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'It's unlikely' said the Doctor. 'Judging from the architecture they should have left superstition and general unreason well behind them by now. I imagine religion will have been consigned to the department of history.'

Leela stopped chopping at a stubborn blackthorn stem and glared back at the Doctor ‘I have left superstition and general unreason behind me.'

'Well behind,' the Doctor agreed.

'And I think of the religion of my tribe as his story,' she said. And then, in response to the Doctor's expression, added by way of explanation, 'The shaman's story.'

The Doctor smiled. 'It is a difficult thing to shake off,' he said. 'The religion of your tribe.'

Leela went back to hacking down the last obstacle to her free passage through the hedge. 'You said all it took was reason and an open mind.'

The Doctor followed her through the gap. I could be wrong,' he said. 'One mustn't be dogmatic about these things after all.'

'A demon chased you?'Josh sighed and ran a hand over his shaved scalp.

'Oh purlease. What have you been smoking? Get a grip, girl.'

'If she says that's what happened that's what happened, and she doesn't need to get a grip, bay! Meg said angrily.

'So how come no one else saw it?'Josh looked round the table at the others. 'You didn't see anything did you?'

Chloe drained her glass. It was me it wanted,' she said miserably. 'Only me.'

'I can understand that,' Tommy said. I feel the same way most of the time.'

He reached across the table to touch her hand. Without thinking she withdrew it. It could almost have been a flinch. 'Is it my round?' he said, looking towards the bar. 'Unless someone can lend me a beer coupon or two I'm afraid it's going to be a half of bitter and straws.'

'Why don't I find that as charming and appealing as you so obviously do?'Joan said without smiling.

Tommy pushed the hair back from his forehead. 'Because you're a miserable bitch,' he suggested mildly, and as cuddly an androgynous dwarf?'

Joan smiled sweetly. Oh dear. I was going to lend you money too.'

'No you weren't.'

'No I wasn't.'

'This demon,' Ralph said. 'What did it want from you?'

'It wanted to kill me,' Chloe said. She took a £10 note from her wallet and pushed it across the table towards Tommy.

'What's this?" he asked.

'Your round,' she said and smiled.

'All yes.' He took the money. Same again everyone?' None of them noticed his unhappy expression as he made his way to the bar.

'Yes, but why?' Ralph asked.

'We conjured it up,' Joan said. It was drawn to that place of death and we gave it substance.'

'That's exactly what you didn't do by the sound of it,' Josh said. He sounded amused. It had no substance except in Clarrys mind.'

"Chloe,' Chloe said. My name is Chloe.'

'Shit, sorry. All this time I thought your name was Clarry.' He shook his head in mock embarrassment. "If you ask me,' he went on, you all trotted off into the woods, got yourselves worked up with some occult play-acting, and then Clarry here had a Blair Witch moment.'

I don't think we did ask you,' Joan said, did we?'

Unsmiling, Ralph said, "I think he's right though.'

Well there's a surprise,' Meg scoffed. Binmen of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your rubbish.'

'We were all of us hyped up,' Ralph said. 'It's not surprising that someone got'

'Hysterical is the word you're looking for,' Josh said smiling.

'It's not surprising that one of us girlies got hysterical,' Meg said, 'that's what you mean isn't it? You might at least have the balls to come out and say it.'

'I may have imagined it,' Chloe said. 'I thought it was the murderer but I may just have been projecting my own fears back on myself.'

'What did it say to you exactly?'Josh asked. He seemed to be interested despite himself.

'It didn't say anything. It was just howling hate-filled gibberish.'

'Not one of your more coherent demons then.'

'Whatever it was,' Chloe shuddered, 'it was horrifyingly insane. Does that mean