Chapter Five

Yumiko's Ford Sierra pulled into the car park of Lord Tennyson Square & the Doctor, half-closing his eyes from the glare of the shop lights in the increasing gloom, stepped out. Sunset had occurred twenty minutes prior & the various lights from the amenities were growing in strength. The Square was, however, as deserted as it had been that morning. Closing the car door, the Doctor stood for a moment, surveying his surroundings.
In part, he was on the lookout for Eilidh or her friends, but now that night had fallen, he half hoped he would see something suspicious. Seeing nothing, except Fraser loitering outside the mini-supermarket with a cigarette, he began to pace slowly forward toward the Leisure Centre.
With a jolt of surprise, he felt Yumiko's arm hoop around his left as she ducked her head close to his.

"What did you hear in that house?" she whispered.

"Oh nothing, the house just made me a little jittery." he said, watching Freya as she walked ahead of them.

"Rubbish, you were calmest one in there." replied Yumiko.

The Doctor halted in his tracks & looked at the women, his gaze steely.

"I heard distant calls-no, screams for help. I heard people in torment & confusion."

"The Beatties?" asked Yumiko, her voice a whisper.

"Yes." said the Doctor grimly. "You believe me, don't you?"

"Seeing that message & the feeling that house gave me..." Yumiko shivered. "I've always been one for believing the evidence of my eyes, but instinct goes a long way too. I've had a funny feeling since I came back here this morning. But I've got a good feeling about you two, though."

"Don't say anything to Ms Drury, she's a good woman, but she's a little in over her head with all this." whispered the Doctor.

"Who does she work for?"

The Doctor smiled & tapped his nose on the side as they resumed walking towards the centre. Reaching the sliding doors, they saw Freya already in conversation with Valerie & a tall man, presumably the manager, stationed behind the reception desk.

"We want to talk to some of the teens from North Fens Academy, are there any in?" they heard Freya asking.

"Specifically, we're looking for a redheaded girl, a blonde girl with glasses, a horse-faced boy with a cap or a short-haired lad." added the Doctor, leaning on the desk.

"Colourful descriptions." said Valerie. " We've got a couple groups from the secondary school in at the moment. A swimming team, Shinty training, Football practice. The cap wearing boy does sound familiar though..."

"Yes, I banned him last week for kicking the vending machines." said the manager. "But he's got a cunning mind, always manages to sneak back into the centre somehow."

"Wait a moment." said Valerie, suddenly. "The blonde, pretty in a bookish sort of way, I think her name is Hannah...that's right, Hannah Aitken, she comes in for the Shinty training whilst the two boys loiter in the canteen that overlooks the swimming pool, think their names are Reginald & Len. Lecherous pair of buggers. They're always ogling the swimming team & making lewd comments."

"Now, now, Valerie, can't be talking about customers like that, even if they are little prats." said Barrett, reproachfully.

"Where is the Shinty training taking place?" asked the Doctor.

"Gymnasium Two, the smaller one." said the manager. "But you'll have to wait here, can't have non-members wandering about."

The Doctor, about to argue, felt the weight of Freya's foot on his & cringed.

"That's fine, we'll just wait here." she said sweetly.

Barrett gave Freya a smarmy grin as he walked around the reception desk & headed up the spiral stairs to his office. The Doctor retreated to a nearby table, grumbling as he did.

"What was that for?" he asked as Freya & Yumiko took a seat.

"It's pointless to argue with Barrett, it'd have gone in one ear & out the other. If he's not got a good argument to deflect you with, he'll just fall back on rules & regulations to keep you out." replied Freya, resting her cheek on her hand.

"I happen to be very good with hypnotism this Incarnation." said the Doctor. "I could have had him happily guiding us to the gym in his underpants whilst singing "Men of Harlech"."

"You have to have a mind to hypnotise." replied Freya, her voice a mixture of mirth & weariness. "He's just got a book on health & safety up there."

The Doctor swivelled in the seat, leaned over & rested his chin on the handle of his umbrella, resignedly.

"Hmm, yes those types can be hard to mesmerise. I've always wondered if it's because of a lack of personality or if their adherence to health & safety gives them some innate strength of will."

"Pfft, you make it sound like a superpower." said Yumiko.

"A negative one." agreed the Doctor. "How long until the Shinty practice finishes?" he added, calling over to Valerie.

"It started at quarter to four, so it'll be wrapping up at quarter to five...another fifteen minutes." she added, looking at the time on her computer screen.

"Of course." sighed the Doctor. "Anyone like to hear me play the spoons?"

Whilst many a teen filed out of the inner depths of the leisure centre at quarter to five, it was nearly half past five before Hannah Aitken & the two teenage boys appeared in reception. Having regaled Yumiko & Freya, whilst annoying Valerie, with his spoon playing, the Doctor had now taken to breathing on the largest, shiniest spoon & hanging it on the tip of his nose. Seeing them, the Doctor stood up with a jolt & walked over to them, the spoon clattering to the table as he did.

"Hello, I wonder if I could ask you a few questions, I take it you're Reginald?"

"Reg & depends on the questions." said Reginald. "And if you'll tell me where you got that red paisley stuff."

The boy waved his hand in the direction of the Doctor's tie, hatband & handkerchief as he spoke. Lifting his umbrella, the Doctor tapped his lips thoughtfully for a few moments.

"I think it was Stewart Christie & Co...or Moss Bros...It was definitely 1886, I remember that much. Victoria was eager to see how Britain had changed in the 20 years since her time. They were gifts, along with a brown set, from a grateful shop-keep."

The teens gave each other confused looks & seemed to be forming the opinion that the Doctor was mad. Seeing this, Yumiko stepped forward.

"We were wondering about two things. Firstly, have you heard of something called ""Lament""?"

Hannah gave the boys a wary glance & directed her gaze to the floor. The two boys shuffled nervously.

"I see that you do." said the Doctor, smiling guilefully. "We're investigating the disappearances that are happening in this burrough & anything you know could be of immense help."

"Not sure." replied Reginald. "Some people have talked about it, usually the folk who disappeared...before they vanished obviously. We don't have anything to do with drugs...well, except pot, but that's kids stuff compared to the real rubbish folk get themselves into. Anyway, rumour is that if you wander the streets at midnight in North Fens, you'll meet someone who'll offer you Lament."

"At what price?" asked the Doctor, his expression serious.

"Dunno." replied Reginald. "Nobody who's ever gotten it has had the chance to tell us what it is, let alone what you've got to do to get it."

"Then why seek it out at all?"

At this, the teens remained silent. When they spoke, it was Len who spoke.

"It's part o' the myth, that ""It'll open up a new world"" crap. Anyone who's desperate or just plain curious goes looking for something as vague as that. I mean, If I jumped on a electrified railway line, it'd definitely open a new world."

"What about your friend, Eilidh?" asked the Doctor, sharply.

"What about her?" asked Len.

"We think she may be involved in this." said Freya. "We'd like to know where she lives."

"You lot don't look like Bobbies." said Len, doubtfully.

"The best ones never do." replied the Doctor. "I'm also reliably informed that they have funny accents or look like they've been dragged backwards through a hedge."

Behind the little man, Yumiko rolled her eyes & smiled.

"She lives up on the Ludovico Estate, number 40." said Hannah. "But word of warning, her parents are absolute arseholes. Treat her like rubbish & probably will you too."

"If she's treated so bad by her parents, why has no-one done anything?" asked Yumiko.

"They don't hit her, just chip away at her...up here." Hannah tapped the side of her head, a sad look in her eyes. "She doesn't talk about it to teachers anyway. What good would they do?"