Bad Wolf From Space

17. The Child in the Gas Mask

"Room 802."

The Doctor looked at Jack, "The night your space junk landed someone was hurt."

I looked at the solid metal door, "Who were they?"

"Let's see shall we?"

Jack stepped forward, "Step back, I can handle this."

The Doctor looked at the square blaster hole that Jack had made, "Sonic blaster, 51st century. Weapon factory of Villengard."

Jack looked almost eager, "You've been to the factories?"

"Just once."

"Well they are all gone now, all due to the explosion at the factory."

"Like I said once. Now there's a banana grove there. Bananas are good, I like them."

I stepped into the room, my eyes immediately drawn to the illustrations made by what had to be a young child.

It all came back to the boy.

A recording sounded from behind going through questions from a doctor with his patient, a young boy.

I looked at the Doctor, "I've heard that voice before. He was the boy I followed when we got here."

"Mummy?"

The song was loud now echoing in the expanses of mind. It was sad toned but with accelerating melodies as if the notes were anxious.

Tears welled up in my eyes as the Doctor paced.

"Can't you feel it?"

"Feel what?" Jack looked lost.

I looked down at the tape player not computing what I was seeing.

"Mummy, are you there?"

As the Doctor continued his tirade, I stared at the tape recorder.

"Um, Doctor?"

"I'm here." The boy's voice came again.

"It's got such a massive amount of power and I just sent him to his room." The Doctor stopped.

"I'm here. Can't you see me?"

"Doctor, behind you." Jack caught my arm as I went to grab the Doctor.

The Doctor turned around to find the boy on the other side of the room.

The boy's gas masked head shifted toward me, head tilting to the side and I could feel his honest inquiry.

"Are you my mummy?"

Jack spoke up beside me, "On my signal, head for the door."

I looked at the boy, "I'm sorry, little one. I'm not your mummy. If I were I would have never let you out of my sight."

Jack pulled me back, "Now!" and pointed a banana at the kid, while the Doctor pulled the sonic blaster from his waistband and shot a hole in the wall for us to exit through.

"Go now! Don't drop the banana!"

"Why?" Jack jumped through the hole after me.

The Doctor followed, "It's a good source of potassium."

The Doctor closed the hole after us, only for Jack to snatch the blaster back.

As the Doctor and Jack exchanged verbal jousting,

I took both their arms.

I watched as the wall broke against the force of the child's pounding on the other side.