The Bad Thing.
Snatching the phone from Tosh, Jack listened. "I'm on my way," Jack said as he snapped the phone shut and found Tosh waiting with his shoes. Forcing them on, he explained, "Ianto was sent up to the top field about an hour and half ago to feed the sheep. He hasn't been seen since." Standing with some effort he looked at Tosh. "Did anyone try calling his mobile?" Jack asked.
"He forgot it," Tosh told him handing it to him.
"Take me to where the bucket was found." He indicated to Tosh as he reached the front door. With speed born of fear they headed up the lane past where the TARDIS had landed.
Forcing himself forward Jack reached the gate where the bucket had been found. Looking around he tried to put himself in Ianto's shoes. What had happened to him for him to just leave? Ianto was incredibly reliable; he would do exactly as asked. He would not just wander off, the butterfly incidents of the past long gone.
He turned to speak to Tosh when he saw David Morgan racing towards them.
"What happened? I told you he needed to remain on the other side of the farm away from the house," Jack shouted at him, deeply out of breath.
"I'm sorry Jack; I moved the sheep up to the top field last night. It wasn't until he had left to feed them that I remembered what you said. I ran up here, but by the time I got up here he was gone,", his voice wavering. "I've called the Sergeant McCredie. He has put out an alert, and currently the phone tree has been set in motion so as many people are being called as possible. Everyone on this side of the Island will be out looking for him. Well find him," he assured Jack.
His heart beating wildly Jack pulled himself up onto the wide top of the stone fence. Tosh joined him and held him steady. A gale that had been threatening earlier had now blown in and rain was beginning to sheet down. He squinted; the light had faded so badly he could see nothing. Climbing down, he picked up the bucket when David flipped open his cell phone.
"He's been seen. He was down by the cliff edge at the bottom of Toby's field." He called out.
Jack didn't wait to hear anymore. He threw himself down the field in the direction of David's pointed hand.
Rattling the bucket Ianto watched as the sheep raced over. He loved feeding the sheep; they really liked him, especially when he had their sheep nuts. They were sort of bald because they had lost all their fur; fleece he reminded himself, and it was all growing back. He hoped they weren't too cold. Mr Morgan had explained that in the winter they came into the barn, which was all nice and warm. Ianto could see why they liked it. They had a big area all comfy with loads of hay and straw. They were lucky they got to share the barn with Marigold. That's where she was today because her boyfriend had come over. He was all pink and huge like she was. Strange place to have a date; there was no kissing they just snuffled around each other and got all frisky.
The sheep gathered round him now so he concentrated on his task and he spaced out the nuts out so each sheep got a fair share. He counted, then he double checked, only fourteen; one was missing, there should be fifteen. He studied each sheep; it was the one with the spotted black face and big ears that was missing. Placing his hand to shield his eyes he looked around. His eyes followed the top of the field and there in the distance by the stone wall that bordered the lane, he saw her. She wasn't moving, and he knew she loved her sheep nuts so something was wrong. He set up a brisk pace, and on reaching her he saw she was by the gate. Checking her over he saw a strand of wire had come lose and had tangled around a foot.
"Silly," he said, kneeling and unwrapped the wire from her foot. Freed he shook out her pellets.
"I know you love your sheep nuts, that's how I knew you were missing," he said as he watched her begin to eat her portion. Looking back down the hill he checked to see if the other sheep were okay; they must have finished because they were moving away. He moved forward to return to the farm, when he heard a strange noise. Over the wall a flash of blue caught his eye. Maybe it was Constable Dana, in her police car. He liked Constable Dana; at the Solstice fair she had taken him for a ride around the field in her police car with the sirens blaring. She had told him the sirens and lights needed a really good work up because there were not many people did naughty things on the Island. He had stuck his fingers in his ears; it was so loud, but it was such fun. It must be so cool to be a policeman or woman and ride around in the police car all day. The field dipped and was slightly lower than the lane. So he stretched his neck to get a better look. He was close to home; he looked at his watch, he was ahead of himself today so he had time to check if it was the police car he had seen. Dropping the bucket he climbed over the gate and stepped into the lane.
He froze; just down from him was the blue box. He stood transfixed to the spot trying to think over the day to see if he could recall if he had bee bad but the more he thought the more muddled everything got and he found his breathing got faster and faster until he was dizzy. He heard the strange noise again and the box disappeared.
He had a thought; he was so scared, this was his biggest scary thought. He often had dreams that the blue box would come and take Jack away. He was sure he had heard Jacks voice. Maybe this was a dream? Maybe he was imagining things like when he made up his games. He swallowed and moved to where he had seen the box. He looked down and there was an impression on the ground. He squeezed his eyes shut not wanting to believe it. He opened them. Yes, there were the marks in the mud and a thought started to go around and around in his head.
'Jack had gone the blue box had come and Jack and gone he had broken his promise.' He began to shake. He had done the bad thing and he had gone.
He walked slowly back to the gate and climbed over and found himself sitting with his back to the wall. He thought of home; drawing up his knees he put his head down and cried as he realised there is no more home. Jack was home, Jack was everything. No more being safe. No more cuddles or kisses or waking up in his arms, making Jack smile or getting a thumbs' up when he tried hard and got something right which made him feel warm inside.
It started to rain and he forced himself to think but the voices were screaming at him, telling he must have been really bad for Jack to break his promise. Struggling he went over the past days but nothing came to him. He felt all muddled as images whirled and collided. He forced himself to think when an idea began to grow. Maybe he was so bad that somehow the badness just came out without him knowing. If that was true then it was Ianto who was bad and no matter what he did, wouldn't ever stop the badness coming out.
Jack hadn't broken his promise. He had told the truth, there was no bad thing; it was Ianto who was bad.
Standing he looked down the field. He knew what he had to do. There was only one thing he could do; he had to stop the badness forever. He started to run down the hill towards the cliff, gaining momentum. The heavy rain stung his eyes and he felt his legs fly out from under him and he fell on his side. Overcome, sobs racked his body. A gust buffeted him and he pulled himself up and looked around; he was near the cliff. He reached the fence and looked over but he couldn't hear the sea. Was this far enough up? He shook his head. When the bad man had thrown people off the bad place they were so high up they were in the clouds. He needed to be really high so he could do this proper so the badness ended for ever.
Looking around he realised he was in a dip and the fence followed the cliff top. Using the fence as a guide he followed it. Reaching the highest point he looked over and there were no clouds but he couldn't see the bottom. He forced himself to look around to double check. The rains eased momentarily and he realised where he was. He was in Toby's field. It went from the bottom of their garden wall down to where he was standing. He could just see the garden wall and the lights.
He closed his eyes and thought about Jack, his arms around him holding him close. He felt so safe like nothing would ever hurt him again. His lips on his, how he smelt, how he tucked up in bed and told him stories or laughed at his jokes. He loved home but home was not a place, because Jack was home. Jack was everything.
He forced his mind into thinking and tried to remember what it like without Jack. There was just pain, fear, guards, terrible things, hunger, and people doing nasty cruel things trying to make him talk, forcing him down and hurting him deep inside. A wave of despair overcame him. Jack was gone. He had run off leaving him here on his own. He needed to jump and end the bad thing so there was no more bad Ianto ever. He sobbed, and put his foot on the first rung of the fence.
A shout caught his attention. The voice; it sounded like Jack but it couldn't be, it was coming from inside his head because he wanted Jack so much. He cried out because this was the badness making him feel like he was nothing because now he would be alone in the dark forever. He pulled himself up….