Doctor Who_ The Room With No Doors - Kate Orman [79]
‘I knew something like this would happen,’ he said dully. ‘Actually, I’m surprised it took this long. How did you get up there?’
‘I used my time conveyance,’ she said. ‘I modified it as per your suggestion, and went for a hyperwalk.’
‘I’m impressed,’ he breathed.
‘The situation must be desperate,’ Penelope joked gently.
He tapped the back of her hand with a finger. ‘You are so far in advance of your time,’ he said, deadly serious. ‘You ought to have a place in history beside some of its greatest physicists.’
‘And yet,’ she said sadly, ‘no one in the twentieth century has heard of me.’
He waved his left hand, vaguely. ‘Time’s fickle.’
‘Doctor, I must remove the arrow from your back.’
‘Best to leave it where it is,’ he murmured. ‘Some of the monks are doctors, they’ll. . . ’ He seemed to fade away for a moment, then looked at her, his eyes brilliant, almost relucent in his grey face. ‘It’s not as bad as it probably looks.
We must get the villagers back together. They’ve been scattered. Through the forest.’
‘What of the battle?’ said Penelope.
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‘Never mind that,’ said the Doctor.
‘But doesn’t it matter who wins? What about history?’
‘It’s swings and roundabouts,’ he said. He sounded as though he was going to sleep, which struck Penelope as dangerous. ‘No, we need to sort out the villagers. . . the very man.’
Penelope turned. Mr Cwej was standing there, staring at the Doctor. ‘Oh, Geez,’ he said.
The Doctor lifted a hand, beckoning him over. ‘Chris,’ he wheezed, ‘find the villagers. Take them up to the monastery. There’s a secret entrance. Penelope will show you.’
‘Wait a minute,’ said Mr Cwej. ‘We can’t leave you here.’
‘Take the pod with you,’ said the Doctor. His voice was suddenly so quiet.
Penelope found herself taking his hand. His skin was frighteningly cold. ‘Go on, Chris. I’m leaving you in charge.’
‘You’re not leaving,’ said Mr Cwej, and Penelope realized that the boy was starting to cry. ‘Forget it. No way. This isn’t happening. No, you listen. We’re not leaving you behind. I’ll put you in the cart, and we’ll drive you up.’
‘You can’t take the cart,’ breathed the Doctor. ‘Too conspicuous. Just go, Chris. There isn’t much time. . . ’
‘Don’t die.’ Mr Cwej had taken the Time Lord’s other hand. ‘Don’t go. I can’t do this without you,’ he wept. ‘I can’t.’
‘Chris. . . ’ breathed the Doctor. His eyes were closed.
‘Oh my Goddess,’ said Mr Cwej. ‘You’re going to regenerate, aren’t you?
This is it, right here and now!’
‘No. Not this time. . . ’
‘You have to,’ said Mr Cwej, terrified. ‘You have to.’
The Doctor’s hands were limp and cold in their grasp. ‘Chris.’ His eyelids flickered open for a moment. ‘Forgive me.’
He breathed out, a long, weary sigh, and suddenly he was leaning against Penelope, slumped forward, his fingers limp in her grasp.
Mr Cwej shook him. There was no response.
‘Mr Cwej.’ Penelope put her hand on the man’s shoulder. ‘Chris –’
‘Oh man,’ said Mr Cwej. ‘This can’t be happening. He can’t just die by –’ He stopped, biting into his lip so hard Penelope thought it would bleed.
‘By what?’
‘Oh Goddess,’ said Mr Cwej. ‘By accident.’
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Scream of consciousness
i
i
I.
I am.
That’s a start.
I am. How am I? First hints of sensation reaching me. Still a body out there.
I think.
No pain. Dull ache where my shoulder should be, the after-image of a healed wound.
I am still. No point in moving yet, or opening my eyes. Take the time the body needs to wake up.
I am. I am where? Not sure how much has happened. Present time: one fuzzy black gap past the point when Chris finally turned up. Present place: no clue.
Will it be the Room when I open my eyes? Was that it? Did my body finally give me up? Have I crossed for good into the mental prison the others have prepared for me? Not sure. Don’t think so. Feels different this time. As if I’m being touched all over my body, cradled even.
Realization. Relief. I’m alive. Some fuzzy dazed kind of alive.
Listen. Nothing. Nobody nearby, not even distant