Doctor Who: The Monster in the Cupboard by Kalynn Bayron

Author:Kalynn Bayron [Bayron, Kalynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781405957052
Publisher: Penguin Random House Children's UK
Published: 2023-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

I follow Rose and the Doctor into the basement to watch them set the trap we hope will destroy the nightmarish Zeeng. Nan drops the spool of copper wiring down the chute while securing one end at the top. The Doctor has collected what looks to be about seven car batteries and begins affixing them to the wire.

Rose uncoils another length of wire and runs it down to the groundwater tunnel below the house.

‘Why are you putting the wire down there?’ I ask.

‘We want to burn out anything that may be lingering in the tunnel,’ the Doctor says. He turns to face me. ‘Did you know that water is actually a very poor conductor of electricity?’

‘Is it?’ I ask. ‘Then why do they tell you to keep hairdryers and toasters away from water? Doesn’t make sense if you can’t really get electrocuted.’

‘Ah, but there’s a reason for that,’ the Doctor says. ‘Water that is completely pure, meaning free from any impurities, can’t conduct electricity at all. Electricity needs something to grasp on to.’

I think for a moment. ‘So the groundwater under the house is a good conductor for electricity because it’s dirty?’

‘Precisely!’ the Doctor says, grinning. ‘It’s full of sediment, minerals, that sort of thing. It’ll fry anything that happens to be down there when we throw the switch.’

‘Wait,’ I say. ‘So then tap water is dirty too?’

The Doctor’s eyes grow wide. ‘Like you wouldn’t believe!’

I make a note to myself – no more tap water. The Doctor goes back to the work of connecting all the wiring to the batteries and I trudge up to Noah’s room.

I sit next to Nan on the bed and a short while later, the Doctor and Rose join us. The Doctor has rigged the trap to connect to a small box with a black switch that he holds in his hand.

‘It’s all in working order, then?’ Nan asks.

‘Not quite,’ the Doctor says, scratching the top of his head. ‘I’m having trouble with the relay. I can’t get it to connect reliably.’

Nan holds out her hand. ‘Give it here.’

The Doctor hesitates, then hands her the little metal box.

‘Be very careful,’ the Doctor says. ‘If it connects and you hit the switch …’ His eyes go wide. ‘Boom!’

‘Doctor, please,’ Nan says dismissively. ‘I fully understand how a simple circuit works.’

Rose lets her fingers dance over her lips like she’s trying to hide a smile. I grin outright.

Nan turns the device over and examines the couplings on the back. ‘This is actually quite impressive. What kind of doctor did you say you were again?’

‘I didn’t,’ the Doctor says.

Rose sighs as if she’s absolutely exhausted by him.

‘I think I’ve spotted your problem,’ Nan says. ‘This wire is fitted with a polyurethane sheath,’ she says, pointing to a wire coated in white plastic snaking across the back of the device. ‘It’s a sturdy cable, but the sheath is interfering with the conductivity. Strip it off and reconnect it. Should work just fine.’

The Doctor looks puzzled for a moment, then a wide smile breaks across his face.

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