surface appeared to have ceased.

'The quarry,' said the Doctor. 'Smothered by soil over Holly shivered. 'It's so cold,' she said wonderingly.

thousands of years.'

The Doctor was conscious of it too. 'Temperature drop.

Holly picked up a small figure, crudely carved out of Like a cold spot in a haunted house.'

limestone. There were others dotted about the ground, some 'Over there!' Vijay pointed to the far wall of the cavern in almost perfect, others with only rudimentary work on them.

which a dark fissure was visible. As they watched, the wall 'It's like Easter Island,' she breathed.

began to glow, almost as though a gateway were opening to 'What do you think we'll find here, Doctor?' said Vijay.

the outside. There was a deep, thunderous rumble and tiny The Doctor was examining the walls. 'I don't know. I spheres of light began to split off and dance about in the suppose I half expected it to be here waiting for us.'

cold air, colliding off the walls to coalesce above their heads.

'But the sky,' said Trevithick. 'All that activity. Surely it's The Doctor gazed up in awe. The light continued to sparkle, on the surface now.'

shifting colours from gold to a brilliant cobalt blue.

'No,' said the Doctor. 'I'm convinced it's just sending out 'It's so beautiful,' whispered Holly.

feelers. The main body is still here. This has to be it.'

'The song of the Siren,' said the Doctor cryptically.

There was a dull crackle from his pocket and he swiftly The cavern was suddenly alive with blinding light.

removed the walkie-talkie.

Trevithick shielded his eyes against the painful glare, his 'Dr Cooper?'

brows knitting together. The Doctor peeked through his 264 265.

fingers. 'So strong,' he breathed. Waves of heat shimmered Need towards them.

The Sentience throbbed with delight.

'Clear your minds!' called the Doctor. 'It's the only way to 'Let it go,' cried the Doctor. 'You can't bring him back.'

remain safe.'

'Hol,' pleaded Vijay. 'Let it go.' He gazed into her Holly had seen this display before, the hypnotic light frightened eyes. 'Need me.'

drenching her brain. The thought came before she could The Sentience rippled and grew more substantial, ethereal even acknowledge it and then refused to go away, like the light glancing off every feature. It opened its mouth, rushing refrain of some annoyingly catchy tune. She shook her head through Holly's memory and piecing together fragments of and looked away from the burning gold light.

Time, moments of experience. Constructing a voice.

Vijay caught hold of her arms and shook her. 'Holly?

'Holly,' it stammered.

What is it?'

Holly froze. The voice was strange, indistinct, as though She snapped shut her eyes and fought to wipe the image heard underwater. But it was James.

from her brain.

'Holly.' The voice was already stronger, almost 'Can't! Can't do it!' she whimpered, grasping her temples, commanding. The Sentience beckoned.

her face screwed up in agony.

Trevithick moved forward. The Doctor held him back.

'Look!' It was Trevithick's voice, hushed in awe. The 'We can all see it, Edmund. It knows we believe too. We're Doctor and Vijay turned. Holly ran to the wall and buried all in danger.'

her head in her hands. Out of the flood of light, a man was Vijay grabbed Holly by the shoulders. 'Holly! For Christ's emerging, tall and smiling, his arms open in welcome. His sake! Think of us. Think of me. James is dead. D'you skin shone beautifully, patches of golden light woven understand?'

together to form the image.

Holly wriggled in his grip, shaking her head in confusion.

The Sentience could taste the strength of Holly's memory.

Holly...

Part of it had sensed her presence, shooting out tendrils Holly...

from its ma.s.sive core to find and isolate her.

The voice was inside her head now, quiet and calm. Peace There was resistance too, but that would pa.s.s. Somewhere, descended on her mind and suddenly everything became in the darkest corners of her mind, Holly wanted to believe.

clear to her. It was so easy. So obvious.

She turned from the wall.

Holly...

'James!' she screamed, gagging with emotion.

She turned to look at Vijay and nodded. 'It's OK. I'm all 'It isn't real, Holly!' bellowed the Doctor above the rising right.'

noise. 'The more you believe...'

Vijay's grip on her arm loosened. In an instant, she was 'I need him. I still need him,' she sobbed.

sprinting across the cavern.Need 'James!' she yelled, tears flooding her eyes.

266.

267.

'Holly, no!' Vijay pelted after her.

the worst thing he could have done? The belief of the The Sentience grinned broadly. Holly jerked to a stop dreaming mind was so much stronger. So much sweeter...

directly before it. She extended a shaking hand. James's It had almost consumed her before whilst she slept, like smile faded a little. 'It's been so long,' he whispered. His the woman in the village, but this time there would be no voice was as soothing as the babble of clear, mountain water.

escape.

'James.' Holly felt her grief easing away moment by The Sentience entered Holly's willing mind and began to moment, a healing joy washing through her mind. 'I love gorge itself on her life force.

you!'

'Vijay!' Trevithick pointed down at Holly's inert body and 'Kiss me,' instructed James, his red lips alive with pixels felt his blood run cold.

of light.

Vijay dashed across to Holly and lifted her in his arms. A Vijay caught hold of Holly's hair and swung her round.

tide of light was drifting over her skin in sweeping waves.

'No!' he screeched. Holly looked at him with a strange 'No, no!' Vijay sobbed angrily, running his fingers hatred in her eyes and he felt his heart sink. Then, gritting through Holly's hair and across her face.

his teeth, Vijay brought round his fist and punched Holly He could see through her skin now, as the Sentience into unconsciousness. She crumpled and fell to the rocky burrowed through her flesh. Fragments of bone shattered floor.

and burned before his eyes.

The Sentience billowed like a sail, regarding the three men Vijay dropped her and wept into his hands, scarcely below it with detached interest.

daring to watch the appalling sight before him.

'Leave us,' hissed the Doctor. 'Why can't you leave us The Sentience ripped and pummeled through Holly, alone?'

draining every morsel of her energy. A great wash of light 'Need!' thundered the Sentience, pillars of fire shooting exploded, around her.

from its outstretched arms.

For a moment, she shone with magnesium brightness and It grew suddenly larger, patterns of gold filigree sparkling then the glare faded. There was nothing left behind.

across its eyes as it turned to observe Holly where she lay.

'No.' Vijay sank to his knees. Trevithick put his arm There was a huge inrush of air, it closed its eyes and, in an around the young man's shoulder and shot an anxious look instant, was gone.

at the Doctor who was struggling to his feet. 'Let's go, for Vijay looked about desperately. 'Doctor? What's heaven's sake.'

happened to it?'

The Doctor was already making for the tunnel. 'It's so The Doctor shook his head wearily.

strong,' he said again. 'Not even a body left this time. I must... I must think.'

The Sentience squirmed and gushed with pleasure. Didn't A huge sigh, almost a sob, was wrenched from his chest.

he realise that sending the female into unconsciousness was 268 269.

Trevithick pulled Vijay to his feet. The young man was The beamed roof shook and plaster cascaded down on to shaking his head silently, tears running down his cheeks.

the frightened survivors.

He had been too weak, then, after all. Unable to fight Outside, the Sentience lashed about the church gables like against a dead man. Now she was gone.

a kraken attached to a storm-tossed ship. Tendrils of golden The Doctor strode down the tunnel, scarcely bothering light ranged through the graveyard, lapping at tombstones.

about the rocks into which his shins slammed. Trevithick There was a deafening roar as the portion of its hobbled behind, helping Vijay as best he could.

consciousness which had been below ground blasted back 'What are we going to do?' cried Trevithick to the little through the village like a typhoon, flattening houses in its figure ahead of him. The Doctor said nothing. In fact, path.

Trevithick thought he might not have heard until the Doctor The Sentience felt almost whole again and flexed itself, the stopped abruptly just in sight of the tunnel entrance.

energy infusion from Holly gushing through it. Soon it Trevithick wheezed and let Vijay slide to the ground.

would be strong enough to summon its entire self from 'Doctor, I said...'

below.

He stopped, conscious of the Doctor's back turned But still there was need. There was always need.

towards him. 'What is it?' he asked, turning to look out into It scanned the minds of those gathered in the church the open air.

below and felt good. There were rich pickings to be had.

The light was still a dismal grey, wind and rain lashing The Sentience prodded and encouraged every fugitive down on to the moor, and lashing also on to three of memory.

Trevithick's monsters; their obscene heads twisting and Believe clicking in pleasure...

The soldier in the church promised most. He was old and steeped in Time, like the other it had encountered in the Lowc.o.c.k and Medcalfe had jammed over a dozen pews monastery.

against the window. The figures outside continued to press But was there yet more?

against the gla.s.s and Medcalfe kept a weather eye on their activity.

The Sentience scanned experimentally and picked up a Jill had managed to keep the villagers calm, using an trace from Trevithick's mind. He had defeated it once...

authoritative voice of which she didn't know she was Instantly, the Sentience propelled a tendril to the tunnel capable. She did know, however, that, sooner or later, faces entrance, a.s.suming the familiar image of Trevithick's would begin to appear at every window. And when they monsters.