We Will Rise |2| The Ascension

Chapter Thirty Eight: Forest Of The Dead

"Hey, who turned out the lights? Hey, who turned out the lights?"

They were trapped between two sets of shadows when River made a decision, using her squareness gun on the wall behind them. "This way, quickly! Move!"

"Hey, who turned out the lights?"

They went through into a room with a large glass roof. "Okay, we've got a clear spot," River stated. "In, in, in! Right in the centre. In the middle of the light, quickly. Don't let your shadows cross. Doctor."

He was already sonicing the room, having been sped across the room by his fiancée, who was looking around nervously as River checked back the way they came. "I'm doing it."

"There's no lights here," McKenzie stated, biting her lip. "Sunset's coming. We can't stay long." She noticed him frowning. "Have you found a live one?"

"Maybe. It's getting harder to tell," he admitted, before smacking his sonic against his palm. "What's wrong with you?"

"We're going to need a chicken leg," River decided. "Who's got a chicken leg?" Other Dave passed her one. "Thanks, Dave." She threw it into the shadow, and just like last time, it was bone before it hit the floor.

"Okay," Zosia took a deep breath. "Okay, we've got a hot one. Watch your feet."

"They won't attack until there's enough of them," the Doctor assured her. "But they've got our scent now. They're coming."

"I'll check exits," McKenzie stated, zipping off to the other side of the room while making sure not to touch a single shadow.

"Who are they?" Other Dave hissed as Zosia and Zoë went over and started talking to their dad about what had happened to Donna. "You haven't even told us. You just expect us to trust them?"

"He's the Doctor, she's McKenzie Di Angelo, and they are the most powerful children you'll ever meet," River explained quickly, making sure they couldn't hear her.

"And what does that tell us? Who are they?" Lux questioned.

"They're the only story you'll ever tell, if you survive them," River answered bluntly.

Anita shifted uneasily. "You say she's your friend, but none of them even know who you are."

River sighed. "Listen, all you need to know is this. I'd trust that woman and her family to the end of the universe. And actually, we've been."

"She doesn't act like she trusts you," Anita pointed out.

"Yeah, there's a tiny problem," River admitted. "She hasn't met me yet." She went over to where McKenzie was turning on lights on the other side of the room. "What's wrong with his screwdriver?"

McKenzie frowned. "Uh, there's a signal coming from somewhere, interfering with it."

River narrowed her eyes. "Why doesn't he use the red settings?"

"It doesn't have a red setting," the brunette told her, looking more than a little confused.

"Well, what about the dampers?"

"It doesn't have dampers, either."

River sighed. "It will do one day."

McKenzie stopped what she was doing watch River carefully. "So, some time in the future, he just gives you his screwdriver?"

"Yeah," River nodded.

"Why the hell would he do that? Last time he had to get rid of one he practically cried," McKenzie reasoned, narrowing her eyes.