Doctor Who: The Twin Dilemma Read Online Free

to be cruelly, harshly, viciously at odds with each other. In fact, the coat was so gawdy it would have looked out of place on the back of a circus clown.
    But that was only the beginning.
    Protruding from the bottom of the jacket were a pair of black and yellow striped trousers, the hems of which rested on red spats, which in turn covered the tops of green shoes. The whole ensemble was finished off with a waistcoast which looked as though someone had been sick on. (For all Peri knew, someone had.) The final touch was a livid green watch chain that at some time must have been stolen from a public lavatory.
    Peri continued to remonstrate with the Doctor, urging him to reconsider his clothes. At first he was simply dismissive, but then, for no apparent reason, his mood changed.
    'Your name - Peri...' The word came out as though the Doctor had a nasty taste in his mouth. 'How did you get a name like that?'
    Peri was scared. The Doctor's tone verged on being brutal. 'Well?'
    he insisted.
    'It's a diminutive of my proper name,' she stuttered. 'Perpugilliam.'
    The Doctor smirked. 'Do you know what a Peri is?'
    She shook her head.
    'Of course not! Even if you did you wouldn't admit it... Would you?' The Doctor had started to shout. Peri was petrified. She couldn't make sense of what he was saying.
    'As you won't tell me, I shall tell you. A Peri is a good and beautiful fairy in Persian mythology... The interesting thing is...
    before it became good, it was eviir The Doctor snarled like some caricature mad professor. But Peri wasn't watching this performance in a theatre. This was real. There wasn't any way she could get out of the situation by simply covering her eyes and waiting for the scene to be over.
    The Doctor started to move towards her. 'You are thoroughly evil,'
    he ranted.
     
    'Please, Doctor. This is no longer a joke.' Peri backed away. As she did, she noticed perched on the console the abandoned mirror the Doctor had used earlier to examine his new face. A weapon! she thought. Slowly Peri edged towards it, the Doctor following.
    Peri couldn't make any sense of what was happening. Within an hour the Doctor had not only changed into another person, but had gone through fits of agonising pain, sunk to the depths of despair and was now threatening her. What else could happen? she thought.
    As Peri edged along the console, she suddenly reached to grab the mirror, but the Doctor, now realising her intention, anticipated the move perfectly and savagely lashed out. Peri was lucky and managed to side step the attack. As she did, she snatched up the mirror, but not before the Doctor had leapt at her again, this time making contact. Winded, Peri crashed
    to the floor, the mirror falling from her grasp. Instantly, like a wild, snarling animal, the Doctor was on top of her.
    Peri screamed and thrashed about, praying one of her blows would make contact, but the Doctor was too strong for her. Slowly, deliberately he brought his hands to embrace her throat. On contact he drove his powerful thumbs into her windpipe and pressed firmly. Any hope that this was all a sick, hateful joke departed from her mind. The Doctor was going to kill her.
    Now knowing she had only seconds to live, Peri felt wildly for the dropped mirror. As she did, she caught a glimpse of her attacker's face - the sight terrified her even more. The Doctor's expression was that of pleasure. He was actually having fun wasting her life.
    Choking and coughing, Peri continued her frantic search. Her mouth had now involuntarily dropped open and her protruding tongue jerked backwards and forwards as though attempting to pump air down her restricted windpipe.
    Suddenly her hand found the mirror and without pausing she immediately picked it up and started to smash it on the floor. / have to break it! I must have a sharp edge! I have to be able to hurt him, she screamed inside her head.
    With all her strength she repeatedly struck the mirror on the floor, but it stubbornly