The train was never going to leave the station, was it? Four hours in and it was still waiting. Apparently there were problems further along the track causing delays.
The carriage she was in was mostly empty. Sitting opposite her, dozing away, was an old man with long grey hair. Next to him sat a strange young woman, seemingly lost in her own world.
She studied the old man intently. His clothing seemed... odd. Out of place. As if something wasn't quite right about the fellow. The girl likewise seemed to be hiding... something. She didn't know what.
"Are you all right Susan?" asked a voice. The woman turned to see a young lady peer into the cabin. Next to her was a somewhat serious looking man, dressed in a neat suit that looked like something her dad would have worn.
"Fine," said the young lady. "Grandfather's just resting that's all. Do you know why the train is delayed?"
"Leaves on the track I suspect," said the man. "Honestly Barbara, I don't know why you thought it was a good idea to do this."
"Oh hush Ian," said Barbara. "It's not the Doctor's fault we went to Manchester instead of London after that... busy," she added, aware of the third person in the compartment.
"What busy?" asked the woman, always one to ask questions and learn new things.
"Oh nothing important," said Barbara, waving her hand to dismiss the thought. "Tell me, what's your name?"
"Jo," said Jo, extending her hand. "And I take it you're Barbara. And that must be Ian, Susan and..." She hesitated, looking at the old man with confusing.
"Oh don't ask us," said Ian. "We just call him the Doctor as well. Do you mind if we sit with you? All the other compartments are full."
"Oh no please, go ahead," said Jo, waving them inside. "Honestly after this long I could enjoy the company. What happened to your original compartment."
"Well there was this young woman with kids who had been ejected from her compartment, and, well," said Barbara, cheeks going slightly red.
"So Barbara and I decided to go look for our friends," finished Ian. "It seemed like the most sensible thing to do."
"Indeed," agreed Jo, rather taken with this couple. Their clothing was a bit funny, but they seemed like good people. "So what do you do?"
"Travel, mostly," said Susan.
"Around the world?" asked Jo.
"Something like that," said Ian guardedly. "What about you Jo, what do you do?"
"Oh nothing glamorous. I just work for the chamber of commerce. Just one of those rather humdrum jobs. What do you guys do for work?"
"We're teachers," said Barbara. "Ian teaches science and I teach history."
"Oh that's nice," said Jo. "But why are you out here on a weekday?"
"The Doctor is taking us on a field trip," explained Ian. "He's the headmaster you see. Don't worry, we've got someone covering for us."
"I see..." said Jo. "But why do you call him the Doctor?"
"He has a doctorate in something," said Barbara, perhaps a little too quickly. "He always wants to show off how smart he is."
"So where do you teach, if you don't mind me asking?" Ian and Barbara exchanged looks, Barbara biting her lower lip.
"At Coal Hill School," said Ian, watching to see what reaction Jo with have.
"Well I've never heard of it," admitted Jo, "but it seems like a magical place."
"Quite," said Susan. "I loved my time there."
"Loved?" asked Jo.
"What she means to say is that she loves being there during regular schooling hours," said Barbara quickly. "It being a holiday and all, she's allowed off."
"I didn't know it was a holiday."
"Teacher's only day," supplied Ian, hoping that it would cover everything.
"I see," said Jo, before sitting back in silence. Clearly these people were hiding something. Perhaps they were teachers at some magical school that only a few people knew about. She scoffed away the idea immediately. As if there could be a secret school in England. No, more likely they were teasing her. That was always the way.
"Is it me or is it getting colder all of a sudden?" asked Susan, shivering. Jo had to admit that she had a point, the air was definitely getting colder. So much colder in fact that the windows were starting to frost over... from the inside.
"What's going on," she started to ask warily. Suddenly the lights went off, plunging the carriage into almost darkness. Even the light outside seemed to dim somewhat.
"Grandfather, wake up," said Susan, gripping onto the old man's arm. The old man awoke with a start, trying to hide his confusion.
"What is it, what's going on?" he flustered. "Have arrived yet?"
"No, Doctor, we haven't even left," said Ian.
"Good heavens Chesterfield, why ever not?"
"Don't ask me. Problems up ahead they said. What's of more concern now is the sudden drop of temperature."
"Well you're a scientist Chesterfield, you work it out."
"Well it's not exactly belonging to any laws of physics that I happen to know, Doctor. I think this is an area of your expertise."
"Nonsense boy, nonsense. There's clearly a rational explanation for everything."
Susan suddenly let out an ear-piercing scream as a black robed hooded figure stopped outside their open door. Ian leapt up to close it, but was suddenly paralysed in place. His legs seemed to lose their strength and he suddenly crashed back into his seat.
"Doctor what is that thing?" cried Ian as the apparition hovered in midair.
"I don't know," admitted the Doctor. "Whatever it is it appears to be looking for something in particular."
The hooded figure glared at each of them in turn with its unseeing eyes, before fixating on Jo. Suddenly there was the sound of a sucking noise. Jo felt her body go rigid, as if a bucket of ice cold water was being poured over her.
"Doctor, what do we do?" asked Barbara desperately.
"I don't know," blustered the Doctor. "I'm a scientist, not a magician. You don't expect me to pull a wand out of my pocket and cry 'abracadabra'?" While he was speaking his hands were gesturing wildly and, more by random chance then anything else, his right hand was pointed directly at the monster. Suddenly a burst of green light shot from his hands and hit the creature square in the chest. Everyone looked at the Doctor's hand in shock to find he was suddenly holding a magic wand.
No one was more shocked than the Doctor. His fear and surprise quickly gave away to child-like glee as he examined the wand in his hand.
"Remarkable, simply remarkable," he said. "You know, I do believe this is a physical representation of a mental construct. As, I believe, is that being there." The being turned its attention away from Jo and looked at the Doctor. Suddenly the Doctor stiffened.
"Doctor, what's happening?" asked Barbara.
"Grandfather!" shrieked Susan.
"It appears to be making me relive my worst memories," said the Doctor, gripping his cane tightly. "No doubt trying to induce some sort of unsurvivable despair."
"What do we do?" asked Ian.
"That woman," said the Doctor. "The being is using her as an anchor point. Perhaps if you can help her we can banish it."
"Me?" cried Jo. "Why is everything my fault?"
"Think Jo," said Ian. "This thing could be a product of your imagination."
"Well I was thinking of something like that earlier today," admitted Jo. "A being that can suck the joy out of people. And wizards that could fight it."
"That explains the wand," said Susan.
"Yes a magical school featuring all sorts of strange and fascinating creatures," said Jo. "I... I want to write about it someday."
"Then why don't you?" asked Ian.
"Because I'm rubbish," admitted Jo. "I'm a rubbish writer and I always will be."
"Now you listen to me," said Barbara firmly. "You're only rubbish if you believe yourself to be rubbish. Now I may only be a history teacher, but I've met a few writers over my travels and let me tell you, they were all like you. Dickens, Chaucer, even Shakespeare had his doubts at times. But what made them good was that they never gave up. They kept at their craft even when others told them they were rubbish."
"She's right you know," added Ian. "Being a writer isn't so much being able to write, but being able to persevere. To keep going when it seems like the odds are against you. It's that determination that makes writers so great."
"I believe in you," said Susan. "I'm sure you can be a great writer, if only you believe in yourself."
"Well if you all think so," said Jo. "Perhaps I will write it then. And try to get it publish."
The Doctor seemed to be getting his strength back. It was a struggle, but he was starting to get back to his old self. The pain on his face fell away as he stood up to the apparition more confidently.
"I don't know what you are," he said, pointing a finger at the spectre, "but it's clear to me that you are feasting on the imagination of this young woman. I shall give you only one warning. Leave her and this planet alone, do you hear me? The people here should not be subject to your feasting habits."
"It's an alien?" said Jo, in shock. "I thought it was magical."
"Only because you chose for it to appear magical my dear," said the Doctor. "This... thing, feasts on the minds of the imaginative then tries to drain those minds of all original thought. Clearly some beasties that has been around for a long time. Away with you," he said, waving your hand. "Or do I have to have you forcibly expelled?"
As if to emphasis his point a spark of red light jumped out of the wand in his hand and hit the creature in the chest. With a hiss it suddenly vanished, curling up into itself before disappearing with a small pop.
The air in the carriage suddenly warmed up. The frost on the window disappeared, as did the wand in the Doctor's hand. The Doctor let out a satisfactory grunt.
"A figment of imagination brought to life," he said. "Nothing more than that."
"Thank you," said Jo breathlessly.
"Think nothing of it young lady," said the Doctor, taking his seat. "I've dealt with far worse foes in my time."
Suddenly there was a 'ding-dong' sound, with the conductor announcing that soon the train will be departing the station.
"And about time too," said the Doctor huffily. "I suspect our friend was the one causing the delay. Still, soon be home." He sat down to relax in his seat.
His companions looked at him before breaking into laughter. How the Doctor managed to go back to sleep so easy was beyond them. Still, it wouldn't be long till they were back to the TARDIS.
The TARDIS was exactly where they left it, between Platforms 9 and 10 at King Cross' station. Jo came to wave them goodbye, but was puzzled by what she saw.
"You're getting into that thing?" she said.
"It's bigger than it looks," said Ian cheekily. "Want a peek."
"Certainly not," said the Doctor. "Come along you three, it's time that we got off."
"Say, Doctor, whatever happens to Jo?" asked Barbara as the Doctor fussed around the console.
"Oh, her? Oh she merely writes some fantasy books. Harry... something or other. Don't worry my dears, she becomes quite successful."
Jo watched in amazement as a groaning sound filled the platform. Before her very eyes the blue box suddenly disappeared into thin air! Jo looked around, but there were no other witnesses.
"Well," she thought. "That's one thing I can't add write in. That's too fantastical even for magic."