As soon as the bell rang Paige Galloway was out of her corner like a cheetah. Her red gloves jabbed towards her opponent, Mikaela, keeping her back. She tried for a right hook and a left cross caught her in the jaw. She shook it off and circled her foe.
Paige was a pale girl. She was around five foot six and weighed one hundred and twenty seven pounds. Her jet-black hair was tied up into braids to keep them out of her face. She wore a white chest protector with blue trunks that came a quarter of the way down her thighs. Determination flowed through her body.
"Keep your guard up!" her trainer, Henry, shouted from her corner.
Paige threw a few jabs keeping Mikaela at bay before leaning away from a wild hook. She closed the distance and clinched. The two fighters traded blows to the sides before the referee separated them. Paige leaned in for a wide cross but a quick uppercut stopped her in her tracks. A one-two combination sent Paige into the ropes and the beat down begins. Paige clinched again to avoid more punishment. The bell sounded before she could deliver any side shots. Paige, visibly annoyed, returns to her corner and sits down. She spits out her clear mouthpiece which is caught by Henry.
"You're not protecting yourself girl," Henry said. He wiped the sweat from Paige's face and gave her some water. He was a short man in his mid-forties and balding at the crown of his head.
"You won't last much longer if you insist on letting her hit you. Keep your hands up and when she steps forward with her hook make her pay for leaving herself open. This isn't a sprint, it's a marathon."
Paige nodded. Her mouthpiece is returned and on the bell she cautiously circles her opponent, waiting for the right moment. She tries for a couple of jabs which are blocked. Mikaela tries for a hook and steps forward. Seeing her chance, Paige hits a stiff shot to the face. Mikaela has a slight stumble and Paige leaps on her. But before she can do any real damage, a clinch happens. Mikaela leans against her ear.
"After I beat you, too bad you won't be able to cry to daddy."
From that moment all Paige could see was red. She charged at Mikaela and the fight quickly turned into a one-sided slug fest. Most of Paige's punches weren't finding their mark but Mikaela's were. Paige began to feel light-headed and she fell backwards against the ropes. The referee stepped in before more damage could be done. The fight was over.
Mikaela screamed in delight and embraced her corner team. Henry ran to Paige and helped her steady herself. A drop of blood fell from Paige's nose staining her chest protector. She rested her head on Henry's shoulder. Her first fight ending in failure.
"I'm sorry," she whispered struggling to get the words out.
"Don't be," he said, "You did your best. You've nothing to be ashamed of."
Paige detected disappointment in his voice.
...
It was nearly ten o'clock at night when Paige finally got home. She had spent the last hour in the changing room of the boxing gym feeling sorry for herself. Henry had tried to cheer her up but to no avail.
Paige had never competed as an amateur and had convinced Henry to get her a professional fight. It took several months but eventually he had caved. He surprised her on her eighteenth birthday last November with the news that she would compete in a four-round bout on the third of March against Mikaela Samuels. Mikaela trained in the same gym as Paige and had garnered a reputation of being a bully. She bad-mouthed anyone she sparred with and mocked them when she knocked them down. How she knew about Paige's father was anyone's guess as she rarely spoke about him.
Paige quietly locked the door behind her. She crept towards the stairs passing the living room where her mother, Nicole, had fallen asleep watching a rerun of The Weakest Link with a glass of cheap wine in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other. Paige turned the T.V off and stubbed out the cigarette into the ashtray before quietly heading upstairs.
She stepped into the bathroom and dropped her bag. She leaned against the sink and studied herself in the mirror. For a boxer she didn't have much muscle. A bruise was visible underneath her left eye. She touched it softly and winced. She undid her ponytail letting her hair fall coming to a stop a third of the way down her back. She turned the shower on.
Five, or-so, minutes later she entered her messy bedroom. The only item that could be considered clean was a black punching bag hung up in the corner. Paige changed into her grey pyjamas and collapsed onto her bed. She pulled the purple covers over her and attempted to go to sleep. It was past midnight when she finally did.
...
The alarm pierced Paige's ears and she was forced to turn over and switch it off. It was seven-thirty. She had half an hour before she had to be in for work as she had to get things ready before they opened. Reluctantly, Paige rolled out of bed and went through her wardrobe. She found her uniform and put it on. She then noticed her reflection in her wardrobe mirror. The bruise had become more prominent. She picked up her concealer and applied it until the bruise was no longer visible. She wasn't in the mood to tell people how she got it.
Ten minutes later she was running downstairs, phone and keys in hand. She sent a quick text to Alex asking if he was free to have lunch later. In the kitchen she grabbed an apple from the bowl on the island. Improvised breakfast. She made her way to the front door.
"How did it go last night Paige?" a raspy voice called, "I tried waiting up for you but I must have nodded off."
Paige stopped and turned around. Nicole was standing in the living room door. She was an overweight woman with a brown fingertips. An unlit cigarette was gripped between her fingers.
"I lost. Second round TKO."
"I did tell you that you'd get your head smashed in," Nicole said, "still, now you know."
Paige held her tongue. Nicole had never wanted her to be a boxer as she didn't think that Paige could be successful. And even if she did, she would just leave and Nicole would be forced to actually do things for herself.
"You're not cut out for it. You're sister though? She is exceptional."
Erica. Unlike Paige, she had actually made a career in boxing. She was undefeated with twenty one wins all by knockout and was scheduled to defend the WBO Welterweight title next month against Charlotte Morgan. As soon as Erica had turned eighteen she had left home, Paige hadn't spoken to her since then and not for a lack of trying. Nicole always compared Paige to her sister whenever she deemed it relevant even though Erica despised her.
"Because I want to do this mum," Paige said, "I love it."
"Yes, and you've just had your face caved in. Face it sweetheart, boxing isn't for you. Now get to work. you're late enough. Pick up some smokes on your way back. It's one thing you can do."
Paige really wanted to let loose on her mother. But like every time she kept her mouth shut. She opened the front door and left.
...
Working as a shop assistant in Henrik's, one of the biggest department stores in London, wasn't something that Paige had wanted originally. Her mother had made her get a part time job there only because she said she wanted Paige to be able to help pay for her booze and cigarettes. However Paige saw it as a way to pay for her gym membership without relying on her mother so she was more than happy to work there. And she fairly enjoyed it.
Right now, Paige had gone to lunch. Alex eventually messaged her back saying he was free and would meet her at Saffy's Café, a two minute walk from Henrik's. Paige adored their sandwiches, as well as their prices, and hurried there.
The café had a little bell which rang whenever the door was opened. The interior was painted with bright colours. A selection of cakes and sandwiches were on display at the counter. Paige found her usual spot, by the window and sat. Saffy was just finishing with another customer. Saffy handed him a bacon sandwich and looked over at Paige.
"You want the usual Paige?"
"Yes please Saffy," Paige called, "and for Alex too."
Saffy nodded and got to work. She was a petite woman, not too much older than Paige, with a warm smile.
Paige looked out of the window spotting Alex coming round the corner. Alex was a tall lad with curly ginger hair. He was three years older than her. His work overalls were stained with dry plaster but thankfully he was always careful in not making too much of a mess. He gave Paige a quick kiss and a hug.
"Hey babe," he said.
"Hey."
"You all right?" he asked.
"I've been better," Paige answered. She motioned for him to sit.
Alex obliged. "I heard about the fight. You doing OK?"
"I'm fine," Paige lied, "I made a mistake and she made me pay for it. It happens."
"I'm sorry I couldn't be there."
"Don't apologise Alex. I know you find watching me getting hit hard to watch. Even if you were there, I doubt that it would have made a difference."
"Think of it this way, at least she didn't knock you down. Or couldn't knock you down."
Paige smiled softly. Alex was always able to find a positive out of a negative situation.
Saffy approached with their food. A BLT sandwich for Paige and a lemon drizzle cake for Alex. They said their thanks.
"And I know you'll bounce back from this. All this is just a minor setback."
Paige took Alex's hand into hers. Even though he didn't like what she was doing he accepted that it was her passion and supported her. She loved him for it.
"You're brilliant Alex, you know that?"
"Tell me something I don't know," he said jokingly.
Paige almost let out a small laugh. She composed herself. "I've talked enough. How's the build coming on?"
"Very well thanks. Very soon Mr Collins will be able to use the bathroom without fear of falling through the floor."
"Shortcut to the kitchen I suppose." Alex sniggered at that. Paige couldn't help but laugh at his laugh. They then ate their food in almost silence.
...
The store had been very quiet today so there wasn't a lot of customers to speak to. Paige was fine with this. She wasn't keen on talking to people but was able to put that aside. But at the same time it meant that she had to go home. Maybe she could get a few hours in the gym before then. Henry had tried to phone her today but she missed it. He left a message asking to call him back.
Paige was just finishing stocking some shirts away when the intercom sounded,
"This is a customer announcement the store will be closing in five minutes. Thank you."
Paige nodded to herself. She noticed her shoelace had become untied and bent down to retie it. As she stood up she bumped into someone rushing towards the end of the store.
"Sorry," Paige said. She recognised the blonde girl, she also worked here, but could not remember her name.
"It's all right," she said, "I honestly wasn't looking where I was going."
"I'm the same. As soon as I'm focused on something, screw everyone else."
The girl laughed and nodded. "Right? Yeah I got to give this," she held up a plastic bag with money inside, "to Wilson. It's for the lottery."
Paige thought for a split second. "I'll do it if you want."
"You don't have to do that."
"No, it's fine. To be brutally honest I'm not in a rush to get home right now."
"Everything all right?"
"Yeah its fine," Paige lied, "I don't want to talk about it. It's really nothing."
The girl held up the bag. "If you really want to, here."
Paige took it. "It goes to Wilson right?"
"Right. See you around."
The girl turned and headed towards the exit. Paige walked to the back. She found the lift and called for it. She waited patiently for the doors to slide open. They did and she pressed the button labelled with "B". The doors closed and a few moments later they opened to reveal a dull, dark corridor.
"Wilson!" Paige called, "you still here?" She stepped out and took a left.
She found his office just before a set of red doors. It was blue with the words "H.P. WILSON C.E.O." in big letters. An electricity risk sign covered a large portion of the door. She knocked loudly.
"Wilson, it's Paige," she said, "I've got the lottery money. You in there?"
She tried to open the door. It was locked.
"I can't stay much longer, they're shutting the store in a couple minutes."
Paige realised that this was going nowhere and she flattened the bag as well as she could. She then slid it under the door.
That'll do, she thought. She was about to head back to the lift when a crash filled the corridor. She whipped around.
"Wilson?"
No response. Paige looked at the lift and back towards the red doors. Curiosity got the better of her and she headed towards the sound. She could always get one of the security guards to let her out later.
She pushed open the red doors to darkness. She found the light switch and flipped it. The lights came on one at a time to reveal a storage room. Some old mannequins and crates of stock filled the room with narrow pathways to walk down. Paige slowly took a few steps down a pathway.
"Wilson if that's you can you just shout?"
A loud bang made her jump out of her skin. The red doors had slammed shut behind her. She ran to them and pulled at them. They wouldn't budge. She was trapped.
"Wilson, this isn't funny!" Paige exclaimed. She punched the door in frustration. It didn't help. She walked down the pathway hoping to find another exit.
A creaking sound filled her ears. She looked behind her. A mannequin wearing an open shirt was turning its head to face her. It stiffly stepped forward and began to drag it's barely mobile body towards her.
Paige rolled her eyes. "Very clever Wilson. You got me, well done," she said with a sarcastic tone.
More creaking sounded behind her. More mannequins had "come to life" and were approaching her.
"Who else have you got involved in this?" Paige asked. One mannequin in a suit and tie came closer. "Is that you Derek?"
The suit and tie mannequin reached out. Paige moved away before it could touch her. Another mannequin did the same. Paige stepped backwards, indirectly into another one. She yelled out and tried to push it away. The mannequin barely moved an inch. There was something unnerving about it.
Paige was starting to realise that this wasn't a joke.
She looked around frantically. A dozen mannequins stood between her and the locked red doors. She backed into a wall with a pipe running along it completely surrounded. The one with the open shirt slowly raised its arm above its head. Paige was completely immobilised by fear, she couldn't force her legs to move. She squeezed her eyes shut hoping to wake up from this nightmare.
She felt something grab her arm. She opened her eyes to see a scruffy looking man with blue eyes.
He pulled her into a run. The mannequins arm narrowly avoiding her instead snapping the pipe in two. The man forced open a different set of doors and they ran down a long corridor, the mannequins not far behind. They were able to put a little bit of distance between them but the mannequins were still on their tails.
Finally they came to another lift. They climbed in and the man frantically pushed a button. Before the lift doors could close an arm forced its way in and tried to grab the man. He fought back and grabbed the wrist. He yanked on it a few times before it came off entirely. The mannequin fell back and the doors closed. The arm went still.
Paige took the moment to catch her breath. She studied her rescuer. He was several inches taller than her with a scraggly beard and shoulder length hair. His rugged coat looked as if it hadn't been washed in months. He was wearing black gloves.
"You… you pulled his arm off." she said.
The man simply faced the doors in silence. He barely acknowledged her.
"Who where they?"
The man didn't answer. He just stared towards the lift doors waiting for them to open.
"Who where they?" she repeated, "was it an office prank? Students?"
"No," the man said without turning around.
"Talkative one aren't you," she muttered sarcastically, "fine, if it wasn't any of them, who were they then? And where's Wilson? If he finds out about this he'll call the police."
"Who's Wilson?" he asked without a hint of concern.
"The chief electrician."
"He's dead."
The lift doors opened to the ground floor. The man gently pushed a shocked Paige out and pulled a silver object from his coat pocket. He handed the arm to her and held the object out. It emitted a high pitched beep and glowed a bright red at one end. The lift button went up in sparks making Paige flinch. He walked away down another corridor. Paige followed him.
"You still haven't said what those things were."
The man ignored her.
"I said what are those things?" she asked louder.
"Shop window dummies come to live. Living plastic creatures," he finally said.
"You say that as if it's normal."
"It's not. After all my years here I've never seen anything like it."
"So how are they alive?
"If I'm right then they'll be controlled by a relay device on the roof. That won't last."
Out from his coat pocket he took out a beeping block of metal. It also looked like it was thrown together with whatever spare parts were around. The man came to a stop at a fire exit. He opened the door and pushed Paige out.
"Do me a favour and don't tell anyone about what you saw," the man said, "the last thing I need is someone poking their nose in my business. Have a nice life and goodbye."
He slammed the door shut leaving Paige alone holding a plastic arm in the dark. She tried to make sense of the last three minutes. She gave up and began the journey home. Before she had even left the street it was rocked with a mighty bang. The roof of Henrik's had exploded engulfing the top floor in flames.
Panic spread through Paige's body and she bolted.
...
It took Paige a good twenty minutes to run all the way home. She lived on Camberwell Passage in a terraced house. She burst through the front door and ran straight up to her room, slamming both doors behind her. She collapsed onto her bed and took deep and slow breaths. Her phone began to ring. It was Alex. She answered.
"Paige, are you OK?! Where are you?" he said very quickly.
"I'm fine," was Paige's response.
"Henrik's is on fire, I just heard about it on the radio."
"Alex, I'm home," she said, "I was already outside when the building went up." This was technically true and she hope Alex wouldn't ask any more questions.
"I'm coming round."
"Thank you for your concern Alex but that isn't necessary. I'm fine." Her voice cracked at the end of that sentence. The thought of Wilson lying dead entered her mind. Was his body in his office when she knocked? She broke down.
"I'll be over in ten minutes," said Alex. He hung up.
"You get my smokes love?" her mothers raspy voice called up to her. Her voice was slightly slurred. Even from upstairs Paige could tell she had been drinking.
"No Mum," Paige called, her voice quivering. "I forgot."
"All right then," she heard Nicole mutter to herself. "Stupid girl."
Paige was too upset from the events this evening to be angry at her.
...
Alex arrived five minutes quicker than he said. After a brief and awkward exchange with Nicole he made it to Paige's room. He put his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. Her tears staining his already dirty overalls.
"You're OK," he said softly, "let it all out."
They sat in silence until Paige ran out of tears. She looked up at him. He gave her a small grin and wiped a tear from her face.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Paige shook her head.
"I listened to the radio on my way here," Alex said, "the fire was spreading quickly, the buildings not likely to stand much longer. They reckon it was a gas leak that caused it."
"Right," Paige said weakly. She decided to not mention the man in the rugged coat.
"Do you want me to stay over?"
"No thanks," she said, "I want to be alone for a bit."
Alex nodded his understanding.
"I've got tomorrow off," he said, "if you want to do anything then call me."
He gave her a kiss on the forehead and stood up. His foot made contact with something hard and he looked down. He picked it up.
"What's this for?"
Paige had forgotten all about the arm. Her mind raced to come with something.
"I was on my way to throw it out when the building… you know. I ran home and it slipped my mind that I still had it."
Alex seemed to buy the story.
"Could you throw that away for me?" Paige asked, "chuck it in a skip or something?"
"Sure," he said, "see you later," he said waving the plastic arm in a jokey manner. Paige didn't crack a smile. Alex just nodded and left. She heard him say bye to her mother and then a door opening and closing.
She fell against her pillow. She doubted that she would get much sleep.
...
Alex drove a grey van with the words "A.J.P. Construction" on the sides, after his full name Alex John Phillips. He was a builder by trade and garnered a solid working reputation within the community. Once he was even gifted a lemon cake from an elderly lady, Mrs Richardson, for doing up her yard and he accepted it politely despite hating lemon cake. His parents enjoyed it though.
He knew of a skip around the corner from his house. He rolled down the window and slowed his van. No one was behind him so he wasn't worried about causing a scene. He grabbed the arm, aimed and threw it as he passed the skip. He saw go in and rolled the window up.
He was turning out of the street when a creaking sound began to emit from the skip.
...
Paige drove her gloved fist into her punching bag. She had barely slept at all last night and hadn't yet processed what happened. A workout usually helped her to focus. She had changed into a black sports bra with matching leggings. She practised throwing combinations into the bag, just like Henry had taught her. She had the radio on the news station. They were covering the explosion at Henrik's. They revealed that they had found a body. She switched it off.
She caught a glance of herself in the mirror. She had worked up a minor sweat. The bruise was visible but as Paige wasn't working at the moment she didn't feel the need to cover it up.
She took a glove off and found her phone next to her bed. Henry answered after two rings.
"Hello?" came a tired voice.
"Henry, it's Paige. Did I wake you?"
"No I was awake already," came the answer. It was a lie. "I heard about Henrik's, are you OK?"
"Yeah, I had left when it went."
"That's good. Glad to hear it. As I've got you, can I expect in the usual time tomorrow? I know the fight didn't go the way we hoped but that was just a minor setback. I'll schedule another fight and you'll kick her ass. You up for it?"
"Thanks Henry but I won't be coming to the gym this week," she said, "after the past day I just need some time. Don't bother trying to change my mind, you won't."
"I understand. Take as long as you need. Come round when you're ready, the doors will always be open for you."
"Thanks Henry. I'll try for next week OK?"
"OK Paige."
They exchanged goodbyes. Paige hung up and put the glove back on. She spent another twenty minutes burying her fists into the bag, sweat dripping down her body.
"I'm going to get my smokes love," Nicole shouted, "you know because you couldn't be bothered yesterday."
Paige's punches increased in power.
"Are you even listening?" footsteps thudded up the stairs. The bedroom door flew open, her mother filling the doorway.
"Can you not hear me?" she demanded, "I was calling up. God sweat is not a good look for you."
"I heard you mum," Paige said continuing to hit the bag. "How could I not?" she muttered to herself.
"What did you say?"
Nicole stormed over and spun Paige around to face her.
"Don't you ever talk back to me like that!" she snapped, "you understand?"
Paige didn't answer. She held Nicole's glare.
"I said do you understand?"
Again Paige said nothing. Nicole slapped her. Her face stinging, Paige maintained eye contact.
"Not talking to me now eh?"
She slapped her again. Paige gritted her teeth.
"You really want to hit me don't you? But we both know you won't."
Another slap almost made Paige's knees buckle.
"All that training you do and you won't even defend yourself. No wonder you didn't win."
Slap number four wasn't as hard but still stung like hell.
"You're sister would've hit me, Lord knows she did. She's a real fighter. You can try and copy her all you want but we both know the truth. You're nothing. You'll always be nothing."
One last slap for good measure. This one sent Paige to one knee.
"Pathetic," Nicole said, "see you later love."
Paige did not get up until she heard the front door shut. Ever since Erica left six years ago, she had been forced to bare the brunt of Nicole's wrath. She had been slapped so much that she didn't even cry any more.
She pulled her gloves off and hurled them across the room. She had lost the motivation to continue. She lay down on her bed and tried to catch up on sleep.
The front door opened and closed again. Paige ignored it until she just happened to catch a glance at the clock and froze. Nicole had only left ten minutes ago, there was no way she would be back by now. She always went to the pub whenever she went out.
Someone else was in the house.
Paige quietly crept downstairs she heard movement coming from the living room. She peeked around the corner. The rugged coat was waving the silver object around the room flickering a red light from it. It was giving off a high pitched beep in time with the light. Paige abandoned the stealth and stormed around the corner.
"What the hell are you doing in my house?!"
The man whipped around and looked confused. The beeping stopped.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I live here," Paige answered, "would've been out if someone hadn't blown up my job."
"OK," was his response. He went back waving the silver object around. Paige snatched it from out of his hand. It had a metallic feel to it.
"I need that," he protested, "Give it back!"
He stepped forward. Paige gripped it with both hands.
"I swear to God I will break this," she said, "now, tell me what you are doing here."
Reluctantly the man answered, "I'm looking for something. I picked up a signal and am tracking its source. That device is helping me to do that."
Paige just gave him a look. That answer was too vague.
"I promise you that's all there is. Can I have that back now?"
Paige eyed him up cautiously.
"What are you looking for?" she asked.
"Nothing that concerns you," he said, "now can I ha…"
As fast as a falcon, he snatched the object from Paige's grasp and pushed her back. Paige fell to the floor stunned. The man then just carried on beeping it as if nothing happened.
"Who are you?" she asked as she stood up.
"My name is of no importance to you."
"I disagree with that, you saved my life last night. You owe me at least that."
The man looked at the floor deep in thought. He looked up.
"OK," he said, "you may call me Crinas."
"Is that your real name?"
"That's up to you."
"I'm Paige."
"Nice to meet you Paige. Now can I carry on with my work?" he asked impatiently.
Paige didn't like this man. He firmly moved her out of the way so he could scan the wall behind her.
"What is that thing you're waving about?" she asked.
"It's called a Sonic Screwdriver," Crinas replied without looking at her. "It has a variety of uses, none of which I will explain to you."
Paige frowned at him. Crinas didn't seem bothered. She turned to head into the kitchen.
"Nice back."
Paige poked her head round the door. "Sorry?"
"You have a nice back," Crinas said, "you must have worked very hard for it."
Paige remembered she was wearing a sports bra. It was one that showed off a lot of her back. She liked to showcase her body as she worked out at the gym, it made her feel validated when she was complimented on it.
"Thank you," she said. She re-entered the kitchen and put the kettle on. A cup of tea was what she needed. "I think we should go to the police. Both of us. I'm not blaming you for what happened, whatever it was. It said on the news that they found a body, I know that had to be Wilson. He didn't deserve that, he was a nice bloke. Anyway, if we are going to the police then I want you to explain everything so I know what I'm saying."
"Have you got a cat?" Crinas called.
Paige frowned in confusion, "no, our neighbours gets in every so often. Why?"
No response.
Paige returned to the living room. Crinas was writhing around the floor with a plastic arm wrapped around his throat, the silver object by his side. Paige rolled her eyes, she had not noticed that Crinas's face had turned red.
"I told Alex to throw that out. Honestly."
Crinas threw the arm into the air. It hovered for a split second and grasped Paige's throat. She could feel the air being cut off from her lungs. She tried to pry it off but the grip was to strong.
Crinas jumped up and grabbed hold of the arm. Together they pulled and pulled but it wouldn't let go. Crinas pulled a little too hard and the two of them fell through the glass coffee table shattering it. Crinas reached for the Sonic Screwdriver and beeped it. It was enough to force the arm to let go of Paige but it was still fighting. Crinas made the object beep many times in bursts before settling on a long high pitched one. He rested it on the palm and the arm went still.
After Paige stopped coughing she sat up. "Is it…?"
"Dead? Yes. I believe I've cut off the signal controlling it. It's harmless."
He studied the arm intently. Satisfied it was no longer a threat he looked at her.
"Nice seeing you again Paige. I'll be off now."
He got up, arm in hand, and left.
"Like hell." Paige shot up, grabbed a coat and followed him. She caught up to him twenty metres from her house.
"Where do you think you're going?" she demanded.
Crinas ignored her. Not this again, she thought.
"You have to tell me what's going on!"
Crinas kept walking. Paige ran in front of him blocking his path.
"If you don't talk to me, I'll start telling everyone about you. You said you didn't want people in your business. Your choice."
"No you won't."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because if you do, you'll have to explain how you know of me. Especially if you do go to the police. What do you think will happen when they realise you were still at Henrik's that night?"
Paige thought about it for a moment and her eyes widened. The police would come to the conclusion that she had helped to cause the explosion.
"But they would get you as well."
"Don't be so sure of that. That store only had a handful of CCTV cameras and they "conveniently" went offline not long before I entered the building. And they won't be able to look through them now will they?"
Paige scrambled her mind. "You left fingerprints! I saw you press the buttons in the lift!"
"Gloves."
Paige cursed herself.
"Now if you're finished." Crinas walked around her and carried on. Paige continued to follow him.
"At least tell me why that came for me," she said pointed at the plastic arm.
"Accident. After you almost ruined my plan last night I picked up a faint signal. I assumed it was the arm. I began to track it and it began to track me. It only attacked you because you crossed paths with me."
"So this whole thing is about you?"
"Not intentionally."
"All this plastic stuff. Who else knows about it?"
Crinas took a corner so fast that Paige almost lost him. "I said who else knows about this?"
"I've answered enough questions Paige. Please go home."
"No chance! Tell me what's hap…"
Paige realised that this was going nowhere. So she grabbed Crinas's arm tightly, digging her fingernails into his flesh.
"I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell me the truth."
Crinas didn't look impressed.
"Please," Paige begged, "please tell me."
Crinas looked into her green eyes. Sadness and longing filled them. He caved.
"All right," he said annoyed with himself, "let me go and I'll tell you."
Paige released her grip.
"There's a war coming."
"Shop window dummies have declared war?" Paige laughed, "on who? Our luxury department stores?"
"Not exactly. They want to destroy the human race and take over the planet."
Paige shook her head in disbelief. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. What's next? That their secretly aliens?"
"You don't believe me?" Crinas asked.
"Of course not!"
"So why are you still following me?"
Paige stopped in her tracks. Crinas kept walking. "One more question Crinas. Who are you?"
"I've told you that."
"No I mean who are you?
Crinas stopped. "Just a Samaritan trying to help out when and wherever he can."
Paige didn't buy it.
"I understand that this is very confusing for you Paige. But, please, just go home. You'll be better off that way."
And with that Crinas turned and walked away. Paige watched him until he became a small dot. She picked up the pace and continued to follow him.
She tailed Crinas for nearly half an hour until he came to a stop at a small junk yard. He entered, disappearing from Paige's line of sight. She ran to the entrance and looked inside. But all she could see was piles and piles of garbage surrounding an old police box. Crinas was no where to be seen. She looked around the junk yard. There was no other place to hide.
She approached the blue box. She tried the handle but it was locked. A voice could be heard from within. She pressed her ear against the door. All she was able to hear were a few words.
"Please. Haven't I done enough? Hang on…"
No more words were spoken. Paige decided to head back home. She could feel passers-by staring at her face.
...
When Paige returned home her mind recalled the coffee table. She inspected the damage, it was beyond repair. She tore her gaze away from it and forced herself to focus.
Crinas said there was a war coming. He didn't say when but Paige guessed that it was soon. She had a feeling that he was telling the truth, his story was too bizarre to have made up.
She then had a thought. Supposing the plastic decided to come for her again. One of their own was killed, was that the right word?, in her home. They could send another one to finish her off and without Crinas she likely would be dead.
She couldn't stay here.
Paige ran upstairs and pushed her bedroom door open. She found her phone lying on her bed. She picked it up and dialled the one name she could rely on for something like this.
"Hey Alex, are you home?"
...
Alex lived in a small apartment building with his parents Simon and Bridget. They were good people but they always thought that Alex could do a lot better than Paige, they didn't like the idea of him dating a girl who, in their words, liked to get beaten up for a living.
Unlike Paige's bedroom, Alex's was actually clean. His clothes were hung up very neatly in his cupboard and his shelves were filled with books about construction with seventeen DVD's of comedy and action movies. Paige had stayed the night on several occasions and they had always enjoyed a movie night together. She was on the bed and Alex was walking back and forth. Paige had taken the liberty to hid her bruise with more concealer and had changed out of her gym clothes into more casual attire. A black top with a red skirt and leggings.
"Can I use your computer?" Paige asked, "now that I'm not going to be paid now I need to find another job."
"Yeah go on ahead."
Paige thanked him and powered it up. She decided not to tell Alex about her mother. It was best not to get him involved, she thought. After waiting impatiently for everything to load she got onto the internet and found the Indeed website. She scrolled through the local job listings to see if anything jumped out. She felt Alex watching her.
"You don't have to watch me Alex," she said, "you can do whatever."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Do something fun."
"I do need to go down to the shop," Alex said half to himself, "you want anything?"
"I'm good thanks babe."
Alex left. As soon as Paige heard the front door open and shut she opened a new tab. She wanted to keep Alex out of the loop as much as possible. In Google she typed "Crinas". The top search result was a Wikipedia page of Crinas of Marseilles, a Roman physician to Emperor Nero. Somehow she doubted that was useful.
She tried "Crinas living plastic". Nothing even remotely relevant to plastic or Crinas came up.
Paige pondered. Think you idiot! she thought. She tried to remember if Crinas said anything that could be helpful but nothing was coming to mind.
Instinctively she tried "Crinas war" and got nothing useful. She blew a raspberry in frustration. "Crinas Sonic Screwdriver" got her no where as well.
Paige was running out of things to search for. She couldn't think of anything else. Crinas had not said anything else. She was lost. She almost let out a cry but didn't want to attract the attention of Alex's parents who were watching television in the other room.
The blue box.
She quickly typed "Crinas blue box" and in her haste put blie instead of blue. After correcting it she pressed enter.
The first search result was a blurry image of a solitary man in a crowd. But even through the blur, Paige recognised him as the man who had saved her life. There was no mistaking him.
Above the image were the words "Have you seen this man?" and underneath were "Contact Clive" followed by an email and phone number. She wrote them both down and switched off the computer.
...
After a surprisingly friendly phone conversation, Paige had arranged to come over to Clive's home to discuss Crinas in detail. They agreed for her to come at four o'clock. She had convinced Alex to give her a lift to his home. She told him that she had become fascinated with the Crinas conspiracy theory and wanted to learn more about it. It took a long time to convince him to drive her there but eventually he gave up and agreed.
"How do we know this guy isn't a murderer?" Alex asked as they pulled up to his house. Clive also lived on a terraced street. Wheelie bins filled the street. "That he hasn't got bodies buried in the yard?"
"He has a wife and kids," Paige answered defensively.
"That still doesn't answer my question," Alex protested, "I'm going in with you."
"No you're not," Paige protested, "you're staying out here. I don't want to scare him."
"Like hell I am! I don't like the idea of you going in by yourself."
"I can look after myself," Paige said, "if I don't text you in fifteen minutes you can kick the door down guns blazing. OK?"
Alex didn't like the idea. But he could tell he wasn't going to win this.
"OK."
Paige gave him a quick kiss. "My hero. See you in a bit."
She got out of his van and approached the house. She double checked to make sure she had it right before knocking. A young pre-teen boy answered.
"Hi, I'm looking for Clive."
The boy turned and walked away.
"Dad!" he called, "it's one of your nutters!" He walked away shaking his head. Paige resisted the urge to smack him upside the head. She didn't like to be insulted.
A large-ish man came up to her.
"Sorry about that. Hello," he said offering his hand. Paige shook it. "You must be Paige."
"That's right. I should tell you, before I forget, that my boyfriends waiting in the van. You know, in case you try to kill me," she joked.
"Oh you don't need to worry about that," he laughed. "No criminals here."
They both shared a laugh. Clive gave Alex a friendly wave which was answered with a piercing glare.
"Who's is it?" a woman's voice called from upstairs.
"Oh, it's something to do with Crinas," Clive called, "this young lady has been reading the website. Come in," he said to Paige, "my office is the shed in the backyard."
...
The shed made Paige's bedroom look neat by comparison. One wall was devoted to thick folders. Clive took one out and laid it on an old table.
"A lot of this stuff is quite sensitive," he said, "I couldn't just send it to you. People might intercept if you know what I mean."
Paige just nodded. Clive seemed a bit paranoid but otherwise OK.
"If you dig deep enough," he said as he opened the folder, "and keep a lively mind, Crinas keeps popping up all over the place. Political diaries, conspiracy theories, even ghost stories. No last name, just Crinas. Always Crinas. And the name seems to be passed down from father to son, it appears to be an inheritance. That's him there."
Behind them, a laptop displayed the same image that Paige saw on Clive's website. She nodded in agreement.
"I tracked it down to the Washington Public Archives just last year. The online photos enhanced but if we look at the original."
Clive took a trio of photographs from the folder. Each one was more zoomed out than the previous. Crinas was circled in red on the first one. It revealed Crinas helping a small child through a crowd. The dominating part of the image was a tank with soldiers atop it.
"April the 30th nineteen seventy five, the Fall of Saigon. See?"
"It could be his dad," Paige commented unsure of what to make of it.
"Going further back. May nineteen forty," Clive got another set of photographs from a different folder. "This is a photograph of the Bourrasque ship."
The image showed a battleship slowly sinking beneath the waves.
"It was sunk during Operation Dynamo, the Dunkirk evacuation," Clive explained, "have a look there."
He pointed to the third image, it was zoomed in. One of the soldiers bore a remarkable resemblance to Crinas. He was preventing a soldier from falling into the water.
Must be his grandfather, Paige thought.
"And here," Clive said presenting a single image to Paige, "is Florence Nightingale."
It was an old drawing of Florence Nightingale and her staff nursing a PA. Inside a bright red circle was a man with piercing eyes standing several feet from Nightingale herself, tending to another man in the background.
"Eighteen fifty four," Clive said, "Florence Nightingale's first winter at Scutari. Many soldiers admitted to Selimiye Barracks spoke of only one man who served alongside the nurses there. It's also where the very first mention of the name Crinas originated. It's the same lineage, it's identical. This was found within Florence's works and letters when she died. Crinas is a legend woven throughout history. When war comes, he's there. He brings a storm in his wake and he has one constant companion."
"Who's that?" Paige asked.
After a long pause, Clive uttered one single word.
"Death."
...
Outside, Alex was still waiting in his van. He checked his watch, only five minutes to go until Paige said he could go in. He looked behind him, no traffic was coming.
He faced forward and just caught a glimpse of a wheelie bin moving towards his van.
...
"If Crinas is here, if you've seen him Paige," Clive said making deep eye contact. He was saying this all without the upmost seriousness. "Then one things for certain, we're all in danger."
...
Alex positioned his head to get a better look. It was probably just some kids mucking about, he thought. But he couldn't see anyone behind the bin.
It jerked forward making him jump.
He got out of his van and approached the bin. He checked behind again just to make sure. There was still no one there.
Alex stood in front of it. He placed both hands on the lid and whipped it open.
"Got you!" he cried.
It was empty.
...
"If he singles you out," Clive continued, "then he's making house calls now. Then God help you."
Paige stared at him blankly.
...
Alex shut the lid. He tried to move away but his hands were pulled back. He lifted them again. The plastic was stuck to his hands and it was pulling them back to the lid.
With all his might, Alex pulled himself away from the bin. But the plastic would not let him go. He looked back and instantly regretted it.
The bin was moving. Actually bending its shape, almost like it was a living creature. But it was the noises that concerned Alex. The bin sounded like it was snarling.
It tried pulling him back but Alex held his ground. He made it a few more steps towards his van.
Suddenly. he was thrown into the air backwards. The last thing he saw before everything went black was the approaching bottom of a wheelie bin.
...
"But who is he?" Paige asked, "who do you think he is?"
"I think he's the same man," Clive answered, "I think he's immortal."
He lent on the table and then said without a hint of sarcasm.
"I thinks he's an alien from another world."
It was at this point that Paige decided to call it a day.
...
"He was barking mad," Paige said as she approached Alex's van, "genuinely mental."
She got in and did her seatbelt. She gave Alex a peck on the cheek. "You win babe. Do you want to go out for tea instead of cooking? We could try that new Chinese place? Actually scratch that, I don't want to try something new right now. Can we just get a pizza?"
"Pizza! P-P-P-Pizza!"
Alex slammed his foot on the accelerator and car shot down the street narrowly avoiding other wheelie bins and parked cars.
...
It was a quiet evening at the restaurant. There were only four or five people in when Paige and Alex found a table. It was covered with a smooth blue sheet and was topped with posh glasses and cutlery. It all seemed expensive but, like all the places they liked, it was affordable. They ordered and Paige engaged in a one-sided conversation with Alex grinning blankly at her.
"Do you think I could try the job at the hospital?" Paige asked, "I saw that they need to fill a lot of spaces in the canteen. Could that be it? Serving chips? I could go to college, get a degree in something. But my boxing though. I don't think I could keep that up while studying. That's probably for the best. What do you think I should do?"
"So where did you meet this Crinas?" Alex asked firmly. The grin quickly returned when he stopped speaking.
Paige looked at him annoyed. "Is my talking of my sad life to boring for you?"
"Cause I reckon it all started back at the shop am I right?" he continued with no acknowledgement of what she had said. "Was he something to do with that?"
"No." Paige was starting to get uncomfortable,
"Come on," he said twisting his head slightly to the right. The grin was still plastered on his face.
"In a way," Paige said.
"What was he doing there?"
"I'm not talking about it any more Alex," she snapped. A couple of other customers turned to look before returning to their meal. "I know this sounds mental but I think he's dangerous."
"But you can trust me sweetheart-babe-darling-sugar-babe-sugar."
"Are you OK Alex?" Paige asked with genuine worry. "Please tell me you're not having a stroke."
Alex kept giving that wide grin. "Of course I'm all right. But enough about me. You can tell me anything." Alex placed his hand on Paige's.
"Tell me about Crinas and what he's planning and I can help you Paige. Cause that's all I really want to do sweetheart-sugar-babe-babe-babe-sugar-sweetheart."
Alex's grip tightened. Paige winced.
"Alex you're hurting me."
"Where's Crinas?" he demanded. His eyes full with fury.
Paige looked into them with terror. This wasn't Alex, he never would do this.
"Is everything all right?" a waiter asked.
"Yes thank you," Paige said quickly without looking up. "What have you done to Alex?"
"I need to find out how much he knows so where is Crinas?" "Alex" demanded.
"Sir I think you should let go of this young lady now," the waiter said.
Alex started to look up. "Look, you should mind your ow…" He stopped.
Standing over the pair of them was a man in a rugged coat. Crinas. Paige let out a small gasp.
"Ah, gotcha," Alex said calmly.
"I'll say this one more time," Crinas said softly. People were starting to look over. "Let her go right now."
"With pleasure." Alex rose up and his hands transformed into blocks. He slammed one down onto the table shattering glasses and scattering knifes and forks.
Crinas leapt on him in an instant. He got Alex in a headlock and started pulling. His head flew off after a few tugs. The body went through a nearby table. The other patrons looked on in horror. Crinas looked at the decapitated head he now held.
"Don't think that's gonna stop me," the head said.
With that the other patrons screamed. The headless body jerked back to life and started smashing his hands down on anything it could reach.
On instinct Paige smacked a nearby fire alarm. "Everyone run!" she shouted over the piercing alarms.
The other patrons fled to the exit. The body almost hit an elderly man but Paige pushed him towards the door out of the way. She spotted Crinas fleeing towards the back of the restaurant, head in tow. She followed him leaving the body to continue its rampage.
"Get out now!" Crinas shouted as they passed through the kitchen. Some of the workers were still present. He risked a look behind him. The body was running awkwardly towards him and Paige at a frightening pace. He grabbed Paige by the hand and ran towards the nearest fire exit dragging her along.
They burst through the fire door and entered the night. Crinas slammed it shut just as the body was almost on top of them. Crinas kept pressure on the door as he fumbled around his pocket. On the other side the body was slamming its hands into the door trying to break it off its hinges. Crinas pulled out the Sonic Screwdriver and beeped it at the lock. After what sounded like a lock being put in place he grabbed Paige's arm.
"That won't hold him for long. Come with me. You're no longer safe."
...
After a minute of running, Crinas and Paige found themselves back at the junk yard. Crinas checked behind them, the body had not caught up with them. Satisfied that they were at a safe distance, Crinas slowed to a casual walk. He took out an ordinary key and inserted it into the blue box Paige saw earlier that day.
"Follow me," he said. He unlocked the door and headed inside.
Paige looked around. The body of Alex was nowhere to be seen but that didn't mean that it wasn't there.
"No offence," she called, "but if that thing attacks us again, I don't think a wooden box is going to be much help!"
Crinas offered no retort. Anger boiled up inside Paige and she shoved the doors open. She was fed up of this game.
"Look, whatever is go…"
Her words evaporated from her mind. Her anger was replaced by shock. She stumbled back outside. She studied every inch of box. About ten feet tall and five feet in width each side with a matching depth. Impossible.
She re-entered the box. Inside was a large room with what looked like a console in the centre, a large cylinder jutted out from its centre which provided the only light source. An additional row of buttons and levers were situated behind it. Paige noticed an upper balcony around the console area with a single staircase leading up to it. A doorway situated itself at the end, leading to God-knows where. Another staircase on the right led downwards. The entire room felt barren.
"Don't worry," Crinas said without looking at her. "This TARDIS survived hordes of Vikings and the Blitz. Trust me, now could you please be quiet I need to work."
TARDIS? Paige sat down against the door. She spotted some diagrams and a swarm of words drawn on the floor not far from where she was. She made out the words "plastic" and "alien". This couldn't be real. Crinas stepped over and shut the door. He returned to the console.
"Oh you're perfect," he said to the now motionless head of Alex.
Paige looked up at him. "What are you on about? Where's Alex?"
"The arm didn't give me anything to work with," Crinas said, "but with a head, I can track down the source of all this."
He attached several wires to the head. He stepped away and looked down at Paige. She wasn't understanding any of this.
"I suppose you have questions?"
"Where is Alex?" Paige asked struggling to hold it together. "Is he dead?" she added with a strained voice.
"Is he…?" Crinas asked in a confused manner.
"The guy whose head you pulled off? Yes!" Paige snapped angrily. She wiped the tears from her face. "Where is he?"
"I don't know. But I promise you Paige, I will try and find him."
Paige simply nodded. "I'll hold you to that." She composed herself. "The inside is bigger than the outside. How?"
"Design choice," Crinas said. "This," he held his arms out, "is a TARDIS. Spelt like it sounds, it stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space."
"It's alien?"
Crinas nodded.
"Does that mean you're…?"
Crinas nodded again.
"Why does it look like a police box?"
"If I'm right then it's a disguise of some sorts," Crinas said, "this ship can change it's appearance depending on where it landed so it could blend in. However the circuit that controlled that function was broken when I…" Crinas trailed off momentarily but quickly spoke up again, "acquired this ship and I haven't been able to repair it."
"This is a ship?"
"Barely. It hasn't flown anywhere in years."
Paige was at a lost for words.
After a brief silence he spoke. "If that's all I'll get back to… No!"
Paige looked around him. Alex's head was melting, the liquid plastic dripping onto the floor.
"What's happening? What are you doing?"
"Trying to follow the signal," he rapidly pressed multiple buttons. A monitor flickered to life and he studied it for a moment. "Got it!" He pressed and pulled a series of buttons and levers. Nothing happened.
"Damn it!" he shouted into the air. "Just this once," he pleaded, "help me."
Again, nothing.
Before Paige could question what was happening, Crinas slammed his hand onto the console in frustration. He pulled a switch and some more buttons. A glass vial filled with a dark blue liquid rose from the console. He grabbed it and ran out of the TARDIS. Confused Paige followed him.
"What's happening?" she cried. "Where are you going?"
Crinas found a car parked along the road. One beep from the Sonic and it unlocked and Crinas swung open the drivers seat door. "Go back to the TARDIS," he called over.
"Are you stealing a car?" Paige asked.
"Don't have much of a choice," Crinas said putting two wires together. The car roared to life.
"What about the headless body? Won't that find us?"
"It'll have melted with the head," Crinas said, "now go back."
Paige opened the passengers side and got in. "I'm not letting you out of my sight," she said, "not until I get Alex."
Crinas nodded. He didn't have time to argue. He slammed down the accelerator and the car sped forward. He'd worry about the consequences later.
"Where are we going?" Paige asked.
"The transmitter," Crinas said.
"Need a bit more info than that," Paige said.
"Remember our last meeting? You said that they were aliens."
"I wasn't serious about that!"
"Turns out you were right. I came to the conclusion that if they were aliens then the TARDIS would have the knowledge stored in its memory. So as an experiment, I hacked the memory banks and found what I needed."
"You hacked your own ship?"
"Long story short," Crinas said ignoring her, "these dummies have been here before. Back in the seventies there was an incident, the government covered it up, the usual. I tried to find more information about it and the aliens but I was blocked. But I did get enough to know I had to synthesise this."
He held up the vial.
"Anti plastic," he continued, "if I'm right then this should be enough to take down the creature in charge."
Paige had so many questions. But she doubted she would get many answers so she remained quiet.
...
Ten minutes and several angry car horns later, Crinas and Paige pulled over on Westminster Bridge. Crinas jumped out of the car and and looked around before headed off, beeping the Sonic Screwdriver as he went. Paige climbed out after him.
"What are you looking for?" she asked.
"The source of the signal," Crinas answered. "Stay with the car."
"This living plastic," Paige said following him. It still sounded strange to her. "What has it got against us?"
"Nothing personal," he continued, "Its just you have a nice, big planet full of toxins and the sort, and it wants it for itself."
"Why?"
"That's what I'm hoping to find out," Crinas said. "It's controlling every piece of plastic in this city, so to broadcast the signal throughout London, whoever this is will need a large metal dish for a transmitter. Circular shaped would be best."
"Where in London is it going to find that?" Paige asked.
"Use your brain Paige. Where are we?"
Paige glared at Crinas before looking around. In the distance she saw a giant observation wheel dominating the skyline.
The London Eye.
Her face revealed her understanding.
"Well done," Crinas said. "Now hurry."
The two of them ran along the rest of the bridge and up the riverbank. They approached the Eye, it loomed above them as they got closer. Crinas ducked away from a large group of people and slipped towards the Eye with Paige following suit. Crinas looked up at the Eye and froze.
"Damn it!" Crinas said to himself.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Paige asked.
"I miscalculated, this transmitter won't just control the plastic in the city. It'll take control of it all over the world."
"So that means…"
"The world will come to an end," Crinas interrupted, "by the hands of dummies and telephone wires. We need to find somewhere that would make a good hiding place in this area. Maybe underground?"
"Do you actually know what you're doing?" Paige asked.
"I'll let you be the judge of that. Look around for a hatch."
They split up. After a while Paige called him over. She had spotted a hatch at the bottom of some stairs by the waterfront. They approached the hatch and Crinas turned the valve. It opened revealing a ladder, the room below glowed a sinister red.
"Paige," he said quietly, "this is your last chance to get to safety. I would advise that you take it."
He held a finger to his lips, signalling to her to keep her voice down. He didn't want whatever was down there to hear them.
"Fat chance," Paige whispered. No other words were needed.
"If it comes to it," Crinas said, "I want to try and convince this creature to leave peacefully. If, however, it refuses then one of us will have to use this."
He held up the vial. With a moment to psych himself up, he began the descent into the danger.
...
Below was a hallway filled with chains and pipes. Crinas headed to the end and pushed open a heavy door. It revealed a cavernous room, at its depth was a giant vat with lava inside. It would take many flights of steps to reach it.
"That's it," Crinas said pointing at the vat, "that's who's controlling the plastic."
"A vat of lava is going to take over the world?" Paige asked confused.
"It's not lava, it's a being of molten plastic."
Crinas went down some steps and stopped halfway. He looked down at the creature.
"To whom am I speaking to?" he demanded.
The vat roared and shifted its shape. Paige made out a face in the vat.
"The Nestene Consciousness?" Crinas asked in confirmation.
The vat roared again.
"I only wish to talk," Crinas said, "Under peaceful contract, I seek an audience with you. According to convention fifteen of the Shadow Proclamation."
Paige wasn't following any of it. Shadow Proclamation?
Another roar signalled for Crinas to approach. He gave his thanks and began to make his way down to the vat.
Movement caught Paige's eye. She turned and saw some curly ginger hair poking above the guardrail.
Alex!
She ran towards him, passing Crinas and embraced him. She could feel Alex trembling with fear.
"You're OK," Paige said, "you're safe now. Crinas they kept him alive!"
"Probably to help maintain the copy," Crinas said as he passed. "I must look more into their technology it's fascinating," he muttered. He barely acknowledged Alex.
"Paige," Alex whimpered, "that thing down there it can talk! We need to get out of here now!"
Paige agreed and helped him up. They slowly made their way back up.
"To my understanding, you have infiltrated this civilisation by means of warped, shunt technology," Crinas said, "so with all due respect, I believe the expression goes "shunt off".
The Nestene reared whatever could be called its head angrily.
"You invaded this world, you don't get to go on about Constitutional Rights!"
Another roar.
"I've lived amongst these people and they've only just learned how to walk," Crinas said, "but I believe that they're capable of so much more. So, first and final warning," he said with underlining threat, "leave this world and never come back!"
"Crinas!" Paige shouted.
Two mannequins had grabbed Crinas from behind and held him down. As much as he tried, he could not break free from their grip. One of them reached into his coat pocket and retrieved the vial. It then stepped back letting its cohort hold Crinas back. The Nestene roared.
"That was only in case you wouldn't go peacefully," Crinas said.
It roared again.
"I'm not the enemy here, I promise you," Crinas pleaded. Another roar. "What?"
A door slide open behind him, it was the TARDIS. Somehow they had gotten their hands on the ship. The Nestene roared again.
"Yes it's my ship," Crinas answered, "but it hasn't worked in years. It's useless…" He was interrupted by another roar from the Nestene.
"I'm telling the truth! It doesn't function any more."
Another roar.
"Yes," he said sadly, "I am. I was there and I ran. I could've helped to save your world and I didn't. I'm sorry."
The Nestene swung it's head back and forth.
"What's happening?" Paige shouted.
"It's frightened of the superior technology of the TARDIS! It's activating the transmitter!"
A shot of lightning erupted from the Nestene covering it in electricity and shot its way through the ceiling.
Crinas slumped his head. "It's over, the invasions started."
...
In the middle of a shopping centre, Clive and his family were just going round doing a bit of late night shopping. Clive was rambling on about a spreadsheet but his wife wasn't paying much attention.
She almost let out a scream. The mannequins in the shop window were moving their arms in a robotic manner.
"Goodness," she cried clutching her chest, "I nearly had a heart attack. It's just the dummies."
They stood and admired the moving dummies. It must be a new way to attract customers. Even the ones in the shoe shop across the centre were gathering a small crowd. Everyone was in awe.
The feeling changed to horror when the mannequin closest to Clive's children smashed through the glass. Clive stepped in front to protect them. Across the centre, and the world, shop window dummies had sprung to life. Even child size dummies wondered out of a kids store.
"It's true," Clive said, "everything I read, all the stories. It's all true."
A mannequin turned to him and raised it's hand. It's conjoined fingers dropped revealing a hidden holster.
Before Clive could react, it opened fired. He fell dead in front of his family. His wife screamed and the remaining shoppers tried to flee for their lives as they were gunned down.
...
"Paige, take your boyfriend and run!" Crinas shouted at them, "just get out!"
Rubble fell from the ceiling and crashed down at the top of the stairs. There was no way out. They were trapped.
Wait.
Paige dragged Alex to the TARDIS and pulled at the handles. It was locked.
"Damn, we need the key!" Paige cried.
"We're gonna die!" Alex cried.
...
Nicole stumbled her way through the dark streets of London after being thrown out of the pub. She hiccupped constantly as she nearly fell over. She kept her balance and pressed onwards. She didn't know where she was going only that it would be a good time when she got there.
Someone running in the opposite direction as her, collided with her. He got up quickly and bolted.
"Prick!" Nicole slurred as she slowly got up again. In the distance she saw more people screaming and running. The sounds of gunfire echoed behind them. The shooters walked in a rigid motion.
Great, Nicole thought. A bunch of cripples have decided to start a riot.
A woman fell face down on the ground. She didn't move a muscle. Nicole stepped on her hand as she staggered towards a wall. She leant towards it for balance and vomited most of her stomach contents out and onto the pavement. She wiped her mouth and came face to face with one of the "rioters". For some reason she was wearing a wedding dress.
"You don't scare me you bitch," she slurred aggressively, "I could take any one of you twats."
She drunkenly swung at air. She lost her balance and fell against the wall. She slumped to the ground and looked up. The rioter looked more plastic up close. Must have had some work done.
The rioters fingers dropped down. Then everything went black.
...
Crinas continued to struggle against the mannequin. He couldn't break free.
Paige looked around frantically, hoping to spot another way out. There wasn't one. She looked at the mannequins in turn and she knew what she had to do.
"Stay here," she whispered to Alex.
She climbed over the railing and positioned herself. She inhaled and exhaled to calm her nerves and leapt off. She collided with the mannequin on Crinas's right and it tumbled into the Nestene's molten mass.
Crinas was finally able to free himself and grappled with the remaining mannequin. Paige recovered and went for the vial of anti plastic. She couldn't get a good hold of it and it shoved her towards the edge. Paige went over but was able to catch hold of the ledge. She pulled herself up and grabbed the mannequin from behind. She gritted her teeth and pulled it towards the ledge.
Crinas helped her. The mannequin's fingers had dropped and it was trying to take aim. Crinas grabbed the arm and forced it to aim upwards. It fired a couple of shots narrowly missing the TARDIS and Alex.
With one last heave Crinas and Paige forced the mannequin over the ledge. It smacked it's head on the side of the vat and fell to the ground.
But the anti plastic it was holding landed on the Nestene. It soaked into it and the creature roared in agony.
Explosions rocked the area. A piece of pipework fell to the ground next to Paige.
"Get to the TARDIS!" Crinas shouted.
The two of them ran like hell up the stairs and to the TARDIS. Crinas jammed the key into the lock and it opened. Paige dragged Alex inside after her and slammed the door. There was no time to explain the interior.
Crinas pressed several buttons but the console would not respond. The TARDIS shook from the explosions outside and Paige was almost thrown to the lower floor.
"Come on!" Crinas cried, "Work!"
Nothing. Another explosion rocked the TARDIS, sparks flew from the console.
"Punish me all you want afterwards," Crinas pleaded, "but just get these two to safety. They have nothing to do with this."
Another explosion and more sparks.
"Please."
The console whirred to life and the large cylinder began to go up and down. A loud whirring echoed the room and it shook but not in a life threatening way. A few moments later the shaking stopped and the whirring died down.
Crinas breathed a sigh of relief. "Its over," he said to his passengers, "you can go outside now."
...
Nicole was stirred out of her drunken slumber by the noises of a crowd. Around her, people were investigated an army of mannequins lying on the ground all over the place. She looked to her left. A mannequin in a wedding dress was lying on its back, it's arm pointed to the sky. It's fingers were hanging looses from the rest of its hand.
Nicole struggled to her feet. She must have chanced upon a rave of some kind.
Damn druggies, she though. She kicked the mannequin and headed home, swaying as she went. She didn't even notice the scorch mark a couple on centimetres from her head.
...
Alex burst out of the TARDIS in a state of panic. He tripped and fell on his face.
Paige ran up to him and held him close. She gave him a comforting kiss on the forehead. She could feel his panting breath against her neck and she held him tighter.
She looked around. They were back in the junk yard. She could make out mannequins laid out across the ground past the entrance. It was over, she thought. They won.
She saw that Crinas was looking at them from the TARDIS, his head poking out from behind the door. He gave Paige a small nod of appreciation before his head disappeared back inside. But Paige knew what that meant.
"Stay here a sec," she whispered to Alex. She ran to the TARDIS and opened the door.
Crinas was wiping away his workings out on the floor. He looked up surprised.
"That's it then?" she asked. "You saved the day and now that the ships working again you're pissing off?"
"I won't be staying in London if that's you mean," Crinas said, "after today it won't be a good idea for me to hang about."
"Where will you go?"
"Some place dark and dangerous. It's the least I deserve."
"What?"
"I'm not going to get into it," Crinas said, "please go."
"No, you're not going to play that game again. I want to know everything about this!" She stretched her arms out. "How is this ship bigger on the inside? Why a police box? And who are you? And I mean who are you really?"
"It's not worth your time," Crinas said, "even if I tried to explain it, you wouldn't understand anyway. Now can you please…"
Paige stormed to the console. "I want you to tell me."
"I'm not going to tell you. Now leave or I will make you."
Paige stayed put. She crossed her arms and leant against the console.
"Not until you explain everything."
"You really want to keep your boyfriend waiting?" Crinas asked. "Look, just go please."
Paige didn't budge.
"God you're being such a brat. Fine, you made me do this." He stepped towards her and grabbed her by the arms. Not tight enough that he would hurt her but strong enough that she wouldn't be able to break free.
"Get off me!" she shouted. She kicked her legs out trying to free herself. Crinas struggled but he held on. He was in no danger.
At least until one of kicks caught a lever and knocked it backwards.
The TARDIS sprang into action. The door slammed shut and the cylinder began to ascend and descend again.
Crinas let Paige go and ran around the console trying to stop it. None of the controls responded.
Paige tried to open the door. It had locked itself.
"What's happening?!"
"The TARDIS is on auto pilot!" Crinas shouted, "I can't stop it! We're going for a ride! Hold on!"
The TARDIS shook violently around throwing Paige to the ground while Crinas held onto the console. Sparks flew out from all round the console.
...
Back outside Alex was witnessing the impossible. The blue box had begun to appear and disappear repeatedly, emitting a loud whirring sound. He was frozen to the spot as it disappeared entirely.
Paige was still in there.
...
Paige had managed to bring herself back to her feet. Behind her Crinas was pressing any button he could reach desperately hoping for anything to make the shaking stop.
The monitor swung around to him. He took one look at it and his eyes widened.
"We're going to crash! Brace for impact!"