Doctor Who_ The Hollow Men - Keith Topping [101]
They caught sight of his car less than a mile down the road.
The limousine was travelling slowly, like a hearse. Trevor stamped on the accelerator, drawing level with the car, then twisted the steering wheel savagely to one side and pulled on the hand brake.
The Land Rover cut in front of the Mercedes a few yards short of the cordon of scarecrows that was guarding the only way out of the village. Hatch was forced to stand on his brakes, and his car screeched to a halt.
„What now?‟ asked Rebecca, as her eyes met those of Hatch.
„His move,‟ noted Trevor, making sure that the Land Rover doors were locked.
Hatch left his car with the motor idling and strolled to the front of the Land Rover. The scarecrows angled their heads towards the vehicles, their expressionless cloth faces merely adding to the incongruity of the moment.
„Becky, Trev,‟ said Hatch in a catlike purr. „Hi. What‟s been happening?‟
Trevor revved the engine. „Got a bone to pick with you, Matt,‟ he said. „You‟ve been hanging around with some very bad company.‟
Hatch was ignoring him. Instead he was looking at Rebecca, staring deeply into her eyes. His own were glowing.
All Rebecca could see was light. Light as sharp as a pinprick, boring into her brain like a drill. A diamond-tipped drill that twisted through flesh and bone and skull and promised only death and burial in an open grave where worms and beetles would crawl over her putrefying skin, gnawing the flesh from rotting bones.
„No!‟ screamed Rebecca as the light became as bright as a thousand suns. „Stop it!‟
Trevor was trying to say something, but his voice was too distant for the words to make sense.
Suddenly she turned to him and smiled. Her hand found the handle. „It‟s all right,‟ she said, pushing open the door.
„This is a safe place.‟
Hatch threw himself at Rebecca, like an animal pouncing on its prey. He grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, throwing her to the ground. Hatch was astride her before Trevor could even move.
Scarecrow hands smashed through the window and held Trevor motionless in the seat. Forcing him to watch.
Saliva dripped from Hatch‟s lips. „Kiss this,‟ he said, moving his mouth to Rebecca‟s, and pressing down.
CHAPTER 16
WILDER
The Doctor was dragged through a wooden door and into a room thick with shadows and whispering voices. Chaotic rows of peasants stood either side of him, their dirty faces etched with excitement and loathing.
A stooped figure with matted hair and a rose-red face staggered from the crowd. He opened his toothless mouth, a guttural cackle bubbling from his throat.
„Hang „im!‟ he cried. „Hang „im up, and cut „im down.‟
The impatient arms of the Doctor‟s captors pushed him past the sniggering wretch as the rest of the crowd began to bray like hounds eager for the kill.
„Ignore that buffoon,‟ said a voice to the Doctor‟s left. „„Tis just Henry, the village idiot.‟
The Doctor turned to find himself facing a man in black robes, holding a Bible in his hands.
„And you are...?‟
„Forgive me,‟ said the man. „I am Silas Baber, of Master Blackwell‟s chambers.‟
„You‟re a solicitor?‟
„A barrister,‟ said Baber brightly. „Thy barrister.‟
„Then this is a courtroom?‟ asked the Doctor. Another shove propelled him towards what appeared to be a dock.
„Or, at least, someone‟s subconscious representation of a seventeenth-century assizes. I take it this is Jeffreys‟s courtroom?‟
Baber nodded. „Take my advice. Plead guilty. Throw thyself upon the mercy of the court.‟
„I‟ll certainly consider it,‟ said the Doctor as a gathering hush settled upon the room. „Fee fie foe fat, I smell the blood of an autocrat,‟ he said under his breath as an usher entered grandly.
„Please be upstanding for the honourable judge,‟ said the usher, grasping both lapels and puffing out his chest.
Jeffreys appeared behind him, with his retinue guard, who stationed themselves menacingly around the room. A well-dressed man strode towards the dock.
„This court is now in session,‟ announced Jeffreys. He sat, and watched