The Sow in Rut (short story)

The Sow in Rut was the eighth short story in the Short Trips anthology More Short Trips. It was written by Robert Perry and Mike Tucker. It featured Sarah Jane Smith and K9 Mark III.

Summary
Sarah has come to the Lake District for a holiday. She hopes to do a bit of writing for her novel. She has brought K9 with her for assistance. She is staying in Cornflower Cottage, which used to be an inn called the Sow in Rut.

Sarah goes to the local pub for dinner, leaving K9 at the cottage. On the way, Sarah encounters Aggie, the local witch, who tries to convince Sarah to take a bit of heather as protection. Sarah refuses.

Meanwhile at the cottage, water creeps in under the door and attacks K9.

Sarah is at the pub. Aggie comes in, and the landlord wants her to leave. Before she does, she gives Sarah some heather, and Sarah gives her a couple of pounds. An old man tells Sarah the story of Cornflower Cottage:

The Cunniforths, the landlords of the Sow in Rut, kept pigs. Soon it was realised that guests at the inn were going missing. It was discovered that the Cunniforths, at the command of their pigs, were killing the guests to feed themselves and the pigs.

Sarah returns to the cottage and finds the floor sopping wet. K9 appears, his eyes glowing red, and blue sparks surrounding him. He speaks in a strange voice, claiming that "we" are trapped. He/they plan to use Sarah's body to free themselves. Sarah tries to get away, and covers K9 with her jacket. It burns away, and Sarah hears a squawk from K9. She sees the heather near K9, and he has returned to normal.

Sarah leaves for home the next day. En route, she stops for coffee and then calls Brendan to tell him what happened. He laughs it off and says he had been running a game through K9's processor.

Back at the cottage, the demonic pig spirit in the water bubbles angrily, willing to wait for its next change to escape.

Characters

 * Sarah Jane Smith
 * K9 Mark III
 * Brendan Richards
 * Jack Tatum
 * Aggie
 * Old man
 * Demonic pig spirit

Continuity

 * Sarah Jane is once again annoyed by Brendan's "honking" laugh. (TV: A Girl's Best Friend)