The groaning of the TARDIS engines filled the tiny space as the machine itself materialized in the small storage cupboard. The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS and into the small cupboard and admired her parking skills. Hmm, not bad. She looked around and ended up in a large corridor branching off into several different corridors and classrooms. Dirty, grey lockers flanked her sides as she wandered around looking for someone in charge. Suddenly, the shrill bell rang out and a sea of students flowed out of the classrooms, the Doctor in the midst of it. She passed a bulletin board and noticed the flyer – 'New Teachers needed. Please see Mr Finch for an interview.' - And immediately jumped out of the sea and in front of the principal's office. She knocked on the door and seemed to hear a strange screeching sound coming from inside, almost inaudible due to the chatter of children beside her.
"Mr Finch? I've come for the interview about that post…" she knocked again and the screeching stopped. A few moments later, a tall, arrogant looking man came out with an irritated expression.
"What do you want?"
"Hi! I'm the Doctor. I've come for that interview?"
"Couldn't you have come later? I was just having lunch. But alright, come in."
The office was large and had a wooden bureau where a shiny gold nameplate was the only thing on it.
"Please sit down, Miss…?"
"Ah, yes, Doctor Rose Tyler, at your service." She grinned manically and held out her psychic paper.
"Physics, eh? I'm so sorry, Miss Tyler, but that position has just been taken. Funny…he was a doctor too."
"Oh, taken?" Right, well that didn't work out.
"Yes, by someone by the name of Doctor John Smith. Lovely man. So very thin…" The Doctor frowned at that last comment. Thin? How was that a problem? "Tell me, Miss Tyler, why do you want to join?"
"Umm, you know, I've just moved here…and need a job, of sorts…but I won't be here that long. Is there any other position empty?"
"I'm afraid not, Miss Tyler. Although…if you do need the money desperately, I could suggest you do something."
"Yes?"
Dinner lady! In all her years, the Doctor never imagined herself in this position. How had she come to this? Stupid message. It was all because of that message she received on the psychic paper. Well... UFO sightings, school gets record results - she couldn't resist. Two days here, and she had started noticing a few things that were off. First, whenever she passed the headmaster's office to go to the kitchens she would hear that screeching sound again. And then there were the students who were way too smart for their age. She had picked up a science book and found equations upon equations of rocket science and relativity. Something was wrong, very, very wrong. And she couldn't wait to find out what.
"Careful... keep it steady... don't spill a drop." The Doctor looked around and saw a few of the dinner ladies very, very carefully wheeling in a barrel of oil. They had masks, goggles and gloves on. Strange.
"I said keep it steady. Careful... that's it... easy now... steady..."
"Right, second barrel - quickly now!"
Hmm. Very, very strange.
It was close to seven in the evening when the Doctor came out of the TARDIS, where she had been hiding after her shift had ended. Now that almost everyone had gone home, it made her investigation easier. She looked at the deserted corridor and slipped into one of the classrooms. Yes…some of this knowledge was beyond earth. She left the classroom and was about to go to the headmaster's office, when someone cried out. She ran towards the sound, towards Doctor John Smith.
Doctor John Smith had just moved here and had joined the school two days ago. He found it strange that one boy in his physics class was so smart. Genius almost. The number of years it took him to learn what he knew today was being told like a pop quiz for Milo. Something was wrong and so he had stayed back today to investigate. He entered one classroom after another hoping to find the answer, but he didn't find any. Until he came to a darkened classroom and found these ugly, human sized, bat-like creatures sleeping on the ceiling. And then he screamed.
"Run!"
A blonde young woman took hold of his hand, and just like that, they ran.
