The Way Through the Woods by Una Mccormack

Author:Una Mccormack [McCormack, Una]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Media Tie-In, Science Fiction, General, Action & Adventure
ISBN: 9781849902373
Google: dPie4bYCCBYC
Amazon: 1849902372
Publisher: BBC BOOKS
Published: 2011-04-28T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter

10

Rory and Emily had run out of places to hide.

The ship turned out to contain no more than a

few empty rooms similar to the one where Rory

had woken up, and the passages all led back

to the spherical room containing the circular

console.

As they arrived there for a third time, Emily

started to sound a little desperate. 'We're not

going to get away, are we? There's nowhere to

hide!'

'Not looking good, is it?'

They ran down the steps and around the

back of the console. Rory's thinking was that

- perhaps - it was special space plastic and it

would act as some sort of barrier between them

and whatever was coming. OK. Not very likely.

But possible. There was another door behind

them, through which they could run (again) if

the need arose, so they wouldn't be completely

trapped, even if, in the end, they'd probably just

end up back here (again). He looked around for

something he could pick up and brandish, but

everything was fixed down and, anyway, he

wasn't sure how convincing he would look.

The footsteps clanged steadily upon the

metal grating. At the doorway, however, they

stopped. Rory peered over the console, but the

hollow of the room was too low down for him

to be able to see out.

'We don't mean you any harm,' he shouted

up at their pursuer. 'We hope that's the same

for you. Can't we talk?'

'Talk...' It was a young man's voice. ' Talk...'

'OK,' Rory whispered to Emily, 'so whatever

it is, at least it's got a throat.'

'Ooh, that doesn't make me feel better!'

'Sorry! Yes! What I meant was that makes

it similar to - and therefore less immediately

terrifying for - us. Not that human beings are

universally marvellous and lovely, of course,

and not that we should judge by appearances...

I'm going to stop talking now and do some

breathing instead, if you don't mind.'

'Fine by me,' Emily whispered. Leaning

forwards on the console, she called out, 'We're

scared, you know. Both of us are scared. We

don't know where we are and we don't know

what you want from us. Your standing out

there isn't helping much! If we've disturbed

you, we're sorry. We can't hurt you and don't

want to hurt you.'

'Hurt...' said the voice.

'I hope it won't, you know, fixate on that,'

Rory muttered.

'We don't want to be here,' Emily went on,

'and we'd rather leave you in peace.'

'Peace...'

There was a silence. The voice added nothing

more, and its owner made no move.

'Sorry,' Emily said to Rory. 'Best I could

do.' He squeezed her hand. 'Brilliant job. The

Doctor would be proud.'

'Who?'

'I've no idea. It just... came out.' But he didn't

get a chance to chase that thought further. The

owner of the voice entered the room.

He was a young man of about seventeen,

with reddish hair, his cowlick slicked back

inexpertly, and the merest makings of a

moustache. He was in his shirt sleeves. He wore

thick boots, and his trousers, held up by braces,

were patched and muddy. Seeing him, Emily

gave a loud, nervy laugh.

'Oh, Harry, you daft article, you've given us

ever such a fright! Why didn't you say hello?

Didn't you hear my voice? It's Emily! Emily

Bostock!'

The young man walked forwards until he

was standing at the top of the stairway leading

down to the console.

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