Episode 11: Silent Ice Part 3

Conner wiped blood from his face, and stood there in shock.

“What happened?” Conner asked.
“He farted, and then blew up,” Jess said quietly.
“But why?” Conner asked.
“I’d say it was an excess of gas mixed in with the icy toxins in the air. A deadly cocktail, meant to kill,” the Doctor said angrily.
“Yeah well, it worked…” Junaid sighed.
“I’ll have to tell the others,” Jess said, walking to a Port along the Row where a ship would dock, to do it quietly.

Bex lowered the intercom with shock. She turned and told them all of Matt’s death. She also told them to be wary of farting and burping. It was a mark of the seriousness of the situation that no one laughed at this.

She decided to take charge, and led the way to find the Doctor. Everyone followed, except Nancy, Georgia and Laura, who continued to head back to the ship.

The Doctor held up a hand, and pointed it over to James. He was stood at a control panel, fiddling with the buttons. The Doctor stood silently for a minute, working out what he was doing at the monitor. He gasped as he realised James was altering the buttons for the lights. He ran quickly, not wanting to have to face James in the dark.

Bex ran along Row after Row, using her wristwatch to track Jess and Junaid. She ducked behind a corner to see James covered in ice. The rest of her group caught up with her. Picking up a nearby fire extinguisher, she ran at him.

James saw a blur of colour as Bex ran forwards and plunged the fire extinguisher into his stomach.

“You… You will all pay…” James gargled, before collapsing and shattering into a million pieces.

Bex’s group joined the main group. As the main group moved forwards, so did the trickling water on the ceiling that had been following them. It grew into a large puddle, and slowly dripped down, before freezing, to form a massive icicle above their heads. The Doctor counted them all; Jess, Junaid, Bex, Gabz, Will, Seb and Caitlin. Oh and Conner and himself. That made 9 people. Two people had died, but that meant two were missing. Ah, Nancy and Laura, who Georgia took back to the ship. The Doctor frowned, knowing he was responsible for the lives of everyone around him, and some back at the ship. He then remembered Red, but decided not to count him as Robots generally don’t fart.

Around the base of the icicle, cracks were beginning to appear. With a snap the icicle broke off, and the sharp point came smashing down on Gabz. Everyone jumped in shock as Gabz splattered over the floor, and themselves. Wiping yet more blood away, Conner decided that he’d better get used to this.

As quick as a flash the Doctor whipped out the Sonic Screwdriver, and began examining the remains of the icicle on the ceiling. Unfortunately, it began to melt, so the Doctor couldn’t get any trace on it. The water it had formed began sliding along the ceiling quickly, heading for the lights.

The Doctor pelted after it, but did not get there in time. He pelted back to the other before the lights went out. As he reached the group, the water dropped from the ceiling onto the electrics, causing a power surge that placed the whole Space Docks in darkness.

“What the hell?” Conner growled.
“The water did it,” the Doctor said.
“And what’s it got against us?” Conner asked.
“It’s evil, is that enough?” the Doctor asked.
“Meh.”

Georgia and Nancy left Laura’s quarters, and bumped into Red in corridor 3.

“Oh, hello Red,” Nancy said.
“Hello Nancy, how are you today?” Red asked.
“Pretty awful actually, have you registered the deaths of James and Matt?” Nancy said tearfully.
“It has been noted,” Red said.
“Thanks Red,” Nancy said, hugging him.

Nancy quickly withdrew from the Robot.

“He’s cold,” Nancy said.
“His eyes are red. Red, your eyes are turning red!” Georgia cried.
“I… I will… I will serve the ice…” Red said.
“Get the doors open Nancy,” Georgia said “we’ll barricade ourselves in Laura’s room.”

Nancy ran to the door and struggled to open it, while Red continued to advance.

Conner bumped into someone in the dark.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

The person didn’t reply.

“Who is it?” Conner asked.

Again, the person didn’t reply. Conner moved his hand in the darkness. He felt the person’s hand, and reached up and felt their face. He could immediately tell it was a female. He slid his hand across and felt the person’s cheek. He then felt their nose. It was lumpy, and cold to the touch. Almost like ice…

Conner withdrew his hand quickly, and the person breathed in his face. It was a cold breathe, that clung to him in webs. Wiping it away, he turned to where he thought the Doctor was.

“Doctor!” he called.
“Yeah?” the Doctor replied from somewhere ahead of him.
“How can we tell the ice hasn’t got one of us?” Conner asked.
“I think we could tell,” the Doctor mused.
“Yeah, but how could we?” Conner asked.

Sensing Conner’s fear, the Doctor didn’t reply.

“After all,” Conner continued “we all look the same in the dark.”

To be continued…