The Orphan and Her Family

Chapter Forty-Nine

The group stop, gazing over the side of a cliff, where covering the entire cliff face is a group of high tech looking buildings.

"Is that a city?" Sophie asks, gazing out.

"A city or a hive, or a nest, or a conglomeration. Like it was grown," the Doctor muses. He then points out at the building's, "But look, there. That's like pathways, roads? Must have been some sort of life, long ago."

"What killed it?" Martha asks, gazing at the Time Lord.

"Time. Just time. Everything's dying now. All the great civilizations have gone. This isn't just night. All the stars have burned up and faded away into nothing."

Jack gazes up at the sky, "They must have an atmospheric shell. We should be frozen to death."

"Well, Martha, Sophie, and I, maybe. Not so sure about you, Jack."

"What about the people? Does no one survive?" Martha asks.

"I suppose we have to hope life will find a way."

"Well, he's not doing too bad," Jack points. There's a man running through the remnants of the city, a larger group of people are chasing them.

"Is it me, or does that look like a hunt?" the Doctor asks them. He doesn't wait for a response, taking off after the man, "Come on!"

Sophie rolls her eyes, and follows after the Time Lord. Martha and Jack fall in behind her. "Oh, I've missed this," Jack smiles.

Sophie turns to look at him incredulously, "How the h*ll did you miss this?"

"Hush up, and run."

They quickly catch up with the running man, and Jack skids to a halt, catching him, "I've got you."

The man pants furiously, "They're coming! They're coming!"

They see the tribe coming, and Jack grabs his revolver from within the confines of its holster. He aims it at the tribe, preparing to pull the trigger.

The Doctor frowns deeply, "Jack, don't you dare!"

The Captain rolls his eyes, and moves his gun, firing straight into the air. The tribe skid to a halt at the loud noise. "What the h*ll are they?" Martha shouts.

"There's more of them," the man states, and moves to race off again, "We've got to keep going."

The Doctor places a hand on his chest to stop him. He points back up to the cliff top, and says, "I've got a ship nearby. It's safe. It's not far, it's over there." More of the tribesmen appear over the cliff faces racing for the group. "Or maybe not," he sighs.

"We're close to the silo. If we get to the silo, then we're safe," the man says.

The Doctor turns and looks at his friends, "Silo?"

"Silo," Jack agrees.

Martha raises her hand, "Silo for me."

Sophie sighs, "Honestly, I'd rather stay here than do more running." Jack elbows her, "Fine, let's head to this silo."

They take off running again, the stranger leading the way. As they arrive at a large base, the man shouts out, "It's the Futurekind! Open the gate!"

A guard stops, and points a gun at them, "Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth!"

"Show him your teeth!" the stranger demands.

They all immediately grimace, doing their best to show off their teeth. Apparently the guard sees what he wants, and begins to open the gate, "Let them in! Let them in!"