Doctor Who_ The Gallifrey Chronicles - Lance Parkin [106]
Instinctively, Trix brought her elbow down on the Vore’s forearm. There wasn’t a self-defence teacher in the country who’d say it was a bad move. She nearly broke a bone on the hard carapace.
The creature pulled her round, then let go to get a better attack in. Its claw sliced towards Trix, who realised that this was where she died.
A hand caught the Vore’s claw.
The creature hissed, tried to push down. But the hand stayed firm. The Vore shifted its ground but couldn’t get any leverage. Hand and claw were locked in place. The Vore tilted, and cocked its head to get a good look at the man in its way. Its compound eyes twitched, adjusted.
It stared into the man’s eyes.
More than that, it understood what it was looking at.
Then, for the first time, the Vore took a step back. All around it all the other Vore were doing the same. They were massing for a last attack, Trix thought.
Strength in numbers.
Now, though, the hand released its grip. The Vore took another step back.
A moment later, as if frightened by a loud noise, every Vore was airborne, spiralling away.
‘I’m back,’ the Doctor said.
He helped his companion up and nodded an acknowledgement to a startled Mrs Winfield.
‘How the hell did you do that?’
‘They’re running. It’s what you’re meant to do when you see a monster – a fact you seem to have forgotten.’
‘It was you that destroyed the moon? Wait. . . but didn’t you just come from inside Marnal’s house?’ Trix had seen movement from the corner of her eye.
‘Never mind that. Have you seen Fitz?’
It took a moment for her to find the words.
‘He’s dead,’ she told him.
218
‘But have you seen him?’
Trix looked up, finding it hard to imagine the Doctor could be so cruel to her.
The Doctor took her hand.
‘I saw him die,’ she said. ‘The Vore just struck him down, hissed poison over him. He was doing it to save me,’ she sobbed. ‘But I know you. . . ’
Trix paused, not wanting to say it.
‘You can. . . bring him back. Whether you should or not, I don’t know. But you can. He was your friend.’
She looked him in the eye.
‘And I have faith you’ll do what’s right. No, not faith. Something better: knowledge. Certain knowledge. You never lose, not in the end, not like this.
Please –’
The Doctor put his finger to her lips.
‘I brought the dead back to life on my very first day in the job,’ the Doctor told her.
Behind him stood Fitz.
219
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Martin Luther King Jr
Chapter Thirteen
It’s the End. . .
Trix and Fitz were hugging and kissing. The Doctor moved away, giving them their space, and found himself next to Mrs Winfield whom he’d run past on the way out of the house to save Trix. It was a pleasant summer’s night in England.
‘Mister. . . sir. . . ’ It was a small woman, probably in her late fifties.
‘Doctor,’ he corrected her.
‘My husband died too. They got him before he could get inside the house, that first day.’
‘He’s right here, Jackie.’
‘You know my name?’
‘Des loves you. He’s been with you all this time.’
‘I felt like he was standing next to me.’
Trix was looking over at the Doctor. ‘What’s he doing?’ she asked Fitz. ‘He’s acting like some medium at the end of a pier. He’ll be asking the crowd if they know anyone called “John” next, and telling whoever puts her hand up that John’s saying she should get on with her life.’
Fitz was biting his lip. ‘No. Watch. Because just when you think you know how bloody brilliant he is, and you think you’ve seen him do everything. . . ’
The Doctor took Mrs Winfield’s hand in his, reached out.
‘I can feel. . . ’
The Doctor nodded.
‘Do you remember the first time we held hands, Des?’ she asked.
‘I remember,’ her husband replied. ‘I was so nervous.’
The Doctor