Nothing at the End of the Lane ( short story ) Nothing at the End of the Lane was the fourth short story in the Short Trips anthology " Short Trips and Side Steps " . It was written by Daniel O ' Mahony . It featured the First Doctor , Barbara Wright , Ian Chesterton and Susan Foreman . Summary . Part one : The Valiant Woman . Barbara Wright has been having attacks for over a year ; she calls them " episodes " . She sees things , and feels pain and other sensations vividly . Sometimes she passes out . Barbara is on the bus on her way to Coal Hill School . She has an attack while on the bus . When she gets to school , she talks with the science teacher , Ian Chesterton . Barbara ' s last class of the day , next door to Ian ' s science class , has been studying the Corn Laws . When one student , Susan Foreman , turns in her paper containing decimal currency , Barbara snaps at her . Barbara sees Susan after class , apologises , and discusses the possibility of home tuition for Susan . Susan is alarmed at the prospect , saying her grandfather doesn ' t like strangers , and runs from the room . The deputy headmaster , Mr Kint , gives Barbara Susan ' s address , but wants Barbara to keep the school informed of her " initiatives " in future . Barbara goes to the address , but finds it to be a scrapyard . She finds a lot of junk , then sees a London police box . When she puts her hand on it , it is vibrating . Part two : The Watchers on the Walls . Barbara is acting as stand - in Phys . mistress when she has another attack . She passes out . Mr Kint talks to her , with Ian present , telling her that he won ' t inform the governors about her attack . He also tells her she should mix more with the staff and gives her the rest of the afternoon off . She invites Ian to dinner the next night . At dinner they discuss many things , including the headmaster , Barbara ' s predecessor , science and history , and the new Bomb . That night , Barbara has another attack . She hears voices from her television , saying things like , " Please . . . you must take us back . . . you must " , " a series of adventures in time and relative dimension in space " and " One day , you will get back . . . Yes , one day " . She spends the rest of her sleepless night kneeling next to the television , which hadn ' t been plugged in . Late the following week in class , Susan asks to borrow a book on the French Revolution . On the way to get it , she runs into Ian , who is just as curious about Susan as she is . Part three : The Only Living Thing . Susan is in the classroom listening to music . Barbara and Ian enter , and Barbara gives Susan the book . Ian offers Susan a ride home , but she likes the fog . Barbara and Ian drive to the scrapyard . Susan arrives and enters the yard . Barbara and Ian get out of the car and enter the yard . Ian loses his torch , and Barbara finds a large , padlocked metal box . There is a thump from inside the box . An old man shows up and questions the teachers , who explain that they are looking for Susan . When the old man is uncooperative , Ian mentions getting the police . The man attacks Ian with a cane . Barbara tries to stop him , and he hits her . " Ian , Susan and the Doctor carry Barbara into the TARDIS . They have rescued her from an unsympathetic intelligence that tried to absorb her . Three weeks later , Barbara is fit again . Suddenly , Barbara realises that the alien presence is still here , still alive . She tries to tell Ian and the Doctor . . . " Barbara thinks Ian is dead . She has found a key , and opens the large box . Susan ' s dead body is inside . Opening the box attracted the old man ' s attention , and he tries to attack Barbara again . She finds a spear and kills the old man . Ian is not dead , but is hurt . Barbara is going for help . She sees a police box and steps towards it .