9

As she walked down the still misty road, her shoe's echoing off the dew soaked cobbles. Isabelle wondered what bizarre plan the Doctor had concocted this time. The thing was, sometimes she didn't think he had a plan at all. Like now she had been given this list and lots of other instructions. To her mind the list was strange.

The Doctors list read as follows.

List

1 car battery

1 tube superglue

1 packet of chewing gum

2 transformers

1 pair of jump leads

1 4 pint of milk

1 packet of Hobnobs

P.S The milk and biscuits are for us we've run out.

Love the Doctor Xx

How could he think of his stomach while all this was going on? Then she noticed no one else was walking the streets. No she was wrong people were but they would nip in and out as fast as they could.

Feeling out of place among the strained silence that stalked the town. The silence of a town that should be bustling with people. Fear was palpable in the air. Looking from side to side she increased her pace. It made her nervous the only one walking out in the open. Then like a ray of hope at the top of the street she saw Paul.

"Paul over here" she all but screamed, so pleased she was to see a friendly face.

The smile she wore faded fast as she took in his appearance. He was dishevelled, his hair on end as if he had received an electric shock. He looked older terribly older and his eyes that radiated warmth looked so hollow now.

"Paul what's wrong?" she asked rushing to his side.

"Martin hasn't been seen since he ran last night. No one has been able to find him in the village and no one will venture near the bay. Their too scared Martin was strong even stronger than the others that went missing." The guilt forced his head down as he spoke.

"It's all my fault if I hadn't hit him maybe he'd be alright. Maybe he'd never have gone down to the bay on his own." Paul's face crumpled under the weight of his guilt. Yes he had wanted to rip the man to pieces for laying his hands on a lady that way, but this.

Isabelle couldn't raise any sort of really feelings for Martin at the moment after all he was the man who only a few short hours ago attacked her. Just after the attack she had wished that Martin would come to a sticky end but that was just in the heat of the moment, the secret hurtful thoughts at the back of her mind that she never really wanted to come true. At the moment though she needed to comfort Paul

"It wasn't your fault. You were just trying to protect me, that's all." Her calm voice did little to help though.

"I'll tell you what you can help me today and you never know we may even rescue Martin along the way" That was it, all the light and life came back in an instant to Paul's face and he was ready to help in any way he could. She still thought in that secret place at the back of her mind that Martin should come across something big and hairy and trust me she had seen big and hairy up close in her travels. She didn't think Martin with all his malice would be able to cope with them at all.

Through all that though she didn't think she could rest easy with the thought it may have already happened. They walked a small way till they came to the "tools and trades the hardware shop" The first things on the list, jump leads, car battery, 2 transformers and superglue. She was sure to find all of them here.

The shop front was old and battered like most of the properties here. The sign hung loosely from its perch above the door and as it swung to and fro a loud squeaking could be heard even a light breeze would sound like a pigs squeal. The door creaked loudly as they entered the small dirty room. Silently they walked to the desk. Their behind the counter was a wizened old man with snowy white hair, his face a blank canvas with no expression of emotion. He glanced in their direction with empty eyes. The grey orbs cast a cold dead appraisal over them each in turn like a scanner over a barcode, bib, bid.

. Moving so slowly he raised a bony hand in welcome. Going silently back to his vacant wanderings. Isabelle took a few moments before she noted the smell of years of damp and decay. Piles of nozzles, bits of wire and plugs plus a large array of things she didn't even recognise. How was she to find anything in this mess.

"Excuse me!" she tried waving her hand to gain the store assistants attention. Just to be rewarded with a scathing look.

"Do you sell , what was it, yes, car batteries, jump leads and transformers, by any chance?" she queried slowly as not to miss anything. She saw the old grump vacate his stool almost as if he was on slow motion. She would have sworn she heard several dull cracks as the bones of each limb came together. Silently he walked slowly round the counter to stand directly in front of her. Uncertain of weather the man was going to help or just throw them out onto the street.

"This way please" He answered at long last. Breathing a heavy sigh she turned and followed. The old mans voice had crackled as if he had hardly used it. It reminded her of an old gramophone. He showed them to the back of the shop and pointed with a long digit to several large cases standing together in the corner covered in a thick layer of dust.

"The other things are in the back" he said morosely, turning and with a long huff of breath stalked of to fetch the required items. Being on unsure footing she grabbed the top box and hauled it over to the counter choking on dust as she went.

Returning from the stores carrying the jump leads and transformers the store assistant heaved then on to the corner of the counter. Then dusting off the small patch of grim from the counter he placed the listed items in line.

"That will be £ 104.99 in total" he stated plainly. Thank goodness she hadn't touched her small nest egg. Taking the card out of her back pocket she passed the poor piece of plastic over. The man regarded her coldly then swiped it into an ancient looking machine that sat next to him like a paving slab. After about two minutes it gave a loud whirr and spat out a long receipt that she had, had to sign. Isabelle couldn't remember the last time she had to do that. Exiting the shop to breathe the fresh air

. Once more she sighed, oh god it was good to breathe clean air. Between that shop and their room she didn't know which one was worse. Walking back towards the pub with arms full of equipment was tough going. Watching the distance as the shore came floating in and out. An unearthly scream wrenched the air, she knew that voice.

"Doctor!"

She ran as fast and as hard as she could towards the bay.