hated it. Hated it.
‘You cannot...’
The Doctor was standing with his back to the wall, staring The voice began to tremble a little, breaking up into a soft up at the auroral display which crackled through the air.
rustling sound.
Cooper moved behind the consoles in disbelief. ‘Look!
‘You cannot...’
Can you see...?’
Need
She jammed her fingers into her mouth as a figure Need
shimmered into view, hovering a few feet from where Ace The Sentience felt the great hollowness returning. There was sitting.
was nothing for it here.
It was a pretty, middle-aged woman, her face wreathed in
‘Get out! Get out of here!’ shouted Ace.
smiles.
Audrey’s image began to disintegrate; glittering particles
‘Hello, Dory, love. Where on earth have you been? I was swirled into a vortex around it.
worried sick.’
Ace picked up a sheaf of papers and hurled them at the Ace opened her eyes and jumped, shocked at the apparition.
perfection of the apparition.
‘Get out!’
The Sentience had found the image of Audrey easy to The papers fluttered to the floor. When they settled, the assume. There was much bile in the girl’s memory, much Sentience had gone.
resentment. It shivered inside the golden particles of the
‘Ace!’ Robin ran to her and flung his arms around her. She woman’s body, light bleeding from every pore.
grinned broadly and kissed him.
‘I’m fine,’ said Ace, carefully.
‘Don’t worry. I knew what I was doing,’ she lied.
‘Ace,’ said the Doctor, concernedly.
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Ace turned to the Doctor who was staring at her in Need
disbelief. ‘I can face my past, Doctor. Now, what about There was still energy to be had, however.
you?’
It would simply concentrate