Doctor Who - Torchwood - 18 - The Men Who Sold the World by Guy Adams

Author:Guy Adams
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Fiction
ISBN: 1849902852
Publisher: BBC Digital
Published: 2011-08-18T07:00:00+00:00

Watching you sat there with a half-boner, face greasy from fried chicken. It's not my idea of a good night out and that's for sure.'

'Jesus, Mary, Jimmy's listening!'

'No, I'm not,' said Jimmy and, true to his word this time, he phased out their lazy argument and waited for the parade to begin.

The air smelled of food stalls, fried onions and cotton candy.

He knew the glossy Americana of the shop fronts and city hall was as false as the characters that populated it. He also knew that the magic castle in the distance was a trick of forced perspective, a castle of the imagination, no more.

He was sickly from sweet foods, and his eyes were tired, struggling to focus on the thousands of fairy lights that had sprung to life around them. For all of that, even with his parents still arguing behind him, he found himself ready to believe the night could bring anything.

He was quite right.

'Can you do it?' Gleason asked impatiently.

'I think so, Colonel,' Leonard replied, flicking between the sheets of paperwork they had removed from the weaponry files. 'This should definitely pick up the psychic projections and manifest them so everyone can see them. Definitely.' Leonard shook his head. 'Who am I kidding? Not definitely.

But I think it will.'

'I need better than "think", Sergeant.'

'Sir, I'm trying to hook up two pieces of alien tech using spares from an electrical repair shop.

My only guide is the research notes of a lunatic captain, who keeps breaking off from his findings to reminisce about old boyfriends. This isn't standard field engineering, sir.'

'Just get it right.'

Leonard bit his tongue and continued to work.

Mulroney walked over, camera in his hand.

'Ready to make movies, sir?'

Gleason nodded. Mulroney raised the camera and stuck up his thumb to show it was re cording.

'Wise men of America,' said Gleason directly into the camera lens, 'who sit behind your desks and decide how best to run this world. Listen and listen well. Because I am here to teach you a lesson.'

The floats began to move, a pre-recorded fanfare drawing a roar from the gathered crowd.

Would you look at that?' said Jimmy's dad.

'Finally, they start.'

Jimmy wasn't listening. He was laughing at the twirling people in costumes, the loud song piped through the hidden speakers - a song from one of his very favourite DVDs as if they had known, as if they had read his mind. The chase of the lights as the electric parade worked its way past him was like a controlled firework display. It was a complete sensory overload and, mind reeling, he adored every moment. The light sculptures of his favourite characters flexed, and reached out to the crowd. It was animatronics, he knew that really, you could tell by the jerky way they moved. But imagine, he thought to himself, just imagine if it were real. It was the most wonderful night of his life.

Then the ghosts came.

They appeared everywhere throughout the park, all brought back to re-enact their final moments.

Richie Clemens, died October 1979, thrown from the roller-coaster he was riding in celebration of his 12th birthday.

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