Episode 3

The first thing that struck Mikki was the cold. It lay like mist on the floor, and clutched at her with fingers of ice. All she could see was Tarot's shape ahead of her, a grey shadow on a black ground. But as she watched, either her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, or a faint bluish light grew in the room.

She moved towards Tarot, opening her mouth to speak - as, behind them, the door slammed shut.

***

Chas half fell, half scrambled down the chimney, grazing skin from his knees and knuckles as he went. A final fall left him sprawling on the cellar floor once more as a soft shower of dust pattered over him. He glanced up, half-blinded by the dust, at the nightmare shape that came scuttling after him.

***

Tarot could make out a shape in the blueness. It reminded him of a seated scarecrow. Or...

Penny for the guy?

Behind him, Mikki gasped. 'Tarot? Did you hear that?'

Tarot half-turned to her 'No Mikki. And neither did you.'

Always the riddler, Tarot. But you are quite correct. You can't hear me. I have no need to speak. Come closer. Both of you.

Mikki felt an almost overwhelming desire to move. Just to put one foot in front of another and approach. But terror held her back.

It would be so much easier if you moved forward.

'Easier for whom?' asked Tarot.

A graveyard laugh rattled in their minds.

Easier for me. Quicker for you.

And what exactly are you?

I? I am dead!

***

Chas stumbled to his feet and backed away from the opening, now starkly lit by the dusty bulb. There was a flutter of shadow and the sound of a fall, followed by a quick nervous scuttling in the rubbish. A feeler waved in the air, and the spider scuttled into sight. It was matt black, smooth, with here and there a gleam that might have been an eye. For a second, Chas and it were still, silent, waiting. Then, softly, Chas moved further back. At once the spider started to move slowly and jerkily towards him. He could hear the click of its legs approaching. He looked around, trying desperately to plan. The spider stopped, and its legs bent as it lowered its body. Then Chas ducked to one side as it jumped at his face, legs twisting in the air. It struck the wall and rattled down it. Without a pause it scuttled towards him again.

***

'Dead?'

Yes, Tarot. Any doctor would pronounce the body you see before you to be long deceased. Its heart does not beat. Its lungs do not move. But the mind, Tarot: the mind lives.

Perhaps the blue grow strengthened, or perhaps their eyes grew used to it, but Mikki and Tarot could see the figure in front of them now. It sat motionless in a metal chair from which wires led to points all over its head and hands. It was loosely wrapped in some dark material, and more wires were lost in its folds. The face was fixed and wasted, the skin shining dully. Behind the chair a great machine stood, the blue glow spilling from it and surrounding the figure like a cloud. At the top of the machine, a huge aerial hung, festooned with a web of wires. The cracked soundless voice continued.

Once my body had life like yours, but the doctors told me I was dying. I was a scientist, rich and clever. Very rich and very clever. I built this machine to keep my mind alive, bought this house to put it in. And servants for myself.

'Servants?' Mikki asked.

One of them is in the cellar now, with your brother. Others are behind you.

Mikki turned and gasped. Behind them a silent row of great spiders crouched motionless. Their shadows loomed behind them against the wall.

'What... What do they do?'

They are my arms and legs, my eyes and ears. They watch, they repair. They kill.

'Why...'

Enough words. You may wonder, Tarot, how I have survived the passing years. I will show you how.

With a roar, a blue gas, faintly glowing, raced across the room from a dozen vents. It struck Tarot and Mikki with blows of ice; a shock of cold so great they almost lost consciousness.

BREAK

Chas backed away from the scuttling shape until he was pressed against a wall, damp and flaking. He could hardly see the spider for the rubbish at his feet, but he could hear its rat-like scrabbling as it hurried closer. He had to think. There must be a way, a plan. The light picked the creature out as it approached, its shadow reaching before it. The light...

Chas side-stepped rapidly, the spider curving its course to follow him. He sprinted the few paces back to the opening and the light and dragged his penknife from his pocket. Opening the screwdriver, he worked at the lamp-holder, prising it from the crumbling wall. Behind him, he could hear the rustling and tapping as the spider approached. He staggered back, lamp in hand and turned quickly, almost overbalancing. Shadows swept with him and for a moment he couldn't see the spider. Then it was there, less than a metre away. It rushed toward him - as he lunged at it with the bulb.

The glass shattered, there was a bright electrical discharge and then darkness, expect for a flicker and glow at his feet. Dimly, Chas was aware of a series of sharp explosions somewhere above, but for now he peered cautiously at what had been the spider. Small flames consumed its skin, but beneath there as no flesh, just a mass of gears and circuits.

***

Through the freezing cloud, Mikki heard a sudden series of cracks. The roar of gas faded and died, and she willed her eyes to open. She felt frost crackle in her hair as she gazed fearfully round the room.

'Tarot? What happened?' She could hardly speak for cold.

'I think Chas happened, Mikki. Look.' He pointed and she could see the spiders running purposefully over the machinery around them, feelers prising open hatches, pulling out blackened cables.

Mikki gasped as she saw that two of the spiders were poised a metre away, reared up on four of their legs, guarding her and Tarot.

You are correct. Your friend in the cellar is resourceful. But circuits can be prepared. Enemies can be guarded. Sacrifices can wait.

***

The flames flickered to nothing as Chas stood and backed away from the remains of the spider. As he reached the opening again he stopped. Looked up sharply. It was Tarot's voice, he was sure of it. And he was sure he'd had enough of the cellar. Determinedly, he started to climb up the chimney once more, in total darkness this time. Or almost total. Up above he could make out a faint bluish glow. It seemed to strengthen as he approached.

***

'But why do you want to kill us?'

Because you discovered me. So near the end of my plan

'Plan?'

Of escape. I cannot stay here forever. As the years have passed my robots have perfected my machines, while I have trained my mind. Seven years ago I found out how to leave my frozen body and inhabit this machine - for short periods. Gradually I have grown stronger. My life-force grows, feeds on the electricity that is so abundantly available. Soon I will have no more need of this machine either. You see this aerial above the machine? It is a transmitter. Soon its power will be strong enough to transfer my life-energy to the radio radiation that fills your atmosphere, that blankets everything. And then… Then we shall see.

Across the room, there was a cracking sound and the snap and thunder of falling timber. Chas's head emerged in a cloud of dust.

'Chas!'

'Mikki? Tarot? Are you all right? There's some horrible great...'

'Chas, don't move, there's one behind you.'

Ignore Tarot, Chas. Enter my domain.

The voice roared in all their heads, and Chas pulled himself through the opening, ignoring the sharp splinters of the cover he'd broken through. At the other side of Tarot, Mikki stood, frozen with more than cold. But Tarot himself stuck his hands in his pockets and stared defiantly ahead.

'It's no good you know, you can't fool me with that mind-control trick any more.'

Ah, my dear Tarot, I don't need to. I have many servants now.

To his right, Mikki sprang into life. Tarot ducked as she swept her fist through the air towards him. Glancing round, he saw Chas, hands like claws, moving forwards. The two spiders withdrew a little, scuttling back into the dark.

Chas grabbed, Mikki swung - and suddenly Tarot was gone, and they held only each other. Suddenly, magically, he was across the room, standing by the great machine.

Very clever Tarot. A fine illusion. But too late.

The great aerial suddenly glowed with blue fire. A piercing shriek, half human, half electronic, ripped through the air. Chas and Mikki staggered and blinked.

A string of handkerchiefs, big and brightly coloured, appeared in Tarot's hands as he reached up to the sparking aerial. He pulled savagely at it, and with a snapping of wires it came free. He dragged at it and it bent under the pressure, curving down to the floor.

'On the contrary. I think I'm just in time to turn your aeriel into an earth.'

With a final shove, Tarot pushed the glowing aerial down until its tip touched the damp boards. With an angry crackle and a shower of sparks, all light faded from it. There was a faint cry in the air for a moment, and then it faded rapidly to silence.

***

The three figures made their way cautiously through the woods once more. Faintly in the East a spreading greyness began to silhouette the trees.

'But what about the owners? Won't they think all that stuff in the attic is a bit odd?' asked Chas.

'And horrible,' Mikki added.

'I don't think they'll be anything much for them to find. It was all falling to bits when we left - nothing to support it anymore, I suppose.'

'And is it gone? Really gone?' asked Mikki.

'The signal was only just starting. There was no time for the energy to escape into the atmosphere. I'm sure of that, Mikki,' said Tarot. 'Look, there's the car.'

'That's not what I asked.' muttered Mikki as she stumbled tiredly after him.

Chas looked back at the house once more, a black silhouette crouching against the paling sky. He looked down at his feet. Was there a faint glow there? The reflection of the pre-dawn light on a smear of mud? Maybe.

Maybe.

He hurried to join the others at the car.