This is based on the story Clara told Merry Gejelh about her getting lost when she was a child in 'The Rings Of Akhaten'.
Everyone is scared of something. Some people are afraid of heights, spiders, rejection and many other things that could make the simplest human heart turn cold. Do you want to know what terrified me? The thing that always used to sneak it's way into my dreams and turn it into a nightmare. I was always frightened of getting lost...
The day my nightmare became my reality was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. I was only six years old and it was the summer holidays. Six whole weeks of no school and no homework. Just six blissful weeks of having adventures galore. My Mum, my Dad and me.
Mum had taken me to Blackpool beach while Dad was back at home decorating my bedroom. It was his idea for us to go, as he wanted it to be a surprise for us both when we got back. Dad always did know how to give good surprises, so I couldn't wait to see what he had in store for me.
But for now, I was happy and content holding Mum's hand as we walked along the beach, the sand soft and comforting beneath our feet and the waves lulling calmly around us, the sun's rays reflecting on them in the distance, making them sparkle and shine.
When Mum held my hand, her larger hand enclosed softly but firmly around my own small one, I always felt safe. I felt that as long as she was there to hold me and catch me when I fell, I would always be protected. And never ever, alone.
As we walked towards the pier, the wind gently whistling through our hair, I remember letting go of Mum's hand just for a brief minute while I stopped and knelt down to tie my shoelace which had come undone. I expected Mum to still be there when I had picked myself up from the pavement as I had only been a minute. But, a lot of things can happen in an minute.
My heart pounded like a neverending drum through my chest when I realised Mum was nowhere to be seen. She was gone, like she had vanished in a puff of smoke. I tried to see if I could spot her through the procession of people that were about to march my way. I looked behind me to see if she had headed back towards the beach. There were crowds and crowds of familes and couples. In my eyes, there were about a billion of them, all scattered everywhere within reach. But none of them were my Mum.
I tried not to panic whilst I contemplated what I should do. Biting down on my lip so hard I almost tasted blood, I resisted the urge to cry and scream, as I had lost the person who should always be there to keep me protected. It was my worst nightmare coming true. It was almost like my world had ended or my heart had broke into a million little pieces, never to be healed again. What I needed to make the pain float away was the superhero who was there to tuck me in at night and to sing me lullabies whenever I had a bad dream or when I was ill. I needed my Mum.
I started to walk slowly through the crowd, one of my hands clenched into a fist, like someone was holding it, urging me on. A tear fell slowly down my cheek, making a pattern on my T-shirt as I battled my way through the pier, occasionally bumping into a random person through my vision of tears.
Pausing and gazing around me once more, I still couldn't see her. But I was determined to find her. Like I'm sure she was fighting to find me.
I was surrounded by a sea of people, laughing and having fun. And yet, even with all the hectic chaos going on right in front of me, I still felt I was all alone in the world.
Just as I was about to continue on after hastily wiping away some of the stray tears that had fallen down my face, I heard the most glorious sound in the Universe to me. One I never thought I would hear again. It was my Mum calling my name. Even though there were a million other noises I could hear, the only sound that was most significent to me was her voice.
"Clara! Clara Oswald, where are you? CLARA!"
The weight from my shoulders slowltly lifted and the world restored itself as I saw my Mum had spotted me and was kneeling down on the floor, her arms outstretched. An enormous smile crept across my face as I raced towards her, her arms forming a protective barrier around me as we both laughed in relief. Her hair softly tickled my cheek as I leant my head in the crook of her neck, breathing in her perfume she always wore to make sure she was real. That she was really there, holding me as if she couldn't bear to let me go.
As she took a tissue from her pocket and started to wipe the tears away from both of our eyes, I knew she was very much real.
"Mummy, you found me!"
Mum sighed and pulled me even tighter to her as she started to stroke my hair, twirling a few strands through her fingers.
"Clara Oswald, I'm your mother. I will always find you. Even if you feel all alone, you never will be. I will always be there for you, forever and always. Never forget that."
Setting me down back on the ground almost reluctantly, Mum pressed a kiss to my forehead and held out a hand for me to hold. As I reached up to clasp her hand again in mine once more, she smiled down at me, her eyes glinting with such honesty and love, I knew she meant what she said. She always would keep her promise and she would always keep me safe. For now and forever.
"Now, what to do say to some fish and chips? And we can make a soufflé when we get home?"
'It doesn't matter where you are, I will always be here and I will always come and find you. Every single time.'
Hello! Sorry I haven't written anything in a while I have had writer's block :( Hope this drabble is OK :)
Amy x