Doctor Who_ Nightshade - Mark Gatiss [70]
His eyes flicked upwards, catching a tiny change in the man’s face. The brows drew together, eyes narrowing. The Trevithick slid to the floor, his eyes darting to and fro as kindly smile creased into a mocking grin.
he willed them to become accustomed to the darkness. He Winstanley felt the stigmatic hand close around his face, could make out only indistinct shapes illuminated by the the bones of his jaw crumbling like powder. Then there was glow of the monastery. Something bobbed into view by him nothing but a searing pain: pain like a billion needles and he gasped, startled. ‘Are you all right, sir?’ It was ripping through his mind as the apparition surged down his Medway.
throat.
Trevithick nodded and then realised he’d have to vocalise Winstanley’s smile, so long forced and unreal, widened his assent. ‘Yes. Yes, thank you.’
impossibly as energy roared into him. Then his broad head Around them, the machinery was once again winding imploded with a vile clatter.
down. Vijay stumbled across the room and found Holly. He
‘You are forgiven,’ chuckled the apparition as it closed pressed his cheek to hers and called, ‘Doctor?’
around the Abbot’s lifeless body.
The Doctor moved to stand by the window, his figure silhouetted against the glow of the monastery like that of a child watching a bonfire.
‘Please excuse me,’ he said quietly. ‘I must return to the monastery. Ace may need me.’
He dashed across the room without knocking over a single stick of furniture.
‘I’ll be back,’ he called over his shoulder. ‘Try and stay together. Things are getting serious.’ The double doors clattered and he was gone.
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DOCTOR WHO: NIGHTSHADE
DOCTOR WHO: NIGHTSHADE
Holly jumped as Medway flicked the flint of his lighter, Vijay tripped over Holly. ‘Wait!’ he called. She grasped his face looming into view close by. ‘I suggest we find some his hand. ‘What is it?’
illumination,’ he said, standing up.
The double doors opened again and Medway ran through
‘There are some candles in my room,’ said Vijay.
into the night.
‘No,’ said Holly quickly. ‘I don’t want you to go back
‘We found Hawthorne. In his room,’ whispered Vijay.
there.’
‘Dead?’ said Trevithick.
‘It’s all right. I’ll be careful.’ He laid a hand on her arm.
‘Yes. All rotten. Decayed.’
‘Listen out for Cooper, I don’t like the thought of her on her Trevithick sighed. ‘Just like Mrs Yeadon.’
own out there.’
Vijay looked at the old man’s candle-lit features. ‘Mrs Medway swore as the flame scorched his thumb. ‘I’ll Yeadon too? God help us...’
come with you.’
They could hear Medway’s car stuttering into life and
‘What about Hawthorne?’ cried Holly. ‘I’d forgotten all reversing out of the compound.
about him.’
‘Well, that’s my interview gone for a burton,’ said
‘He can do what he likes just as long as he stays out of my Trevithick.
way.’ Vijay’s voice was strained and angry. Medway flicked the lighter again and they set off into the interior.
Medway spun the wheel, prickles of sweat shimmering Trevithick stumbled towards Holly. ‘Hello, my dear. I’m over his back and shoulders. He was breathing hard, panic Edmund.’
coursing through him.
‘Holly. Hi.’ She looked about in the darkness, evidently They had pushed open the door of Hawthorne’s room on unnerved.
their way back from getting the candles. He was lying on
‘Reminds me of the War,’ said Trevithick, struggling to the bed with his back to them and the Asian bloke had make conversation. Holly smiled and nodded.
shaken his shoulder to wake him. But Hawthorne wasn’t
‘Perhaps,’ began Trevithick, ‘perhaps you’d like to fill me asleep. He was withered and dry like an unwrapped in on what’s been going on here?’
mummy. And the strench...
Holly shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Strange things. It’s like a Medway shivered, did a three-point turn and careered on dream ...” There was a shriek from somewhere in the to the moor road. He was getting out.
corridor. Holly stiffened. ‘Vijay?’ she shouted.
The tower was dark and silent. For some time, Ace had Trevithick backed against the console as running