The cab lurched again, suddenly, and he fell back, the creature splaying its hands across the roof to help it hold on. It recovered faster than Newbury, and its next swipe caught the back of his collar, shredding the fabric and drawing large welts across the nape of Newbury’s neck. He howled in pain and dropped low, rolling out of its reach. He drew to his knees just as the man-thing was straining forward with its arm extended. Then he saw his chance. He leapt up, grabbing it firmly by the wrist and yanking down, hard, throwing all of his weight behind the motion.
Newbury fell backwards towards the door, and the creature, unable to slow its momentum, came crashing forward through the hole in the roof, tumbling face down onto the floor of the cab.
Newbury didn’t wait to see if it had survived the fall. Instead he twisted around, grabbed the handle of the door, and leaned against it. It opened and he fell through.
For a moment he hung dangerously from the door, his feet trailing inside the main compartment of the cab. Rain lashed his face, and the shuddering of the cab as it bounced unattended over the cobbled road threatened to shake him free.
He saw the creature shifting inside, and swung his legs out, mercifully finding purchase on the footplate. He pulled himself up so that he was once again vertical, clinging to the side of the cab, and shuffled to the edge of the footplate, giving him room enough to slam the door shut on the creature inside. He didn’t imagine it would offer him much extra time, but he was unsure if the man-thing would be able to work the handle in its rabid frenzy.
He glanced along the street. They were approaching a junction. He had only moments to get to the controls before the cab careened into the side of an office building, or was struck by traffic coming from another direction.
The remains of the driver’s body were still rocking back and forth with the motion of the cab, moving spasmodically like a suffocating fish in the last of its death throes.
Gritting his teeth, Newbury reached up and felt for the rim that ran around the edge of the cab’s roof. He could hear the creature shifting about inside, prowling in circles as it tried to work out how to get to him.
He took the strain in his fingers and heaved himself up, crying out in pain as he bloodied his fingertips in the process. His damaged forearm protested, but he clung on for dear life as the cab swayed and shook, threatening to overbalance. He got the tip of his shoe on the window frame and finally managed to push himself the last few inches up, until his chest was over the lip. He scrabbled up and wound up spread-eagled on the roof, close to the ragged edge of the hole. His breath was coming in short, shallow gasps.
He was close, now. He had no idea how to operate the contraption, of course, but hoped he’d be able to work it out when he got there. He heaved himself up onto his knees, his palms still pressed flat to the roof. He started forward, but felt his trousers catch on something. He tugged, but there was no give. He glanced back, and realised in horror that it wasn’t his trousers at all, but that the man-thing’s left hand was wrapped tightly around his ankle.
Newbury growled in frustration and lashed out with his other foot, kicking at the creature’s forearm. It refused to let go, pulling down sharply on his leg, dragging him inexorably back towards the lip of the hole.
Newbury thrashed around, trying to find something to grab on to, but there was nothing there. He felt himself slide back, heard the creature howl in triumph. His legs were over the hole now, and he allowed himself to be pulled further back, slipping deeper into the nightmare maw of the cab. Then, at the last moment, he stamped down blindly with his right foot, hammering again and again with his heel. He felt something crunch as he connected with the creature’s face. It screeched in pain, releasing its grip on his ankle.
Swiftly, Newbury hauled himself up out of the hole again and scrambled across the roof towards the controls. He spun around and dropped feet first into the driver’s box, nudging the flapping remains of the driver to one side.
The controls consisted of two pedals, a lever, and a small, round steering wheel. He grabbed the wheel first, fighting the bucking vehicle as they careened towards the office building. He leaned to the left and pulled the wheel around hard, causing the vehicle to bank sharply. The cab veered out of the path of the building but tipped wildly in the process, two wheels lifting entirely off the ground.
For a moment Newbury thought the thing was going to overbalance, but he spun the wheel back the other way and the vehicle shifted, the two right-hand wheels dropping back down to the ground heavily. The driver’s body slumped towards him with the motion, and Newbury fought to steady himself as the contents of its lacerated belly spilled out across the floor. A moment later, when the direction of the cab was somewhat under control, he grabbed the corpse by the belt and, with both hands, heaved it over the side of the box. It tumbled to the cobbles with a wet, dull thud, trailing sticky blood and entrails.
Newbury wiped the rainwater from his eyes with his sleeve. He heard a scraping noise from behind him and glanced over his shoulder. The creature was pulling itself up out of the hole in the roof. It must have clambered up on the seats to gain enough height to get leverage. Perhaps it wasn’t as dim-witted as he’d imagined.
His choices, however, remained limited. He could hardly maintain control of the vehicle and fight the creature at the same time. He decided his only hope was to shake it off. If he could strand it in the road while he still had control of the vehicle, he could get away.
He glanced at the road ahead, then looked back at the creature, which had just about hauled itself onto the roof. He braced himself, then yanked the steering wheel sharply to the right, and then hard to the left, causing the cab to veer wildly. It pitched and rocked as the wheels shifted beneath it, barely able to compensate for the exaggerated gestures. The man-thing slid across the roof, scrabbling for purchase, its legs dangling over the side. It didn’t, however, go over.
Newbury tried again, swinging the cab across the road, but realised that the creature had managed to dig its talons into the fabric of the cab, pinning itself in place. It clung on while the vehicle weaved from side to side, biding its time. He’d have to try a different approach.
Mercifully, the road ahead remained silent and empty. The rain and the late hour had driven the civilians home to their beds. Newbury found himself longing for the tranquillity of his drawing room, the peace of a book and a cigarette. He’d had his fill of being attacked by half-mechanical assailants for one night.
The man-thing issued a keening wail as it dragged itself up from where it was hanging off the side of the cab and thumped across the shattered roof towards him. Newbury didn’t look back, but could feel its presence only feet away. His every instinct told him to try to get away, but he held a firm grasp on the wheel.
He stabbed at the accelerator with his foot and the vehicle lurched forward, the engine roaring with power. They sped along the cobbled road, bouncing and juddering, gaining momentum with every passing inch. Newbury could practically feel the creature’s rancid breath on the nape of his neck, but still he did not turn.
He counted to five beneath his breath. It was now or never. He lifted his foot from the accelerator and slammed it hard upon the brake, releasing the steering wheel and ducking down into the driver’s box, covering his head with his arms.
The next few moments passed in slow motion. All Newbury could hear was the rush of blood in his ears, his heart thumping against his ribs. He was thrown heavily forward with the momentum, bashing his hip against the steering wheel.