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In The Windmills Of Her Mind
Chapter Ten
When you knew that it was over, were you suddenly aware that the autumn leaves were turning to the colour of her hair?
Rose closed her eyes as memories soared through her mind, shattered pictures pieced together with sounds filling in the fragments that wouldn't fit. Smells and faces fitted together with names to create a series of pictures that swelled within her mind pressing against her skull and filling her eyes until the reality around her had turned to ash and only one picture played through her mind. It was time for her story to be pieced together – she just didn't know if she could handle it.
The Doctors hand was warm within hers, his fingers snug within hers as they walked along the concrete streets of London. It was London 4545 and it was a very different world to the one that Rose knew. The buildings were concrete blocks that rose high into the sky and equally deep into the ground. A thick smog covered the city blocking out any attempts of sunlight that dared to sweep into the city. Fresh air was a thing of history and huge extractor fans sucked air in and out of the city trying to reduce the number of deaths per year by poisoning. The streets were bare as the civilians hid inside – the Doctor explained that the country was in the middle of World War Four. The British were trying to break free from the European Union and return to an independent state which had been abolished over a thousand years ago. These last thousand years had been the darkest in England's history as each country fought for independence, the unaffected countries' power grew and grew as they developed deadlier and deadlier weapons until maximum death output had been achieved. The country was in a state of panic as the English prepared for the maximum loss of life since the twentieth century.
The Doctor slid his arm around Rose's waist as they walked along the streets observing the signs that covered the walls, there were posters warning them to stay inside, others reminding them that only they would help themselves, there were rebel signs painted against walls reminding the people of what the British people stood for. The rebels littered the city with leaflets and symbols – their faces remaining nameless from those who had the power to kill. Rose slid her hand into the Doctors and looked at the dank world around her
'What went wrong?' she asked softly, he shook his head
'People – that's what went wrong' he murmured for the political reasons for the divide between the world was too complex and deep for him to even attempt to explain. Instead he took her hand and pulled her onto an empty sidewalk where they walked along in the shadows, the only people daring to show their faces in a world of death.
Rose squinted up into the sky, the building reached up and beyond the clouds and far into the sky which she could only imagine its blue tint fading into a dark smudge of what life once was. She looked at the Doctor and smiled sadly, he tugged her along
'Come on' he murmured, 'there's something I wanted to show you' she smiled at him
'Good' she laughed as she began to skip down the empty street, her laughter filled the air and he watched her, her smile became infectious and soon his lips were pulled into a grin and his laughter bounced of the coldness of the concrete walls that lined the street. She skipped ahead, turning her head back to smile at him – and then she fell. Her foot slipped into a pot hole, she turned to look down at her ankle which was beginning to swell and beside it was a leaflet. It was marked by rain and blood but she picked it up – she looked down and began to read it around
'The ruby riders – fighting the government. It's time for this to stop – for the thousands who go "missing", who disappear into government schemes, its time for the people to rule the country again – join us in our plight'. Rose's voice wobbled as she read out the words of fear, the words of hope. The Doctor sat down beside her in the middle of an abandoned street and stoked a wisp of blonde hair off her face, he picked up her ankle and gently stroked it with his thumb
'You alright?' he asked her softly. She nodded at him and bit her lip
'Just twisted, I'll be alright' she told him 'Oh Doctor – why does everything go so wrong' she sighed. He looked down at her and shook his head
'Forget this place Rose – I'll take you anywhere, anywhere in the universe that is ten times more beautiful than this' he promised. Rose grinned at him and pressed her hand to his face
'Take me away from this place' she asked him – he smiled at her
'You're wish is my command' he laughed as he helped her to her feet.
They never saw the figures step out of the shadows – it wasn't until they heard the click of triggers that they knew they were no longer alone.
The rain had begun to fall down heavily on the gardens again, Rose's eyes flickered open as the rain fell on her and a tiny squeak escaped her mouth – her mind burned with pain and memories as it all fell into place.
Deep deep underground in a place where the sun hadn't shone for centuries, the Doctor shook in a dank cell – the exact same cell as the thousands and thousands of others that filled this underground building. Only something was different now – someone knew he was there, which meant someone could save him. But only if she saved herself first.