Until We Burn | Dr Who

Chapter Twenty-Four: Rise of the Cybermen

The area we arrive at is run down. The brick houses appear damaged in some places and tall, barbed wire fences line the street. Just up ahead is a blockade manned by armed soldiers.

Cursing under his breath, Mickey glances over to me. "Just act natural, okay? We live here."

"Okay. We— Maybe you should do the talking. I can't lie."

A soldier steps into our path as we approach, doing our best to appear as casual as possible. "Are we all right to get past?" Mickey asks him.

Eyes narrowing, he looks us both up and down with what I worry might be suspicion. "Yeah, no bother. Curfew doesn't start till ten."

"There's a curfew?"

So much for acting natural.

"'Course there is. Where you been living, mate? Up there with the toffs?"

Glancing up at the zeppelins, he chuckles. "I wish."

—

Mickey hesitates when he first sets eyes on the front door. Giving him an encouraging smile, I offer him my hand. "Together, yeah? Whatever's on the other side of that door, we can handle it. Want me to knock?"

"Nah, it's fine." Awkwardly taking hold of my hand, he taps the knocker three times.

A voice comes from the other side of the door, frail with age but still carrying a distinct and almost scary sternness, "Who's that there?" The door creaks open and an elderly woman appears. Her skin is russet-brown like her grandson's, only a streak in her pinned hair faded to grey. Silver ear pods gleam on either side of her head. She wears a pair of sunglasses, tapping her cane impatiently on the doorstep. I realise that she is blind — enough to not recognise us. "Who is it? I know you're there. Shame on you, tricking an old lady. I've got nothing worth stealing. And don't think I'm gonna disappear, you're not gonna take me!"

I narrowly dodge her cane as she starts to wave it in front of her, as if to fend us off. Mickey doesn't move. He just stares at her, speechless. I give his hand another squeeze. After a long pause, he works up the courage to say, "Hi."

All anger fades from her face at the sound of his voice. She steps closer. "Is that you?"

"It's me. I came home."

Gasping, she shakily reaches out to touch his face. "Ricky?"

"It's Mickey."

"I know my own grandson's name, it's Ricky. Now come here."

He doesn't waste a second, moving in to hug her. "Okay, I'm Ricky," I hear him murmur. "'Course I am. Ricky, that's me."

When they pull away, she slaps his arm. "You stupid boy!"

"Oh, Gods!" I exclaim before hurriedly clamping a hand over my mouth, unsure what will happen to me if she realises that he's not alone.

"Where've you been?"

"Ow! Ow! Stop hitting me!"

"It's been days and days! I keep hearing all these stories, people disappearing off the street." She touches one of the ear pods. "There's nothing official on the download, but there's all these rumours and whispers. I thought they'd gone and disappeared you!"

He goes quiet again. Following his anxious glare, I see that he has spotted a tear in the carpet, the frayed ends hanging out. "That carpet on the stairs, I told you to get it fixed. You're gonna—" he winces at the thought "—fall and break your neck."

She scoffs, "Well, you get it fixed for me!"

"I should've done, way back. I guess I'm just kind of useless."