I stared at the man, 'The Doctor'. How long does it take to answer a question? This man, this alien kidnapped me, on my wedding day and now he wasn't even going to give me a sodding answer?! I breathed in deeply through my nose and I tightened my grip around the shirt. God knows what this freak had been doing to this poor girl! Something that resulted in her shirt being thrown over the bars could not have been good. He, It, looked at the shirt as though It could barely see it. I saw It's face fall from annoyance to sorrow, It's eyes fixed on the shirt. I waited patiently, but if It didn't answer soon there was another slap coming for It-
"That's my friends," It finally says, It's eyes shooting up to mine so fast I felt a shiver, but I subdued it. I wasn't going to let this thing scare me. Taking another breath through my nose and got back into my stride.
"Where is she then?" I said, swerving my waist as though dancing, pretending to be peering behind the great tube that stood in the centre of It's 'space-ship'. "Popped out for a space walk?" I add sarcastically.
It's eyes are still locked onto mine, and another chill grips my stomach. Although It's eyes are fixed, I can't help but notice It doesn't seem to be looking at me, more like through me.
"She's gone…" It's voice cracked beneath the words. I cut across It before It could say anymore, ignoring the growing feeling of discomfort.
"Gone where ?!" I ask, stretching my hands to the emptiness of It's ship, throwing my gaze around before returning to It. It seemed to be looking at me now, more closely than before, like whatever dream It had been in It had awoken from and was now seeing me for the first time. It's eyes then fell to the shirt once more.
"I lost her," It replies, dropping It's head back to the screen that sat atop the tubes base.
"Well you can hurry up and lose me!" I snap. I watch It for a few moments. It seemed determined to avoid my gaze, pulling numerous levers and pushing random buttons. I felt my face soften, as I suddenly realized what It meant by 'lost'. The chill grabbed my stomach and twisted it, but I continued, curiosity overwhelming my instinct, which told me to leave It be.
"How'd mean lost?" I made my voice harsh, trying to make sure that It didn't know how awkward and afraid I was. It's head rose, It's eyes grabbing mine.
Anger. Everywhere in It's face. Every crease and muscle had been bent into a look of sheer resentment. I wanted to cower and break eye contact, but It had me locked. I didn't know if It was controlling me, or if it was my fear that held me there, but I stayed put, not even swaying. It started to advance towards me. I turned, watching It. I knew the fear was most likely showing on my face but I wasn't going to let It push me around. It's hand swooped down, and snatched the shirt from my grip. It ran past me, holding the shirt to It's chest.
"Right! Chiswick!" It said, regaining It's former energy. I watch It for a few moments. It runs around the tubes base, practically jumping and dancing around it. Suddenly, the tube started to roar. I jumped back in shock as the noise filled the room, a blue light fading on and off, flooding the room eerily.
"Stay here, sit down. We'll be there shortly," It said, flicking one last switch with his right hand, shirt still gripped in the other, before retiring to a doorway at the other end of the room. I watched it go. I looked around the room, trying to keep control of myself. Thinking of a few more questions for It, I decided it best to just keep talking rather than sitting around in a terrifyingly real space-ship.
I walked hurriedly down the ramp to the doorway, but stopped when I was just a few feet before it. There was a sound coming from just beyond the frame. Giving the room one more glance around, in case it's emptiness had changed, I advanced slowly. Pressing myself against the wall, ignoring the fact it was warm beneath my skin, I poked my head round the doorway.
The rest of the space-ship was just as odd as the first room, the corridor stretched and twisted, the same gold and blue hue dancing on the walls. Then I spotted It. It was no more than six or seven feet away, slouched against the wall. I watched It was It slid down on It's back until it hit the floor, the shirt clutched tightly to It's chest. It pulled the shirt to It's face, It's eyes shut tightly, like a child hiding behind a blanket after a nightmare. It sobbed loudly into the shirt. I saw It's body quake as It buried the shirt into It's face. It's face shone in the light as tears rolled down It's cheeks.
I watched only for a moment. This thing, this Stranger had obviously cared very much for the girl whom the shirt belonged to. No, not cared very much. Loved very much. I turned away and returned to the chair that stood next to the tube. I sat down, my head reeling. Everything I had first thought about this thing, this man, was now thrown completely out of balance.
At first I thought he was just some cheap git, willing to play a cruel prank for a few extra bob. Then I thought he was some sick homicidal alien targeting the women of Earth. Now, now I just thought he was a stranger. A strange man, with a strange ship and a strange life. A strange life that had it's costs. I couldn't help but think about the girl. I wondered what she looked like. Was she pretty? Was she plain? Blonde? Brown? Blue eyed? Green eyed? Faces I knew and faces I had passed popped into my head to try and recreate this girl. But I couldn't see this Stranger with anyone. Not someone as plain as to wear such a simple shirt anyway-
Suddenly, the loud grinding noise stopped and The Stranger returned to the room, bounding and all signs of mourning gone. The shirt was gone.
"Here we are! Chiswick" He announced. All the thoughts of my wedding and Lance rushed back into my head like a fast-forwarded scene from a movie.
I tried to forget all thoughts of what I had seen and ran for the door. I tried to think of Lance and how happy he would be to see me. But I couldn't help but feel a pang for that Stranger, and that girl…
I raced outside, the sun blinding me for a moment. I looked around and felt annoyance surge up in me.
"I said 'Saint Mary's'. What sort of Martian are you? Where's this?"
I had deleted this story to correct some mistakes. Here are the previous two reviews for this story before these corrections:
Cricket-And-Crumpets: Aw, poor It -- I mean the Doctor! :)
I thought that's what would've happened when she was holding the shirt up, rubbing it in his face in a weird way.
This was really good! CX
NewDrWhoFan: Very nice touch, throwing in that moment with the Doctor slouched in the corridor. Excellent!
Thank you for your reviews! :)
Stranger