Doctor Who_ The Nightmare of Black Island - Mike Tucker [39]
‘No!’
The Doctor hurled himself forward, fists clenched, determined that these things would not claim another victim.
91
His fists met only open air. Bronwyn took a step back in shock, almost tripping and tumbling down the spiralling stairs.
‘What on earth are you doing?’ she screamed.
The Doctor looked around in amazement. The pterodactyl thing had gone. The glow from the alien machine had faded too, the controls on its surface now silent and dark. Cautiously, the Doctor peered out of the shattered window. Far below, the island was quiet and empty, the only sound that of surf crashing against the rocks and the soft hiss of rain.
The Doctor turned to the bewildered Bronwyn. ‘They’ve gone,’ he said. ‘They’ve all gone!’
Morton and Peyne were hunched over the control console, peering intently at the small display screen. Behind them Rose was writhing on the bed, straining against the straps, her eyes closed, a frown of pain flickering across her brow.
‘The machine is recalibrated for her gender and age,’ Peyne said, adjusting a control. ‘We can begin.’ Her finger hovered over a pulsing button.
Morton nodded and Peyne stabbed her finger down.
Rose knew that she was dreaming again. It was like before, a sense of hovering over her shoulder, of being able to observe herself. But this time her dreams were not hers; this time she knew that others were manipulating her thoughts, driving her dreams in a direction they had determined. She desperately wanted to force herself to wake up, but the drugs wouldn’t let her.
She could feel fingers in her mind, rummaging through her thoughts and memories. Slowly, things that she would rather have kept buried were being dredged to the surface.
‘Fascinating!’ Morton cried, leaning forward eagerly as shapes started to form on the small screen in front of him. ‘Go deeper, Peyne. There is obviously far more to Miss Tyler and her mysterious friend than we at first thought.’
∗ ∗ ∗
92
The Doctor stepped out of the lighthouse door and looked around cautiously. Satisfied that there was no danger, he beckoned to Bronwyn to come and join him.
She scurried timidly to his side. ‘Where did they all go?’
‘I don’t know, and at this particular moment in time I really don’t care! That was one creepy-crawly too many for me and I think it’s high time our little day trip came to an end, don’t you?’
Bronwyn nodded vigorously.
‘Right. Well, let’s get back to your boat while we’ve got a chance.’
‘You don’t think they’re going to come back?’
The Doctor looked up at the lamp room, which was now dark and dead. The monsters were linked to the machine and someone had turned that machine off. Whether by accident or design, it gave them an opportunity to get back to the mainland. He had no way of knowing how long it would be before the machine started working again and dismantling it at night would be virtually impossible. He needed to come back during the day, when his tinkering would have less chance of damaging side effects, he could actually see what he was doing and he had a better chance of not being eaten. He patted Bronwyn on the shoulder. ‘I think we should make the best of opportunities when they present themselves.’
The two of them started to make their way down the sloping rocks to where the boat was moored, the Doctor trying to manoeuvre Bronwyn away from the dozens of seal carcasses that lay like broken toys all around.
They reached the cove and Bronwyn hurried down to catch hold of the prow of the little motorboat. Fortunately, the monsters had ignored it – the seals had been a far more appetising target. The Doctor crossed to where the rope was tied. It was heavy with sea water and he struggled to undo the damp knot. It was nearly loose when there was a little cry of fear from the shoreline. The Doctor looked up sharply. Bronwyn was holding a hand to her mouth in horror, staring into a rock pool. A dull orange glow illuminated her terrified