THE SONG OF THE OPERA GHOST

Chapter Twelve

The Doctor walked down the darkened corridor cursing under his breath. He should have made sure that the wardens locked Erik away in a prison cell for the rest of his life. He wondered if he hypnotized everyone and escaped. He had warned them about muzzling his mouth, so he wouldn’t be able to use his voice. Now, once again, his past had come back to haunt him, and Rose was going to pay the price, because he hadn’t thought to put Erik in a more secure place.

As they neared the end of the passageway, the Doctor glanced down at his tuxedo. Yup, it was definitely jinxing him. If they got out of this alive, he was going to burn it and never buy another one, ever again.

As if reading his thoughts, Erik suddenly spoke up.

“I must say you look nice, Doctor. It’s nice to meet a man who can dress for his death.”

The Doctor sighed when he heard him chortle at that. They reached the curtain; the Doctor pulled it back and stepped through. He put his hands in his pockets, waiting for directions, while Erik and Rose came through behind him.

“Ah, not running off, very good,” Erik said. “I’m so glad you’re cooperating with me, Doctor.”

“What else can I do since you have a knife to Rose’s throat,” he shot back.

“Yes, it’s a pity I must threaten the one you love to ensure your obedience. But, perhaps, you should have thought twice before allowing people to travel with you, not to mention fall in love with them. It means that you can’t just walk away from this situation like you did the last time. Now, go through the door and turn to your left.”

The Doctor seethed, as he walked towards the door. He wished that inmate had killed him when he disfigured his face, so he wouldn’t have to deal with him now. He walked through the door and looked over at a gigantic plate glass window mounted into the wall.

“Yes, walk over to the glass,” Erik said, behind him.

The Doctor walked over, stopped in front of the glass, and folded his arms over his chest while he waited for the next command. Erik walked up beside him with Rose, and he glanced over at her. He gave her a brave smile and winked when he saw her worried expression. Erik let go of Rose, and she ran to him. The Doctor enfolded her in his arms.

“Don’t run off with her, otherwise, I might have to serenade you both,” Erik said, giving him an amused grin.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. He watched, as Erik grabbed the end of a red curtain beside the window and pulled it back to reveal a heavy metal door. He reached into his pouch, pulled out a key, and unlocked the door. He opened it and gestured inside.

“Go in,” he commanded.

“Both of us?”

“Do you want her to go in?”

The Doctor glanced down at her.

“I want to stay with you.”

The Doctor looked at Erik.

“I’d rather she was imprisoned with me, than out here with you.”

Erik smirked.

“When I get through with you, you may change your mind about that, Doctor. But, if you want to share in his torment, who am I to stand in the way? Just know that this is price you pay for traveling with him.”

“It’s a price I’ll pay willingly,” Rose said, softly.

The Doctor smiled at that.

“Aw, how sweet. I’m so glad you finally found your true love, Doctor. That means you’ll have someone to share the afterlife with. Now, get inside.”

The Doctor let go, and Rose turned around. He put his hands on her shoulders. They held their heads high, as they walked into the room. Rose looked around, while Erik shut and locked the door. Curiosity overwhelmed her when she saw the multiple mirrors. She walked over to one and looked at herself, while the Doctor examined the tree. He rapped his knuckles against it.

“Metal,” he said, looking over at Rose.

He turned and examined the chair and noose. This whole setup looked familiar, but for the life of him, he couldn’t think where he had seen it before. He looked over at Erik, who was watching them through the plate glass window.

“Wishful thinking on your part?” he said, pointing to the noose.

“Oh, there’s a reason that’s in there, Doctor. And trust me, you will soon learn why.”

“Oh, really? Good, I just love when my enemies make my death a surprise. It makes it more interesting for me.”

Rose walked over to his side.

“Are you sure you want to do this, my dear?” Erik said to her. “You have one last chance to escape the Doctor’s fate.”

Rose gave him a pointed look, as she took the Doctor’s hand in hers. Erik shrugged.

“Very well, I did try to be merciful, but if you’d rather die, that’s your decision. I’m just sorry to see you go. I could have made you into a singing sensation.”

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

“Okay, well, enjoy your painful demise, then.”

They watched, as Erik pulled the curtain across the window, plunging them into darkness. The Doctor felt Rose tighten her grip on his hand, and he squeezed back. He pulled her closer to him, waiting for something to happen.

There was a click, and the entire ceiling was illuminated, allowing them to see their surroundings again. Rose looked around for a monster of some kind, but there was nothing in the room that hadn’t been there before. She gave the Doctor a puzzled look.

“Wait for it, I’m sure something will spring out of something, somewhere, and kill us,” he said to her.

But, nothing happened. No monsters appeared. No sinister machines sprang up from the floor. There was nothing. The Doctor let out a bored sigh and sank down onto the chair.

“Maybe he’s hoping we’ll get so bored from waiting, we’ll kill ourselves,” he said to her.

Rose frowned. Suddenly, the air felt oppressive, and her dress felt uncomfortable. She looked down at the Doctor.

“Do you feel hot?”

The Doctor shook his head.

“I do. Must be because the room is shut up,” Rose said.

But, as the minutes passed, she felt more and more uncomfortable. Sweat was beading on her forehead, and now, even the Doctor looked uneasy. The Doctor was concerned, as he looked at Rose. The sweat was running down her face now, and she was panting.

“Blimey, he could turn the heat down a bit,” she muttered.

The Doctor suddenly realized what was happening.

“The heat,” he murmured.

Rose looked at him.

“Huh?”

He leapt to his feet.

“The heat. He’s turning up the heat. Now, I know why this looks so familiar. It’s a torture device. I heard about something like this being used a long, time ago. People were put into it, and the heat was slowly increased until they became delirious. Then, they either suffocated to death, while they were baked alive, or hung themselves to escape the heat.”

Rose stared at him, horrified.

“We were waiting for something to happen, and all along, it has been happening. I didn’t notice it for awhile because my body can adjust to temperature changes better than yours can. It’s like putting a frog in a pot of cold water and slowly increasing the heat until it boils alive. But, I’m starting to feel the effects now. Rose, we’re going to roast alive, or be driven to madness and commit suicide, if we don’t find a way to escape in the next few minutes.”

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.