Doctor Who_ Relative Dementias - Mark Michalowski [45]
Inside the store cupboard, the Doctor irritably pushed aside a couple of hanging labcoats. Squeezed in between cardboard boxes and two slim filing cabinets, he was grateful to hear the receding voices and the closing of the door. He gave it another minute, just to make sure, and then cautiously opened the door.
Flopped in the dentist’s chair, arms folded in her lap, was Norma. He listened to her breathing for a moment.
‘Norma... can you hear me?’
Her lips moved silently. He took her hand and closed his eyes. Moments later, her eyes flicked open and she stared at him, a curious frown on her face.
‘Just a message from Joyce,’ he said.
‘Who are you?’ She snatched her hand from his.
‘I’m the Doctor.’
‘You’re not Doctor Menzies. Or Doctor Kale. Have I seen you before?’
She struggled to sit up in the chair.
‘I’m a good friend of your daughter. She asked me to come and help.’
‘Help? Help what? What’s happened to Joyce?’
‘That’s what I’m here to find out.’
‘Something’s happened to her.’ It was a statement. Norma’s eyes narrowed as she tried to remember...
‘When did you last see her?’ asked the Doctor.
Norma shook her head, confused. ‘I... I can’t remember.’
She closed her eyes slowly, swallowing painfully and looked up into the Doctor’s eyes, her own suddenly so full of fear. ‘Help me,’ she said. ‘Please... help me.’
The Doctor couldn’t bring himself to nod, couldn’t bring himself to make a promise that he wasn’t sure he could keep.
He’d done that before. He couldn’t do it again.
‘Just close your eyes,’ he said. ‘Close your eyes Norma, and try to tell me what you can about Joyce, about the last time you saw her.’
‘I was... in my room. Yes... and she came to see me. But there was someone else there first, someone else with Megan.’
An expression of distaste mingled with fascination passed across her fine features. ‘He’s... he’s all white. Pale. Red eyes – no, pink.
He’s a... what d’you call them... Albanian?’
‘An albino?’
She nodded. ‘Yes, he’s... one of those. He’s smiling at me, coming towards me. He has something in his hand. He’s telling me that it’s just a little shot. “Part of the treatment,” he says.’
She shuddered and tried to pull her hand away from the Doctor’s; but he held firm.
‘What now Norma?’
‘Then he says something to Megan something about... a woman? Tracy Chambers? Stacy Chambers?’ Norma’s voice wandered away with a sigh. ‘I’m too tired... too sleepy...’
‘Try to stay awake, Norma. I need you to tell me what happened next. And about this woman.’
She shook her head. ‘Sleepy... too sleepy.’ Her head wobbled unsteadily, her chin drooping down towards her blue bedjacket.
The Doctor shook his head. Norma had been too far under the influence of the sedative she had obviously been given. He held her hand firmly and dosed his eyes. ‘Wake up Norma,’ he whispered.
Seconds later, she gave a little jerk and opened her eyes. She smiled apologetically. ‘Sorry, I must have nodded off.’ For a moment, she was disorientated – and then she suddenly remembered that they’d been talking about Joyce. She snatched her hand from the Doctor’s again. ‘What’s happened to Joyce?’
‘Nothing, hopefully,’ the Doctor said. ‘And I’m going to make sure it stays that way.’
He knew he could have hypnotized her again, had another go. But not now. From down the corridor came the sound of a door opening. He looked down at Norma and, on a whim, pulled his fobwatch from his pocket. He pressed it into her trembling hand. ‘A present from Joyce,’ he said simply.
He crossed to the door of the treatment room and as he cracked it open he heard Norma quietly talking to herself. He looked back to see her, eyes closed and palms pressed together around the silvery liquid shape of the watch.
‘Lord I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep...’
Connie and Jessie were still in shock – which actually made it easier to chivvy them along the corridor