EATER OF SOULS

Chapter Twelve

Rose paused halfway to the dungeon when she suddenly heard a blood-curdling scream echoing through the corridor behind her. It lasted for all of thirty seconds before fading away and leaving the palace in silence again.

“This way! The screams came from this direction!”

Rose looked back when she heard voices and people running toward her. Looking around she dashed down an adjacent corridor, as the other soldiers came running down the hallway. Flattening herself up against the wall, she held her breath, as the soldiers ran past her, spears raised, down the corridor. She waited a moment listening for the sound of any movement. Satisfied that everyone had passed, she cautiously inched back into the corridor, and with a sigh of relief at seeing no one around, she ran off toward the dungeons.

Ahmose stared at the Doctor, as he stood and looked out the cell door.

“What was that?” Ahmose asked him.

“Offhand, I’d say it was someone screaming,” the Doctor replied.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Whoever had screamed had been male. At least it wasn’t Rose. But, he knew that meant nothing. Rose could still be in danger. It made him even more determined to escape; and with the guards all investigating the scream, he had a chance. Now if only he could find a way to pick the lock. He groaned when he heard someone coming back down the hall.

“Damn, one of them would have to come back,” he muttered.

He gave out an angry sigh. What did he have to do around here to catch a break? Desperate, he considered trying to convince the guard to let him go free. It was a long shot, but he had no other option. As he stood at the door trying to think about what to say to the guard to let him go, his eyes widened, as he saw Rose come into view. A relieved smile spread over his face, as Rose sped up and ran towards his door.

“Oh Rose, you’re alright!” he said, overjoyed.

He reached through the bars and grabbed her hand. Rose smiled, as he brought it through the bars and kissed it gently.

“Are you okay? He didn’t…”

“No, he didn’t do anything except kiss me.”

The Doctor’s eyes darkened at that.

“That bastard,” he growled.

He reached through the bars and ran his fingers across her lips. Rose closed her eyes and kissed his fingers gently.

“Did you find the sonic screwdriver?” The Doctor asked.

Rose’s eyes opened.

“Yup, I did.”

She reached down into the hem of her pants and brought the sonic screwdriver out. The Doctor beamed.

“That’s my girl!” he said.

He stroked her cheek.

“I knew you could do it,” he said proudly. “I told you before I only took the best, and this is the proof of that.”

He gave Rose’s hand an affectionate squeeze and then, letting go, he backed up a bit, adjusted the settings on his sonic screwdriver, and aimed it at the lock. To his relief, he heard the lock click, and he grinned as he opened the door and embraced Rose.

“I don’t want to ever let you go,” Rose whispered.

The Doctor chuckled.

“My sentiments exactly,” He said.

He put his hands on the side of her face.

“Are you ready to leave ancient Egypt yet?”

“Lord, yes!”

The Doctor chuckled.

“Well, I’m afraid we have to stay a bit longer,” he said, gesturing back to Ahmose.

“Well, then I want to spend the entire time here strapped to your body. I don’t want to leave your side for one minute,” she said.

The Doctor giggled.

“Believe me, I’m all for that,” he said. “I don’t want you to leave my side either.”

He embraced her. Rose laid her head on his shoulder and looked over at Ahmose who was still standing inside the cell staring at them in disbelief.

“Come on,” she urged. “It’s okay. Come on out.”

The Doctor looked back at Ahmose, as he took a tentative step forward. He looked at the Doctor.

“How did you open the door?” he asked, confused.

The Doctor and Rose looked at each other.

“Um…I’m a magician,” the Doctor said, winking at Rose.

Ahmose frowned.

“Then, why didn’t you open the door earlier?”

The Doctor showed him the sonic screwdriver.

“I had to have the magic wand that they stole from me,” he said. “That’s what my brave, little Rose went and got.”

Ahmose nodded. Rose frowned.

“He believes your explanation?” she whispered to him.

The Doctor grinned.

“Rose, the ruler of Egypt is considered a living God and most of the other gods they worship are half human, half animal. Not to mention that people believe the sun god travels through the sky during the day in a flying ship; goes underground through a demon infested Hell at night and the goddess of the sky gives birth to him each morning, so he can continue his journey. So, if people believe all this, don’t you think they would buy that I’m a magician who owns a magic wand?”

“I guess you have a point,” Rose said.

“I course I do. I know what I’m talking about. I’m surprised you still question my wisdom.”

Rose grinned and slapped his arm playfully while the Doctor chuckled.

He looked back at Ahmose.

“Well, I think that it would be a good idea to get going before Amenemhet and his men get back from investigating that scream.”

“You heard that too?”

The Doctor nodded.

Rose raised her eyebrow.

“You want to investigate, I guess.”

The Doctor grinned and nodded.

Rose stared at his body.

“But you’re injured.”

The Doctor smiled.

“I’ll be alright. I keep telling you, I’ve had worse.”

He squeezed her hand.

“I’m okay. Now that you’re with me, I won’t feel a thing.”

He looked over at Ahmose.

“Ahmose, if you want to go with us, that’s fine, but I think you should go home and check on your family and make sure they’re okay,” he said. “Give us directions to your house, and we’ll be there as soon as we check out what’s happened here.”

Ahmose stared at Rose.

“Shouldn’t she go with me? After all, she is a girl.”

The Doctor bit his lip to keep from laughing as Rose glared at him.

“I may be a girl, but I can more than handle myself,” Rose spat out.

“Rose.”

Rose looked up at the Doctor’s amused grin.

“Well, I can.” She muttered as he squeezed her hand affectionately.

The Doctor chuckled and looked over at Ahmose.

“Trust me; Rose will be perfectly fine with me,” he said

Ahmose shrugged.

“As you wish,” he said. “I just think it’s very unusual for a girl to be helping out a man like this. A woman’s place is in the home.”

“Weeeeeell, Rose is a very unusual woman, and you’ll find both her and I don’t do domestic. Do we, Rose?”

“Not on your life,” Rose said, nodding.

Ahmose shrugged.

“I will not argue with you then. I’ll do as you say and run home and make sure my family is okay and prepare a room for you when you get back from this…investigation.”

“Good man. Rose and I will escort you out and make sure that no guards recapture you and then we have a little snooping to do, don’t we?”

“Yup, we certainly do.”

They turned with Ahmose and walked out of the dungeons towards the front entrance.

Back                         Home                              Doctor Who Main Page                          Next

Your Name or Alias:      Your E-mail (optional):

Please type your review below. Only positive reviews will be posted! Constructive criticism will e-mailed to the author.