The Historian

Ghosts

The Unquiet Dead- Part 2

"Come on, you're losing them." The Doctor yelled to the driver as they tumbled down the road.

"Everything in order, Mister Dickens?" He called.

" No! It is not!" The man beside the Historian called.

"What did he say?"

"Let me say this first. I'm not without a sense of humour."

The Historian rose an eyebrow. "Dickens?"

"Yes."

He grinned from ear to ear. "Charles Dickens?"

" Yes."

"The Charles Dickens?"

"Should I remove the gentleman, sir?"

The Doctor grinned and looked between the Historian and Dickens. "Charles Dickens? You're brilliant, you are. Completely one hundred percent brilliant. I've read them all. Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and what's the other one, the one with the ghost?"

" A Christmas Carol?" Historian and Dickens asked.

The Doctor shook his head. "No, no, no, the one with the trains. The Signal Man, that's it. Terrifying! The best short story ever written. You're a genius."

The Driver looked down to the coach again. "You want me to get rid of him, sir?"

Dickens looked to him and shook his head. "Er, no, I think he can stay."

"Honestly, Charles. Can I call you Charles? I'm such a big fan."

" A what? A big what?"

" Fan. Number one fan, that's me."

"How exactly are you a fan? In what way do you resemble a means of keeping oneself cool?" Dickens asked.

The Historian shook her head. " No, it means fanatic, devoted to."

The Doctor nodded frantically. "Mind you, I've got to say, that American bit in Martin Chuzzlewit, what's that about? Was that just padding or what? I mean, it's rubbish, that bit."

Dickens frowned at the doctor. "I thought you said you were my fan."

" Ah, well, if you can't take criticism. Go on, do the death of Little Nell, it cracks me up. No, sorry, forget about that. Come on, faster!"

Dickens looked to the Historian and the Doctor. "Who exactly is in that hearse?"

The Historian sighed. "Our friend. She's only nineteen. It's our fault. She's in our care, and now she's in danger."

Dickens' eyes widened. "Why are we wasting my time talking about dry old books? This is much more important. Driver, be swift! The chase is on!"

"Yes, sir!"

The doctor and the Historian grinned. "Attaboy, Charlie."

"Nobody calls me Charlie."

"The ladies do." The Doctor grinned.

"How do you know that?"

" I told you, I'm your number one."

"Number one fan."

***** *****

The Historian smacked on the door of the funeral home they followed the herse to. A young maid opened the door. "I'm sorry, miss. We're closed."

Dickens frowned and shook his head. "Nonsense. Since when did an Undertaker keep office hours? The dead don't die on schedule. I demand to see your master."