Ian looked up, stopping his work in surprise. 'What?'
'Don't stop,' said the Doctor quickly. Hurriedly, Ian went on with his unending twirling of the stick.
'Hur said you called yourself Friend,' said Za. 'I am Za. I am leader. Are you the leader of this tribe?'
Still working, Ian glanced up at the Doctor, who was staring loftily into space.
Ian nodded towards the Doctor. 'No. He is our leader.'
'What are you going to do with us?' asked Susan anxiously. 'Are you going to set us free?'
Za looked thoughtfully at them. 'The old men of the Tribe have been talking. They say you are from Orb, the sun. They say that when you are returned to him we shall have fire again.'
'Returned? How?' asked the Doctor sharply.
'Sacrificed - on the stone of death, outside the great cave. The old men say your deaths will bring back fire.'
'But that's not true,' said Barbara horrified. 'If you kill us, you'll never have fire.'
'That is what I think,' said Za. 'I think you are a new tribe from the other side of the mountain. Show me how to make fire and I will take you back.' Za paused. 'If you do not show me how to make fire soon, I do not think I will be able to stop your dying on the stone of death.'
Ian had been toiling away all this time. Suddenly, he shouted, 'It's working. I really think it's beginning to work!'
Everyone crowded round. A tiny wisp of smoke was rising from the dried grass around the flat piece of wood. 'Put some more dry grass and leaves there, Barbara. Gently though, don't smother it.'
Susan and Barbara crouched beside him, watching eagerly.
The Doctor stared imperiously at Za. 'Do you understand what we are doing? We are making fire for you.'
'I am watching.'
'The whole Tribe should be watching,' said Ian. 'Then everybody would know how to make fire.'
'Only the leader makes fire,' growled Za. 'Everybody cannot be the leader.'
'True enough - but in our tribe the firemaker is the least important man.'
'I do not believe this.'
'Oh yes,' said the Doctor loftily. 'He is the least important because in our tribe we can all make fire.'
Susan put her lips to Barbara's ear. 'I hope he doesn't make grandfather prove that!'
There was a sudden shout from Ian. 'Susan, Barbara! Blow gently just here!'
They knelt beside him and began blowing on the smouldering grass. 'Not too much,' warned Ian. 'That's right. It's glowing. There are embers there. Give me some more grass, Susan.'
By now a thin column of smoke was rising from the grass.
Suddenly there was a crackling. A flame leaped up, and then another...
Ian threw aside the bow and began feeding the tiny blaze with grass and twigs. The flames grew higher, higher, until a little fire was burning on the stone.
'You've done it,' shouted Susan excitedly. 'Ian, you've done it!' She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.
Barbara patted him on the back. 'Congratulations, Ian. Well done!'
Only the Doctor did not speak. He was watching Za.
Za was gazing into the flames in utter fascination.
'Fire!' he murmured. 'Fire is back!'
Horg and the elders and the rest of the warriors were gathered around the flat-topped stone of sacrifice, talking in low voices. 'Za has been long in the cave of skulls,' said one of the warriors. 'Soon Orb will rise in the sky.'
'Za talks to the strangers,' said Hur. 'He is learning their secrets.'
'When Orb touches the stone he must bring them out,' said another. 'We shall spill their blood on the stone of sacrifice.'
'And so we wait,' grumbled Horg. 'Za talks - and we have no meat, no fruits from the trees, no roots. Za is no leader.'
'If Za could hear you speak, he would kill you,' said Hur angrily.'You would lie on the old stone till your blood runs out.'
'Perhaps Za is letting the strangers go,' said Horg suspiciously. 'Perhaps he is setting them free, as Old Mother did.'
'It is a lie,' shouted Hur. 'Za sent a warrior to watch over the cave. He told him to kill the strangers if they came out.'
But the muttering went on. Hur, listened, worried. Unless Za acted soon, the Tribe would turn on him and destroy him.
The sentry outside the cave was not a very alert guard. Like all Za's people, he lacked the discipline for any prolonged task. Besides, what was the point of guarding the strangers when Za was with them?
Kal dropped from the rock above, soft-footed like a great cat, and took the guard around the throat from behind.
For a moment they stood locked in silent struggle, Kal's muscles swelling with the effort. Then the guard fell dead to the ground.
Kal drew his knife, and slipped into the tunnel that led to the cave of skulls.
The little blaze had been built up into a proper fire, blazing merrily in the centre of the cave. His brow furrowed, Za listened as Ian explained the working of the fire-bow.
The leaping flames cast giant shadows on the wall - and suddenly Susan realised that one of the shadows was not their own. A sixth shadow, huge and menacing, loomed high on the cave wall. 'Look!' screamed Susan.
They turned and saw Kal, knife in hand, advancing from the back of the cave.
Za snatched up his axe, and went to meet him.
For a moment they circled around the fire, eyeing each other, and then simultaneously, both sprang to the attack. It was a savage, brutal fight - all the more savage because soon both men lost their weapons. A lucky blow from Za's axe shattered Kal's knife to fragments. As Za raised the axe to strike, Kal sprang in beneath it, grappling with him. For a moment they struggled for possession of the axe. Suddenly Kal twisted it from Za's grasp, losing hold of it himself in the process. The axe clattered to the floor, and from then on the two men fought like wild animals with teeth and claws.
Susan buried her head on Barbara's shoulder and both looked away. Ian watched the fight with horrified fascination. The Doctor looked on dispassionately, following the progress of the battle like some Roman emperor watching two gladiators in the arena.
For some time it was hard to tell who was gaining the upper hand. Za was bulkier and stronger, but Kal was quicker and lithe as a cat. Time and time again, he twisted free from Za's hold. But Za's greater strength gave him victory in the end. Catching Kal in a terrible grip, he hurled him bodily to the ground. As Kal lay there half-stunned, Za snatched up a great rock and brought it smashing down...
Now there was one more shattered skull in the cave of skulls.
Outside the cave, the Tribe was growing impatient. As the first rays of the sun struck the stone of sacrifice, Horg gave an angry roar. 'Orb is above us, and still there is no fire. Orb waits for his sacrifice! Call Za! Tell him to bring the strangers from out of the cave of skulls! If he does not we will sacrifice him with them!'
Za dragged Kal's body to the back of the cave, picked up his axe, and came slowly back to the fire. There was blood on his hands. 'Kal is dead now. I am leader - and we have fire!'
Suddenly there came the sound of angry shouts from outside the cave.
'Za! Za! Bring out the strangers! The strangers must be sacrificed to Orb!'
'Za! Za! Za!'
The chanting grew louder, angrier.
Ian took a long stick and lit the end in the fire. He handed it to Za. 'Here! Show this to your tribe!'
Za took the blazing branch. 'You will wait here.'
'We'll come out with you.'
'No. You will wait here!'
Holding the blazing branch high above him, Za went through the tunnel.
Angrily Ian watched him go. 'Why can't we go with him?'
'It might be safer in here,' said the Doctor. 'Let him go, Chesterton, let him go. Let him show the Tribe fire, establish his leadership. Then he'll set us free.'
The chanting came to an instant halt when Za marched out of the cave bearing his blazing torch.
He advanced on the circle of warriors, and they
shrank fearfully back. Za held out the torch. 'Fire!'
Horg stretched out his hand to the flames, and nodded reverently.
Za looked challengingly around the circle. 'Kal is dead. I give you fire. I am the leader.'
Horg bowed his head. 'Yes. You are the leader.'
'We shall give food and water to the new tribe in the cave of skulls,' ordered Za.
'There is no meat.'
Za looked at the rising sun. 'I shall go into the forest and bring back meat.'
Horg licked his lips hungrily. 'Yes. I remember how well the meat and the fire join together.'
'We shall join them again. Guard the new tribe well. They must be here when I get back. The rest of you gather wood. We shall keep the fire alive in the great cave.'
Za handed the blazing branch to Horg, and headed for the forest.
Hur watched him go, her eyes shining with pride. 'Bring fruit and water,' she ordered. 'I must feed the new tribe - as Za, the leader, commands.'
Inside the cave of skulls, the wait seemed endless. 'It didn't work,' said Ian. 'He's going to keep us here.'
'Someone's coming,' called Susan.
Hur came into the cave carrying fruit wrapped in a piece of skin.
'Look, what's going on?' demanded Ian. 'Why are we being kept here?'
Hur put the fruit down by the fire. 'Za has gone into the forest to hunt. Later there will be meat for you.'
'Why can't we go outside?' asked Barbara. 'Please let us go out,' pleaded Susan. 'It's terrible in here.'
'Za has ordered that you stay. Za is the leader.'
'But we helped you! We even gave you fire.'
'Yes, we have fire now,' said Hur flatly.
Hur started to move away, but Barbara caught her by the arm. 'How long have we got to stay in here? How long must we stay with you?'
'Forever,' said Hur simply. Pulling herself free, she turned and left the cave.
'We have fire now,' mimicked Ian bitterly. 'Yes, and I was the one who gave it to them - like a fool. I should have waited, bargained with them...'
'Don't worry, my boy, you did the right thing,' said the Doctor. 'The only possible thing.'
Barbara nodded. 'At least we're still alive. We'd have been sacrificed by now if we hadn't given them fire.'
Susan looked round the gloomy cave. The light from the little fire played eerily on the shattered skulls.
'Forever,' she whispered. 'You heard what she said. They're going to keep us here forever...'
12
Escape into Danger
Ian Chesterton woke out of a nightmare-haunted sleep, to find that the nightmare was real. He was still in the cave of skulls.
Barbara was shaking him gently by the shoulder. 'Ian, wake up. You've slept most of the day. The Doctor says it'll be dark again soon.'
Ian sat up and looked around. Susan and Barbara were sitting beside him, and the Doctor was adding branches to the fire.
'They've brought us some meat,' said Susan. 'I think it's supposed to be cooked.' She pointed to a leaf on which were a few chunks of charred and bloody meat.
'There's some water too,' said Barbara, 'in a kind of hollow stone. We saved you some.'
'All the comforts of home, eh?'
She passed Ian a kind of natural stone bowl, and he sipped the water thirstily. 'I don't think I'll bother with the meat.'
'I shouldn't,' said Barbara. 'It isn't very nice.' Ian looked at the Doctor, who sat gazing blankly into the fire. He looked tired and dispirited.
They heard movement from the back of the cave.
Za appeared from the gloom. He marched up to the fire and stood looking down at them. 'You have meat now.'
No one answered.
'The animal was strong and hard to kill, but I killed it. Now there is meat for all the Tribe. The meat is good.'
More silence.
'They have brought you fruit and water in a hollow stone.' Za looked down. 'Is this the stone?'
'He's trying to make conversation,' thought Barbara hysterically.
Za seemed puzzled, almost hurt by their lack of response. 'Has anyone hurt you?'
The Doctor raised his head. 'When are you going to let us go?'
'You will stay here,' said Za flatly. 'I have the thing that you made, but I do not know if it will make fire for me. It will be best if your tribe and my Tribe join together - forever.'
'No,' shouted Ian angrily. 'We want to leave here!'
'Why? The cave is warm and dry. We will bring you food and water and wood to feed the fire. There is no better place on the other side of the mountains.' Menacingly, Za raised his axe. 'Do not try to leave here - or you will die!'
He turned and strode from the cave.
Ian found a sharp stick, speared a piece of meat, looked at it in disgust and pitched it into the fire, where it sizzled angrily.
The Doctor said moodily. 'Fire! Fire is still the answer, somehow, I'm sure of it. They revere it! If only we could use it to frighten them in some way.' He kicked moodily at a skull at his feet. It rolled into the fire, sat there, grinning at him.
'Look at that skull, grandfather,' said Susan fearfully. 'It looks almost alive.'
Inside the empty eye-sockets of the skull, little flames flickered like glaring eyes.
Ian looked at the skull, and then jumped to his feet. 'Not alive, Susan - dead! Get me some pieces of wood, will you? We're going to make some torches - we can use the fat from the meat. Doctor, see if you can find me four skulls, not too badly bashed up.'
'What happens then?' asked Susan.
'Then to all intents and purposes, we're going to be dead. Just like that skull!'
Ian pointed to the fast-blackening skull in the heart of the fire.
The Tribe was having a great feast that night, sitting round the huge fire that roared at the mouth of the main cave. They crowded around it, roasting chunks of bloody meat on the end of sticks, thrusting them into their mouths when they were no more than charred. Children munched and played in the circle of firelight. Their mothers looked on, with no fear that the beasts from the forest would snatch them away.
Za sat in the place of honour, flanked by Hur on one side, Horg on the other. He looked proudly around his Tribe. They were warm, well fed, and safe - and he was their chief.
Suddenly there came a terrible cry of fear and a Tribesman ran into the circle of firelight.
Za jumped to his feet in anger. 'You were told to guard the strangers. Why are you here?'
The man was almost sobbing with fear. 'I was waiting outside the tunnel when I heard the stranger tribe calling me. There was a great wailing and shouting, so I crept to the end of the passage to look... There has been great magic, Za. You must come and see.'
'Show me,' ordered Za. 'The men will come with me, the rest stay here.' He ran towards the cave of skulls, Horg and the warriors at his heels. Hur ran after them.
The trembling guard led the way to the side entrance and pointed. He would go no further. Za marched into the little tunnel, followed by Hur, Horg and his warriors.
As they came into the cave, a horrifying sight met their eyes. The stranger tribe had vanished. In their place hovered four gleaming skulls, flames burning from their eyes, and belching out from their mouths.
Horg fell to his knees in terror. 'The strangers have died! Their ghosts have come to punish us.'
The rest of the Tribe fell to their knees, wailing in fear.
Even Za stood frozen with terror, staring fixedly at the skulls.
In the shadows at the back of the cave, Ian whispered, 'Right, let's slip out now. Hurry!'
One by one they edged round behind the terrified Tribesmen, and down the tunnel that led to freedom. No one saw them - all eyes were on the four skulls. Seconds later, they were outside in the cold night air. Nearby they could see frightened figures huddled round the great fire outside the main cave. Keeping well away from the firelight, they ran into the forest.
One of the skull-bearing torches was almos
t burned away. Suddenly it collapsed beneath the weight of its burden and the charred skull rolled almost to Za's feet.
The others leaped back in fear, but Za shouted, 'Look! This is nothing but fire and the bones of the dead!'
He snatched up one of the torches, shaking free the skull, and held it high, looking around the cave. 'The stranger tribe have gone. While we looked at their fire and cried with terror before dead bones, they have gone!'
'They have gone into the night,' said Hur. 'The dark will hide them.'
Za waved his torch in a flaming circle. 'With fire, night is day,' he said grimly. 'Bring fire all of you. We shall hunt them down!'
He led the way outside the cave and selected a band of his best warriors. Armed with blazing torches, the hunters set off at a run.
Ian led his little party through the forest at top speed. This time no one had any difficulty in keeping up. Even the Doctor didn't demand that they stop and rest.
They fled blindly through the darkness, and Ian hoped desperately that they were still on the right path.
It was with a feeling of enormous relief that he led them at last into the clearing where Za had fought the tiger. 'Nearly there,' he gasped.
They heard fierce yells behind them, and turning round they saw the gleam of fiery torches through the trees.
'Quick,' yelled Ian. 'They're right behind us! Run!'
They forced their way out of the forest at a stumbling run, bursting through the screen of bushes, and out onto the sandy plain.
The going was easier now, and a few more minutes brought them to the TARDIS.
Ian collapsed against the door, and turned to the Doctor, who was bringing up the rear. 'Hurry, Doctor, let us in. They'll be here any minute!'
The Doctor staggered up, fumbled for the key with agonising slowness, got the door open at last, and tumbled inside.
Ian ushered Barbara and Susan through the door, and turned for a last look behind him. He saw Za and his warriors burst out of the forest and onto the plain. One of the warriors hurled a spear, which clattered against the TARDIS.
Ian dashed inside and the doors closed behind him. 'Come on, Doctor, get us out of here!'
DOCTOR WHO AND AN UNEARTHLY CHILD Page 8
