Storm: Storm is Brewing

The Idiot's Lantern 2

Mrs. Connolly hesitated, before she blurted out: "Did you say you were a doctor?"

"Yes, I am." The Doctor answered reassuringly, Terry nodding as well, and Mrs. Connolly almost begged: "Can you help her? Oh please, can you help her, Doctor?"

The Doctor raised a brow as he confirmed there was something very wrong going on in the neighbourhood, when Mr. Connolly interrupted darkly: "Now then, Rita. I don't think the gentleman needs to know-"

"No, the gentleman does." The Doctor interrupted, leveling an equally dark look over at the other man, while Terry took Mrs. Connolly's hands gently in hers.

"It's all right, Mrs. Connolly." Terry soothed, while Rose encouraged kindly: "Tell us what's wrong, and we can help."

Mrs. Connolly burst into tears, unable to control herself any more, and Terry instantly moved to hug the woman, saying comfortingly: "No, don't cry, Rita. I'm sorry, but it'll be all right. It's going to be fine."

Rose had moved to take Mrs. Connolly's hands in Terry's place as the two comforted the upset woman, when Mr. Connolly snapped: "Hold on a minute."

"Shut up." Terry snapped at the man, shooting him a glare, before turning back to try and comfort the man's sobbing wife.

"Wha-?" Mr. Connolly demanded in an outrage. "Queen and country's one thing, but this is my house! What the?"

He looked down at the flags in his hands before throwing it down in disgust as he said angrily: "What the hell am I doing? Now you listen here, Doctor."

He turned and approached the Time Lord as he snapped: "You may have fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business. You and your, your, girls have no right!"

"Excuse me?" Rose demanded, while the Doctor began in a low voice: "A lot of people are being bundled into-"

"I am talking!" Mr. Connolly interrupted, his eyes bulging in his anger, but the Doctor had had enough.

"And I'm not listening!" The Time Lord shouted back furiously, standing up to stare the human man down with a thunderous expression. "Now you, Mr. Connolly, you are staring into a deep, dark pit of trouble if you don't let me help."

The whole family started, Mrs. Connolly stopping her crying in shock while Mr. Connolly flinched back as the Oncoming Storm brewed in the Doctor's dark brown eyes as the Time Lord snapped: "You do not disrespect my friends, and you do not dismiss women and children! Now, I'm ordering you, sir! Tell me what's going on!"

Mr. Connolly swallowed, licking his lips nervously, and he had just opened his mouth when-

Thump. Thump. Thump.

They all looked up at the ceiling where the sound had come from, before Tommy looked to his mother as Mrs. Connolly dropped her head into her hands.

"She won't stop." Mr. Connolly breathed, his voice small and frightened.

"She never stops." Tommy chimed in, and the Doctor turned to the boy seriously as Tommy went on: "We started hearing stories, all round the place. People who've changed. Families keeping it secret because they were scared. Then the police started finding out."

Mr. Connolly bowed his head while Terry watched the man with an unreadable expression as Tommy went on shakily: "We don't know how, no one does. They just turn up, come to the door and take them, any time of the day or night."

The Doctor leveled a serious look at the young man, and he ordered firmly: "Show me."

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