The Eternity Contract (short story)

The Eternity Contract was the seventh short story in the Short Trips anthology More Short Trips. It was written by Steve Lyons. It featured the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa.

Summary
Patricia Hopkins is hit by a car and dies of her injuries. She awakens in Carnon Manor, home of Lord Nicholas Carnon, and is welcomed by Richard and Jean Ferris.

The Doctor and Nyssa land on a planet where they are attacked by a wolf-like creature. They try to escape to the TARDIS, but there is another creature waiting there for them. They are herded by the creatures and a violent storm towards a large house, Carnon Manor. They enter and are met by the Ferrises, who invite them to tea and inform the Doctor and Nyssa that they must have died.

The Ferrises explain that the house is a "half-way house to the other side", and that the people in the house have all died. Only six people are allowed in the house at once. As there are now eight, the creature from the basement will be coming for two of the house's inhabitants.

Nyssa and the Doctor explore the house, meeting the other inhabitants. The Doctor talks to Dr Morton, who is trying to find a cure for cancer, from which he died two months ago. Nyssa meets Doug Williams and Melissa Hamilton.

Patricia, still new to the house and wanting to escape, joins the Doctor and Nyssa. They try to leave, but a force seems to be preventing them. They see Doug throw himself from the top floor. They think he is dead, but he appears back in the house.

The creature comes for Dr Morton. The Doctor meets Lord Carnon in a dream. Carnon explains that Death allows him to borrow six souls, and he can replace one if it starts to bore him. He also explains that Death wants the Doctor.

The creature comes for Nyssa. Carnon explains to the rest of the inhabitants that if they kill the Doctor, they will be free. First Doug, then the Ferrises, try to kill the Doctor. Melissa doesn't seem to care, finding the whole situation amusing. Patricia hates herself for wanting to kill the Doctor, but then refuses to. She and the Doctor wait.

The Doctor finds himself in a meadow, and the TARDIS is nearby. Nyssa emerges from the TARDIS; as she wasn't dead, the creature could only return her where she belongs.

Patricia has made a miraculous recovery from her accident. She realises that she "fought [Death] and won!"

Characters

 * Fifth Doctor
 * Nyssa
 * Lord Nicholas Carnon
 * Patricia Hopkins
 * Richard Ferris
 * Jean Ferris
 * Melissa Hamilton
 * Douglas Williams
 * Dr Donald Morton

Worldbuilding

 * Horror movies don't exist on Traken.
 * Dr Morton died of cancer.

Continuity

 * Nyssa cries for the first time since the Master and Traken. (TV: Logopolis)