Conner heard a faint cry coming from his pocket. He pulled out his phone which blasted out a song from 2010. The TARDIS was spinning around the Castoprian Galaxy when Conner Bennet put his phone to his ear.
“Hi Zac!” Conner smiled.
Millions of years in the past, in 2010, Zac Pemberton answered back.
“Conner, I need you,” Zac said.
“What’s up?” Conner asked.
“Kaylie’s got this flu and I think Harry might have it too. He wouldn’t tell me if he did though, he’s just being brave,” Zac said.
“What flu?” Conner asked.
“Oh it’s going round everywhere. All over Britain - and the rest of the world’s started getting it as well.”
“Oh my God!” Conner gasped. “Is everyone gonna be alright?”
“Oh yeah, the scientists are working on a vaccine. They’ll be ready soon,” Zac said confidentially.
“So what do you want me to do?” Conner asked.
Meanwhile, the Doctor and Georgia were looking curiously at Conner, as they could only hear his side of the conversation. Conner finished the conversation and put down the phone.
“Who was that?” the Doctor asked.
“Zac,” Conner said, “apparently, everyone’s got the flu. Zac reckons you could get a vaccine or something.”
“Me?” the Doctor asked “I’ll try.”
The Doctor pressed down a lever and the TARDIS flew off to present day, where Zac was waiting patiently.
The TARDIS materialised in a street. Conner stepped out and returned inside.
“Doctor- we’re miles away from Zac’s house,” he moaned.
“Ah. Well, I’m not going to Zac’s house,” the Doctor said sheepishly.
“Where are you going?” Georgia asked.
“The Government. I want to find more out about this flu, and what it does,” the Doctor said.
“Do you think you’ll be able to stop it?” Georgia asked.
“I dunno, George, I dunno,” the Doctor muttered.
“But it’s not that bad Doctor, just flu…” Conner said “we’ll be alright- wont we?”
The Doctor didn’t reply. Georgia and Conner left the TARDIS gravely. They didn’t turn around as the TARDIS dematerialised. Suddenly Georgia pointed at a young woman who collapsed in the street. Together, Georgia and Conner ran towards her.
Zac waited patiently for the TARDIS to arrive. In fact, he’d been waiting patiently for a while. He walked back into the spare room where Kaylie was lying on the bed. She was pale, and sweaty. Zac whished his parents and his sister Rachel were with him, but at least they shouldn’t be affected by the flu while camping in the country, away from other Humans.
“Zac,” Kaylie muttered with ragged breaths “I think I need to go to the hospital.”
“The Doctor’ll be here in a minute, I promise,” Zac said.
“I need to go now!” Kaylie sobbed.
“Alright.”
Zac hauled Kaylie out of bed and lifted her arm over his shoulder. Heaving her out into the street, Zac headed for the bus stop.
Meanwhile, Government official Samantha Willis was giving an address to the public. A reporter, Penny Carter, raised her hand. Samantha nodded to indicate that Penny should ask her question.
“I’m Penny Carter, science correspondent for The Observer. Minister, we’re getting credible reports that people are dying.”
“I think we have to treat Internet speculation with a degree of suspicion at this point,” Samantha replied.
“Is it true that the Prime Minister himself is ill?” Penny Carter asked.
“I briefed him a few hours ago and he was fine,” Samantha said.
“Then why won’t he talk to us?” Penny asked.
“He’s busy coordinating the Government’s response. I’m sure you wouldn’t expect anything less. At this point I’d like to invite Colonel Mace to explain the practical aspects of this state of emergency.”
Samantha turned around in her seat at a grating noise in the distance.
“If I could be excused, there is something I have to attend to. Over to Colonel Mace.”
Samantha left the conference. Georgia and Conner ran over to the woman who collapsed. Georgia held the woman who lay on the floor.
“What happened?” Georgia asked quickly.
“I’m not feeling well,” the woman said “it’s that flu.”
“You shouldn’t be out and about in this state!” Conner scalded.
“What’s your name?” Georgia asked trying not to panic.
“Patricia,” the woman told them.
“I’m calling an ambulance,” Conner said, retrieving his phone from his pocket.
He dialled 999 and waited for a response. Not far away, Zac and Kaylie reached the bus stop. Zac looked at a sign.
“The bus has stopped running,” Zac told Kaylie “you’re gonna have to walk.”
“I…” Kaylie said.
“It’s not that far,” Zac assured her.
He began to heave her away from the bus stop. The Doctor peeked out of the TARDIS which landed in a corridor. A woman in official looking clothes was running down the corridor towards him.
“Hello! I’m the Doctor!” the Doctor grinned.
“My name’s Samantha Willis. I’m the Minister in charge of public communication. You may he seen me on the television, assuring the public that their Government is working hard to get everything back on track,” Samantha informed him.
“Err… Yeah, I saw that… Never doubted you,” the Doctor smiled.
“I see you arrived in a Blue Box. You do know Torchwood is looking for you? They seem to think you will be able to procure a vaccine,” Samantha said, surprising the Doctor with her knowledge.
“That’s why I’m here. Start at the top I always say. Fit in with the big boys I do,” the Doctor smiled.
“Doctor, I’m not sure you fully appreciate the seriousness of the situation,” Samantha said slightly forcefully.
“It’s only the flu isn’t it?” the Doctor asked, snapping from grin to serious in less than a second.
“Follow me,” Samantha said, leading the way down a corridor.
The Doctor followed obediently. Georgia and Conner turned as the ambulance stopped in front of them. They ran back to Patricia whose condition had worsened. Two men got out of the ambulance with a stretcher. Hoisting Patricia on to it, they carefully placed her in the back of the ambulance. One of the men came over to Conner and Georgia.
“We’re taking her to hospital now,” the man said.
“We’ll come,” Conner said at once, fearing Patricia’s health.
“There’s only enough room for one…” the man said awkwardly.
“You go,” Georgia smiled “I’ll visit my family. Then I’ll go to Zac’s house.”
“Woops. We forgot him. He’ll be wondering where we are!” Conner couldn’t help but laughing.
“Well, bye,” Georgia said, before leaning forward to quickly kiss him on the cheek.
He blushed and headed into the ambulance. Georgia turned away going red, and began to walk to her parents house. Zac and Kaylie entered the hospital, Kaylie feeling worse than ever. Behind them they did not notice an ambulance pull up, and similarly, Conner didn’t notice them when he got out of the ambulance.
Zac pulled Kaylie into the busy reception, where many people sat on chairs, obviously with the flu. Zac helped Kaylie into a seat and went over to the reception desk. He remembered a piece of advice given to him by the Doctor while he phoned Conner. He knew who to ask for.
“Can you page Dr-” Zac said to the receptionist, who couldn’t hear him over he shouts of people with the flu needing to see a doctor.
Zac grabbed the announcement microphone and spoke into it.
“Can Doctor Martha Jones please come to reception,” he managed to say before the receptionist snatched back the microphone.
He ran back to Kaylie to wait for the Doctor’s former companion to arrive. Conner clamoured out of the ambulance and ran to Patricia’s side. The two men from the ambulance pulled her on the stretcher into the hospital. They went through reception and down a corridor. Knocking a black female doctor aside, Conner apologised.
Martha Jones knocked into a boy in the corridor, so she apologised and went to reception. She looked around for someone she recognised, but couldn’t see anyone. Then another boy, sat with an ill looking girl beckoned her over.
“You must be Doctor Martha Jones,” Zac smiled “I need you to help my friend.”
“How do you know my name?” Martha asked the boy.
“I was recommended by our mutual friend,” Zac grinned.
“Who?” Martha asked.
“Let’s just say my friend travels with him,” Zac said.
Martha nodded that she understood, and helped Zac pull Kaylie up and together they led her down a corridor. Georgia ran down the street and stopped at her mum’s house. She knocked on the door. The door opened, and Elizabeth smiled and welcomed Georgia in.
“Hi mum, I haven’t seen you in ages!” Georgia smiled. “Come here!”
Georgia went to hug her mum but she was brushed off.
“Better not get too close dear, I’ve got the flu,” Elizabeth said. “Your father came down with it first.”
“Is he alright?” Georgia asked worriedly.
“Of course, it’s only the flu. He’ll be up and about in no time. Still, it is a bit of a nuisance, this flu. The whole city’s gridlocked!” Elizabeth complained.
Georgia didn’t reply. The Doctor entered a small room with Samantha Willis. She sat down in one of the chairs and the Doctor followed suit.
“So, what’s the thing behind the flu?” the Doctor asked.
“It’s not flu,” Samantha replied “it’s a virus. We can’t control its spreading. Nearly the whole world’s got it. We don’t know what to do.”
“And have you told the country?” the Doctor asked.
“Of course not! There would be widespread panic,” Samantha said.
Conner left the doctor alone with Patricia. Julia Swales, the doctor who was helping Conner, closed off the curtains around them. Clearly things were not looking good, Conner thought sadly. He heard a squeak of wheels behind him, and turned to see two men wheel out a gurney with a person under a white sheet on it. They wheeled the bed through a door. Quietly, Conner followed them. He opened the door, and gasped in shock.
“Oh my God!” he muttered.
In the room were about fifty gurneys with dead patients lying on them, each with a sheet covering their bodies. Conner slowly stepped back out of the room. Julia was stood waiting for him.
“You’re not allowed in there,” Julia said, walking forwards and closing the door.
“How many?” Conner asked.
“Hundreds,” Julia said sadly.
The Doctor leaned closer to Samantha.
“What does the virus do?” he asked.
“It attacks the immune system, turning our bodies’ defences on ourselves. We’re killed by our own bodies,” Samantha said.
“Oh my…” the Doctor said.
“Once you’ve got the virus, you’re sure to die,” Samantha said grimly.
A metal bed was wheeled out in front of Conner and Julia. Patricia’s dead hand slipped down off the gurney and hung limply. One of the men lifted it up and tucked it under the white sheet. Julia led Conner away.
“There are bound to be some people who are naturally immune; the lucky ones. If you can call them that,” Julia said.
“Why shouldn’t you?” Conner asked quietly.
“Can you… Imagine what their lives would be like now?” Julia asked tearfully. “How scared and lonely they’ll be.”
“But,” Conner said “what ever happens, I’d rather live.”
“Well, you might if you stay well for the next couple of days,” Julia said.
“Yeah, I suppose. But I have friends… They’ll die wont they? What about you? Are you ok?” Conner asked Julia.
“I’m too hot, and my head hurts… And I’ve got a lump…” Julia said, tears running down her cheek.
Conner hugged her sadly. Zac and Martha were also sat on some chairs, a few rooms away. Martha had taken off her medical coat, and Zac kept glancing to the doorway where Kaylie was lying in a bed.
“I thought you worked at UNIT?” Zac asked Martha.
“I do. But until this flu is over I’m back at the Royal Hope, trying to get everyone better,” Martha said.
“You’re doing a great job. After all, no one’s died from the flu…” Zac said.
Martha didn’t reply. Georgia shut the door to her parent’s house. She walked down the road, and headed for Zac’s house. There seemed to be no one about; there were no cars driving on the streets, no buses and no people. Georgia thought this was strange: her mother said the whole city was gridlocked. Georgia supposed she meant more in town, than in the quieter areas like here. She continued to walk to Zac’s house, wondering what sort of reception she’d receive there.
A nervous looking man entered the quiet room where the Doctor and Samantha were sat in silence. Samantha looked up at him from where she was seated.
“Yes, Stevens?” she asked.
“Sorry to interrupt ma’am, but I have some terrible news…” Stevens said leaning from foot to foot anxiously.
“What is it?” the Doctor asked kindly.
“The Prime Minister; he died a few minutes ago.”
Samantha seemed shocked, but unsurprised.
“And, I’m here to tell you that due to the recent crisis, the Government have appointed you Prime Minister,” Stevens said, feeling relieved that Samantha had taken the news well.
“Is there anything else?” Samantha asked.
“Umm. Yes… You had a phone call from Jack…” Stevens said, handing a slim black phone to her, and quickly departing from the room.
Samantha put the phone up to her ear, and the Doctor held his breath.
“Jack? Sorry I couldn’t call earlier it’s just…” Samantha said.
Jack responded, but the Doctor couldn’t catch what he said.
“All of you?” Samantha asked, her eyes full of tears “the boys too?”
Jack replied. The Doctor was saddened because he knew what this meant.
“Are they in bed? Good. No I’m fine, I’ll be home soon. Course everything’s going to be alright, it’s just a nasty bug,” Samantha said, trying to remain calm. “Jack… I love you.”
She put the phone down and looked at the Doctor.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Samantha looked away. Conner drifted off to sleep many hours later, wondering what tomorrow would bring. Zac and Martha returned to Kaylie, and sat beside her bed. Soon after, Zac and Martha fell asleep in their chairs. Julia Swales made Conner comfortable before walking down a corridor to her patients doomed to die.
“Zac?” Georgia asked, letting herself into Zac’s house. “You here?”
She walked into the Zac’s bedroom, and was surprised at what she saw.
“Harry!” she cried, running towards Harry who had collapsed on Zac’s bed.
She breathed a sigh of relief as she realised he was asleep, and not dead. Feeling drowsy herself, she led on the bed next to Harry and slept. The Doctor leapt up.
“We can save them!” the Doctor said. “We can save all of them!”
“How? My family have already got the virus,” Samantha said sadly.
“By procuring a vaccine! I can do it,” the Doctor said confidentially.
“But… We’ve had the world’s top scientists working on it. They asked for months, we gave them weeks. You have a matter of days,” Samantha said.
“But I’m a genius!”
Outside the sun began its slow descent through the sky. Darkness slowly fell on Britain, and marked the last day of the Human race.
Many hours later, Samantha woke up. She had been asleep in the Lab- and saw the Doctor working on the virus. She carefully made her way over to the Doctor.
“How are you? You haven’t slept have you?” Samantha said.
“I never sleep,” the Doctor smiled.
“And how’s your progress?” Samantha asked.
“Brilliant! Molto Bene! Bellisimo!” the Doctor grinned.
Samantha looked at him strangely.
“Basically, I’ve nearly done it,” the Doctor explained.
“Ah. And how basic is basically?” Samantha asked hopefully.
“It works perfectly… Except… There’s a missing ingredient… Ummm… Ah ha! No wait, no. Yes! No. Yes! I know!” the Doctor ran over to a desk, a picked up a syringe.
“What?”
“Blood of a Time Lord! Works as a catalyst! Guess what?” the Doctor smiled.
“What?”
“I’ve done it!” the Doctor smiled.
Samantha hugged him. They whooped and cheered and laughed. Samantha pointed to the door.
“Let’s give everyone in the building an injection, and then we can start distributing a vaccine!” Samantha smiled.
“Your family first of course, Prime Minister,” the Doctor grinned.
“Thank you, Doctor. Not just for that, but for everything. Thank you for finding a cure, thank you for coming here.”
“It was the least I could do,” the Doctor said.
The Doctor led Samantha out of the Lab. The Prime Minister gasped in shock. Conner woke up and rubbed his head. He looked around and sat up off the hospital chair. He noticed the room was empty. Standing up, Conner left the room. Lying in the middle of the corridor was Julia Swales.
“Oh my God!” Conner gasped.
He ran over to Julia and turned her over. She was clearly dead, and Conner quickly let her go. She slumped back into her position. Conner ran in to another room, where everyone in the room was dead. Conner ran into another room; the same was there.
“No! Please don’t let me be the last person left!” Conner shouted.
Tears streamed down his face, and he weakly collapsed onto the floor. Burying his head in his hands, Conner wept for the loss of Humanity.
Georgia woke up on a soft, warm bed. She rolled over and came face to face with Harry. He had blank, staring eyes. Georgia leapt off the bed in surprise. Harry was dead.
Martha Jones opened her eyes. She saw in surprise that she was alone in being awake. She walked calmly over to Zac and gently shook him. He didn’t wake up. She shook him more forcefully. She refused to accept the truth. Martha ran to Kaylie who was lying in her hospital bed. She shook her as hard as se could. She jumped around and looked at the other patients in the ward. Everyone was dead.
“No… It can’t be… The virus has killed everything…” Martha gasped. “The whole world’s been destroyed…”
The Doctor and Samantha ran over to Stevens who was sat a desk, dead. They looked around and saw that the entire office of people had been killed by the virus. The Doctor quickly injected Samantha with the cure.
“What was that for?” Samantha asked.
“You might not have been immune. I’ll scan you,” the Doctor informs her.
Using the Sonic Screwdriver, the Doctor scanned Samantha.
“Congratulations, you were immune before I injected you,” the Doctor said.
“Small victory,” Samantha said quietly.
Georgia ran out of Zac’s house and down the body strew road. She headed for her parents house. Martha left the ward and wandered through the hospital. She came to the area of the hospital where the bodies were stored. The room for the bodies was at the end of the corridor, and lying mid way down the corridor was the boy who she had bumped into earlier.
“Hello…?” Martha asked.
Conner looked up. His face was red from crying.
“Hello,” Conner mumbled.
“My name’s Martha. What’s your name?” Martha asked kindly.
“Conner, Conner Bennet. Is that the Martha who travelled with a doctor?” Conner grinned.
“Yes. I believe you’re Zac’s friend…?” Martha smiled.
“Yep,” Conner smiled, feeling relieved Martha was so nice.
“I understand if… You want to see him, before…” Martha said sadly.
“Before what? Why can’t I see him?” Conner asked.
“Conner… He’s dead.”
The Doctor pulled a small glowing pendant from his bigger-on-the-inside pockets. He placed it around his and Samantha’s necks.
“What’s this?” Samantha asked.
“Telependant. Basic teleport in the form of jewellery. Like Margaret Blaine’s earrings and brooch. Well, with a bit more taste,” the Doctor said.
“Ok. Where are we going?”
“France. I know someone who might be able to reverse everything that’s happened,” the Doctor said, busily fiddling with the telependant.
“Fantastic! You think she’ll do it for us?” Samantha asked.
“Can’t see why not. Actually, it depends on the last time I visited her. I visit out of order see. I think we got on last time,” the Doctor said, trailing off.
“Err… Great. Let’s go!” Samantha said.
The Doctor activated the telependant, and the Doctor and Samantha vanished. Martha led Conner into the room where Zac and Kaylie were lying dead. Conner walked over to them sadly.
“Was he in any pain?” Conner asked quietly.
“Not at all. He passed away in his sleep,” Martha assured him.
“Good. Are you sure we don’t have time to bury them?” Conner asked.
“I’m sorry.”
Georgia slammed into the door. Her parents locked the door, and Georgia had accidentally left her key inside. She hammered on the door, but to no avail. Her parents were clearly dead.
Conner and Martha left the hospital, Martha throwing her doctor’s coat on the ground. They walked past the ambulance Conner had ridden in, and left the hospital grounds. Martha began to walk down the right to the right, but Conner walked to the left.
“Where are you going?” Martha asked. “We need to get to the countryside.”
“Why?” Conner asked.
“All those bodies? They’ll be carrying diseases. It’s not safe near them,” Martha said.
“Oh. I thought you were gonna say zombies or something,” Conner grinned.
“So where are you going?” Martha asked, grinning back.
“To find my friend. You?” Conner asked.
“With you, I can’t leave you on your own,” Martha said, following Conner.
“Welcome along Ms. Jones,” Conner grinned.
“Why thank you Mr. Bennet,” Martha grinned back.
Conner and Martha first went to Zac’s house, and then to Colin and Elizabeth’s house. It was there they found Georgia. Conner and Georgia ran towards each other and hugged for a long time.
“Oh my God! I thought I’d never see you again,” Georgia sobbed. “I thought you’d died.”
“No stopping me,” Conner said.
“And who are you?” Georgia asked.
“Martha, Martha Jones,” Martha Jones said.
“Oh. The Doctor’s friend. And you looked after Conner, and Zac?” Georgia asked.
“Yep,” Martha smiled.
“Oh thank you,” Georgia grinned, hugging her.
Georgia led Martha away from Conner, and looked at her.
“Do you… Do you think life will be different now?” Georgia asked.
“Very. But we’ve got the Doctor,” Martha said.
“Would it have been better, not to have survived?” Georgia asked.
“No, not for a second,” Martha said.
The Doctor and Samantha appeared in France with a blue flash, and the sound of whizzing fireworks. They were outside a small cottage, which the Doctor led Samantha into. There was a roaring fire going and sat in a small chair next to the fire was the body of an old woman. The Doctor ran over to her.
“Oh no! Poor Madame Rene. We were too late. I’m sorry,” the Doctor said.
“You mean we’re stuck like this?” Samantha asked “the virus can’t be stopped?”
“Yeah. Sorry about your family. Sorry I couldn’t fix this.”
“It’s not your fault…” Samantha said, trying not to cry.
The Doctor hugged her. Peering over her shoulder, the Doctor saw the telependant that he gave to Samantha to carry. It had lost its blue spark, and was fading. With a flash of blue, the telependant smashed into a million pieces. Samantha jumped out of the hug in shock.
“What happened?” Samantha asked.
“The telependant broke!” the Doctor said, sounding annoyed.
“What does that mean? Doctor?” Samantha said nervously.
“We’re stuck in France,” the Doctor said sheepishly.
Martha, Georgia and Conner gathered as many supplies as they could. The Doctor and Samantha left the house, and gathered supplies too. It was getting dark, and the sun was beginning to set once more. The Doctor and Samantha left the house, and Martha, Conner and Georgia walked into the middle of the street. It was like the night before, but everyone was dead now.
It was the beginning of the rest of their lives, and though Martha, Conner and Georgia were far away from the Doctor and Samantha, it was clear their situations were the same. Both groups were alone in a sea of dead bodies, both unsure what to do next, both thinking about how to survive.
Both looking for each other, and ways to carry on the Human race; as Survivors.
THE END.
