Doctor Who: Fury From the Deep by Victor Pemberton Read Free Book Online

disoriented. In fact, there was very little she could remember of what actually happened to her, even though it had been less than half an hour ago. To add to that, she had a hacking cough, a piercing headache, and a pain in her injured hand that felt as though she was supporting a heavy weight.
    'What is it, love?' Frank Harris was sitting with his wife on the bed, deeply concerned by her condition.
    'I don't know... I feel so drowsy... and my hand...' Maggie was aimlessly rubbing her injured hand without actually looking at it.
    'Let me see.' Harris gently took her hand, and looked at it closely. He could see no visible signs of any kind of sting, not even a swelling. 'It looks all right. What happened?'
    Maggie had a vacant look in her eyes. 'I... I don't remember.'
    Harris was watching his wife carefully. He was alarmed by her uncharacteristic lack of energy. He said quietly, 'You said you were stung or something?'
    'Stung?' Maggie had to think about it for a moment. Then, without shifting her eyes, she said, 'Yes. Yes, it must've been that. I...
    I found the file you asked for... ' She stopped, turned to look her husband straight in the eyes, and gradually eased herself up from the bed. Her mind was wandering strangely. 'I wasn't allowed to take it.'
    Harris stood up, cupped his wife's face gently between his hands, and asked, 'Who wouldn't allow you?'
    Maggie had that vacant look in her eyes again. 'I... I don't know... ' Then, with a sudden flash of unexpected anger, she pulled Harris's hands away from her and said, ' It was the seaweed! '
    Harris was just in time to catch Maggie as she collapsed. 'All right love,' he said, trying not to panic. 'Just lie down and rest.' He lowered her back onto the bed, and made her comfortable. He smoothed her forehead with his hand, then kissed it gently. 'What you could do with is some food.'
    Although Maggie's eyes were closed, she managed a more characteristic smile. 'Poor darling,' she said softly. 'You can't even boil an egg!'
     
    Harris laughed. He was relieved that this was more like the Maggie he knew and loved. 'It serves you right for marrying a scientist...'
    Maggie's recovery was short-lived. Her smile quickly faded, and with her eyes still closed, she slowly raised her head from the pillow. She seemed to be listening to something.
    Harris, alarmed again, took hold of Maggie's shoulders.
    'Darling? What is it?'
    Maggie's face was absolutely rigid. Her mind was focussed elsewhere, drowned beneath a series of alien sounds which raced in and out of her subconscious like the endless roar of jetliners. The subliminal images she was receiving were coming from her own kitchen patio outside. She could 'see' the seaweed clump where she had thrown it, nestling in a bed of foam. And the bubbles and the weed popping, to emit a gaseous vapous. And the relentless hissing, thumping, heartbeat sound, growing in intensity, tearing into Maggie's brain until she could bear it no more...
    Maggie's eyes sprang open suddenly. She was staring straight into Harris's face. It looked distorted, like a gargoyle.
    'What is it, love?' Harris was shaking her. 'Tell me!'
    His voice seemed to boom out like thunder, and Maggie clutched her ears in pain.
    'Are you ill, Maggie? Tell me!'
    It took Maggie a moment or so to focus. When she did, her voice was barely audible. 'I... I don't know,' she whispered. 'I just feel... I don't know...'
    Harris became immediately urgent. He lowered Maggie's head gently to the pillow, and said, 'I'm going back to see if Doc Patterson's returned from the rig yet.' He stood up, pulled the duvet over Maggie, and tucked her in. 'Will you be all right?'
    Maggie didn't answer. She closed her eyes again, and just nodded her head.
    Harris kissed her gently on the forehead, then went to the door.
    'If Doc Patterson's not back, there's another Doctor that's turned up at the Refinery. He may be able to help.'
    Again Maggie didn't answer. She seemed to be falling asleep.
    Harris took