Doctor Who_ The Stone Rose - Jacqueline Rayner [27]
There were discontented murmurs at this.
A more reasonable voice spoke. ‘Look, we’re all going to die tomorrow. No way out of it. Most of us even chose this way to go.’
‘Better a quick death than a slow one in the mines,’ a fourth voice put in.
‘Yeah. So forgive us if we’re not that welcoming. Not much point in making friends when you might have to kill that person tomorrow.’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ said the Doctor. ‘I don’t think making friends can ever be a bad thing, can it? It’s not like I’m expecting you to toss round a beanbag and tell an interesting fact about yourselves. Let’s just have a chat. For example, why are you going to be killing each other tomorrow?’
There were a few disbelieving snorts from his audience.
‘Are you thick or what?’
‘He must be a foreigner,’ said the kinder voice. ‘Look, mate, that’s the way it is here. We don’t know exactly how we’re gonna go, but we’re gonna go. Burnt alive, crucified, fed to the beasts – or made to fight each other to the death. And then the only way you’ll survive is to kill and kill again and keep killing, in the desperate hope that the crowd’ll be so impressed they won’t want you to be finished off in the end. It’s the only chance you’ll have of getting out of there alive.’
‘Seems a very small chance.’
‘Right. But better than no chance at all.’
The Doctor’s voice was full of sadness. ‘Where there’s life there’s hope? How can I tell you that’s wrong?’ He paused. ‘But what about dignity? What about not participating willingly in this bloody charade? What about all standing together and refusing to fight?’
‘Then we get cut down where we stand. No life, definitely no hope. No one’s ever escaped from the arena.’
The Doctor smiled, though none of his companions could see it. ‘Then it’s your lucky day. Because doing things that no one’s ever done is my speciality.’
* * *
The Doctor came to think of his four chatty cell mates as John, Paul, George and Ringo. There were others too, men and women, freemen and slaves, too far into the depths of despair to talk to anyone. Several hundred prisoners were being held ready for the next day’s games. Many of them had been a willing audience at previous games and knew just what to expect.
‘You never want ’em to go free,’ confessed George. ‘That’s not how it’ works. Everyone’s howling for their blood, and you howl too.’
‘I remember this brilliant one,’ said Paul. ‘There was this bloke, a musician, and he thought he was there to play to the crowd. Then halfway through some tune they let the animals out! He thought it was a mistake and he’s running around, trying to get them to let him out, but of course they don’t. So he tries charming the beasts with his playing, like he’s Orpheus in the Underworld!’
‘Did it work?’ asked John.
‘Nah. Reckon the lion what got him wasn’t much of a music lover.’
John chipped in with his own anecdote. ‘There was this time when they’d got a couple of blind men,’ he said. ‘Gave them both swords and set them at it. They’re swinging away, no idea what’s going on, occasionally getting a bit of ear or something by luck. That was hilarious.’ He paused. ‘Doesn’t seem so funny now.’
‘It doesn’t, does it?’ Paul concurred.
George and Ringo muttered their agreement too. ‘Then let’s talk about the alternatives,’ said the Doctor.
* * *
Some of the prisoners drifted off to sleep, but the Doctor stayed awake all night. Occasionally guards would visit, and the Doctor took every opportunity to remind them that he was, in his opinion, there unlawfully. They only laughed.
Even the Doctor, with his excellent time sense, found it hard to tell when the next day came. Night reigned eternally in the dungeon, the single torch outside functioning as both sun and moon. It was sounds rather than light that alerted them all: roars and howls and bellows.
‘Getting ready for the wild beast hunt,’ explained George. ‘First business of the day.’ Having assumed the Doctor to be a stranger to Rome, he’d taken it on himself to explain all the customs of the arena. ‘Marvellous animals they’ve got. You being from