"Rob!" "Rob!" "Wait for me, Rob!" "'Upstairs and downstairs, upstairs and downstairs, 'upstairs and downstairs, 'upstairs and downstairs... '" " Lying fast asleep..." " Rob!" "Let me out!" "Please!" " 'Upstairs and... '" " Wait for me, Rob!" " Don't listen to it!" " It's... coming... through!" "'Upstairs and downstairs, upstairs... '" " Downstairs." " No!" "'Upstairs and downstairs, 'upstairs and downstairs, 'upstairs and downstairs, upstairs and downstairs... '" " Go!" " 'Upstairs and downstairs, 'upstairs and downstairs... '" "'The north wind doth blow and we shall have snow" "'And what will Poor Robin do then, poor thing?" "'He'll sit in a barn and keep himself warm" "'And hide his head under his wing, poor thing" "'Poor thing... '" "'All irregularities will be handled 'by the forces controlling each dimension." "'Transuranic heavy elements may not be used where there is life." "'Medium atomic weights are available." "'Gold, Lead," "'Copper," "'Jet, Diamond, Radium," "'Sapphire, Silver and Steel." "'Sapphire and Steel have been assigned. '" "'The north wind doth blow" "'And we shall have snow" "'And what will Poor Robin do then?" "'" "Sapphire was right - first a wall, then a room!" "'Head under his wing... '" "Steel!" "It's going to take everything!" "Sapphire?" "It's all finished." "It's all over." "Sit down." "All right?" "Another rhyme." " I know." " I told you to watch the child!" " And I do." " Why did you say another rhyme?" "It got into a page in a book and then into her head." "Anyway, I've burnt the page and the book." "Helen, are you all right?" "What happened?" "Are you sure you're all right?" " How far has it got?" " Top landing, top stairs." "'Poor thing." "Poor thing." "'Poor thing." "Poor thing." "'Poor thing." "Poor thing." "Poor thing." "Come on, Helen, let's show him how we caught the paper." "Sapphire?" "It tried to melt it." " Is it still cold enough?" " Yeah, just." "We could always let it go." "Knowing what it's capable of doing?" "Do you think it would scurry back up the stairs to mum for comfort?" "Hang on to her the way you've been hanging on to Sapphire?" " No." " Good." "Cos if we let this go we let everything go." "And too much ground has been lost already." "Is it quite safe in there?" "Come out here and close the door!" "Let's start tidying up." "No soldiers this time." "Just a good strong north wind." "Amazing what it can conjure up, isn't it?" "Sorry." " What's it doing?" " Staying put." "'Poor thing." "Poor thing. '" " You think it's describing itself?" " 'Poor thing." "Poor thing... '" "I doubt it." "Have you seen anything?" "No, nothing." "No refractions, nothing." "Just that same sound over and over." " As if it's out of things to say." " 'Poor thing." "Poor thing... '" "You might as well come down." "'Poor thing." "Poor thing." "'Poor thing... '" "What are we looking for?" " Patches of light." " Patches of what?" "Patches of light." "I have one hostage downstairs but there are more on the loose." "What do these patches of light do?" " They hide from us." " Well, that's all right, isn't it?" "They hide from us because they like to lie in wait for us." "They like to surprise us." "They almost destroyed Sapphire." "Sounds very organised." "Maybe you could learn something from them." "Steel, that's not my business." "Excuse me." " It's all full." " Good." "Wait..." " Outside?" " Yes." " Through the front door?" " Yes." " Oh, you nearly tripped, Sapphire!" " Yes, be careful." "Ooh!" "Oh, it's cold out there!" "Dad!" "But what are you doing in here?" "Well, why shouldn't I be in here?" "But you disappeared!" "Disappeared?" "What on earth are you talking about?" "Disappeared?" "Rob?" "Close the door, Rob, there's a good lad." " Close it?" " Yes." "Close it." "Rob?" "Rob?" "Perhaps he went upstairs to help Steel?" "Perhaps he did." "Come around here and I'll pick these up." "Shh." "Why do we have to close the door, Dad?" "Everything's all right now, isn't it?" "Now that you're back." "It's cold in here, Dad." "I'm freezing." "Cold?" "Oh, yes, I suppose it is." "Dad?" "I want to open that door." "Please?" "All right, Rob." " I should've known, I suppose." " Known what?" "That I'd be wasting my time trying to fool you." "That's right." "Go on then, open the door." "Call out to your so-called friends." "That way you really will put me in danger." "And not only me, your mother as well." "And yourself." " And Helen?" " Oh, yes, and Helen." "Because I didn't really disappear, Rob," "I've been here in the house all the time." " Hiding." " Hiding?" " Yes!" " And Mum?" "She's been with me." "We've both been hiding." " But why?" " Don't you know why?" "Yes, because the house is being threatened." " By them." " Who?" "I mean, I could never fool you, Rob... but they've fooled you." " Steel and Sapphire?" " Yes!" "They're the real danger, the real threat, nothing else is." "Had you never stopped to think that, never once wondered about them?" "Rob?" " I thought he was with you." " No." "Rob?" "Rob, are you down there?" "Rooooob!" "Shh!" "Now... you must trust me, Rob." "Yes." "There's only one place." "I want you... to help me." " Of course, Dad, but..." " I want you to come with me." "Your mother and I..." "we really need your help, Rob." " Don't you want to see your mother?" " Of course!" " Come on, I'll take you to her." " Where is she?" "I've told you, she's hiding." "She's waiting for you, Rob." "Waiting to see you!" " Your hand, Dad..." " What?" "It's so cold, like ice." "We'll soon be warm." "Come on." "He's not here." " It's tidy again!" " Now do you believe me?" "Steel!" "Hold it down." "There's something crossing the room." "Yes." "And the clock's working again!" " Still here?" " Yes." "Of course they're working - I make all clocks work!" "Come on." "It's gone now." "Get it off!" "Quickly!" " Where, Dad, where is she?" " Where do you think?" "Is it still there?" "No." "It's gone." " Where?" " In the cellar, of course!" "Where's Rob?" "We're waiting." "I want Rob!" "Your mother's waiting for you, Rob." "Dad, you and Mum couldn't have been hiding down here." "Why?" "I've been down here enough times since you... since it happened." " So?" " I'd have seen you, wouldn't I?" "No." "But there are no places to hide down here." "No, no places... but there are ways." "Now what is it?" "!" " What do you mean, ways?" " Ways of hiding!" "Oh..." "I'll show you." "Aw..." "What has the mean man done to you?" "Made you cry?" "It wasn't locked before." "Come on, Rob." "By the wall." "Lead?" " Lead'll take care of you." " Lead?" "Lead?" "!" "Don't worry." "OK?" "It's all right." "It's locked." "It isn't now."