The Doctor's Shadow

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

London Streets

Peri stopped running to catch her breath and collect her emotions.  So much death.  Choking back tears at all the children laying there in the mud motionless.  Old long before their time.  Peri stopped as she recognised Daisy by her dress.  Oh no, she thought, poor Daisy.  If you had stayed with us we could have helped you.  Peri let some tears fall as she stroked back the girls dry, brittle silver hair.  Senseless, this was all absolutely... Peri could not think of a suitable word to describe her feelings.  With each corpse she passed the more she had to hold back her tears.

Thankfully, the narrower streets of the slums protected the majority of the poor folk.  They still held up empty sad eyes, rocking dead babies back and forth in their arms.  Babies that looked as if all of time had been flung at them!  Mother’s scowled at her.  Father’s just kept their heads down, avoiding her puzzled gaze.  

Peri saw a little boy standing in the open.  The Storm was still happening though less vehemently.  Peri looked up at the sky.  A spark of green lightning was heading straight for him.  Peri hitched these awful skirts up and ran up to him.  Once she got there she took hold of his hand and began to drag the child to safety.  

A woman stepped up to Peri, she had a pinched, thin face with cheekbones you could grate cheese on and dark emotionless eyes with a slightly hooked nose, she broke Peri’s grip, “Oi! Get your witchy ‘ands off my boy!”

“You don’t understand!” Peri exclaimed.  “This is no...”

“I understand that my little girl got all old and wrinkled and yet YOU are still young and pretty!” The mother snapped thrusting her son inside the building.  The clouds broke apart and the storm had stopped.  “That can only mean YOU’RE in control of this Devilry that ‘as befallen us!”

Peri frowned, “That’s not true,” she said indignantly.  “I’m trying to save people not hurt them!”

The mother glared at Peri.  “Witch!” she hissed.  “Witch!” pointing at her.  “Only a Witch carries a cat on her person!”

Peri stared down at the little white cat brooch used to keep her shrug together.  The Doctor had reluctantly let her wear it.  Now she wished she had not asked.

“It’s just a trinket!” Peri exclaimed.

“Just a trinket!” the woman sneered as she turned round to her neighbours.

Another woman stood up.  “‘Ere, I know you!” she said.  “I saw ya with that girl, Daisy, when that dandy man was bein’ arrested for Witchcraft...” the second woman’s eyes twinkled and she glanced at the first woman.  “They do say like attracts like...” Peri backed away from the advancing second woman.  “Yeah, definitely ‘er! Just ‘ear ‘er voice... Sounds like the Devil ‘imself is inside her!”

“Oh for pity’s sake,” Peri begged, “It’s not the Devil.  I’m American!”

The two women glanced at each other.  “America? We ‘eard that is a land full of savagery. Very unchristian!  They eat their babies!”

Peri shook her head.  “You got it all wrong!”

Two soon became three, “Weren’t there another with ‘er!”

“Does it matter?” the first woman grinned.  “She’s a Witch! GET HER!”

Peri immediately turned and ran.  Hearing the battle cries of the ever growing crowd of angry, sad survivors.  People who were willing to place the blame on the first person they saw.  Peri wished she had stayed with Tegan and Turlough.  Puffing and panting, Peri felt the corset tighten, and the shoes she was wearing were not designed for these streets.  Peri tried to keep out the cries of pursuit out of her ears.