Title: The Mind of Madness
Characters/Pairing: 4th Doctor / Sarah
Rating: PG for scary elements
Spoilers: none
Author: Cnathangunn dot com
It was a dark and stormy night as the TARDIS groaned to a landing on an isolated country road. Brief flashes of lightning illuminated a sinister looking mansion standing sentry and silent on a near by hilltop. The light cast from the opening TARDIS door sliced through the darkness like a razor blade.
"Rain," said Sarah from inside the TARDIS, "what sort of sea side holiday are we supposed to be on?"
"Hardly any at all," said The Doctor standing in the doorway, "seeing as how the sea side has failed to turn up."
"You goofed," Sarah said, "so then where are we?"
"Just a bit inland I gather," The Doctor said, "perhaps the late 1920's judging by the look of that Gothic revival mansion and the car on the front drive. Let's go and see if anyone is home, shall we? Hm? Perhaps they will offer us a nice, warm cup of tea."
"Oh, I do hope so," said Sarah returning to the doorway with an umbrella, "that's be just the thing I need."
The pair worked their way up the long winding drive way while huddling under what little shelter the umbrella could afford them in the driving wind and rain. The mansion loomed before them like a monolith, dark and unmovable.
"Well perhaps no one is at home and we should head back," Sarah said, eying the dark facade.
"Nonsense, I'm sure someone is about," The Doctor said taking hold of the large metal knocker on the front door. He replaced it to it's previous position, which sent out a loud hollow sound from somewhere deep inside the mansion. There came no response.
"Perhaps I'll try again," The Doctor said repeating the motion.
Suddenly there appeared a slight flicker moving about behind the windows. After what seemed like an eternity, the front door opened slowly with a groan as if it were a great stone slab covering the entrance to a tomb. A skeleton figure of a man in a tuxedo was holding a candle within the doorway.
"Ah, good evening, I thought perhaps we may use your phone? Our car has only just broken down a little ways up the road," The Doctor said with a toothy smile.
"Oh that is so cliche," Sarah said under her breath as she rolled her eyes.
"Are," the man asked "you the doctor?"
"Yes, I am The Doctor!" The Doctor said in surprise, "I didn't know I was expected!"
"You didn't know you were expected?" the man asked bewildered, "you were sent for."
"I was?" asked The Doctor, "ah I see! I was just telling my assistant here that this must indeed be the correct house as it's the only one for kilometers around and since I am The Doctor, there must be a patient that needs attending to, hm?"
"Yes," said the man as he moved away from the doorway, "Mr. Candage is quite anxious to see you."
The Doctor and Sarah followed the man into the musty foyer of the house.
"The power has gone out," he said, "as you can see."
Presently the group came to stand in front of a doorway in the hall as the man withdrew a key from his pocket.
"You may wait in the drawing room for Mr. Candage," he said opening the heavy door. Pocketing the key he walked into the room, lit a lamp on the table, quickly exited and then shut the door.
The Doctor and Sarah were taking in their surroundings when they heard the key turn in the lock. Sarah ran to the door and tried the handle.
"Locked!" she said.
"Oh I'm sure we won't be here very long, we were sent for after all," The Doctor said as he glanced over the contents of a bookcase.
"Maybe we'll get lucky and there will be a secret passage," Sarah said joining him.