The Doctor Of War ³

Flatline pt.2

"They're wearing the dead like camouflage" I mutter.

"Forget Stan. Your friend's gone" Clara says.

"Clara, get them out of there!" I shout.

"We need to move. Now" they run as the paintings slide off the wall and move across the tarmac. They run into the nearby train shed across the tracks from the waste ground, and close the corrugated iron door. Clara uses the sonic screwdriver to scan the inside of the building.

"Did they follow us? Cos' I didn't see them follow us. Are we safe?"

"Are we really hiding from killer graffiti? This is insane."

"I agree. We'll have to think of a better name for them than that" the Doctor says.

"And Stan was one of them. Flattened, dead, but coming after us."

"Clara, this is a vital stage. This little group is currently confused and disorientated, but pretty soon a leader is going to emerge. You need to make sure that leader is you" I say.

"I'm on it. George. George, isn't it? Can you watch that area? If you hear anything, anything moves, you shout, ok?" Clara says.

"He will do no such thing until I get some answers. Who are you? That's what I want to know. Impersonating a government official. Trespassing on council property."

"Seriously?" Clara asks.

"Seriously."

"Fine, I'll tell you who I am. I am the one chance you've got of staying alive. That's who I am."

"Well done" I nod, the workgroup go to Clara.

"Rigsy, how well do you know this area? Do you know where that door leads?"

"It's the old Brunswick line. But it's not safe."

"Well, there's safe and there's safe."

"Yeah, I know it. I used to go down there all the time."

"Yeah, I'll bet you did. Painting your filth."

"Yeah, well, you might be glad he did. Those things come in here, that is our only way out" Clara says, "I just hope I can keep them all alive" Clara whispers.

"Ah, welcome to my world. So, what's next, Doctor Clara?" the Doctor asks.

"Lie to them."

"What?" the Doctor and I ask.

"Lie to them. Give them hope. Tell them they're all going to be fine. Isn't that what you would do?"

"In a manner of speaking. It's true that people with hope tend to run faster, whereas people who think they're doomed..." the Doctor trails off.

"Dawdle. End up dead."

"So that's what I sound like," the Doctor says, I smile letting out a small chuckle.

"Who's she talking to?"

"He says it's MI5."

"Right, here's something that might help you. Do you remember the graffiti from the estate? Footprints, tyre treads?" I ask.

"Vaguely."

"Well, we don't think it was graffiti. We think that is how those creatures saw us. The impressions we make in two-dimensional space. That was them reaching out, attempting to talk. At which point they moved into flattening and dissection. Trying to understand. Trying to emulate. But here's the big question. Do they know they're hurting us?" I ask.