XLII
Afterwards

The Island

Word spreads across the Island like a house of fire, and it is a surprise for the villagers to take the news in their stride. They listen but it causes havoc. Their King is a fraud. An alien. The citizens of the Island have been ruled over by aliens or the past five years. Heat Miles are dead. The Day of Destruction was only ever a trap. Heat Miles have been trying to kill off the volunteers and anyone on the Island who posed to be a threat. No one is in charge of the Island. And the revolution is known.

And of course all the attention is drawn to this year's volunteers. Ten ran into the woods the night before. But it is now dawn and only five return. As Orion, Buddy, Katheryn and Blake leave the woods, they are immediately swamped by the villagers, all begging for answers.

Chaos fills the field in which the festival was.

Then the Doctor steps into the light of dawn, squinting his eyes. There are shouts and yells for help. People screaming and pushing against each other.

Aaron follows the Doctor and stands by his side. Then Rose, Terry and everyone else who fought in the battle. Max and April are last. April however, stares down at the muddy grass, feeling the flecks of rain fall down on her. Her scowl is harsher than normal, giving her a slight headache, but she ignores it.

There is a low rumble and the villagers start to scream. A large spaceship suddenly erupts from the woods and flies overhead. The loud rumble shakes the ground as the ship flies away, disappearing into the distance. And then many smaller ships follow.

The aliens leave the Island. Their battle for the Cytracik clearly lost.

However as the spaceships fly away, something in the distance calls like a bird. Everyone looks over the horizon to see hundreds of small black creatures flying in their direction; their dragon-like wings flapping at their sides.

Ireen smiles as she clutches April's Wingerdette broach. "There's our way home."

Things eventually calm down as the day wears on. Max took it in his right to take charge. He stood on the roof of a car and bravely spoke to the villagers of the Island. Here he explained everything. He explained how they have been living a lie under the regulations of Heat Miles. He talks about the Cytracik and the battle that has been going on for many years. He explains that the Day of Destruction was only a mean to prepare for this battle. He then holds up the Cytracik, claiming that he, the Doctor, UNIT and the revolution are going to do whatever it takes to destroy it in the next forty-eight hours.

A cheer erupts through the crowd, everyone applauding Max and looking up at him in admiration.

"He's not a bad kid, is he?" Aaron says, leaning in closer to the Doctor. "He's a great leader. Just like his father."

The Doctor sighs. "He was always looked fondly upon in Manchester." He then glances sideways at April who is sitting on a large rock next to Terry. Her eyes are faraway.

Max explains about the arena in the Island. There is a prison under one of the buildings and this is where they will lock up Rodger Barratt. What is going to happen they don't know. Max does not mention that Rodger Barratt is dying. But he tells the villagers to return to their homes and stay there. They will be informed if anything happens.

Everyone feels obliged to do as they are told and slowly start to filter away to walk home.

However, everyone else remains where they are, thinking about what is to happen next.

As the afternoon rolls on, Blake and Orion shut Rodger Barratt in a cell in the arena. A small windowless cell, not too dissimilar to the one that Monroe was locked in. However this one is not completely soundless. Rodger Barratt allows himself to be guided through the prison's hallway and shoved roughly into the cell. He doesn't even make any effort to try and escape. Instead he sits in the corner and awaits his fate.

Everyone, however, finds it hard to put their thoughts into words as they return to Jack Gruntler's house. The Doctor does notice one thing. And he is sure that he is not the only one thinking this.

April is being distant again. Only this time is not to save them.