When Osgood died, she was momentarily surprised when the flash of pain gave way not to black oblivion, but to a stark white corridor receding into the far distance on both sides. Directly in front of her was a desk, behind which was seated a young man in a suit, smiling amiably at her. "Hello," he said cheerfully. "Welcome to the Nethersphere."
Cold realization smashed into her. The Nethersphere. So this was where the Master - or rather, Missy - had been sending the minds of the dead. She found herself panicing. "There must be a way out of here," she gasped.
The man still smiled. "I'm afraid not, I would say you're here till you die, but...you are already dead."
Osgood did not question why she still had her inhaler in the pocket of her coat, nor why she still felt the need to use it right now. She only knew that, at this moment, she needed it more than she ever had before.
OOOOOOOO
She was unsure precisely what drew her to the man sat alone on the stone bench in the garden. He was older than her, with a moustache and thinning hair. His eyes were clamped tightly shut and he was rocking slowly back and forth. He did not notice Osgood as she walked across the grass and stood next to him. "Hello," she said. The man looked up at her with wary eyes. "It's alright," she told him gently. "My name's Osgood. I'm...well, I'm like you."
The man finally found his voice. "Scarman. Laurance Scarman," he said, offering her his hand. "You...are dead too?"
It looks that way," Osgood sighed, sitting down beside him. "I keep hoping there's a way out, that...that the Doctor will save me and take me back home. But..." She fell silent then as she realized how pathetic that was. "How did you get here?" she asked, to break the uncomfortable silence of the last minute.
Laurance shivered and took a deep breath before answering, closing his eyes again. "My brother," he whispered. "He had his hand around my throat. He squeezed..." He sobbed then, and a tear appeared from one eye to trickle down his face. "Marcus, my own brother, killed me! It wasn't his fault...he didn't want to. There was something in him, something possessing him, forcing him to do it." He wiped at his eyes. "Forgive me. It is still so difficult."
"I was murdered too," Osgood said a moment later. Her fists clenched in anger as she remembered. "It was my own fault, I should've been more careful! I can't believe I begged for my life just before...it happened..." Not for the first time, she thought about her parents and sister, about the Doctor and Kate, everyone she had known. She should have died a better way for all of them...
"You mentioned someone," Laurance's voice broke through her train of thought. "A doctor? I know it's unlikely, but would he happen to be a tall fellow, with dark curly hair, and a somewhay bohemian manner of dress?"
Osgood grabbed his shoulders, suddenly energized. "A scarf! Tell me, this doctor, did he have a scarf, a really long one?"
Laurance nodded. "Yes, he did. So you do know the man then?"
Despite the situation, despite everything, Osgood couldn't help it. She laughed with joy.
OOOOOOOO
The Nethersphere was shutting down. Where there had been towers and gardens was now darkness, and it was spreading. Osgood watched along with Laurance, Katarina, Adric, Stien, Harriet, and all the others she had been able to find who had known the Doctor. They were all afraid, yet they did not let their fear break them down. "I wonder what will happen to us now," Osgood heard Laurance mutter.
The shadows had nearly engulfed them all now. Just seconds now, and then...what? Would they disappear into oblivion forever, or was there hope yet? You might not be able to save me, Doctor, Osgood thought. But I know you'll always be saving someone.