Doctor Who_ Return of the Living Dad - Kate Orman [98]
Benny saw her coming like a tunnel of light, and there was nowhere to run.
Bridget Evans had seen women lie down in front of army trucks. She’d seen them hang onto the fence even when police truncheons were snapping hands and fingers. She’d seen women come back to the same patch of frozen land over and over after being evicted’ carrying their bundles and bags.
It would take a lot to surprise her.
The floating special-effect thing shot down from the sky and surrounded Benny. The woman staggered back and yelled, pushing at the orange light. Bridget stood frozen, not knowing what to do.
‘No!’ roared the Doctor.
He ran to his friend. The light was like flame now, burning his hands as he tried to reach her. ‘This won’t work!’
he yelled. ‘She can’t anchor you!’
I’M COMING APART AT THE SEAMS! the thing screamed. Bridget pushed her hands against her ears.
Maybe its voice had once been human.
‘Back off’ Doctor!’ shouted Benny. ‘Get away!’ Orange light was coming out of her mouth. ‘I WANT HER HERE!’
The Doctor stepped into the fire and threw his arms around Benny.
They both screamed. She snatched at his jacket, trying to shove him away. Somehow he stayed on his feet, hanging onto her, hands locked together behind her back. ‘ Let her go! ’
he shouted.
Benny’s dad was shouting something which Bridget couldn’t hear over the fire and the wind. She saw the Doctor’s knees give way’ his head falling back’ haloed in fire.
With a SNAP like an elastic band in the eye, it all stopped.
32 Out to launch
Jason was hanging onto Keith so tightly that the boy was squirming. He sat in the open door of the van, scowling at the ground.
It was all very well for Benny to leave him to take care of Keith. If she didn’t come back, if they failed, the boy was dead anyway.
Joel patted him on the arm in a brotherly way. ‘Va va VA,’ said Keith.
‘Wish we could have gone,’ said Joel. ‘Wish we could have gone.’ His voice was taut as a wire with fear. ‘This sucks.’
‘Benny would say I just have a lot of twentieth-century hang-ups about my masculine role,’ Jason muttered. He looked up at the crowd of women. They were rugged up, talking and singing. The only men he could see were the police behind the fence.
‘Takes balls to stay put,’ said Joel. ‘Remember, we’re backup. In case anything goes wrong.’
‘Yeah,’ said Jason. ‘Well, it gets my back up.’
Keith struggled out of Jason’s grip and slid down to the ground. ‘Hey you, come here,’ said Jason, making a grab for the boy.
But Keith was running away across the cold ground, his little shoes sloshing in the mud. ‘Va va!’ he said.
Jason jumped down from the van and was after him in an instant. But the boy was — was fading, was becoming a pale figure running towards the women, then just a shadow.
Reaching his arms out to someone only he could see.
‘Da da!.’ Keith said.
And was gone.
Jason slowed and stopped, standing in the spot where his son had disappeared.
He turned back, helpless. Joel stood in the doorway of the van, watching him.
‘See you later, kid,’ said Jason, and marched back to the van. ‘What was that you said about backup?’
Benny and the Doctor tumbled to the ground. The grass around them was scorched, the air shimmering with heat.
Isaac grabbed his daughter, lifted her head into his lap.
Tony and Bridget knelt down beside the Doctor.
Bridget thought they would both be dead. But Benny was coming around. Her clothes were singed and scorched, but her flesh wasn’t, as though the flames had come out of her.
Isaac stroked her hair.
‘I let her go,’ gasped Benny. ‘I let her go, Doctor. Oh God, are you all right?’
The Doctor sprang to his feet, looking around wildly. The bearded man, Tony, almost fell over with shock.
Bridget began, ‘You all right, mate?’ But he waved his hand at her, looking down at Benny. ‘Did you see it?’
Benny sat up. ‘He’s already in the silo.’
‘How do you know?’ said Isaac.
Tony said, ‘I thought she was Death. I thought she’d got a head start.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s true what the Book of Names says. Death doesn’t have a name.’
‘Her name