The Doctor and The Nightingale {1}

the idiot's lantern 7.2

"Excuse me, Mr. Connolly" Rose spoke up, standing up from the chair. She turned in Eddie's direction. "Hang on a minute. Union Jacks?"

"Yes," Eddie said, turning to look at Rose. "That's right, isn't it?"

"That's the Union Flag. It's the Union Jack only when it's flown at sea"

"Oh. Oh, I'm sorry, I do apologise"

"Well, don't get it wrong again, there's a good man. Now get to it!" Rose shouted that last bit. Eddie continued with the flags. Rose smiled, biting at her lip and turning around. She and Nova had the same smile on their face, both of them feeling prideful and empowered.

"Right then!" The Doctor said. He and Nova settled on the couch, leaving a space in between them for Rose. She sat in the empty spot. "Nice and comfy, at Her Majesty's leisure" The Doctor leaned in closer to Rose. "Union flag?"

"Mum went out with a sailor"

"Oh ho ho ho. I bet she did" The Doctor snickered. "Anyway, I'm the Doctor and this is Rose. Over on the chair there is Tate, and then finally we have the Nightingale"

"But please, feel free to call me Nova" She looked to Tommy who was staring at them all. "And you are?"

"Tommy" he introduced himself.

"Well, sit yourself down, Tommy" They managed to make some room for Tommy to sit on the couch. He sat in between Nova and Rose. "Have a look at this. I love telly, don't you?"

"Yeah, I think it's brilliant"

"Good man!" The Doctor applauded. The man on the TV was showing the vertebra of an ichthyosaurus. "Keep working, Mister C! Now, why don't you tell me what's wrong?" He asked Rita.

"Did you say you were a Doctor?" Rita asked.

"Yes I am"

"Can you help her? Oh please, can you help her, Doctor?"

"Now then, Rita" Eddie warned. "I don't think the gentleman needs to know"

"No, the gentleman does" The Doctor countered.

Tate leaned forward in his chair. "Tell us what's wrong, and we can help" He urged, offering Rita a warm and kind smile.

Rita burst into tears. Rose went over to comfort her. "It's all right. Come here. It's okay" Rose cooed.

"Hold on a minute" Eddie said. "Queen and country's one thing, but this is my house! What the?" He threw the flags to the ground. "What the hell am I doing? Now you listen here, Doctor and Nightingale. You may have fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business"

"A lot of people are being bundled into---" Nova attempted to speak but Eddie screamed over her.

"I am talking!"

"Don't scream at her like that!" The Doctor raised his voice, bolting up from the couch. He got into Eddie's face. "We're not listening! Now you, Mister Connolly, you are staring into a deep, dark pit of trouble if you don't let us help. So I'm ordering you, sir! Tell us what's going on!" A thumping noise came from upstairs. 

"She won't stop"Thump. Thump. Thump. "She never stops"

"We started hearing stories," Tommy began to explain. "All round the place. People who've changed. Families keeping it secret because they were scared. Then the police started finding out. We don't know how, no one does. They just turn up, come to the door and take them, any time of the day or night"

"Show us" The Doctor asked.

______

Tommy led them to a room upstairs. It was dark in the room. Tommy started calling out. "Gran? It's Tommy. It's all right, Gran. I've brought help" He turned on the lights. The old woman was standing there with no eyes, nose or mouth. Her face was completely blank.