TWENTY THREE
'One may not reach the dawn save by the path of the night' -
'Sand and Foam', Kahlil Gilbran
"Now, Martin!" The Doctor's panicked voice rang out from inside the TARDIS "Turn and run… NOW!"
Martin was still kneeling and had his back to the TARDIS. His eyes were totally transfixed on the giant, opening pearl that hovered majestically in front of him.
The Dark Messiah was on his knees also, his head bowed in respectful obedience. He had moved slightly in front of Martin as soon as he had heard the second 'crack' from the Sphere and was now in position to welcome his Master.
Brilliant, piercing light was coming out from the right hand side of the giant pearl as more jets of steam erupted from the surface. The metallic Angels had now turned their whole bodies to face their Lord and Master, their wings almost touching the ground feet away from where Martin was knelt.
Shafts of the blinding light coming from the Sphere were now lighting up the surrounding hillside and even the night sky seemed to warm to it's glow.
The Angels suddenly let out a calmer, softer version of their 'Trumpet blast' that was almost melodic in its tone but never the less still shook the ground threateningly.
With tears streaming down his face, Martin suddenly realized his own breathing was slowing down and he felt himself almost falling into the Angel's hypnotic tone.
And then… it was as if time itself suddenly…
…Froze…
Martin found himself inside a cocoon of silence and nothing around him was moving or changing in any way. He could feel, but not hear, his own heart beating hard against the inside of his chest and his short, shallow breaths made no sound at all.
After a moment he realized that time had not stopped completely. Things were moving but very, very slowly. The Sphere was still quarter opened and its light was still edging its way towards him but at a much-reduced rate. Particles of dust and sand hung in the air and moved around Martin's eye-line almost like tiny planets circling a giant sun. It was as if time itself had changed its rhythm…
Inside the silence Martin heard a soft, gentle voice whisper:
"Who Are You?"
The voice seemed to be coming not from an external source but somewhere deep inside of himself.
Before he could really react to it, time seemed to 'jump track' once more and everything returned to 'normal'. The Angel's 'song' again filled Martin's ears and the light from the Sphere started to advance towards him at an ever-increasing rate.
Then Martin suddenly felt himself been dragged backwards. He was been pulled and lifted from underneath his shoulders. He looked above him and saw The Doctor's determined face.
"C'mon, Marty! There's no way I'm leaving you here!" The Time Lord shouted as he pulled Martin towards the TARDIS' doors. "We're not staying a moment longer!"
As Martin felt himself been dragged through the doors of the Time Machine he looked out towards the Sphere. It was nearly half open now and The Dark Messiah's figure was silhouetted against the blinding light. Rising to his feet and turning to face the Tardis, The Dark Jesus pointed straight at Martin and screamed…
Suddenly the light was cut off completely as The Doctor slammed the TARDIS doors shut. At first Martin felt like he was in complete darkness but after a couple of moments, the warm glow of the TARDIS interior entered his vision.
He was lying on his back near the doors staring up at the domed ceiling. He turned to see The Doctor running frantically around the TARDIS console banging controls and twisting levers. Jay was stood casually on the other side of the room; his face was still as calm and serene as ever. It seemed that none of this was affecting him in any way…
"Right… Let's go!" The Doctor cried and stabbed at one final control. The center column rose and fell and the wheezes and moans of The Doctor's Time Machine filled the room once more. The Doctor moved around to the 'scanner screen' "Let's see what they're up to now…" he said excitedly as he pressed a couple of buttons and the screen sprang silently to life.
Martin got to his feet and moved over to the central column. On the scanner he could see outside the ship: The Sphere was no longer opening and was beginning to reseal itself. The Angels were now looking directly at the TARDIS, their giant wings were moving upwards as if preparing for flight. The Dark Messiah's face was contorted with anger as he shouted and wailed in frustration.
The Doctor flipped another switch and the Dark Lord's voice could now be heard inside the ship.
"…all sinners! How dare you try to run from the Lord your God?" He screamed his words out viciously "You will be crushed and sent to the eternal fire for this!"
The picture on the scanner then began to change as the TARDIS took off. The Sphere, The Angels and the figure of The Dark Messiah got slowly smaller as the TARDIS began to rise further away.
But the Angels hadn't given up…
Both of the metallic beings flew directly upwards following the TARDIS' ascension. Yahweh's Sphere followed them at great speed and within seconds the screen was full once more with their image.
"Ah Ha!" exclaimed The Doctor excitedly "They'll never be able to follow us into the time vortex!" He pushed at another few controls and then slammed his fist down hard on a big red button. The TARDIS buffeted and shook and both Martin and The Doctor held on to the sides of the console.
Martin looked over at Jay. He was stood perfectly still. The shaking of the TARDIS was literally not affecting him; the whole room was moving… but he was not.
"Oh no…" The Doctor was looking into the scanner, panic written on every inch of his face "That's impossible…"
Martin looked at the screen. The Sphere and the Angels were still following them. Their surroundings had changed from the night sky above Nazareth and was now a collection of reds and blues swirling endlessly in the tunnel of the time vortex. And yet still the TARDIS' relentless pursuers continued to advance. They were so close now Martin thought they might even burst out of the scanner screen…
Martin and The Doctor looked at each other desperately. "I'm so sorry, Marty" The Doctor said dejectedly "There's nothing else I can do… It looks like this is the end of the line"
A loud banging suddenly came from above them as if something had just clung to the outside of the ship. They both instinctively looked up at the ceiling but saw nothing so they then looked down at the scanner but now it showed only darkness…
A large, metallic ripping sound came from above them and the two men raised their heads once more to see. The ceiling of the TARDIS was literally been ripped away as, using it's giant wings, one of the Angels scratched and tore at the hull of the ship. Giant strips of ceiling were flung into the vortex as the rampaging Angel began tearing away at the metal with its bare hands.
"You cannot escape… From the Kingdom's throne!" The Angel shouted commandingly "You're judgment has come… You have chosen your side… Prepare yourselves for the Lake of Fire!"
Martin flung himself to the floor as the whole TARDIS shook violently and parts of the metal ceiling began falling chaotically around him. He looked up to see the first Angel, who he recognized to be 'Gabriel', pulling more of the ceiling away and throwing it behind him.
Martin could also see Yahweh's giant Sphere hung behind the Angel suspended in the time vortex surrounded by a swirling haze of reds and blues. Parts of the debris from the ceiling hit the glowing pearl and disintegrated instantly upon impact. The other Angel was also tearing at the TARDIS roof and within moments the entire ceiling section had gone.
The Angels stopped their rampage of destruction and, for a moment remained still, gazing down on Martin and The Doctor condemningly.
Martin looked over at the Time Lord who was also now lying on the floor looking up at The Angels, debris from the ceiling all around him. He was propping himself up with his right elbow, his eyes were wide with panic and his face contorted with fear. He glanced over at Martin with a look of complete helplessness. He had no words of comfort now…
"Your end is here, sinners… "The Angel Gabriel's voice broke the silence, it's tone was deep and menacing. "You are the servants of The Devil… You are judged to have the Mark of the Beast… Now you will be joining your Master… In the fires of Hell itself…"
Both Angels opened their mouths in unison, their eyes wide and manic, and let out a terrifying, juddering scream.
And then, very slowly, they began to descend head first into the shattered TARDIS…
'Dear God,
Why aren't you friends with the Devil? My teacher says he used to be an Angel.
Did you have an argument? When we argue at school our teacher makes us say sorry. Would you let him back if he said sorry? Maybe then he wouldn't do all those bad things. Thank you, Lee (Age 7)' -
'Dear God - Children's letters to God', Carmel Reilly