Short Trips 5 - Steel Skys by John Binns

Author:John Binns [Binns, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ibm
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Deep Stretch

Richard Salter

She was feeling the strain but she couldn't stop now If she kept up this pace she might beat her old record. The sweat poured from her and her muscles burned. With her eyes closed all she could hear was the whizz-whizz-whizz of the pedals and her own heavy breathing. She never felt more alive than when she was cycling.

The milometer beeped and Li Cheung slowed her pace. Eventually she halted, her legs like jelly. Reluctantly she opened her eyes to see the same steel-walled room. There was another exercise bike to her left but other than that and the recycling unit, there was nothing else in the room. Her existence was the very definition of minimalism. She checked her time.

Not bad. Close to her personal best.

A luminous blue fish swam past the tiny portal to her light and she watched it glow in the darkness outside. When her breathing had returned to normal she dismounted, wobbling slightly, and threw her towel in the recycler. Her stomach growled. Eating fish paste made her feel sick so she tried to wait until she was really hungry. That way there was more chance she would keep it down.

A sudden burst of noise pounded her eardrums and she staggered backwards, nearly knocking over a bike. The racket reverberated through the confines of the cell and everything vibrated violently. It was like standing inside a large church bell while it rang out the midnight hour.

The other women were shouting as Li struggled to the doorway and out Into the narrow corridor. The lights flickered and failed for a moment, long enough for her to collide with Melissa in the darkness. They both cried out just as the power came back on, Melissa falling backwards towards the dorm. Clutching her newly bruised shoulder, Li staggered into the living area as the clamour faded at last.

There was something new in here, something big that filled up a large portion of the cramped dining area. It was a box, wider than the table and so tall the lamp on top had dented the ceiling. She couldn't tell what colour it was under the murky lights; it might have been blue or green.

There were panels, windows, writing to one side she couldn't read because her head was spinning.

When the door opened and a tall white man emerged, Li wondered if one of the others had slipped something into her water. He was much older than her but quite dashing in a ridiculous sort of way, with a shock of white hair, green velvet jacket and frilly shirt.A short girl followed him, 131

dressed like something from the Sixties with her knee-high boots, wide-lapelled blue jacket and denim jeans.

`How do you do?' said the man. Ì'm the Doctor.'

The girl just waved.

Jo Grant tried not to make it obvious that she was cowering in the TARDIS

doorway.The women in the small metal room did not seem pleased to see them, the damp air smelled like rotten fish and there was mould growing on the walls.

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