The Doctor and The Captain - Book One

S1 EP9: The Empty Child Part 2

Something watches two more small boys run down the street to join the feast. One of the boys stop and kneel down to tie his shoe laces, when that something starts moving towards the boy and the house.

"It's got to be black market. You couldn't get all this on coupons." Ernie, one of the boys, says.

"Ernie, how many times? We are guests in this house. We will not make comments of that kind. Washing up." Nancy tells the boy, the other kids laugh.

"Oh, Nancy." Ernie responds.

"Haven't seen you at one of these before." she says to a new boy.

"He told me about it." the boy responds pointing to his friend next to him.

"Sleeping rough?"

"Yes, miss."

"All right, then. One slice each, and I want to see everyone chewing properly." she tells the kids as she passes the plate of sliced meat to one of the kids and it makes its way round the table.

"Thank you, miss." Jim says taking a piece of meat off of the plate and passing it along.

"Thanks, miss." Ernie says passing the plate to the next person.

"Thank you, miss." a boy says.

"Thanks, miss!" the Doctor says sitting down and taking the plate and adding a couple of pieces of meat to his own before passing it along to the Captain who is sat next to him.

"Thanks miss." the Captain smiles taking a piece of meat and passing the plate along. At the sight of the two new men the children start to panic and stand up from their seats.

"Its all right. Everybody stay where you are." Nancy tells them.

"Good here, innit?" the Doctor says.

"Anyone got the salt?" the Captain asks. The two men help themselves to more of the food on the table.

"Back to your seats. They shouldn't be here either." Nancy tells the kids.

"So, you lot, what's the story?" he asks looking briefly round the table.

"What d'you mean?" Ernie asks with a shrug of his shoulders.

"You're homeless, right? Living rough?" the Doctor clarifies.

"Why d'you wanna know that? Are you two coppers?" Jim asks.

"Course we're not coppers. What's a copper gonna do with you lot anyway? Arrest you for starving?" the Captain laughs along with the kids.

"I make it 1941. You lot shouldn't be in London. Should've been evacuated to the country by now." the Doctor says.

"I was evacuated. Sent me to a farm." a boy named Alf tells them.

"So, why'd you come back?" the Captain asks.

"There was a man there..."

"Yeah... Same with Ernie. Two homes ago." Jim says.

"Shut up. It's better on the streets anyway. It's better food."

"Yeah, Nancy always gets the best food for us."

"So that's what you do, is it Nancy?" the Doctor asks looking at her.

"What is?" she asks.

"Soon as the sirens go, you find a big fat family meal, still warm on the table, with everyone down in the air raid shelter and - bingo - feeding frenzy for the homeless kids of London Town. Puddings for all. As long as the bombs don't get you."