Chapter 9

Rose burst into tears and Jack held her in his arms. "He's gone," Rose said tearfully into his shoulder. "He's really gone…"

Jack's eyes were watery. He blinked. "The Doctor knew what he was doing. There was no other way around this."

Rose stepped back, away from his reaches. "Yes there was. We could've left and been safe. And why couldn't we contact the Time Lords, Jack?"

"There was no time. And besides they couldn't have -"

"Couldn't or wouldn't?" she asked.

Jack sighed. "You know that they couldn't have, who're you kidding -"

"No, who are you kidding Jack? They're selfish!" she yelled as if hoping the Time Lords could hear her. "Selfish, insensitive and, and…" she broke down. "It's their fault… he's gone Jack." She sat on the floor, back against a pillar. She put her head in her hands and heard Jack sit next to her. He cleared his throat when the TARDIS engines stopped and stood up. "2006." He sniffed.

Rose stood up too as he started walking slowly down the steps. He waited for her to follow. "You go ahead," she told him. "I need to get my stuff."

Jack nodded and taking a last look at his temporary home, stepped outside, closing the door behind him out onto Gordon Road.

Rose came out of the giant wardrobe and headed down the corridor, her holdall in hand, bulging with clothes. She entered the control room and was just about to head downstairs when:

"Rose."

She wheeled around. A hologram, like one she had seen a year ago, shone before her; of the Doctor.

"I hope this has activated after Jack's gone out, Rose so shoo him out if he is." The hologram grinned. "Only kidding, Jack don't be offended, I don't mind if you're here or not." His face turned serious again. "Rose, Jack if you're there; this is important and I mean mega important. You've started grieving for me already but I have to ask you to not give in to it just yet. This is because something's coming. You may be wondering why I didn't tell you before, or destroy them earlier, and I can't answer those questions but one I can is why did I send you home now instead of delay you to keep you safe. Well, you two are the only ones that will understand my instructions and are the only ones who'll have the knowledge of them I can give you. The Time Lords can't even stop them. This is out of their hands. Only the human race can tackle this."

"Tackle what?" Rose asked.

"A war." The Doctor replied.

"A war?" she echoed. "Against who?"

"The wendigos."

"What's a wendigo?" Rose said.

"Ah, the legendary wendigos." The Doctor's hologram paused, thinking for a way to describe them. He hummed softly as he thought. "Well… they were once human many years ago. As men they were deprive of food and forced to become carnivores and eat each other. Now, it's said when one human eats another they gain special abilities, super speed, super strength, even become immortal. They become less than human. There will be loads of them."

"So basically you… can't kill them? We're as good as dead." She said, throwing her arms up.

"No, no, you're wrong. There is one way and one way only to kill these creatures: fire. You must get as many resources as you can which produce fire; flame throwers, lighter, matches, whatever."

"And erm, where exactly am I gonna get flame throwers?"

"Ask Jack," the Doctor smiled. Then he was serious again. "Rose, hold onto the grief, remember? You need all the strength you can get. Tell only people you can trust."

To Rose's amazement the hologram stepped forwards and stretched its arm out to her. She reached out to take his hand, even though she knew it wasn't real, but before she got close, he said, "Take care." And he flickered away.

"Oh shit!" Rose whispered, running her fingers through her hair desperately. She ran outside, leaving her bag in the TARDIS. "Jack!" she yelled, not seeing him anywhere.

"What?" he said, coming round from the other side of the police box.

"We need to talk."