The students of Mr. Golder's science class of STEM Middle Private Academy expected to see the boring and old Mr. Golder in the room ready to teach today's boring lesson. However, there was no Mr. Golder when they entered the room nor a substitute. Some suspected that he died last night or this morning due to his old age. Others said he was probably late. All of the students conversations ended when a tall man in a blue suit and red tie with a brown trench coat rushed in. The man said, "I'll be teaching all of you for the next few weeks."
One student raised her hand. The man pointed at her. She asked, "What happened to Mr. Golder?"
The man shrugged, "I don't know…yet."
All the students were quite confused. This man seemed a bit odd and didn't know what he was doing because first period was almost over by the time he arrived. The man said, "My name is John Smith, but you must call me Mr. Smith. Homework is a one paged paper on yourself."
The bell rang and all the students left the room. The man sat down on the office chair and brought out a grey stick with a blue light at the end. The lights flickered on and off as he pointed the blue light towards it. His name was not John Smith, his name is mysterious. All that is to know that his name is the Doctor. The Doctor is the last of the timelords. He lives his life by traveling through time in space in a blue police box which he calls the TARDIS. Sometimes alone or with a companion. He saves lives of people and aliens.
A girl looked at the Doctor from the door's window. The girl wore the girl uniform of the school, had short brown hair, brown eyes, and brown glasses. She smirked as she saw the Doctor,clueless, looking around the room. She said, "The Doctor. Interesting."
She walked away with the grin still on her face. The last class of the day the Doctor was tired and completely bored out of his mind. The girl from earlier walked in with the same expression as the Doctor. She was the first to enter class. The Doctor watched her as she sat by herself at a table, not caring if other students ignored her and sat at other tables leaving the seats surrounding her empty. The Doctor sat at one of the empty chairs surrounding her. He said, "Hello. I'm John Smith, Mr. Smith."
The girl looked up. The Doctor thought she looked strangely familiar, but he didn't know when, where, or who. The girl said, "I believe you replaced Mr. Golder. What happened to him?"
The Doctor replied, "Went for vacation."
"Liar."
The Doctor looked at the girl. She stuttered, "I mean…fire. Yes! I will miss the warmth of the fire Mr. Golder would give to us while teaching."
The Doctor looked at her carefully. He suspected her to be the one he was looking for in this academy. He said, "Meet me after class Miss…"
"Clemen. It's short for Clementine."
The bell rang, and the Doctor sprung out of his seat. Clemen looked at the Doctor as if she knew him or knew something he didn't, which was true. After class, Clemen walked slowly towards the Doctor's desk. The Doctor pointed to the chair next to him and said, "Sit down."
Clemen obeyed. The Doctor pointed his grey stick towards her. She asked, "What is that?"
The Doctor said, "Sonic screwdriver."
A light flashed on the sonic screwdriver. Clemen became nervous because she knew the Doctor were reading her vital signs. She asked, "What are you doing with you sonic screwdriver?"
"Vital signs."
"I'm healthy."
"It's for other purposes."
The light stopped. The Doctor extended his sonic screwdriver and looked at it. He closed it and said, "You're human."
"Human?" Clemen asked in relief, "Of course I am!"
"Do you know my job?"
"To teach students."
"My real job."
"What do you mean?"
The Doctor looked at her straight in the eyes. He said, "It seems you know what's going on in this academy."
"What's going on?"
The Doctor got up and said, "Walk with me."
Clemen got up and followed the Doctor out in the hallways. The Doctor said, "I'm not really a teacher."
"I know," Clemen said.
"I know. You called me a liar. Which means, you know something."
"I know many things. I can tell by the state of your shoes and pants. I have a different ability Mr. Smith."
"Which is?"
"To deduce. Like Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Are you familiar with him?"
The Doctor smiled and shook his head, "No."
Clemen knew he was lying. She asked, "Where to?"
The Doctor said, "There's something going on here. You know what's up?"
Clemen smiled and said, "Maybe."
"I can save everyone here from what you saw. What did you see?"
"Why don't I show you?"
Clemen ran the opposite way they were walking. The Doctor followed her. Soon, they were at the cafeteria, which were filled with students and teachers happily eating. Clemen said, "The school offers food after school to feed people who can't eat at home. Technically, they serve dinner here."
"What about it? So a lot of people can't afford dinner," The Doctor commented.
"The thing is, nobody ever takes the offer. Not even those who are starving. The food is awful here."
The Doctor looked at Clemen. She added, "They're like this during lunch. Everyone usually just brings their own lunch. This happened about two weeks ago."
The Doctor asked, "New cook?"
"No. Not even strange behaviors from the staff. Everyone just suddenly started eating this food."
"Why not you?"
"My cooking is amazing."
The Doctor smiled and entered the cafeteria followed by Clemen. The Doctor went up to the stand and asked, "One meal please."
"Make that two," Clemen said behind the Doctor. The two sat down at an empty table. The two looked at each other in a bit of shock on what was on their tray. A pile of slop was on their tray. It was grey and murky. It had no odor and seemed to be cold. The two looked around and saw that everyone was eating the slop as they had with happy smiles on their faces. The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver towards it and checked for vital signs.
Clemen stabbed her fork into it. She had some on her fork but didn't dare try it. She said, "This is odd."
The Doctor looked at his sonic screwdriver and said, "It's not alive."
A few students walked by their table and saw that their trays were filled with the slop. One student said, "It may look awful, but you must try it! It tastes like chicken."
Another student argued, "It tastes like cake!"
Clemen decided to try it by licking her fork just a little. The Doctor looked as her facial expression changed to utter confusion. She said, "It taste like my mum's cooking…this is impossible!"
The Doctor decided to investigate too and took a tiny spoonful of the slop. He spit it out immediately and shouted, "Impossible!"
The slop that the Doctor ate tasted like a timelord dish, which was impossible since his people were gone and dead except him. The Doctor grabbed both trays and gave it to the two arguing students. The Doctor motioned Clemen to get up. The Doctor said to the two students, "We're not hungry at this very moment. Care to have our food?"
The two students snatched the trays and rushed towards their seat. Both the Doctor and Clemen left the cafeteria. Clemen asked, "Mr. Smith, are you alright?"
"Yes. Why?" The Doctor asked.
"I've seen that expression on my dad's face. When he did that expression, he was sad."
"Well, I'm fine. The food seem rather impossible don't you think?"
"Of course. What is it?"
The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver towards the Clemen's mouth. He said, "Better question is, who made it?"
"Are you assuming I did this again?"
"You're the only human in this school who doesn't eat the academy's food."
"That's because I'm smart!"
The Doctor put his sonic screwdriver back in his pocket. He said, "You are clever. Have any guesses who might be the one in charge?"
"No," replied Clemen, "What can you do about this Mr. Smith?"
The Doctor turned around and said, "It's getting late Clemen. It's not safe for you walking where I'm going. I don't want you to be in danger."
"What are you going to do Mr. Smith?"
The Doctor smiled and said, "You know when I said I wasn't a teacher?"
"Yes."
"I'm not John Smith either. I am a savior for all beings. I'm the Doctor, and I'm going to find out the bottom of this."
The Doctor started walking away. Clemen grabbed his hand and said, "Doctor, I can't let you do this alone. You need help."
"I don't want you to get hurt."
He let go. As he faded into the shadows, Clemen looked into the distance with concerns. She has seen more than the Doctor about this academy and knew what he was walking into. She shook her head and believed he can do this on his own. However, she knew at the same time that the Doctor doesn't only work alone. That night, Clemen couldn't sleep. She was too busy thinking about the Doctor's safety. She laid on her small bed in the dorms of the academy. She started crying silently because she was alone. Her parents were far away, and she may never see them again. Only the Doctor was there her. She knew who he was, she knew what he was capable of. Her cries coaxed her to doze off and sleep. She awoke in the morning and rushed towards Mr. Golder's room. There, she saw the Doctor safe and sound. He was looking out the window, thinking. She entered the room and was greeted by the Doctor.
"Any luck?" She asked.
"No," The Doctor said.
"Can I help you?"
"You've helped a lot already Clemen."
It was silent. Clemen blurted, "Doctor, I can really be useful. I know more about this academy than you do."
The Doctor looked at her. He asked, "And how do you know?"
"Since it started, I've been investigating. All I know that something inhumane is here."
"What made you to that?"
"I walked along the halls. Something is hiding in the west side of the buildings Doctor."
"Then why didn't you tell me that direction?
"Because I know you can do it."
The Doctor walked towards Clemen. He said, "It seems you already know me. Even before you made your deductions."
Clement nervously smiled and shook her head.
"I don't know you," she lied. The Doctor knew she was lying, but she hiding something. He was about to repeat his question until a sudden knock came. A man with a balding head, grey suit, and a black tie walked in. He looked at the two and said sternly, "My apologies for interrupting your conversation. I need to talk to Mr. Smith concerning business."
"Oh," Clemen said, "OK, Vice principal Banker. I was about to go anyways. I'll see you later Mr. Smith."
The Doctor could feel behind his neck something bad was about to happen here. He walked towards the door and opened it for Clemen. He said, "Clemen, you're one of the most clever students I had."
Clement knew what his intentions were. He was trying to get her out of there, to get her away from danger. She paused a bit and looked at the Doctor in the eyes. She said, "I hope I get to see you soon…."
The Doctor averted eye contact. He replied, "You will."
Clemen knew something was up with Mr. Banker. She took a quick glance at him. She saw that he had a gigantic smirk on his face. Eyes focused on the Doctor. She told him, "I hope you have a good day Mr. Banker. "
Mr. Banker coughed and said, "I will. Now go."
Clemen slowly started walking out the room. When she knew no one was looking for her. She ran down the hall in tears worried for the Doctor. Clemen ran back to her dorm room. She slammed her face in a pillow. She sobbed quietly to herself, "Doctor…Doctor!"
She grabbed a blue box from under her bed. She stared at it with such grief. She shook her head and said to herself, "Dad said I can't. He said I can never be…"
She shook her head and said, "But the Doctor, I must."
She opened the box and pulled out a tool that looked like the Doctor's sonic screwdriver but differently designed. She pointed her sonic screwdriver towards the lights and pressed the button. A red light occurred from the sonic screwdriver. The lights flickered and stopped as soon as Clemen stopped pushing the button. She sighed, "I must."
Meanwhile, the Doctor and Mr. Banker were in the classroom alone. The Doctor asked Mr. Banker, "How long have you had that form?"
"Two weeks," Mr. Banker said, "Doctor."
"What is that slop you're feeding those people?"
"Oh the food? It's psychiatric food, like that psychiatric paper you showed me when applying to this school."
"I see, why make them eat it?"
Mr. Banker smiled. He pulled out a medallion out of his pocket. It glowed bright. Mr. Banker said, "As they keep on eating that food, their life source slowly goes to this medallion. I need this power to feed on, to get stronger."
"What you're doing is evil."
Mr. Banker laughed with such evil. He asked, "What are you going to do Doctor?"
The Doctor stared straight into Mr. Banker's eyes and said, "I will stop you."
"Something I expect from a timelord," Mr. Banker laughed, "However, you can't!"
"Why not?" The Doctor asked.
Mr. Banker showed him the medallion. He said, "I can simply break this thing. Everyone who digested the food will instantly die. Especially Clementine."
The Doctor looked angrily at Mr. Banker. Mr. Banker said, "Now give me your sonic screwdriver."
"My screwdriver?" The Doctor asked.
"Give it."
The Doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. He put the screwdriver on the desk, which Mr. Banker quickly snatched. Mr. Banker walked towards the door and opened it. He said, "Let's take a little trip Doctor."
Clemen ran towards Mr. Golder's room. By the time she got there, they were gone. She said to herself, "No, no, no, no, no!"
She rushed towards the west side of the school hoping she wasn't late. The halls were dark and a bit damped. Clemen didn't care and went towards the boiler room. She saw the Doctor and Mr. Banker from down the hall heading towards the stairs. Clemen started running towards the two then she stopped.
The Doctor saw her. He motioned her to go away; to run. She shook her head, but the Doctor's glares consumed her. She turned around and hid behind a wall. She held her sonic screwdriver, shaking. She cried, "I can't…He's…I…"
The Doctor and Mr. Banker climbed down the stairs. At the end, there was a machine with a bunch of bright lights and levers. Mr. Banker put the medallion in a compartment just its size. He then pulled out the sonic screwdriver and attached it to a certain slot. The Doctor asked, "This thing?"
"I lied about feasting on their lives," Mr. Banker laughed, "I'm going to build myself a TARDIS."
"Impossible!"
"Let's just see!"
Mr. Banker sat down on an office chair near what seemed to be the control center. He pressed a few buttons, and the machine started to glow. Mr. Banker explained, "The humans life force will play as the energy source. Your sonic screwdriver will help build the form the structure of my TARDIS."
"That won't work!" The Doctor cried, "You're just going to kill people!"
"If all fails, I'll have lunch at least."
The Doctor motioned towards Mr. Banker, but Mr. Banker said, "I can put the whole system on overdrive and end this whole academy."
The Doctor stayed put. He was helpless. If only he had his sonic screwdriver, he can counter the signals and make the machine shut down. The Doctor hopelessly watched his sonic screwdriver glow. Mr. Banker laughed, "Starting in 3…2…1-"
A voice cried, "Not today!"
Clemen bravely stood before Mr. Banker and the Doctor. She wore something other than the academy's uniform. She wore a brown skirt, white knee socks with red converse, a red bow tie, and brown suspenders. The Doctor shouted, "Clemen! You're getting yourself in danger!"
Clemen looked at the Doctor and asked, "Why care?"
"You're just a child!"
Clemen brought out her sonic screwdriver and pointed it towards the machine. She pressed the button. The whole machine shut down in an instant. Mr. Banker said, "I can still put the system on overdrive!"
He pressed a button, and the ground started to shake. Clemen grabbed something from her pocket and threw it at Mr. Banker. Soon, Mr. Banker was trapped in a prison. She then grabbed the sonic screwdriver from the machine. She tossed it towards the Doctor as she started working on the wiring. She said, "I'll fix the wiring."
The Doctor caught his sonic screwdriver in shock. However, he had no time to question. He began working on the control panel with the sonic screwdriver in his mouth. The Doctor said, "Clemen, unhook the medallion."
Clemen looked at the glowing medallion and grabbed it from the compartment. It was burning her hands, so she wrapped it around a towel. Clemen said, "This must contain their life sources. I'll be right back Doctor. Will you be fine?"
The Doctor nodded his head. Clemen rushed out of the room. Everyone in class was becoming weak and exhausted. They began to collapse. Clemen ran around the hallway thinking on how she can give all their life forces back without running all over the places. She then thought of the lighting, so she headed towards the electrical outlet. She unscrewed the box and threw the medallion in. All the lights brightened and blinded everyone. The ground kept on shaking. Clemen watched as everyone started to feel more energized and awake. As the lights came back to normal, Clemen ran back to the Doctor. Meanwhile, the Doctor was busy stopping the overdrive. The Doctor shouted, "The power source is gone! What's going on?"
Mr. Banker started coughing as if he was dying. He laughed, "The machine is a bomb itself."
Clemen rushed in and went for the wiring. The two worked quickly to stop the outcome of a catastrophe. Mr. Banker was slowly dying however because he lacked in food and energy. The Doctor saw and watched his final moment. The Doctor asked, "Since your dying, what did you do to Mr. Banker and Mr. Golder?"
Mr. Banker laughed, "Those two? I took Mr. Banker and ate Mr. Golder."
He coughed one more time and turned into dust. The Doctor sighed, Clemen said, "It was either him or everyone. I know how you feel."
The ground stopped shaking and silence occurred. The two celebrated, but the Doctor asked, "How do you know how I feel? Who are you really?"
Clemen smiled started crying. Clemen asked, "Can I see the TARDIS?"
The Doctor was hesitant, but she did save everyone. He nodded his head, and the two headed towards a blue police box, which the Doctor called the TARDIS. The TARDIS was the Doctor's way of getting around time and space. It was his home. Clemen was fairly amazed of the TARDIS as it was bigger on the inside than outside. Clemen laughed and danced, "I can't believe I'm in here!"
The Doctor leaned on the railing looking at her. He asked, "How do you know all of this? And how did you get that device?"
Clemen looked at the Doctor and painfully smile. She said, "I'm not really from here Doctor."
"I know that," the Doctor said, "At the very least."
"You don't understand, I'm not from here."
"What do you mean?"
Clemen sighed and finally pulled a picture out of her pocket. Showing her and two other people. One was a woman, with long blonde hair and cunning brown eyes. Beside her was the Doctor! The Doctor looked at Clemen as if she was mad. He asked, "How did you…who?"
Clemen said, "I'm your daughter. Technically."
The Doctor remembered his old companion Rose Tyler and his clone. He looked at Clemen as if she was mad. He said, "They're in a parallel universe. You're suppose to be in a parallel universe!"
Clemen nodded her head. She said, "I know. I know. I just appeared here randomly. That's why I know you Doctor because you're my father in a way. I also heard many stories about your adventures."
"You're technically my daughter. That means Donna is your mother as well. You have two mums and dads? How..?"
"You're the Doctor, my father."
"Why didn't you just tell me?"
"You, your clone, told me that if I were to be apart from them. I keep my identity hidden from no matter who. Even if he was the Doctor, but I had to interfere. You're the only one I have in this universe. You're not the only timelord really anymore. However, I'm only 25%."
The Doctor stayed silent. He was soaking all this in. Clemen leaned next to him with the same expression on her face. The silence ended when the Doctor said, "Clemen, I don't really know what to say. I just find this impossible. The universes are suppose to be closed forever."
"It's all wibbly wobbely Doctor," Clemen replied, "Sometimes things just happen. Not for reasons though."
She looked down deeply. She said, "Not for reasons but to give you pain. The world will always test you. I'm away from my family, friends, and I may never comeback."
She started tearing up. The Doctor wrapped his arm around her. She leaned on the Doctor. The Doctor said, "Things do happen for a reason sometimes. I need to know why you were here. At this very academy, where I would come one day."
Clemen looked up. The Doctor had a big grin on his face. He asked, "Travel with me. Together we'll see the universe."
Clemen asked, "Like you and mum?"
"Which mum?"
They both laughed. Clemen nodded her head and said, "Yes. Traveling would be nice Doctor."
