Thorn Bush (Doctor Who Story)

Chapter 18: The Witchfinders Part Two

"Keep running. This clearing, through here." The Doctor says to her companions, Kathy, Willa, Becka and King James plus his guards as they run through the forest.

"I don't think they're following." Yaz calls to them, causing everyone to stop.

"If they're not following, what are they doing?" The Doctor questions.

"They know we'll come back." Kathy says.

"Want us to go and look?" Ryan suggests.

"We escape from Satan, and you wish to go directly back into battle?" King James cries in disbelief.

"We need to know what they're up to. Make sure no one else is in danger." Ryan explains.

"I'll go too. Keep an eye on my... underlings." Graham adds.

"Very well."

"Me and Kathy will stay with Willa. Be careful!" The Doctor says. Ryan, Yaz and Graham run off. Hopefully, Kathy can stop the Doctor from being arrested for being a witch in the meantime though she's not sure how.

"What were those aberrations?" King James asks.

"It is the work of Satan." Becka replies.

"It wasn't Satan or witches or Willa's granny." The Doctor corrects. "Those creatures were being controlled by something in the mud, something not of this earth. Something beyond your understanding."

"Something from hell." King James concludes.

"More like from the heavens." Kathy retorts.

"It chose to kill Alfonso when he was a threat, but in other circumstances it fills the bodies and uses them as vessels. I don't know why. To lure us you say Kathy? Maybe only when they're dead." The Doctor rambles as she tries to think.

"No, it attacked me too." Willa pipes up.

"And why today? Cos this is my problem. I can buy that this is the biggest ever witch hunt in England, or I can buy it's an alien mud invasion. But both on the same day? Kathy, you said they're linked." The Doctor continues. Kathy winces. Maybe the Doctor is rambling too much.

"Why does the lassie speak of commerce?" King James wonders.

"I don't know." Becka whispers.

"Oh, wait. Unless they're connected." The Doctor turns on Becka. "Your witch hunts been going on a while now, so there's no way that mud has just rocked up today."

"Um, Doctor, maybe you shouldn't—" Kathy tries to stop her but she continues on with her accusations.

"What do you know, Becka? What's going on here in Bilehurst Cragg? A woman who keeps an axe by her bed. What have you seen?"

Becka goes in to attack. "I have seen you and Katherine with your wands, raising your kin from the dead."

"Yes." King James murmurs.

"What?!" Kathy exclaims. "No! Hold on—"

"You, Doctor, are no witchfinder's assistant and she's no underling." Becka continues. "You are Satan's acolytes."

"We are not." The Doctor argues.

"That's why it is happening today, because you are here, as you say, to take over this village. Katherine Davis has simply been here to prepare for your arrival."

"You know that's not what I meant." The Doctor says accusingly. Kathy knows Becka is only doing this as she's afraid they have worked out her secret. "We do not have time for this."

"Mistress Savage is correct. It is your fault that Alfonso is dead." King James accuses, pointing at Kathy with a small pointy pin.

"I tried to save him." Kathy argues.