Chapter 9 the lonely street
As the clock struck midnight the house lay silent as a graveyard. Every light was extinguished and the residents were in a deep slumber. A single beam of light hovered over the corridor as Rose tip toed with the backpack and a torch towards the front of the house. Different thoughts going through her head at the same time making her confused. On the pebbled dash of the front porch waited John. Romana was now half conscious as her fingers twitched and her eye lids fluttered. He tried to keep her sleepy so there wouldn't be any trouble during the process of escape. As Rose closed the front door silently behind her John turned his head and smiled. His face clear but his emotions were wild as tensions raised high at that moment in time.
"We'll wait until we reach the road and then I'll open up the portal" whispered John, his speech vague but Rose understood every word.
"Where will we go?" asked Rose with panic in her voice.
"Don't worry I've set the coordinates for home!" said John still keeping a low voice. Rose gave him a strange look of perplexion when his comment was finished. Without any further delay Romana was back over his shoulder and both him and Rose sprinted towards the end of the drive way.
Once they had reached their target John held the vortex manipulator at arm's length and then held in the button to start the process. Before them appeared the time vortex in all its glory. The vast range of colours bewildered Rose as her eyes couldn't cope with the changing colours. Without looking back John leaped in with Romana still hanging over his shoulder.
"Hurry up" the fading voice shouted as John evaporated before Roses eyes. Rose looked behind her to stare at the sun beginning to rise. A copied sun, on a parallel earth, in a parallel solar system. This was her chance to escape from the opposite world and live life in the real world again, although in her home state of London she was considered dead in two thousand and six. She could see all her old friends again and maybe even an old friend she didn't even count on seeing again, or if she would even recognise him. Turning her head she leaped in to the portal and it closed behind her.
Back at the house Tony was the first one to arise as he was expecting breakfast from mum. He silently crept down the long flights of stairs towards the kitchen where he found Pete looking at a scribbled note from Rose. It read
Dear mother and father me and John fell in danger yesterday when some evil aliens were channelling Rouen to escape from prisons what are so post to keep them locked away forever. But now they are on the loose. Don't panic me and John were able to sent them away for now. To protect Rouen from them me and John have left to find a safe place to keep Rouen out of danger. Maybe its home back on earth in the real world. You know John he'll think of something. Don't worry about our safety; we'll seek refuge with an old friend. Both of you take care and Tony. Love you. Rose xx.
The look on Tonys face changed when his normally smiley father broke down as he dropped the note on the floor and ran up stairs to awaken Jackie and reveal the bad news.
In a circular tube carrying three adventurous characters there was a whole different story unfolding. As the still body of Romana floated next to an excited John, Rose watched them not far behind still carrying the backpack and Romana's bag of tricks. The thrill and experience was way different from travelling in an old blue box. As their journey ended the portal through them out like the rubbish on a Sunday morning. Their fall was broken by a soft blanket of early December snow. A cold brush of air past their thin clothes making them shiver. As they looked above the night sky shone a dark blue and the stars sung like angels of light millions of miles away. The street was as silent as a church and street lights illuminated the white covered road. Not a single footprint could be seen as the falling snow had already covered the paths.
Rose and John stood up slowly as their clothes were wet and soggy from where they were sat down. Romana was still only half awake as she could still only just move her eye lids and fingers which were now cold as she hadn't moved from when she first landed. It was almost like she couldn't move, like the family had paralyzed her making her unable to move. Suddenly up ahead angry monster eyes charged at the three helpless beings stood in the middle of the road. They were as bright as the sun and the discharged beams of light at them. The monster made its angry noise of a beep and turning feet rolled through the now slushy snow. The car was now horribly close and as John went to grab Romana the car beat him too it and with that it was gone. John grabbed Rose checking to see if she was alright but Rose broke free of his grip and ran over to the lifeless body laid in the middle of the road.
Its arms were out stretched and covered in cuts and bruises. Its eyes were lightly closed and face full of dirt, legs were half buried in the snow. Rose's eyes swelled up and she started to splutter and choke. Water balled out of the eyes and dripped on to the still body. John joined her at her side and she placed her head neatly on his shoulder.
"We're too late John, we're too late" Rose spluttered. John's eyes also began to fall heavy but he snivelled away the sadness to protect his man hood. But he couldn't help but wonder why it had to happen now, when they were trying to protect her not kill her. All this and more ran through Johns head as his eyes met with the lifeless body of Romana. He couldn't bear to look at her porcelain face as the dirt and closed eyes made it worse.
As he bent down to take a closer look he studied how her chest slowly inflated. He placed his fingers on the base of her arm and measured a faint but still pulse. All the sadness drifted away as he wanted to pick her up and cuddle her but her fragile and broken bones made it impossible.
"She's alive" John smiled and his reaction was pasted on to Rose as she flung her arms round him in relive.
"But it's not over yet, we need to get her out of the cold" said John, his face now stern and serious. As he stood up he turned his head to look in all directions but the street was emptier than biscuit barrel. Turning his head again something caught his eye. A brightly coloured umbrella blocked the snow getting on their head. They carried a shopping bag full of food for the harsh winter ahead. As they were just about to pull in a semicircular drive way Rose ran up to stop them.
As her hand touched their shoulder the person froze and jolted round to face their attacker. Rose found it to be someone she knew. It was Sarah – Jane Smith. She herself was also an old friend of The Doctors.
"Can it be, Rose" she said under her breath. She dropped her shopping and the umbrella and through herself at Rose. Rose unturned the hug but it was cut short with John calling for help. Both women looked over in his direction and saw him trying to get Romana gently off the ground. Sarah – Jane ran to the front door and opened it wide without Rose having to say anything. John dragged her through the door and up the stairs towards one of the spare rooms.