Doctor Who (c) BBC.

Mickey was standing behind the door to his cell long after Rose's shouts faded into the distance. Numb, he could do nothing but stare at the object Rose had slipped into his hands a split second before Hunt grabbed her - the sonic screwdriver. He turned it over and over in his hands in agitation, but didn't know what he was supposed to do with it; even if he managed to get out, his chances of overpowering the whole town and rescuing Rose, all before she hung, were next to impossible. Even so, he had to try something, and he could feel the seconds slipping by as he did nothing.

Making up his mind, Mickey turned to face the door and pointed the sonic at the lock, pressing the button. Nothing happened. e flicked it onto another setting and tried again, with the same result. Stupid thing! He was aware of Tituba's eyes gazing heavily at him, and felt a surge of anger. Everything that had happened had been her fault!

"Don't just sit there!" he exploded, rounding on her furiously. "Why don't you do…something…"

"What do you want me to do?" she asked demurely, accustomed to being shouted at.

"I don't know…" Mickey rubbed a hand over his sweaty face. "But if we don't hurry, Rose is going to die." Because of you, he added silently. He didn't say it out loud, but the thought was clear on his face.

"I know you think I am to blame," said Tituba slowly, in her strange accent, "But I promise you, it was not me who hurt your friend. It was the monkey."

"What monkey?" Mickey asked sullenly, annoyed at yet another excuse.

"Ask Rose, if we get out of here in time. She sees it too. It controlled our actions, made us do things we did not mean."

"We will get out. We have to." Mickey said, with more conviction than he felt. Then he heard the rest of what she said. "Wait, what did it make Rose do? And how do you know?"

Tituba lowered her eyes, and Mickey noticed a faint flush creep along her neck. "I didn't say before…I thought you would not believe me."

"Tituba…" Mickey turned his attention from the sonic screwdriver and fixed his eyes on hers, leaning against the bars as if he could squeeze through them. "Whatever you know, you have to tell me. If you don't then she'll die. Please."

She hesitated, but finally nodded. "The monkey took over my body, controlled my thoughts, my actions. But what it did not know – at least, I don't think so – is that I could read its thoughts. Since then I have been able to see what it is doing. And what your friend is doing." She paused again.

"What is it doing to Rose?" Mickey managed, through gritted teeth.

"I'm watching." The slave-girl closed her eyes. "It…it took over her body, like it did mine. It made her attack the villagers, and that man…your friend…she struck him."

"Rose hit the Doctor?" Mickey was filled with alarm and amusement. "Rose hit the Doctor? Rose hit the Doctor?"

"He fell," Tituba continued, eyes still closed. "Now she's dragging him somewhere…into the trees…there's something – a building? But so big and...shiny."

"We have to go there." Mickey pointed the sonic screwdriver at the door again, then thought better of it. "This is never going to work."

"Then what –" Tituba began, and was drowned out as Mickey raised his foot and smashed it into the door, again and again. The clangs rang through the prison, but from what Tituba had said, there was nobody around to hear it. After the third kick, the lock began to buckle, and Mickey carried on, imbued with fresh determination.

"Come – on – you – stupid – yes!" Finally, the door broke open and Mickey fell through it, catching himself on the swinging gate so he wouldn't fall. He staggered to his feet and ran to the desk. Hauling the drawer open, he rummaged through it, throwing papers and other objects out of his way. One of them was Rose's mobile phone; he hastily shoved it in a pocket before spotting what he was searching for – a bunch of keys. He grabbed them and sprinted back to Tituba's cell.

She looked surprised to see him return, clearly expecting him to leave her to die. But besides from the fact that he needed her to find Rose and the Doctor, there was no way he would leave an innocent behind bars. He quickly began trying the keys in the cell door, and after a few minutes was in luck – the door clicked open.

"Come on!" he reached in to help her out, and Tituba stumbled to freedom. "We have to hurry."

"Follow me," she instructed, and held out her hand.

Mickey took it and they ran.