Not Alone [Doctor Who] {1}

Chapter 8

We all sat around a round table in the living room. "This is how Madam Mortlock summons those from the Land of Mists, down in big town. Come, we must all join hands," Gwyneth said. "I can't take part in this," Charles said. "Humbug? Come on, open mind," The Doctor said.

"This is precisely the sort of cheap mummery I strive to unmask. Séances? Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeeze box concealed between the knees. This girl knows nothing," Charles said. "Now, don't antagonise her," The Doctor said and smiled at me, "I love a happy medium."

"I can't believe you just said that," I said with a chuckle. "Come on, we might need you," The Doctor said to Charles. Charles was about to walk away until I let go off The Doctor's hand and pulled Charles down to the chair between me and Gwyneth. "Please," I asked.

"Oh, alright but only because the lovely miss asked me to," He said. "Thank you," I said and The Doctor grabbed my hand. I looked at him and smiled. He smile back and then he looked at Charles, "Good man." He looked at Gwyneth, "Now, Gwyneth, reach out."

"Speak to us. Are you there? Spirits, come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden," Gwyneth said. I suddenly heard whispers, "Can you hear that?" I asked. "Nothing can happen. This is sheer folly," Charles said. "I see them. I feel them," Gwyneth said.

We all looked up and saw the gas, "What's it saying?" I asked. "They can't get through the rift. Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Now, look deep. Allow them through," The Doctor said. "I can't," Gwyneth said.

"He's right Gwyneth. Just believe it. We have faith in you," I said and felt The Doctor grip my hand meaning that I said the right thing. "Make the link," The Doctor said. "Yes," Gwyneth said.

A figure of a woman appeared behind her. "Great God! Spirits from the other side," Mr. Sneed said. "The other side of the universe," The Doctor said. "Pity us. Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us," The spirit said. "What do you want us to do?" The Doctor asked.

"The rift. Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge," The Gelth said. "What for?" The Doctor asked. "We are so very few. The last of our kind. We face extinction," The Gelth said. "Why, what happened?" The Doctor asked. "Once we had a physical form like you, but then the war came," The Gelth said.

"War? What war?" Charles asked. "The Time War. The whole universe convulsed," The Gelth said. The Doctor and I exchanged a look before looking back at the Gelth, "The Time War raged. Invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state."

"So that's why you need the corpses," The Doctor said. "We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again. We need a physical form, and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us," The Gelth said.

"But we can't," I said. "Why not?" The Doctor asked me. "It's not --"

"Not decent?" He cut me off, "Not polite? It could save their lives."

"Open the rift. Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth," The Gelth said before it disappeared and Gwyneth dropped to the table. "Gwyneth?" I called as I quickly got up and walked over to her. I tried to wake her up, "Gwyneth?"

"We need her," The Doctor said. "Leave her alone," I said, without looking up at him. I turned to Charles, "Help me place her on the couch." We both pulled her away from the table and placed her on the couch before I walked to the kitchen to grab a cloth and a bowl to full it with water.