Doctor Who: Tales of Terror by Various

Author:Various [Various]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781405933483
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2017-09-06T14:00:00+00:00

Nathan’s mother’s face snarled, and the canvas creased around it. ‘PAY HIM NO HEED, CHILD,’ it hissed. ‘GIVE ME LIFE!’

Suddenly a spectral hand tore through the canvas, ripping at the fringes of reality and grabbing Nathan firmly round the throat. ‘GIVE ME YOUR LIFE!’

The Doctor tried to wrest the hand away, but the creature was far too strong. Nathan had formed a link between dimensions, and the monster was beginning to take his place. Nathan could hear its voice inside his mind now, screaming in triumph, its supernatural life force coursing through him. He tried to scream but couldn’t. His will was already being crushed from inside his body.

‘YOU HUMANS MAKE THIS SO EASY!’ the creature gloated.

Then Nathan heard another voice cry out. It was Ace.

‘Oi, grotbags!’ she yelled, picking up a jar of murky liquid. ‘Get out of his head, yeah?’

Ace threw the liquid at the canvas, smearing it with her hands and distorting the image. Immediately the force’s influence started to wane. Nathan’s senses were taking hold again, and the creature’s grip round his throat was beginning to weaken. It howled at Ace in fury, releasing its hold on Nathan, then punched back through the canvas, leaving behind nothing but a smear of muddy oils.

It was as if it had never been there.

‘Ace!’ The Doctor’s voice cut sharply across the room. ‘That was extremely irresponsible of you!’

She looked like a wounded puppy. ‘Oh.’

‘But also extremely resourceful and really rather brilliant,’ the Doctor continued. ‘I wish I’d thought of it!’

‘What did she do?’ asked Nathan, getting his breath back. His neck was stained with dark paint from the creature’s claws.

‘She disrupted the link, with the help of a handy jar of paint thinner,’ the Doctor replied. ‘As I said, it needed that painting of your mother to form a link with you, to feast off the years between life and death. Spoil the image and you spoil the link, giving it no choice but to retreat back to its own dimension.’

‘So that’s it now – she’s gone? My mother’s gone?’

‘Your mother has been gone for a long time, Nathan,’ the Doctor told him solemnly. ‘But it hasn’t gone. It’s just not here any more, but it won’t be long before it finds another victim, another target much like you.’ He sighed and considered his options. ‘We need to draw it back here.’

‘I’m not sure I like the sound of this,’ Ace muttered.

‘All we need to do is give it a target.’ The Doctor smiled, taking up a seat next to Nathan. ‘Mr Gough, I’d like you to paint my portrait, if you’d be so kind?’

‘I … I’m sorry?’ Nathan stammered. ‘You’d like me to do what?’

‘I know how it sounds, but trust me, I know what I’m doing.’ The Doctor removed his hat and struck a pose. ‘Remember, it needn’t be perfect. Just enough of a likeness that it can force a link through me.’

‘If you’re certain?’

‘Absolutely.’ The Doctor nodded.

Ace watched as Nathan frantically mixed together oils on his palette, sweeping vague shapes of colour across the canvas.

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