Part 13

Hetty sat in silence on the outcropping roof. She felt the warm breeze through her scrubs. What was she doing? The doctor had told her to stay put, but here she was about to go off half cocked and put herself right up to her neck in it! With a sigh she looked over the edge. Funny it hadn't looked so high up before. Well it's now or never she said quietly to herself, and then gingerly let herself down from the roof.

She landed awkwardly and cursed to herself. Rubbing her knee she looked around the courtyard; it was deserted. Keeping to the shadows she crept around the corner. The front porch was empty; she could see her way clear to the front gate, so she ran and managed to get through without too much noise.

The doctor and Callendor sat either side of a dormant fireplace. They had just enjoyed a modest but filling meal. The doctor sat deep in thought. Hetty being inside his memories had disturbed him. He was also disturbed by the memories of her childhood.

"It is a shame that Derra is not here to see what her daughter has become." the doctor didn't reply.

"What is troubling you my friend?"

"Hmmmm?" the doctor seemed to come back into the room. "Sorry I was just wondering if we were right to take Hetty away from this."

"Of course we were, she would never have survived here!"

"Yes but you did. He knew that you would help Derra! You haven't seen what she's been through. She had to live her life in fear of her other father! Was she in any more danger on earth as she would have been here?" Callendor was quiet for a moment.

"Manevor has done unspeakable things to people in this village, even to the children. Do you think that a small thing like being his daughter would stop him? I have seen first hand what his experiments have done, how he ruins the lives of everyone he touches, including my own sister." Callendor lowered his head.

"Your right, you're so right!" he said rising from his chair. "Why hasn't anyone tried to stop him?"

"They are all scared, anyone who opposes him is either killed by the guards or worse sent for exper…" Callendor's face was ashen. The doctor rubbed his temples.

"I think that I should take Hetty something to eat!" the doctor said motioning to the hall. Callendor remained silent.

"They took her and I couldn't stop them." Callendor whispered. The doctor stood still.

"Who?"

"My wife! Arlen they came and took her and I couldn't stop them!" Callendor looked at the doctor, tears flowed freely from his eyes.

"I'm so sorry! How long ago?"

"Five years! They came in the night, I tried to fight them off but they were too strong!"

The doctor was silent. He thought it better to leave Callendor to his thoughts. He took some food from the kitchen and munching on an apple he began to climb the stairs.

Hetty found the streets deserted. It was like a ghost town. The air was still and humid now. Where were the guards? She thought they were on a sweep of the town. She was starting to wonder if it had been a good idea after all. A million miles away from home, lonely and she could have eaten a horse. Her stomach rumbled. She had stopped at the small stream that wound its way through the village. With a sigh she sat down heavily on a rock, took her socks and trainers off and dangled her feet in the water. She watched as the moons reflection splintered as she waggled her toes. Her life had been turned upside down, in one night. She had wished for a more interesting life but never expected this. Hetty Davies had a dual life, she had travelled in time seen things in a stranger's mind that seemed impossible and all she could think about was chocolate. 'Did this place have chocolate?' Her train of thought was shattered by screams and shouting from the village behind. She winced and thought perhaps she should make her way back to the doctor. She tried to put her trainers on whilst moving and fell over. Nursing her pride she stumbled in what she thought was the direction of Callendor's house.

The doctor had reached the door to Derra's room. He held a plate of food in one hand and the apple in the other. He stuffed the apple into his mouth and opened the door. The door opened widely and the doctor looked up expecting to see Hetty. The room seemed empty. The wardrobe was open, the sheets ruffled on the bed and the window open! The doctor put the plate and the apple on a table near the door and ran to the open window. He peered outside and saw the roof below.

"What part of stay put did she not understand!" he shouted into the night. The doctor ran from the room and downstairs two at a time. He found Callendor still sat in the same place.

"Hetty has gone, she's climbed out of the bedroom window. She must have gone into the village. You stay here in case she comes back and I'll go and try to find her!" the doctor said the last part of the sentence as he bolted out of the door. Callendor still consumed with grief didn't hear him.

As the screams got louder Hetty realised that perhaps she had gone the wrong way. She slipped between the shadows of the houses. The screams were blood curdling. What were they doing to them? She felt a cold tingle down her spine. Hetty peered around the corner of one of the houses, she saw a group of frightened villagers being herded from the town square. The Imperian guard showed no remorse for the villagers. They seemed to be taking orders from one of the guard who had its back to her. They were keeping the villagers in line with what looked like cattle prods. Hetty's fear was quickly being replaced with anger, she felt herself becoming hot again and looking at herself she was starting to glow ever so slightly.

She fought to control it so that it would not give her away, she pushed the anger deep inside her being. She had started to win, it was subsiding. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath. It was gone, her adrenaline levels returned to normal. She opened her eyes to see that the head guard seemed to arguing with someone, she squinted to see who it was. When her eyes became focused she gasped to see it was the doctor.

"I seem to be lost, can you tell me where there is a café or somewhere I can get directions?" the doctor asked calmly. The guard gave no reply.

He followed the shouts and screams; they had led him here. He was relieved to see that Hetty was not in the group that had been rounded up for selection. She was still out there somewhere. The head guard motioned to some of the others and they surrounded the doctor.

"Look I can find it myself if you just point in the general direction, there is no need to show me!" the guard made a hand gesture and the other guards grabbed the doctor and pinned his arms behind his back.

"You will be taken to my master's house, you are one of the selected few."

"Do I have a choice?" the doctor struggled but they had a good grip. The guard did not reply.

"OI!" came a shout from his left. He turned to see Hetty running towards them. He rolled his eyes. She stopped in front of the doctor.

"Doctor are you ok? I'm sorry I thought…"

"You didn't think, and look at the fine mess you got us into!" he spat at her.

"Hey I am here to save you aren't I?" he raised an eyebrow. Hetty felt the guard behind her breathing down her neck.

"Do you mind?" she said turning on him.

"Hetty, you are not helping!" he said wincing as the guards grip tightened.

"I want you to leave these villagers alone, tell your master there will be no selection tonight!" hetty said in her sternest voice.

"I can't!" Hetty looked at him with a puzzled look on her face. "I can't he will kill us all!" the guard hesitated for a moment and then removed his hood.

"Talok!" the doctor breathed. Hetty turned to the doctor to see his face twisted in anger. Talok took a piece of apparatus from under his cloak and placed it against Hetty's neck, she winced and fell to the ground.

"NO! What have you done?" Talok stared at the doctor and smiled, he then placed the instrument against his neck. The doctor tried to resist but slowly he fell unconscious.