Episode 10: A Study in the Straw Part 4

“Come on!” Joan cried, heaving Georgia along.
“I’m turning into a tree!” Georgia screamed.
“We need to find the Doctor- he can save you!” Conner cried.

Suddenly Georgia came to an abrupt halt.

“I’m stuck!” she screamed.
“No you’re not!” Conner cried “you’re gonna keep going! Come on!”

Conner heaved, but fell over. Georgia was firmly stuck.

“Now what do we do?” Joan asked desperately.
“We leave her,” Conner said simply.
“Yes,” Georgia said “go on without me. Leave me- save the Doctor. That way he might be able to save me.”
“We’ll be back for you!” Conner said.
“It doesn’t matter,” Georgia said “because I’m gonna die here. I just know it.”

She sobbed. Conner immediately ran over and hugged her. She cried onto his shoulder. He stood silent for a moment.

The Doctor slammed the door shut to Joan’s house. She was out, and so were Conner and Georgia. He would have to find them. He spotted a patch of earth where something heavy hand been dragged into the woods. Of course! Georgia was transforming into a tree. He smiled, and began his hunt.

Joan and Conner ran through the forest, until Conner pointed out that Georgia wasn’t with them, so they no longer had to hide. They burst out of the trees, and continued on through the village. They stopped when they reached the straw spaceship.

“What is that?” Joan asked.
“A spaceship in disguise!” Conner declared.
“My,” Joan said breathlessly “I’ve never seen a spaceship before.”
“What about the family’s?” Conner asked.
“It was invisible,” Joan replied.

Georgia stood alone in the darkness. Tears were threatening to engulf her. She thought she would be stuck here forever, a faceless tree in a faceless forest. But something was approaching out of the darkness…

The Doctor stepped into the light, smiling at Georgia.

“Doctor!” Georgia cried, sounding relieved.
“Hello Georgia.”
“Thank God you’re here! You can save me! I don’t know how long I had left,” Georgia said.
“That’s lucky.”

The Doctor did not sound as if he thought it was lucky. Georgia frowned, feeling suspicious.

“Well?” Georgia asked “are you gonna save me? How are you gonna do it?”
“I’m not here to save you. I’m here to kill you.”

Joan and Conner stood outside the spaceship, unsure what to do next. Suddenly, a black cloud hovered over the ship. Conner looked up, startled.

“Looks like it’s gonna rain…” he said.
“Then where are the other clouds, child?” Joan asked.
“I don’t…” Conner began “RUN!”

He pulled Joan along as the first crows began to dive down. They tore back to the village, with the crows pursuing them.

The Doctor chopped a branch above Georgia’s head with one swift blow. Crying in pain, Georgia fell over backwards. Branches grew from Georgia’s hair into the ground. Now she was held into the ground by her feet and her head. Her hands were tied up above her head. Georgia remained looking defiant.

“What are you gonna do to me?” she asked.
“Kill you. I told you- I’m a murderous lunatic!”
“It takes one to know one,” Georgia said.
“Oh I don’t think you’re a murderous lunatic.”
“Was that a challenge?” Georgia asked “let me go, and I’ll show you what I can do.”

The Doctor merely smiled evilly.

Joan and Conner ran. A Crow zoomed down and pecked at Conner. He swung his arms around to bat it away. Joan tripped over, and Conner knelt down in front of her to protect her from the hundreds of crows now flying at them.

The man with the voice raised an arm.

“Stop!” he cried.

The crows stopped attacking Conner and Joan.

“Leave them to me…”

The Voice stood up, and left the room.

The Scarecrows guarding the doors turned and faced one direction in unison. They began to march to war.

The Doctor stood over Georgia, who looked scared.

Joan and Conner stand up.

“Oh my God! Georgia!” Conner cried.

He began running through the village.

The Voice ran out of the spaceship, and the crows began to encircle him.

Joan ran after Conner.

The Doctor touched Georgia’s face.

The Voice began to run, his body covered in crows.

The Scarecrows began to march out of the spaceship.

Conner ran into the forest.

The Scarecrows reached the village.

Conner fell over.

Georgia let out a terrible, desperate scream.

To be continued…