XVIII
Ouija Board
Eighteenth Century
City Centre
1775
The story of Horace Bellingham shooting the Butler is all over the newspapers the following morning, and it has now become the talk of the city. Everyone is shocked to hear that the Horace wants to kill Max Hollerford: the man who sat by his family's side during their dying days. A lot of arguments and theories have arisen from this topic. Some believe that Horace is crazy, especially as it is claimed that he stole his way on board the cargo ship before it became a shipwreck and faked his death. Some stand up for Horace and start making up theories against Maxwell Hollerford, claiming that he has not done his job properly and that the Bellingham family could easily have survived tuberculosis.
In other news it is starting to become known around the world that they are in fact living through an industrial revolution and there is excitement about the new invention of the camera – a wondrous device that is able to capture a scene and be printed out on some special photographic paper.
Rose is close to screaming aloud and chucking the newspaper in the burning fire near her as she reads it that morning. The camera has been invented over a hundred years earlier than it is supposed to. Hearing that history's timeline is getting so bent out of shape stresses Rose out immensely.
That morning Rose sits at one of the tables outside a small café in the city centre. It is a dull grey day and the rain has continued to pour since the afternoon before. A few paces away is a small fire in a metallic cage. Rose is warmed by the fire but the stories in the paper makes her skin crawl with anger. She is frustrated over everything becoming such a muddle and seeing Horace try to kill Max makes everything all the more complex. Penny and Phillip are distraught over what they saw, but the police took Horace straight to the station. He has been locked up in a cell for the night and as far as Rose knows, he is going to be staying there until his court session.
The rain is still heavy and Rose suddenly realises that she is soaked and that she probably should find shelter. She thinks about going back to Max's house and telling April everything: about the weeping angels and about the girl in the mirror.
Rose suddenly snaps back into the present moment when someone comes over and sits in the chair opposite her. It is April.
At first neither says anything but just from the look on one another's faces, they know that something is on their minds that needs to be spoken about.
"We need to talk." Rose and April says simultaneously before staring at each other, hoping that the other will speak first.
April lets out a loud sigh. It is stupid for the two of them to be working against each other when it is up to them to bring the Doctor back.
"Why didn't you tell me about the weeping angels?" April begins.
At first Rose is a little taken aback by the question, not realising that April has seen them. But she notices that April isn't angry at all. She just wants answers. Rose sighs and fidgets in her seat. "I don't know," She says. "I guess I was being selfish and wanted to work alone on this."
April only stares at Rose as she speaks but remains silent.
"But the thing is I need your help."
April groans. "What did you want to talk about?"
"The girl in the mirror." Rose says but just from the flicker across April's face, she knows that April has already heard of it. Rose raises an eyebrow.
"Jack Gruntler paid a little visit," April says. "He sends his regards," she bites her bottom lip. "According to him there's no clear link between the weeping angels and the Devil. They're two different situations that we have to deal with separately," April clears her throat. "The Devil is bringing up spirits from the dead that have already started terrorising both of us."
"What did he say of Horace Bellingham?"
"He could be the next Devil's victim to possess. If it's not him then it'll be either you or I unless we remove our fear. In the meantime we have to get Horace's metronome to destroy and take possession of his family portrait."
"Why the portrait?"
"Because according to Jack it will tell Horace's and our fate," April looks at Rose who looks a little unimpressed. "He's the one who knows all so I trust him on that."
"So we more or less have a tick list of things to get on and do. If only the Doctor could be here."
"And he thinks I'm dead so right now he's not much help," April frowns. "You said he left a DVD."
"It's been terminated. The Doctor only allowed me to talk to him a number of times through the DVD before it destroyed itself. I tried to get as much information as I could but it's up to us."
"What did he say?" April asks.
"That I have to destroy the weeping angels and find a way to bring you back."
April looks down at her lap before she looks back at Rose.
"I'm scared, Rose. I'm absolutely terrified. I'm haunted by this spirit in the Tardis. I'm scared that I forgot I had a twin brother. I'm scared that we're up against stone angels that will kill you within a blink. I'm scared of my nightmare. And I'm scared for you, Rose, because I know that you are just as petrified as I am," April leans forward. "But I'm not going to let that hinder the job that we have to do. Because the moment we let our fear take over we're in danger of being possessed by the Devil and then we're really screwed." Although April says this, she knows that she has very little motivation to do anything other than sit and think about her nightmare.
"It's difficult to be brave when you know you're seeing something in the corner of your eye," Rose looks a little tearful for a moment but she blinks her tears back. "I feel as if there's this great shadow over me, like there's something right behind me over my shoulder. But I turn and there's nothing there. I've felt this way since I first met Penny and Phillip. I knew there was something else lurking in the shadows along with the children. And I'm scared that some spirit or demon is constantly following me."
As Rose tells her this, April suddenly can't shake the feeling of something being up close behind her. There is a little flicker in the corner of her peripheral vision and she is sure that there is something looming over her right shoulder. She self-consciously brushes at the air near her shoulder but stops as soon as she starts.
"You've noticed it too." Rose says sternly.
"There's certainly spirits haunting us."
Rose looks down at the table in between them as the rain continues to fall upon its surface. "Horace did mention that the sound of time summons the Devil."
"The metronome!" April suddenly jumps to her feet and Rose does the same.
"Do you have a plan because I have built a few the past few days?" Rose says as they start walking down the streets.
"First I'm getting an Ouija board," April announces as she pulls her hood over her head. "There must be another way to communicate with them."
Rose and April walk side by side as they walk through the quiet city streets. Even the main high streets in the city centre are rather deserted. But April turns into a little shabby corner shop that is old and rustic and smells heavily of wood and incense. The shop sells mainly bits and bobs. It is cluttered with many un-useful things. Loose ends. It is a junk shop.
The floorboards creak under their feet and shivers runs down Rose's spine. Everything seems rather claustrophobic and she cannot help but jump slightly at a shadow in the corner of the store and all the different shapes the wooden objects creates. It is not a place Rose or April feel particularly safe in, but April presses on. Rose takes in a deep breath and remembers what Jack Gruntler told April: they must be brave.
There isn't anyone else in the store but there is an open doorway leading to another room behind the main desk. April looks at the doorway curiously and starts making a rattling noise as she picks up a box containing a board game she doesn't recognise and starts shaking it. She hopes that it will at least catch the attention of a store owner.
But April quickly finds exactly what she is looking for. Right under the board game she has picked up is another dusty looking box. April wipes the dust away and instantly sees the word Ouija painted on the top.
There is a sudden chill in the air and the hairs on the back of April's neck stands on end. She looks down at the word Ouija, keeping her eyes fixed. But she tries to focus on what looks like a moving shadow right in her peripheral vision. It is as if there is something in the store moving silently behind her.
Rose looks at her reflection in the dirty fully length mirror in the corner of the store. She has her eyes fixed on the girl in the mirror. The girl is standing by a chest of draws behind Rose, looking directly at her. Her long hair covers her face so Rose is barely able to see the girl's pale complexion.
Suddenly there is a loud bang as something is dropped onto the floorboards.
Both Rose and April jump in terror, but they are only to find a little old lady standing by the desk. The lady is blind as she tries to make her way across the room.
"Oh sorry let me help you." Rose offers as she moves away from the mirror. She goes down to pick up a thick book the lady has just dropped.
"Oh how very kind of you." The woman muses. "I do apologise. I did not hear you come in."
"No worries," April says as she walks over to them, holding onto the Ouija board. "We were wondering if we could buy something from here."
The old lady pauses for a moment as she looks right in between Rose and April. "An Ouija board? How very peculiar."
April and Rose glances at each other. The woman is blind.
But the woman waves her hand hastily. "But take it. Be my guest. I do not need it here. Enjoy yourself girls and do not get into trouble." The woman starts humming to herself as she slowly makes her way out of the shop, feeling for the nearest furniture or wall.
Rose and April are silent for a moment as they look at the doorway the old woman has just disappeared through. They both want to leave the small, stuffy shop quickly, so April picks the dusty Ouija board box and they leave the shop silently. They are met with the cold wind and April shuts the door behind her with a click.
"You look like you've seen a ghost." April says as she joins Rose who stands in the middle of the cobbled road.
"I'm fine." Rose insists.
April looks down at the box and starts brushing off the thick dust. "You know if we're going to being working together then we're going to have to be honest with each other."
"And I already said: I'm fine."
April looks up at Rose with her eyes before sighing. "Then we'd better get going." She turns and starts walking down the street. Rose follows a second or two later.
"You think it'll work in the Tardis?" Rose asks as she walks alongside April.
"No because we'll summon that other spirit."
Rose looks at April sharply. "What spirit?"
"The one the Doctor parked on without realising," April replies sternly as she looks at the many homeless people and street artists they pass along the way. "We're going back to the church north of the city. If it's been abandoned then there might be some chances that there aren't any other spirits," April then lowers her voice. "He's probably going to laugh at me for using this."
They turn the corner on the street and jump when they are met by a straggly street magician who throws up his playing cards in the air. The cards fall down like confetti and the man looks rather amused from the sight. Rose tugs onto April's arm and they walk on faster.
The rain is fluctuating between slowing down to a drizzle and becoming harsher in a downpour. But by the time they reach the church, the rain is torrential and the fog grows thicker. They run up the pathway that has started to become overgrown from the grass. April pulls open the wooden door with a little difficulty before letting Rose in first.
Rose looks around at the interior of the church as April closes the door behind them, letting out the harsh winds from the storm. The door closes with a loud echo that rings all the way around the church.
And then it is quiet.
The grey stone walls make the inside seem darker and colder. But Rose starts collecting all the left over candles she can find. April pulls out her small lighter from her back jean pocket and lights all the candles.
They then sit side by side on the stone floor of the altar with the Ouija board in front of them. The wind presses heavily against the stain glass windows and they can see the rain patter on the glass. April lets out a nervous sigh before looking down at the little planchette sitting in the middle of the board.
Rose looks up at April with a raised eyebrow. "You do know that the Doctor will always mock you for this."
April rolls her eyes. "I know that but I can't think of any other way to communicate to him. Besides he might know why an Ouija board was being sold in a shop over a hundred years before it should."
Rose stares at April for a while but says nothing upon the matter. But then she suddenly reaches over and squeezes April's hand in hers. They look at each other for a moment before Rose calls out.
"Doctor," She speaks loudly and clearly, more confident than she has ever been since they landed in Manchester. "Doctor, are you there?"
They wait for a short moment before they both place two fingers lightly at the end of the planchette.
And then suddenly, without them making any movement themselves, the planchette is pulled over towards the top of the board. April sucks in a sharp breath as she watches it move under the weight of her fingers until it stops when the circle in the centre shows the answer: YES.
Both Rose and April breathe a sigh of relief. The Doctor's spirit is there with them and all of a sudden their worries disappear.
"It's really great to hear from you again!" Rose says as tears fill her eyes. "It's not the same without you."
"And we really need your help." April interrupts quickly. She looks at the space on the other side of the board wondering that perhaps the Doctor's spirit is there sitting opposite them. She moves the planchette back to the middle of the board. "Are these spirits harmful? Are they harmful to us?"
The planchette moves back up to YES.
Rose and April are silent, but then the planchette starts to move on its own accord again. It slides across the board and down to the alphabet.
"Doctor what is it?" Rose asks as she watches the planchette move swiftly from one letter to the other.
April keeps her focus on the hole in the middle of the planchette, making note of all the letters the Doctor used.
G.
"Fighting," April reads aloud as the planchette gets to the N. "What, Doctor is there something fighting you? Are you fighting for something?"
The planchette starts moving again.
L.
Dread runs through both Rose and April as they watch the letters.
"You're fighting for survival." The words are dry in April's mouth but as she looks up at Rose, she thinks that it will be wise if she continues to ask the questions. Rose only looks fearful and April knows that she has to banish it. "And what is that?"
The planchette moves down to the numbers under the alphabet and stops over the number 6. It moves away before returning to the 6. It moves away once again and then returned to the 6 for the third time.
"Oh my god!" Rose gasps.
"The Devil," April whispers. "Is He trying to kill you Doctor?"
And just to both Rose's and April's fear to answer their question, the planchette moves up the board and stops at YES.
There is a long pause of silence before April tugs at the planchette to bring it back to the centre of the board. She has to be brave. Rose is panicking and having the both of them panic will not ease the situation with the Devil.
"Are the weeping angels after you?" April asks and watches the planchette as it moves over to NO. "Are they after us?" And the answer comes to YES. "What are we to do?"
K I L L.
There is another long pause of silence before Rose speaks.
"Are we able to bring you back?" She asks, blinking away her fearful tears.
They watch the planchette move away from the YES and NO slots and slide over the alphabet.
E.
April cannot help but feel a shiver as the planchette continues to move across the board.
U.
For a moment April isn't able to form a word out of the letters the Doctor uses but then she realises that it is a phrase: in front of you.
April glances across the church and there she sees it.
A weeping angel stands in the far corner of the church, covering its eyes. It certainly was not there before and she knows that it will move closer and closer to them if they are not watchful.
"Don't take your eyes off it." April says sternly.
Rose looks up and also finds the weeping angel in the corner of the church. As she stares, April looks around the church to make sure that there are not any other angels with them. And to her luck there aren't.
"Keep looking at it, Rose," April warns before turning her attention back to the Ouija board. "Are you helping us as much as we're helping you?"
The planchette slides across to YES.
"Has Jack Gruntler helped you?"
There is a slight pause before the answer comes to NO.
April sighs. "We promise you, Doctor, that we will do whatever it takes to bring you back and make sure that this is over."
The planchette moves across the alphabet.
S.
"Time heals," April whispers and then suddenly feels rather agitated. "Doctor, I've had many people telling me that time heals but not once have I quite grasped the concept of it. What do you mean?" Nothing happens. "Tell me!"
Suddenly all feeling of the Doctor's presence is no longer there and April and Rose are met with the darkness and the cold air in the church.
A wind blows slightly. The candle flames flickering in the gust.
There is a shadow hovering by the side door. April can just about make out a human figure in the shadows. She stands up and Rose does the same, grabbing onto April's arm for support as she continues to stare at the weeping angel at the other end of the church.
"What have you seen?" Rose whispers.
"God's best friend," April replies in a whisper before raising her voice. "It's unlike someone like you to be hiding in the shadows and sneaking up on people."
Nathaniel Davidson steps out of the shadows so that he is half in the dim light of the candles.
"I could sense that someone was summoning spirits here under God's home!" Nathaniel hisses.
Rose can tell that just from the tone of his voice, that something has changed him. He is no longer the quiet, fearful man she first met with Terry and the Doctor. He is angry, harsh and full of revenge.
"Yeah a spirit that could help us save the world." April snaps.
"The world cannot be saved without our saviour's presence. Now without further ado I would very much appreciate it if you two could leave me in peace and never return here again."
Rose turns to look at Nathaniel. "You were there when Horace Bellingham shot Maxwell's Butler. You knew that he was alive all along!"
Nathaniel lets out a tired sigh. "Horace needed to get away for a little while. He camped out here under the altar in hope to find his sanity. But all he could think about was Maxwell Hollerford and how he was the cause of the death of his family."
"My brother did the best he could to save them!" April shouts, trying to ignore the feeling that there is something moving over her shoulder.
"But not in Horace's eyes." Nathaniel takes a step forward, his hands clasped in front of him. As he steps forward, he keeps his eyes low to the stone flooring, ignoring the glares from Rose and April. "It would be best if the two of you left now. Ouija boards will not help in in times like this. You only have your faith and your courage to hold on to. That is what will save us all," he then looks up at them. "You have caused enough trouble."
"How?" April's voice is sharp.
Nathaniel glances over April's shoulder and keeps his focus there. "You have lost eye contact with the angel."
The words runs down April's and Rose's spins like cold icicles and for a moment, they feel frozen on the spot. But sooner or later they both slowly start to turn around.
They jump in fright at the sight of the weeping angel that is now standing up their backside, teeth glaring it stone hands pushing forward to grab them.
"Now what do we do?" Rose cries.
"Leave this one to me," Nathaniel demands as he keeps his eyes locked on the angel. "It has been roaming this church for weeks. Leave me to it."
April, knowing that both Rose and Nathaniel are staring at the angel, turns to look at Nathaniel. "I can't let you do this!"
"Yes you can because the angel will not get me. I am not a fearful victim from the Battle of the Cytracik like you are. It will pass me and never touch."
April feels at a loss of words for a moment. "What did you just say? How do you know about that battle?"
"Because it is a story heard from God. When you travel with that lonely wonderer you will not often pass someone that at least has not heard of that battle. Now I repeat: both of you leave my church! This angel is only a threat to us when you are here."
April is hesitant for a moment as she looks at Rose.
"GO!" Nathaniel shouts.
April takes hold of Rose's wrist and they run through the church, out the door, past the gates and through the streets back to Max's house without once looking back.
The rain never calms down as the afternoon wears on and there are no signs to show that the storm is near its end. April sits on the swinging wooden bench in the garden to Max's house. The bench is shielded by thick material hanging above her acting as a roof so that the rain is not soaking her to the core.
The garden is rather small compared to the mansion Max and Master Franklin lives in. It is a small garden enclosed in grey walls. There are shrubs and planted flowers here and there but it is nothing spectacular. April wants to stay outside in hope that she might feel a little at ease if she takes in the fresh air and the smell of wet soil, rather than staying cooped up inside.
After their interruption with Nathaniel, April knows that the city is safe from the weeping angels as long as herself and Rose are not in the way. She starts to wonder what Rose and herself has done to make the weeping angels want to get to them, even after they have taken the Doctor and Terry back in time, but the only reason she can think of is the Cytracik. Jack says that the weeping angels are taken back along with Max and they are the only people connected to the Cytracik. Was that the reason why they were after them? Is it another case of alien's want of power over the Cytracik?
But the news of the Devil running after the Doctor only fears April and Rose immensely. They have to get hold of the metronome and the Bellingham's family portrait as soon as possible and April knows that Rose is the only one who knows where to go to get them.
Max joins April in the garden after a long discussion with Master Franklin. April has no idea what it was they were talking about but she can tell that whatever it was they spoke about frustrates Max, just from the sound of his slow and heavy footsteps. He takes his place on the bench beside April and they both remain silent as they listen to the heavy rain.
Max's breathing is heavy as he looks down at his lap and April waits until he has calmed down before she speaks.
"How is he?" She asks. "The Butler, how is he?"
Max lifts his head and looks across the small garden. "He's seen better days I am sure, but he is on the mend. He should be back on his feet by the end of the month latest. He feels like he should be up an about doing work but I said that his healing time won't affect his pay slip. Not sure if that was the right thing he was concerned about."
"Probably not."
Max then looks at his sister. "So are you and Rose now going to work together properly?"
"Yeah we've come to that conclusion," April says before quickly changing the subject. "Max, where did the Bellingham family live while you were treating them?"
Max hesitates for a moment. "The house opposite us," comes his reply. "Horace lost a lot of money when the family died and so he had to move into a house shared with many other people further in the city," Max smiles to himself. "His children really are lovely. They've taken a real liking to this house and they seem a little more content then they did yesterday, but they're concerned for their father. Yet I can't shake off the feeling that they see something in the shadows that I can't see. Especially Phillip. I find that when I talk to him he's looking at something over my shoulder. I tried asking him why he wears that eye patch over his left eye but he said that it apparently helps him to see better. I have not heard back from the station but most likely Horace will be locked up for a while. Master Franklin believes that he has been ridden with madness. No one can tell where he got hold of the pistol from though."
"The whole city is being ridden with madness," April murmurs. "What with the Devil tormenting the city."
"And Heat Miles."
April looks at her brother sharply. "Who?"
"Heat Miles," Max repeats. "Some group of people that Master Franklin wants me to discover. I do not know what their purpose is but they are terrorising everyone. They're known as the scoundrels of the city located either hidden in the factories or beneath our feet," Max shifts on the bench and it sways a little. "Master Franklin and I know that they have something to do with time."
"And how do you know that?" April asks.
Max sighs as he pulls open his coat and reaches for the inside pocket and draws out a scrap piece of paper. There are scribbled notes on one side but he folds the paper in half and in half again. He then draws out a small pencil and writes across the paper in block capitals: HEAT MILES.
April watches him as he starts to cross off each letter and writing them underneath.
When he is done he passes the paper to April. She takes it and reads the words TIME HEALS underneath as Max puts the pencil back into his coat pocket.
"That's how I know." Max says before looking at his sister whose scowl is harsh. "Each letter of Heat Miles makes up Time Heals."
April folds the paper over and over again until it is small enough to slip into her jean pocket. She quietly thinks to herself that being there in the late eighteenth century she should probably wear more suitable fashion so that she will not stand out so much, but that is the last of her concerns.
Their silence is filled up with the sound of the heavy rainfall. Max rubs his hands together.
"When we were little," Max starts slowly. "When mum used to tuck us in bed, every night she always told me that I had a guardian angel that always watched over me and that it would keep me safe from harm for the rest of my days. She said to me that everyone has their own guardian angel that looks after them and to take the bad away," Max frowns. "I do not know if mum's words are true any more. There wasn't a guardian there watching over her during the big battle. It did nothing to keep her or dad alive."
April can't help but remember that night in the parallel world when Jack Gruntler invited her for dinner. He mentioned that the Doctor could be seen as her guardian angel. Yet April cannot shake off the guilt of having told the Doctor to clear off and getting what she wished for in her angry and heartbroken state.
The silence between the two lingers on for a little while longer before they both find it unbearable.
"So what do you want to do?" Max asks.
"Break into the Bellingham's house," April looks at her brother. "Will you join me?"
