Evergreen (short story)

Evergreen was the twenty-third and final short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: A Christmas Treasury. It was written by Stephen Cole. It featured the Eighth Doctor.

Summary
The Doctor, using the name John, has been staying at Connie Bryde's house, in exchange for labour. He is sympathetic to Connie, whom the village blames for her husband's death. When her husband was ill last Christmas, she refused to take down the church's Christmas decorations by Candlemas, as tradition required. They finally dragged her to the church and she took down the decorations, but by the time she returned home her husband had died.

One night, she dreams that Meg Bledlow has died. In the dream, Connie kills her and eats her tongue. When Connie wakes, she learns from John that Meg has died. Connie attends the funeral, but the villagers blame her for Meg's death. Meanwhile, John tries to convince her to decorate her house for Christmas, believing it will make her feel better. He puts up decorations in the cowshed.

The next day, a girl is found in the woods. Tom Bledlow takes her in, and John spends a lot of time with her. One day Connie goes to Tom's store, and the girl makes fun of her.

At night, Connie thinks John has called to her to meet him in the woods. When she arrives there, she sees that the girl is dead and Tom Bledlow is unconscious.

John tells Connie a vampire-like alien in the girl's body was responsible and was using Connie as a scapegoat for its feedings. She had the ability to summon people in their sleep. John had to kill her to prevent her from killing anyone else, as she was the one who killed Meg.

John now has to leave, despite Connie's protests. She removes John's Christmas decorations from the cowshed, intending to put them in her house.

Characters

 * Eighth Doctor
 * Connie Bryde
 * Tom Bledlow
 * Meg Bledlow
 * Girl

Continuity

 * The Doctor is still suffering from his amnesia. (PROSE: The Burning)
 * The Doctor goes by the name John. (TV: The Wheel in Space)