Silence again. The breathing had definitely slowed. Quill wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the Smiling Man speak. But he was going to keep daring him to do so. ‘I suppose some other people must have come back from Hell, or know what’s written above that gate, what the secret is. But you’ve seen that I’ve got a thing about doing my duty. You were sure I’d have to tell everyone who’d believe it. That gradually that message would sink in to them. That it’d grind them down even more than they’ve been ground down now.’ The kettle finished boiling. He poured the tea. ‘So I’m not going to do that. I’m going to find a way to heal my unit. I’m going to wait until I’m sure they’re able to cope with what I know. Then we’re going to find some way to change it.’

There was a click from the phone. He’d hung up.

Quill found that he was actually smiling. He took a slow sip from his tea. He thought about Sarah and Jessica asleep upstairs, and what the words on that sign over the gate of Hell meant for them and for everyone else he knew. The sign had read:

It’s everyone who ever lived in London

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This book could not have been written without the permission and cooperation of Neil Gaiman, to whom I owe an enormous debt. He read through all the relevant sections and gave his approval. He is, of course, an honest and lovely man.

Others who aided enormously in the writing of The Severed Streets are: Simon Bradshaw, Dave Clements, Judith Clute, Simon Colenutt, Andrew Englefield, Kieron Gillen, ‘SJG’, Simon Guerrier, Lynn, Harry Markos, Jamie McKelvie, Cheryl Morgan, Chief Inspector Andrew Smith and Mark Wyman. Thanks are also due to Steven Moffat and Sue and Beryl Vertue, for old times’ sake.

By Paul Cornell

By Paul Cornell

London Falling

The Severed Streets

About the Author

PAUL CORNELL has written some of Doctor Who’s best-loved episodes for the BBC. He has also written a number of comic book series for Marvel and DC, including Wolverine and Saucer Country. He has been Hugo Award-nominated for his work in TV, comics and prose, and won the BSFA Award for his short fiction. The Severed Streets is his second urban fantasy novel.