By Dawn

by ClaraOswinPond

The Doctor and his companion Ena just wanted to spend a day in a future Atlanta, but all they find is a destroyed city and a mysterious virus that turns people into monsters. Can the Doctor figure out what s going on?

14. Chapter 13 - Shelter

-By Dawn-

+1+

Prologue

There was this beautiful, familiar sound when the TARDIS landed and the Doctor rushed to the doors.

„Let´s see where we´ve landed!", he said excited.

„You said it´s 2030.", I replied.

„Yes! And I tried to hit Atlanta, let´s see if I did it!"

I straightened my dress so it fitted properly and followed him out of the TARDIS.

What I saw wasn´t Atlanta. Or, propably it was, but not as people knew it.

We were on a destroyed bridge. Under us was a huge river floating.

„So, how much did you miss it?", I asked, looking around for the Doctor who was running around to check his environment.

„I didn´t. We are in the center, actually. Look at that." He pointed in the direction behind me, so I turned around to find that we just landed in a total destroyed city.

There were holes in the asphalt, cars lying on their sides or on their roofs.

Houses and Sky scratchers looked like ruins, glass was everywhere. And then the bridge we were standing on: the part that should be above the water was completely gone, just like it fell into the river.

Everything looked like straight out of an apocalypse movie.

„What the hell happened here. This looks like a scene from ´The walking

dead`", I said in total disbelief.

This couldn´t be real. Maybe we were still in the TARDIS and I was in my bed, dreaming.

„Doctor, what´s going on here?", I asked with a shaky voice.

Right at this moment a shot fell and I heard glas break.

I heard the Doctor gasp and turned around in shock.

He was unharmed, but the bullet hit one of the TARDIS´ windows.

„Nonononono!"

The Doctor was upset now, running towards his ship, when another shot fell.

A scream escaped my mouth and I ducked behind a car to not get shot.

„Doctor! Get down!"

The second shot ripped a little hole into the right frontdoor.

I couldn´t see much, but I could hear the Doctor shout in fury.

„Stop shooting at my ship!"

It was just now, that I saw two military jeeps standing just a few meters away from where we´ve landed.

Then I heard the familiar sound of the TARDIS dematerializing.

I got up again to see what was going on.

„No! Don´t do this now!", the Doctor shouted at his ship, looking desperate.

„What´s going on?" I had reached his side now.

„When the TARDIS is under attack she dematerializes.", the time lord replied breathless.

„Dematerializing where?" I couldn´t manage to sound calm.

„Somewhere.", he said, gesturing wildly with his hands and utter despair in his face.

„Great!", I gasped.

The Doctor suddenly stopped staring at where the TARDIS was standing a few seconds ago and turned his head.

„Oh, dear."

I turned around. About a dozen soldiers came out of their hiding places and out of the jeeps now, pointing their guns at us. My eyes widened and I

couldn´t stop my body from shaking.

For a moment we just stared at them, then we heard an order.

„Shoot them!"

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver to block the weapons, but that

wasn´t going to take an effect for long.

„Run!"

I spinned around and starting running as fast as I could, the Doctor right in front of me.

He was heading for the end of the bridge!

Behind us I could hear the soldiers swear, because their guns wouldn´t work, but, just as we reached the middle of what was left of the bridge, I could hear a bgun firing again.

The bullet hit a sign just right beside my head. I couldn´t help but let out a scream.

„What are you doing?!", I shrieked as the Doctor kept running straight towards edge.

„Trust me!"

The next shot just missed me a few milimeters and I speeded up.

„Doctor!"

I saw him jump. Then he was gone.

„No!"

I felt tears in my eyes as I reached the edge of the bridge and looked down into the water race.

This was the only opportunity I had besides getting shot, so I follwed the Doctor and jumped off the egde.

The water was icy. I could feel my clothes soaking the wet up and getting impossibly heavy. The waters´ race didn´t make things easier, I tried hard to stay on the surface. It worked for a few moments, but soon I got weak and the

stream kept pulling me under water. I desperatly tried to get enough air in my lungs, but it didn´t work.

I´m going to die.

My body got weaker every time I got under water and I could feel my consciousness fade.

Suddenly, I could feel something pulling me and something that felt like clothes. I grabbed it with both hands and clasped onto it as hard as I could.

Then I fell into darkness.

+2+

Down

„Ena."

My name... I could hear my name. But from so far away...

„Hey, wake up!"

I knew that voice, it made me feel safe. I smiled. The darkness seemed to fade

slowly.

„Ena!"

I blinked against the light as I opened my eyes. It took some moments until my vision cleared and I realized what happened a few moments ago.

„Ah, there you are, back again."

A hand patted my head and I could see the Doctor´s smiling face above me.

„You´re alright?"

I wanted to answer, but all I got out was coughing. He helped me to sit up and after a couple of moments the coughing was over and I breathed heavily.

„What happened?"

„You swallowed too much water.", he said, now looking a bit worried „I´m sorry, but it was the only way."

„I know. And we´re still alive aren´t we?", I smiled.

Turning my head to look around I found that we were no longer in the city itself, but in a forest. The river was nowhere to be seen, but I could still hear it in the distance.

The Doctor must have pulled me out ot the water and carried me here.

I looked at him.

„Thank you."

„You´re welcome. Can you stand?", he asked and offered me his hand to get up.

I still felt a bit dizzy, but I could manage walking.

„It´s okay, I´m fine.", I said.

„Right. I don´t know how far the river has been taking us, but I think it still is Atlanta.", the Doctor said.

„Also, I don´t know where the TARDIS is and how to find her, so we don´t have much choice, but just get walking."

The alien looked around as if he was unsure which direction to choose.

The situation was weird and a bit frightening. We were in a forest somewhere in or near Atlanta, we didn´t have the TARDIS, almost got shot and the city was more like a battlefield than an actual city. Something was very wrong here

and I was pretty sure the Doctor had already decided to find out what.

„This looks like someone has been walking here before." I heard the timelord mumble and got closer to him to see what he saw.

The grass was flattened and actually looked like a path leading into the forest.

„You´re coming?", he said and started walking.

„Do I have a choice?", I asked and followed him straight into the woods.

While walking I felt my legs being scratched and poked by the grass and little bushes alongside the path. I cursed myself for having chosen a dress over a pair of jeans.

„If you don´t know how to find the TARDIS then how are we going to get her back?", I asked.

„I don´t know. She´ll propably just pop up sometime. I just installed the defence systems, but they need some further development! I forgot to take them of after working on it."

„What do we do if she doesn´t come back?"

„Oh, don´t worry, I´m really sure she will! She always does!", the Doctor turned his head to give me an assuring smile, but it didn´t really work on me.

If we really lost the TARDIS and she would not return, we would have to stay in 2030. All my friends and my family and my fiancee would suddenly be much older. Also, they wouldn´t have seen or heard of me in about 14 years!

Quickly I wiped away that thought and decided to focus on what was happening right now. Why had there been soldiers and why did they try to shoot us and what made the city look like that?

The Doctor lead us deeper and deeper into the woods until he suddenly stopped.

„What´s wrong?", I just wanted to asked, but stopped myself from doing so.

I saw what was wrong.

The small path we were following disappeared behind a huge gate made of wood.

There also was a fence, at least 3 meters high, on both sides of the gates, reaching into the forest to both sides.

„What´s that?"

„It´s a fence.", the Doctor replied.

I sighed. The wrong questions always got you the wrong answers. I tried again.

„What´s it build for?"

„Interesting question.", the Doctor stated while he fumbling in his jacket to get the sonic screwdriver out.

„Let´s find out!"

Luckily the lock of the gate was made of metal, so the Doctor could easily open it with his gadget.

He closed the gate as we´ve walked through and looked around.

The area we were standing in wasn´t any different than the forest behind the gate and the fence, so what was that fence good for?

The Doctor scanned the surroundig with his screwdriver, but I could see in his face that he didn´t get any results of anomaly.

„What are you here for?", he said more to himself(and the fence) than to me. „What are you supposed to keep out? Or in?"

„Doctor, the path continues.", I stated.

„Oh, yes, good!"

The weirdest thing in here was, that we couldn´t see how wide the area was that was surrounded by the fence, because it reached so deep into woods.

Neither on the left nor on the right side we could see the fence, so the space surrounded by it must have been huge.

„It´s huge.", the Doctor whispered, in that exact moment, but then followed the path that continued its way straight ahead.

After a couple of minutes I noticed that the trees were getting less. About one-third of the tree population had been fell.

„Look! There´s another fence coming!"

„What?"

He was right. As I turned my head to look front again I saw it too.

Another gate, another fence. This time made of wire mesh.

„What the hell is this place?"

I didn´t like this, my gut instinct was telling me we shouldn´t be here, but my mind screamed at me to go on and find out what was going on.

This time we could see how big the surrounded area was. It was much smaller than the one we were standing in now, propably as big as a pitch.

What we also could see were trees, except in this area they hadn´t been fell.

„What´s so special about this space?", the Doctor said lost in thoughts.

There were sounds coming from inside the forest, from behind the fence.

„Maybe this area is dangerous. I mean, taking a look at what the city looked like..."

„Sssh."

It´s sounded like animals, but then again it didn´t. It was some kind of grunting.

„It´s propably a minefield and we´re getting blown up if we walk in..."

And some sort of growling. And what was that smell?

„Doctor, shush!"

„Oi, don´t shush me!"

„Don´t you hear that?", I whispered.

He stopped arguing and listened.

„Sounds like some predator..."

Carefully he raised his arm and soniced the lock to open the gate. We skipped through and stood still, listening.

„I can´t relate this to any animal I´ve ever heard.", the time lord stated.

I nodded. The sound was terrifying. Slowly and very careful we started sneaking towards the sound.

„When I soniced this area it wasn´t showing any life signs.", the Doctor said in a whisper.

„How is that possible? There clearly is something!", I whispered back.

„I know!"

We hid behind an aggregation of large bushes, trying to descry the source of the sound. Also, the smell got stronger.

We actually found something. Cages. We reached the middle of the area and there were cages about 2 meters high and wide, six of them standing next to each other, another 10 surrounded the six cages in the middle like someone was trying to form the letter „U" with them.

„Come on.", the Doctor said pulling me by the hand, leaving our hiding place and heading straight towards the cages.

Since we only saw the backsides of them we didn´t know what to expect.

The Doctor walked around the cages and pulled me with him until we were

standing exactly between the cages.

A gasp. The Doctor didn´t say a word, there was horror written all over his face.

I clapped my hand over my mouth. Pure terror was in my eyes as I looked around. The Doctors´grip on my wrist had become so hard I almost feared he could break it.

The source of the noises, and what was in those cages, were humans.

They´re faces were completely blank (like all of their emotions had been erased),deformed, with mouths wide open, an covered in blood. Some of them had huge wounds in their faces or on other bosyparts. The clothes they were wearing were ragged and dirty and also full of dried blood. They reached their arms out as if they were going to grab us, but the cagedoors stopped them.

„Zombies.", the Doctor gasped. „Real, acutal zombies."

The smell coming from them was incredibly disgusing. I raised my arm to cover my nose and mouth.

„That´s why the sonic didn´t show any lifesigns..", the Doctor said, „they´re dead. Living dead. Undead. Zombies!"

Once I found my speech back again I managed to ask:

„What made them like that?"

The Doctor let go of my hand and took out the sonic screwdriver again.

I was pretty sure this all was just a bad dream and I was about to wake up any second now, safe and sound in my bed and my boyfriend would have brought me breakfast.

But the familiar sound of the screwdriver called me back to reality again.

„I think it´s a virus.", the time lord said.

„A virus?"

„Yes. There´s something in their DNA that the sonic screwdriver can´t recognize, but he detected a desease, something unknown yet."

Still I couldn´t really think of something to say about the situation or even think properly. This was just so unbelievable. This was one of the things I thought would only be happening in comics, books, movies or video games, but never in real life.

Suddenly the Doctor grabbed my wrist again and dragged me a few meters away from the cages.

„What are you doing?"

„We don´t know how its transmitted, so better stay away from them."

I paled. What if I just had to breath in some of their bacteria or something ant then turned into a creature like them?

The Doctor seemed to have the same thought and soniced us both.

„No signs of the unknown thing.", he said with a look of relief.

„We have to find out who´s responsible for this."

„I already waited for you to say that.", I said and couldn´t stop me from grinning at him (which actually felt a bit absrud considered to what we just found) and he smiled back.

„Come on then!"

He turned in his heels and started walking the surroundings without even knowing what he was looking for. He did that quite often.

Since I couldn´t stand the noise or the smell of the creatures in the cages I decide to help him.

„Hey! I found something!"

I turned my head and found the Doctor standing about 5 meters away from me, pointing at the floor.

As soon as I got to him he soniced the floor. Then I saw that it wasn´t actually floor. It was a trap door.

„Where do you think this is leading to?", I asked as I helped him to open it.

„I don´t know, but it´s not really a trap door. Look, stairs."

We were looking into a tunnel that reached into the earth. Since there wasn´t any light down there we couldn´t see the end of the stairs.

„Let´s see where this is leading to."

With a swing of his wirst he turned the familiar green light of the sonic screwdriver into a bright light one, so it could be used as a torch.

„I´ll go first, God knows what´s down there."

I protested.

„You can´t just leave me here!"

„I won´t! I just want to check if it´s safe down there then you can come too! If I don´t get back in an hour get some help."

I crossed my arms over my chest.

„I won´t let you go in there alone you might need someone!"

„I don´t need you to protect me!"

„And I don´t want you to protect me by risking your own life!"

Angrily I glared at him. We´ve been travelling for a while now and he knows how much I hate it to be left behind.

For a moment he just looked at me. Then he finally agreed.

„Okay, fine.", he said with quite an effort.

„But don´t blame me if you get eaten up! Or blown up! Or shot! Or.."

„Alright, I get it!", I interruptet him, „Let´s go!"

„Right then.", he murmured and started walking down the stairs and into the darkness.

+3+

Beneath the earth

The stairs led us about 20 meters beneath the earth before they ended and we were faced with a metal door.

„It looks like a bunker." I said.

The Doctor nodded and checked the door with his screwdriver.

Then he turned around and looked at me.

„Listen, I don´t know what or who we are going to find, but I´m asking you now what I always ask: don´t wander off! Stay close to me, don´t explore anything on your own and don´t let anyone convince you to follow them without me. I am pretty sure we have found something we really shouldn´t and whoever is responsible for it won´t like that." He looked at me, having his worried face on.

„I promise.", I just said. It felt a bit uncomfortable to know that there clearly was danger coming, but not to know in what form or which face it would wear.

„Good.", he said with a small smile and turned to unlock the door.

I tried my best to hide my fear (like always), but I couldn´t stop my body from slightly trembling. The door revealed a floor, really long and really dark. Everything was made of concrete, the walls the floor and the ceiling.

We slowly moved on and when the door behind us thunked shut the Doctor changed the light of the sonic screwdriver to white again.

A scream escaped me as the bright light revealed three figures were standing in the dark. Three man were standing in front of us. One was really tall (about

2 meters), young and had dark skin and short dark hair. The one in the middle was wearing a beard and long hair which he put together in a ponytail. He was about 55 and most of his hair was already grey. The third one was very young, about 18 with a trained shape, blonde hair, blue eyes and a baby face.

All of them wore normal clothes, a jeans and a shirt and all of them had their guns pointed at us.

The Doctor gasped and immediatley raised his arms.

„Please don´t shoot!"

I did the same.

The beardy one took his eyes off me and turned his head a bit to look at the Doctor.

„Who are you and how did you get in?"

The Doctor answered him.

„I´m the Doctor and this is my friend Ena, we got lost in the forest and... just got here."

The beardy one took a step forward.

„How did you get in?"

„Well, we used the gates..."
„The gates and doors are always locked!", the man interrupted the time lord and took another step closer. I swallowed nervously.

The Doctor smiled.

„I´ve got some tricks.", he simply said.

„The Doctor, mhh?", the beardy one growled now standing right in front of the Doctor so he could place his gun on the aliens forhehead.

I could see him swallow nervously and moving his fingers like he always does when he´s excited or nervous.

„Doctor who?"

„Just the Doctor."

For a moment Beardy just stared at him and he grabbed the screwdriver and ripped it out of the Doctor´s hand.

„Hey! That´s really rude!", the Doctor revolted, but fell silent when the gun was back against his head.

„What´s that? Is it a weapon?"

„No, it´s a screwdriver, a sonic screwdriver."

„Really? What would you need that for?"

The Doctor hesitated before he answered.

„It can open doors."

„Ah, that´s how you got in, then." Beardy smiled and passed the sonic screwdriver to the younger one and told the tall one to search me for weapons.

„Don´t you touch her!"

„Shut up!", and the gun was back.

I felt a bit umcomfortable, but I let it happen. The giant took my bag from me which was still hanging around my shoulders (I wondered how I managed not to loose it in the river).

„No weapons.", he reported when he had finished seachring me and had checked my bag. I realized that I had stopped breathing for some reason and took a deep breath in.

„Good.", he turned to talk to the Doctor again.

„You will give him your coat and your waistcoat and let him search you."

I could see the Doctor´s nervousness fading. He hated being treated like that, he hated having a gun pointed at him and he hated having his things taken from him by force. One could see the anger growing inside him.

The oncoming storm.

And I was right, when the tall one reached out his hand to take the Doctor´s coat and waistcoat he gave him a killer look. Really, if looks could kill the men would´ve dropped dead in a second. I kind of admired them for not running away.

„What are those creatures above? What happened to them?", he now asked.

„You´re not the one asking questions here." the giant said.

„You better come with us and answer our questions.", the beardy one said and the Doctor opened his mouth, but Beardy interrupted him again.

„Without further talking, please!", he added pointing his gun now at the doctor´s chest.

The Doctors wrenched his hand into fists and I could see that he was trembling

because he had to hold back his anger.

„Why are you always so big on the gun thing?" he said through gritted teeth.

„Shut up now and get moving!"

The young bloke went first, I followed him, then came Giant then the Doctor and then Beardy. We walked about 4 minutes until we reached the end of the corridor and (surprise!) another door.

The young guy unlocked it and led us through. As soon as I passed through the door my jaw dropped open. We were in a huge cave! So huge, that there was a whole village in it! They were lots of huts or little houses built from loam. When we past throught the „streets" we could see something like a market place (except there weren´t any sale booths) and people who were walking around with wheelbarrows to transport food and loam.

I turned my head to catch the Doctor´s eyes, but he didn´t notice. He was looking around with an expression of pure excitement and his anger seemed to have faded for now.

We walked through the village and reached the other end of the cave. It was impressive. You could see the front of a big house, really huge, and it seemed to be built inside the cave's wall! It looked like a guildhall.

This whole place was unbelievable and I could see the Doctor was pretty amazed too.

They led us inside the building and once we were inside I realized that I had been right, it was some kind of guildhall, since there were signs pointing to the „mayor's office" or the „department for goods" and the „department for food products".

We walked some corridors until we reached the „investigation area" as the sign on the wall told us.

Great.

The young guy opened one of the doors and held it open for me.

„In here, please.", he said.

Considering the gun pointed at me I followed his instrunction and entered the room.

The Doctor intended to follow me, but he was stopped by the giant´s arm on his shoulder.

„No.", he simply said.

The Doctor´s nervousness came back within a second and he licked his lips.

I took a step forward, but was stopped by the young one´s gun.

They´re going to seperate us.

The Doctor tried to get out of the giant´s grip. I felt panic rise inside me as I remembered the Doctor´s words.

Stay close to me.

I took another step forward, but this time the beardy one´s voice stopped me from getting out.

„Stay were you are!" The young guy still pointed his gun on me and intended to close the door.

The Doctor really started struggling now.

„Let go off me!"

I could see the men grabbing his arms and drag him away and before I even reached the door it was closed and locked.

„Doctor!"

I slammed my fist against the door.

„Great..."

I tried not to panic, but it didn´t work, a few tears escaped my eyes and I was shaking before I got myself together again and tried to calm down.

Looking around I found that the room only had a table and two chairs, nothing else.

Definetly made for questioning.

I really hoped they wouldn´t have too much questions.

I winced as the door flung open and my pulse was incedibly fast. The beardy one walked in.

„Hey, there.", he said „I´m Pete."

I didn´t say anything.

„Sit down, please."

„Where is he?"

He closed the door and smiled.

„He´s fine and unharmed. He´s in a room like this and will also be answering some questions. Or, at least, I hope he will. Oh, and unharmed except the fact we had to cuff him to his chair."

„What?!"

„Well, he kept struggeling."

„Don´t you dare.."
„Sit. Down."

I decided to follow the instruction. His voice didn´t sound very patient and he was still carrying a gun.

He put a small recorder on the table and pressed a button.

„Let´s start then, shall we?", he smiled and it reminded of my grandpa in some strange way.

„We´ve found some passports in your bag.", he started.

„Is your full name Barbara Verena Wide?"

I nodded.

„Why is he calling you Ena, then?"

„It´s a short form of my second name, don´t really like the first one."

Pete gave me a smile.

„Age?"

I hesitated. I didn´t know if the Doctor hit the right year. Considering the way the city looked like we most likely ended up in the future. But how far in the future?

If I would tell my age and we were like 50 years or something in the future they would ask me how I could still look that young when I actually should be 80 or something. On the other hand time travel could be a normal routine by now. I hated not to know in which year we´ve landed! So, I decided to answer him honestly, because they´d find out anyway.

„23."

Pete chuckled.

„Okay. Well, your passport says your born in December 1991. So you should be 46 by now, turning 47."

2038 then.

„Yeah."

„Why you´re not 46?", he asked now with a curious grin on his face.

I sighed.

„Time travel."

He stared at me for a second.

„Wow.", he said." never met anyone who´s done it."

„It´s very interesting.", I replied.

„How are you doing it?"

He smiled when I just stared at him, not answering.

„You´re not doing yourself any good by not answering."

„Well, he´s got a time machine."

„What kind of time machine and where is it?"

Silence.

„I´m pretty sure he´ll tell us."

I giggled.

„Oh, I wouldn´t be, he can be very stubborn."

„I can imagine that. Well then, let´s go on."

„You´re from London?"

„Yes."

„Are you married?"

„No."

„Is the Doctor your partner?"

I almost laughed at this question.

„No."

„Are you related?"

„Also, no."

„What´s the doctors real name."

„I don´t know."

„you don´t know?", Pete laughed. „You´re time travelling with a man in a bow tie and a purple coat and you don´t even know his name?"

„No."

Pete stopped laughing when he realized that I was being serious.

„You just know him as ´the Doctor´?"

„Yep. That´s all, just´he Doctor´."

Pete gave me a weird look.

„You´re time travelling with a stranger?"
„No, although I don´t know his name he´s still a friend and that´s all I need to know."

Pete just looked at me fort some time before he got back to the questioning again.

„Why are you here?"

„We wanted to spend a day in Atlanta, but the Doctor must have hit the wrong time line, so we ended up in a future Atlanta and almost got shot by the military, then we found your monsters up there and in the end ended up here with you."

Pete couldn´t stop a grin.

„You´re from the past, then? You said you´re 23, so it´s 2015 where you came from?"

„Yes."

„You don´t know why the military tried to shoot you?"

„No, we just were lucky enough to escape them."

Pete nodded and looked down on his hands.

„Does the military have your time machine?"

„No. It has an emergency programm and it disappeared."

„You don´t know where the machine is?"
„No."

Pete sighed.

„Okay, how did you get in?"

„You took the sonic screwdriver from him.", I simply said.

„That thing with the green light at the end? I thought he was joking when he said it can open doors."

„No, it really can."

„Then why are you here.

„It was more like an accident. We landed on this broken bridge and the soldiers started shooting at us, then our ship disappeared and we pretty much didn´t have another choice but jumping."

„Oh, I see. The river brought you here that´s why your clothes were wet."

I gave a nod.

„Right then, do you have a job?"

„Medical secretary."

„Good, so you know how a blood withdrawal is done."

„Yes, why?"

„You already mentioned the things in the cages.", he said, „I will sent in a doctor who will take your blood to run some test on it."

I gave him a questioning look.

„Everyone who somehow manages to get in here has to go through the same procedure. First, we run blood test to make sure you´re no infected."

Infected. So, the Doctor was right when he suggested it could be a virus.

„If the blood tests are okay you will get a room where you can have a shower and rest until the mayor is ready to see you."

„The mayor?"

„Yes, the mayor. He will decide if you´re allowed to stay or not."

„If the blood test is not okay, or the mayor decides he doesn´t want us here, what happens then?"

Pete didn´t say anything, he just looked down on his gun and I nodded, a shiver running down my spine.

„I see."

Very assuring.

Then, it him me. If they were running blood tests on us they´d find out the Doctor was not human at all! His blood looked different, there was no way they wouldn´t notice that! How would they react to an alien?

I got even more nervous at those thoughts, but there wasn´t a thing I could do right now.

Pete stood up.

„I´ll send in doctor Rhymes now."

Then he walked out.

The Doctor

The Doctor looked up as the door opened.

The two men from earlier walked in. The beardy one sat down on the chair in front of the Doctor and the dark skinned, tall one, closed the door, crossing the room to stand next to the aliens´ chair.

„I am Pete, this is Duncan.", the beardy one said while putting a recorder on the table.

„We´re going to ask you some questions."

The Doctor just smiled at him. His hands were cuffed behind his back and fastened to the chair on which he was sitting. Also one of his braces had come undone while he was struggling.

„What´s your name?"

„I already told you my name.", the Doctor answered, still smiling. „Where´s my friend?"

„She´s safe, we just finished her investigation. We´re going to ask you the same questions. So, again. What´s your name?"

„I already told you." The time lords voice was dark and he gave Pete a hateful gaze.

„No, you said that you´re the Doctor.", Pete said like he was talking to a little child to which he was explaining how talking works. „Also, you didn´t have any papers with you."

The Doctor wondered why the psychic paper didn´t work on them they must have found it in his coat. Then he realized that he propably lost it in the river.

„I propably lost them."

„Okay, but I still don´t know your name."

„People call me the Doctor that´s all you need to know.", he Doctor hissed.

„We´ll see if that´s enough.", Pete said and asked the next question.

„Age?"

The Doctor laughed causing Pete to look irritated.

„You wouldn´t believe me."

Duncan sighed.

„Just answer his question."

„I´m over 1200 years old."

Now, Pete and Duncan laughed too.

„You like being funny?", Pete chuckled, „No, seriously now, what´s your age and birthdate?"

The Doctor´s smile was back and he answered in a calm voice.

„No, yes, seriously, I´m more than 1200 years old. One gets a bit confused about the exact age when one´s a time traveller."

Pete just stared at him, so did Duncan.

„You´re 1200 years old?", Duncan gasped, „but you don´t look a day older than 30."

„Thanks.", the alien just smiled.

Pete still stared at him.

„Are you..?" For some reason he seemed not to be able to finish the question so the time lord did for him.

„Human? No."

This statement was followed by more staring.

Pete was the first who got his voice back.

„You´re an alien?"

„Yes."

Duncan looked like he´d seen a ghost.

„A real, proper, alien?"

„Yes, real and proper."

They looked at each other and started laughung like two schoolboys who just found out a secret about one of their schoolmates.

„That´s awesome! I´ve never seen an alien!"

„Well, here I am."

Pete suddenly went serious again.

„Okay, we should finish this."

„Your friend told me you´re not a couple or related, is that true?"
You could still see the excitement in the mens eyes.

„Yep."

„Right, she also told me your time travel machine got lost when you were confronted with the soldiers."

„Yeah, had a bit of trouble with them, they were trying to shoot us, so we jumped off that bridge and into the river. Then we landed here and found you and your village, nice village by the way, a village in a cave, lovely really. Oh, and of course we found the cages and the creatures within.", the Doctor stopped his babbling and got back to his dark voice again.

„By the way, what are they? Humans, I know, but how did they get changed?"

The excited expressions on the mens faces disappeared.

„We don´t know.", was the short answer.

„What kind of doctor are you and do you have a job?"

„Sort of everything, I suppose. And no,I don´t have a real job."

„You´re a doctor for everything?", Duncan asked.

„Whatever.", Pete sighed.

„I´ll explain the security procedure to you now."

„Oh, nice you have security."

The time lord earned an annyoed gaze from Pete.

„We´ll run blood test on you, to see if you are infected. If not you´ll be going to see the mayor. If you are infected you et executed."

„Oh, not nice."

„The mayor will decide if you can stay."

„What if he doesn´t want us to stay?"

„You get executed."

„Oh, really not nice."

Pete stood up and came around the table.

„So, who´s the mayor?", the Doctor asked while Pete was searching his pockets.

„Just the mayor of our little community.", Duncan answered. „He´s a nice guy I don´t think he´ll let you get executed."

„Well that´s good to hear."

„Okay", Pete started when he had found what he was looking for „I´m gonna take the handcuffs off you if you promise not to kick me again."

„Yeah, of course, sorry."

Keeping his promise, the man opened the cuffs and the Doctor rubbed his wrists.

„That´s much better, thank you."

„I´m sorry if we frightened you that much, it´s part of the security procedure to make intrudors talk."

„Do you have many introdurs.", the Docor asked, fastening his brace again and

fixing his bowtie.

„No, as you have seen the gates and doors are locked very carefully."

„Are there more of those zombie-creatures then?"

Pete didn´t answer and went back around to table to open the door.

„We´ll send in Dr. Rhymes now, he´ll take your blood and then we´ll have to wait for the results.

The Doctor jsut nodded and watched as both of the men left the room.

Five minutes later the door opened again and an older man, around 60, walked in. His hair was grey and he had a litte potbelly.

„Hello.", the man said, obviously excited to see him. „I´m doctor Andrew Rhymes."

The Doctor smiled and shook the other doctor´s hand.

„Pete and Duncan told me about you, oh, I´m so excited.", he babbled while opening the little box he was carrying.

„You´re an alien."

„Yes, I am."

„You´re the Doctor, you are a time lord."

The Doctor´s smile vanished for a second. He had erased himself from history only very few people still knew about his existence.

Dr. Rhymes lowered his voice a bit before he continued talking.

„I was working for Torchwood, 30 years ago." He said digging into his box.

„Torchwood?"

The Doctor´s smile was gone now.

„Yes, but only because my father wanted me too. I left as soon as he had died. Went to university to study medicine. I hated Torchwood."

And the smile came back again.

„So, you know who I am?"

Dr. Rhymes started to place everything he needed on the table.

„Yes, of course and I think you just are what we needed."

„I´m sorry?"

Dr. Rhymes came around the table.

„You saw those things in the cages didn´t you?"

„Yes, we saw them."

„Well, maybe you can help us to solve what happened to them? Please, roll up your sleeve."

The Doctor did as he was told.

„Pete said you don´t know how people get infected."

„No, we don´t, but the mayor will explain everything to you later. If you´re not infected of course."

The man fastened a tourniquet around the time lord´s upper arm.

„You´ll be getting a room it the test results are fine, so you can take a shower and get some rest until the mayor is ready to see you."

„Who is he? That mayor?"

Rhymes laughed.

„Well, he´s the mayor, our community needed someone to lead us and we chose him."

„By the way, what is this place? Did you build it?"

„No, I found it by accident. I think it´s an alien village.", he smiled, placing the needle above the Doctor´s skin.

„Yeah, I heard about something like this before, but I can´t remember it."

„If you remember it, will you tell me? I´d love to know."

The Doctor smiled.
„Yes, I will."

The neddle went in.

„Ouch!"

„Sorry. I have never been really good at this. When I had my doctor´s surgery in Atlanta I always sent my medical secretaries to do blood withdrawals."

He laughed a bit.

The Doctor watched as his blood made it´s way into the tube.

„My friend is a medical secritary."

„Yeah, I met her.", Dr. Rhymes said while he unfastened the tourniquet. „Nice girl I´m sure she´s better at this.", he laughed.

„Right, that´s it."

The needle was pulled out and the Doctor was handed a hankerchief to wipe away the last blood drops.

„Now, all we can to is wait for the results."

„Patience has never been a strength of mine.", the Doctor said while pulling down his sleeve.

„Oh, don´t worry the tests don´t have a long running time, I´ll have the result in under 30 minutes."

„You´be got a laboratory down here?"

The other doctor waved this aside. „It´s not worth mentioning. Well, then, see you later, doctor."

He shook his hand again and left the room.

„Congratulations.", Pete said as he strolled into the room. „You´re negative."

„Oh, good." I said.

He held the door open and gave me a sign to come with him.

„I´ll take you to your room."
„I have a room?"

„Yes, both of you will get to take a shower and some sleep before meeting the mayor."

„Uhm.. okay." I stood up and walked out into the corridor. Pete closed the door and instructed me to follow him.

„Are we prisoners?"

Pete laughed.

„Well, kind of, I suppose. We need to know if we can really trust you before we let you walk around here on your own."

„And that´s what the mayor is going to decide? If he can trust us?"

„Yep."

We walked a few corridors and it was pretty hard for me to remember where we started from

„Here it is.", Pete said and led me into a small room. There was a bed on the opposite side to the door and a small wardrobe on the wall at the end of the bed. Also there was a chair in one corner and another door which propably led to a toilet.

„The door to the left is a bathroom. You can take a shower if you want and have some fresh clothes. I think size 6 is ok for you?"

I nodded. They had placed some clothes on the chair to my right.

„Okay, then, I´m leaving now. Please stay in here until we pick you up."

„Okay."

„Your friend will be here soon too."

With that he left the room.

Okay, so we are in a village beneath the earth, we saw zombies and almost got shot by the military which actually led us here. What was going on? Was this really a zombie apocalypse? Something like „The Walking Dead"?

And what were Pete and the others? Police? Also military? And who was that mayor? What were they going to do to us? I decided to talk this through with the Doctor.

Since my clothes were still wet and also full of dirt, I decided to accept the offer of taking a shower. I checked the clothes on the chair. It was a basic, slim jeans and a black hoodie, they also had given me underwear and socks.

I showered and dressed up before lying down on the bed. There was no window in this room (which would have been unnessecary anyway since we were beneath the earth) so I just stared at the ceiling.

Although I was terribly exhausted I couldn´t bring myself to sleep. There were too many things going on in my mind and also the Doctor wasn´t here.

After what seemed like an eternity the door opened again and Pete popped in to put some new clothes on the chair. He showed me a basic white shirt.

„Do you think this size is okay for your friend?"

I just nodded and Pete placed it on the chair as well before disappearing again.

Less then five minutes later the door opened again and the Doctor walked in. I jumped off the bed.

„Hello.", he said.

„Hey."

He took a few steps and hugged me before letting go again and turning me around.

„Are you alright?", he asked, searching for bruises.

„Yes, yes, I´m fine.", I said and stopped him from circling me around.

„You?"

„Yes, me too.", he replied.

„You look different.", he suddenly said.

„What? Oh, yes. I took a shower and they gave me fresh clothes."

I went to the chair.

„They brought some for you too." I gave him the clothes.

„I´m fine with my clothes."

„Doctor, they´re wet and full of dirt."

He looked down. His trousers were full of mud, his coat (which he got back from Pete) was covered in dirt and everything else was still wet.

„Yeah, you´re propably right.", he said. „Give me five minutes."

While he was in the bathroom I sat down on the edge of the bed.

I was a bit impatient, I needed to talk to him!

When he finally came out I just stared at him. The basic white shirt and the jeans looked totally strange on him. He placed his own clothes on the chair.

„What´s wrong?"

„You look weird."

„Thanks."

I laughed.

„No, not bad weird. It´s just... well, you look normal. Like you´re a normal young guy."

„I am none of those."

He grinned.

„I know."

„I don´t like it either.", he said, sitting down next to me.

„They´ve taken your blood?"

„Yep."

„Did they notice?"

„Yes, they did. But I told them before the blood test. There wasn´t any sense in lying."

I nodded.

„Dr. Rhymes said he´s been in Torchwood.", I said.

„Yeah, he recognized me. He asked me if I would help them with those creatures."

„Will you?"

He gave me a smile.

„I knew it. Any suggestions?"

The alien sighed.

„Not yet, but I seemed to be right about the virus theory. I´m sure they went down here to protect themselves. I think all we can do now is wait until we can see the mysterious mayor."

I nodded.

„I hate waiting."

„Waiting is boring.", the Doctor added to my statement.

„Yes.", I chuckled.

„I really hope he likes us.", I said a bit worried now.

„Duncan said he´s nice. Also the sonic screwdriver hasn´t found any sign of infection and the results of our bkood tests were fine. So, basically he doesn´t have a reason to execute us."

„Well, I hope so, I don´t want to get shot. We just escaped that."

The Doctor laughed.

„Yeah, we are, and now look at us, again in trouble. I wish Clara would be here."

„Yes, me too."

I miss her.

For a moment we fell silent. After some time the Doctor turned his head to look at me.

„You look tired.", he said gently.

„I am.", I confessed.

„You should get some sleep."

I suddenly realized that there was only one bed, but we were two people.

„What about you?"

He stood up and took his clothes from the chair so he could sit on it.

„Alien. I don´t need as much sleep as humans do. Now, sleep well."

„But.."

„Sleep well!"

I decided not to protest and lay down. A few minutes later I fell asleep.

+4+

The mayor

I woke up, because someone was gently pushing on my shoulder.

„Hey, wake up we´re going to meet the mayor."

Grudingly I opened my eyes and blinked aganist the light on the ceiling.

„Do you know the time?", I asked while sitting up.

„7 o´clock in the evening, you´ve slept about two hours."

Feeling a bit dizzy I got up to put on my shoes.

„Pete´s coming to pick us up in two minutes.", the Doctor said and in fact two

minutes later there was a knock at the door.

„Let´s go."

Pete was waiting for us outside. He greeted me with a smile and instructed us to follow him. And again we walked countless corridors and I soon lost orientation. The beardy man took us upstairs and into a corridor to the left where he stopped in front of the second door to the left.

Mayor´s office

Arthur Mullet

I read on the sign next to the door.

„Well, then let´s meet Mr. Mullet.", the Doctor mumbled, so only I could hear him.

Pete knocked at the door and almost immediatley someone behind it asked us to enter.

Pete signalized us to get in. The Doctor went first, I followed and Pete closed the door behind us.

It was quite a huge office. The walls were completely covered with bookshelfs, filled with folders and books. To our right was a sofa made of dark brown leather and to our leftt was a huge wooden desk. A man was leaning against the desk having a curious eye on us.

He was tall, almost as tall as Duncan, brown hair with grey strands in it, he was wearing only black clothes and had bright blue eyes.

His gaze was on the Doctor now.

„Hello, then.", he said in a rough voice. „Take a seat, please."

His smile made me nervous.

„No, thanks.", the Doctor said in his calm voice, „We´ve been sitting around for quite a while now."

If the situation wouldn´t have been that serious I would have grinned at him for this answer.

Mullet just stood there, arms folded, and smiled at us.

„Yes, I can imagine that, I´m sorry it took so long for me to get time for you."

„oh, we all have our business to do, don´t we?", the alien replied.

Mullet, again, just smiled.

„So, I heard you came across the gates and broke into our village?"

„It was more of an accident."

Mullet nodded.

„I heard you had a meeting with the military?"

„Yeah, wasn´t that nice."

„You don´t know why they were shooting at you?"

„We hoped you could explain it to us.", I answered the question.

Mullet shifted his weight a bit.

„I heard the recordings of the investigations. You´re time travellers?"

„Yes."

Mullet laughed.

„That´s amazing! So, they´ll make it one day? Real time machines?"

The Doctor just nodded.

„That´s cool! Okay, sorry I always get distracted."

The mayor now turned his gaze on the Doctor again, curiosity was written all over his face.

„I had a conversation with Dr. Rhymes.", he started, „you´re an alien, a Time Lord, to be precise. Is that true?"

„Yes."

„He also mentioned that you could propably be the man we just needed and help us with the problem above."

It was obvious that he was talking about that zombie creatures.

„So, here´s the deal: You´ll help us find out what made them like this and how we can protect ourselves against it and we´ll let you stay here without asking further questions. You´re ship is gone from what I´ve heard and I´m sure you don´t want to spend the night up there?"

The Doctor just stared at him.

„Was that a threat?"

„No, it´s an offer. If you don´t want to help us and stay that´s fine I won´t give an order to execute you, because that won´t be necessary. You wouldn´t survive with those things above anyway."

„Oh, that´s nice." it escaped my mouth, but the Doctor silenced me by rising his hand.

„Right, then. I´m going to help, but I need information.", the Doctor stated.

„What are they? Humans, I know, but what do you know about how they get turned?"

Mullet´s smile vanished and his expression got serious.

„To be honest we don´t know much about it. Dr. Rhymes said it could be an alien virus, but we haven´t found out how people get infected with it."

„Wait, then it´s not like in books or movies?", I asked. „They don´t infect you when you get bitten?"

„No. Some of us got hurt while fighting them but none of these people got infected."

„A virus that doesn´t seem to spread, interesting. Never heard of anything like that before.", the Doctor said. I could see the excitement in his eyes. There was something new to the Doctor and it needed solving.

„When did you first hear about it?"

„Well, about 5 years ago, I think."

„5 Years? Since then you´re down here?" I was shocked.

„Almost. Dr. Rhymes found this village and we installed the fences around it."

„You found it?", I asked, „But who built it?"

„It´s an alien village.", the Doctor stated. „I´ve heard of places like this before, but I couldn´t remember it properly until right now."

He paused and started to walk around in the room.

„It´s a comubian village."

„Comubian?"

„Comubes. A very rare species that lives in the most far behind places of the universe. „

„But, if they live this isolated, what did they want here?", getting confused had turned into some kind of daily routine.

The Doctor snapped his finger and pointed right at me.

"Very good question! Answer?", he pointed to Mullet now.

„Maybe they crashed around here?", Mullet suggested.

„Possible, most likely even, yes, I think they´ve crashed."

„But where´s the ship then?"

„They have propably left it behind and went to find a place where they can live. They live in villages like this, also they are very good at not being seen. For a very long time my people thought they were just a legend, until one of the scientists found a village like this in a very far away corner of the universe. And they are very hospitaly guys, comubes."

Something didn´t seem to fit here.

„But if they crashed, why didn´t they just sent a distrass signal?"

„Again, very good question! The answer is pretty simple. Or better to be said the possible answers, since they are only suggestions. Theory number one: They couldn´t sent one just because of the fact their communication system broke during the crash. Theory number two: The signal wasn´t strong enough and also got debilitated by earth´s atmosphere. Theory number three, which I think is nonsense, bit still it´s a theory: They sent the signal, but noone came."

You would have helped.

The Doctor was walking in circles now, gesturing around with his hands and a thoughtful expression on his face.

„But why would they get so far away from home?"

Another riddle that needs solving.

„And where are they now? Didn´t you see them when you found that village?", I turned and looked at the mayor now.

„No. When we came we searched everywhere for signs of living beings but we couldn´t find anything."

The Doctor sighed.

„It´s their virus.", he stated." A comubian virus. It propably killed them, but has different effects on humans, also this could be the reason why it doesn´t spread like other diseases."

„But it still doesn´t explain how anyone ever got infected.", I threw in.

„Also, if they are dead why didn´t they found any remains? Bones or something?"

The Time Lord looked at me.

„They´re aliens."

Of course.

„They don´t have bones! If they die anything will be rottened and nothing will be left!"

„Exactly. Their bodies basically consits of a jelly-like matter in various colors. They can change colour and they can change into transparence."

„So they can´t be seen.", Mullet pointed out.

„I wish I could to that.", I added admiringly.

„You´re far too loud anyone would notice you immediatly,"

„Thanks.", I hissed to the Doctor.

„Okay, so Ena already stated a very important point. Who was patient zero and how did he or she got infected?"

Thoughtfully the mayor stroked his chin before he replied:

„The first case I heard about was a little girl in Rainbow city, they were talking about in the news. Then there were also cases of animals with the same behaviour."

I thought the Doctor´s expression couldn´t get more curious, but I was wrong. As soon´as Mullet had mentioned the animals it was like someone had given him an injection with adrenaline.

„Animals? Where?"

„I don´t know exactly where, but they were trying to eat members of their own species like cows ate other cows and dogs ate other.."

„Yes, I get it!", the Doctor interrupted.

„Scientists all over the world tried to solve the riddle of that virus, but noone ever found something useful."

The Time Lord growled.

„I wish I could do an examination on my own!"

„You can."; Mullet said, „Or, at least, you an have a laboratory and a body of one of the creatures."

„How did you kill them?"

„You´ve got a laboratory?"

The Doctor and I asked at the same time and then looked at each other, grinning.

„Killing them is easy, it´s a cliché."

„So, its the head then.", I stated and Mullet nodded.

„Dr. Rhymes has a small laboratory down here since he was working on solving this himself. I don´t know if it´s what you´ll need, but it´s anything we´ve got."

„Can I use it?"

„I´m sure Dr. Rhymes won´t be against it and will also be givging you a hand, but I won´t ask him today. He´s been working all day and just went to get some sleep."

„He´s working on this every day, isn´t he?", I asked. „I mean on finding out more about that virus."

„Yes, he his. He´s exhausted now, so you´ll have to wait until tomorrow."

„"That´s fine..", the Doctor said with a smile.

„Good."
The mayor got moving and went to the dor.

„You´re dismissed now, you should get some sleep before tomorrow comes, Dr. Rhymes prefers to get up very early in the mornings. Is there anything you need right now?"

„Yeah, my sonic screwdriver. Would be nice to get it back."

„And my bag.", I added.

Mullet nodded and opened the door, where Pete was still waiting outside.

„Bring them back to their room, give them their stuff back and make sure their clothes get washed and dried."

Pete just nodded and signalized us to follow him.

Before we went Mullet shook the Doctor´s hand.

„I´m glad you stranded here, I hope you can help us."

„I´ll be trying my best."

Back in the room I was sitting on the bed, watching the Doctor who was sitting on the chair, arms folded and legs crossed.

Clearly he was lost in his thoughts, but then he looked at me.

„Something´s missing.", he said, „I am missing something."

Because I didn´t know what to reply to this I remained silent.

Again his expression was thoughtfull he looked a bit stressed and had furrowed his brows. Looking at him I noticed how tired he looked.

„When did you get some sleep last time?"

„Mh?", he looked up, obviously he hadn´t quite heard the question because he was sunken in his thoughts.

„Sleep? When did you last get some sleep?", I repeated.

„I don´t know..", he rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. „It´s been a while."

„Then lay down.", I jumped off the bad and gestured to him to lay down.

„No."

„Why not?" I was standing right in front of him now.

„Look at you, you look exhausted.", I said gently. „You´ll need to have a fresh mind tomorrow."

„I can´t sleep right now, there´s so much stuff in my head going on.."

I interrupted him.

„Which you´ll propably get some answers to tomorrow, so come on, get some sleep!"

„Will you stop annoying me sometime?"

„No.", I grinned.

He sighed.

„If it makes you happy!"

He pulled off his shoes and got up to undo his jeans.

Quickly I turned around.

„What are you doing?!"

„Getting ready for bed!"

„You could have warned me at least!"

„About what?"

„Getting undressed!"

I could hear the sheets rustling when he crawled into bed.

„I didn´t undress, I just got out of those jeans!"

I turned around again and found him in the bed.

„Come on, then. Time to sleep!"

„What?"

„Well, you´re human you need more sleep than I do and the two hours you had earlier aren´t barely enough!"

„There´s only one bed."

„Yes, with room for two!"

„Doctor..", I blushed and somehow almost had to laugh.

The expression on his face changed and suddenly he was blushing too, even more than I did, his face turned to a dark red.

„No! Not like that! I wasn´t... I didn´t mean..."

„I´m engaged!", I grinned.

„But, I didn´t... I´m a Time Lord!"

„You´ve got a snog box!"

„It is not a.. oh, don´t listen do Clara!", he yelled, turning even more reddish in the face.

„You invited me into your bed."

I couldn´t stop a little chuckle escaping from my mouth.

„But, not like that! I.. Oh. Shut up!"

Laughing I got to the bed and sat on the edge.

„Sorry, I couldn´t resist on teasing you a bit."

Kicking my shoes off I turned my head to look at him.

„It´s just so funny how you blush so easily on this subject"

He stucked out his tongue at me as an answer.

„Sorry.", I grinned again and got under the blankets, but trying to lay as far away from him as possible. I felt guilty sleeping in the same bed with a man who wasn´t my fianceé, even if this one here was an alien, but still it felt weird. But on the other hand I really didn´t want to sleep on the floor.

„But I´m not doing cuddling!", I stated and gave him a serious look.

„I don´t need cuddling, I am an adult, I´m 1200 years old!", he said defiant and gave me an offended look.

I laughed.

„Good night, Doctor."

„Good night, Ena."

+5+

Neil

I woke up, because of a crashing sound in the room. With a gasp I shot up and sat upright in the bed. The room was dark and I turned on the light on my nightable, finding the doctor on the floor, halfway in his trousers.

„Ouch!", he struggled to get into his trousers properly.

„Sorry about the noise."

„Why didn´t you turn on the lights?"

„Didn´t want to wake you. Dr. Rhymes has already been here and told me he´s ready."

„I didn´t even notice that."

„Well, you slept like a log.", he smiled, getting into his shoes.

„Until now, sorry about that again."

„It´s okay.", I said and got out of the bed and right into the bathroom. After using the toilet I washed my hands and my face and then got back into the room.

The Doctor was standing by the door, waiting for me.

„Okay, ready.", I said when I was done with putting my shoes on.

„I don´t want you to come with me.", the Time Lord suddenly stated. I wanted to protest, but he raised his hand and I stayed silent.

„I want you to look around a bit. Take a walk in the village and see if you find anything unusual."

„You mean except the fact we´re having a zombie apocalypse and that this town is beneath the earth?"

„Exactly!"

„Okay..."

You told me to stay with you and not explore things on my own.

„I know what I told you.", he said like he could read my mind.

Oh.

„Stop doing that!"

„Then stop thinking so loud! Listen, there´s something I´m missing, just go and have a look around okay?"

„Okay."

„Good.", he smiled.

As we walked through the corridors to get out of the guildhall I couldn´t help to admire the Doctor for his sense of orientation.

I´d never find a way out of this labyrinth of corridors and doors without him or

Pete or Duncan.

A few moments later we were standing on the frontstairs.

„Right then, see you later.", the Doctor waved and went off to the left.

„Yeah."

Okay, where do I start?

I decided to turn right and walk a big circle alongside the cave´s walls and then explore the inside of the village later.

As soon as I walked away from the stairs I heard a voice behind be.

„Hey!"

It was the young boy who had been with Pete and Duncan, he came down the stairs.

„Hi.", I simply said.

„Do you want me to show you ´round?"

I´d rather be on my own.

„I´m Neil.", he said with a smile and showed his perfect white teeth.

„Ena. And yes, that would be nice!", I smiled.

I feared it would cause distrust if I´d turned down his offer.

„Good!"

He started walking and I just walked beside him.

„It´s called Esperanza."

The confusion on my face made him laugh.

„The village.", he added.

„Oh", I said, „The spanish word for hope."

A surprised look appeared on his face.

„Do you speak it?"

„Oh, no. I learned it in school, but that was seven years ago! Or at least for me it was seven years, from here it would be twentytwo. Hell, that´s almost my age!"

I stopped babbling when I met Neil´s curious gaze.

„So, it´s true what Pete said? You´re time travellers?"

„Yes, we are."

He gestured wildely with his hands, showing off. his excitement.

„That´s so cool! So you´ve been in the past too?"

„Yes."

„Wow! That must be so interesting!"

„Yes, it is.", I smiled.

„What was the best thing you´ve seen yet?", he asked.

„Uhm... I don´t really know..", I said, „All of it was great. But, if I had to choose one I know what I´d choose."

„And what´s that?"

„Oh, it will bore you.", I laughed. „It wasn´t even in space, it was here on earth and it was a very normal thing."

„I still want to hear it.", he gave me an assuring smile.

„He took me to a concert of Queen at the Wembley Stadium. I was born in 1991, so I had no chance in seeing them live with Freddie Mercury as the lead singer."

„I love Queen.", Neil stated. „I found some old CD`s in one of the houses that were left behind when all this started. Unfortunately, we have to be very economical with electricity down here, so I´m not allowed to use a CD player anymore."

He added with a sad smile: „I miss music."

„I see."

We walked through the little streets of the village and now and then I could see some faces staring through the windows of the cabins. Families, children and their parents, were watching us while we took a walk. The news of the arrival of two strangers must have spread here very fast.

I had to think of what Mullet said and the fact that these people lived here for more or less five years.

„How old are you, Neil?", I asked.

„I´m twenty.", came the quick answer.

„You look younger."

„So do you."

I laughed.

„Yeah, most people don´t give me twentythree years."

„It will be good for you when you´re older.", he said with a wink.

„Yes, definitely!"

Neil suddenly stopped infront of a house. From what I had seen so far there was nothing unsual about this village, well, considered the circumstances.

The fact that I didn´t really know what I was actually looking for didn´t make things any easier.

The building we were standing in front of was painted white with a big red cross above the front door.

„Is that Dr. Rhymes´ doctor´s office?"

Neil nodded, making his blonde curls jump with the movement.

„He also has his laboratory inside it, where he is now, together with your friend. He tried for so long to find out anyhting about that virus. People everywhere were studying on it, but noone ever found out enough to tell what it actually is and how it turns people."

„Why do you keep some of them in those cages?"

I was curious about that fact.

„It´s a warning. They´re not completely stupid. They can climb up things, open doors and avoid traps. We sent up patrols every two hours in case one of them managed to get over the fence."

He started walking again and I followed.

„Then there is some trace of intelligence left."

„Yes."

For a while we just kept walking in silence. I had noticed that the light that was coming from the ceiling wasn´t electric. The people here had build columns made of loam with a platform on their end and ladders to get up. On the platforms themselves they had constructed litte stikes and had inflamed them. There were about twenty of those appliances to light up the whole cave.

Huge torches!

The cave itself was very high and of brown stone, almost like the colour of copper.

Neil stopped again in front of...

„A well!"

„Yes."

„So, this is where you get your water from."

„Exactly. It´s the reason we can still have a shower.", Neil laughed.

„Dr. Rhymes installed it.", he continued. „There´s lots of ground water beneath our feet."

„So, you get your water from here, but what about food?"

„Well, most of it comes from hunting. Deer, wild pigs, rabbits, everyhting you can find in a forest. But it´s dangerous because of the infected people. In the centre of the city, where the military is, you can buy food. For example if you give them some of your weapons or if you find something useful and bring it to them they will give you food cards and give you access to the city´s centre. They´ve got special locations where you can swap the cards into food. We try to avoid that option, the military isn´t very friendly these days."

„Why did they shoot at us?"

„Anyone who gets inside the centre has to be accompanied by a member of the military. That´s the sign for the others that you are allowed to be there. Everyone knows that rule. So, if you´re not with a militaryman it means you´re here without permission. „

That´s why.

„They thought we might be infected."

„Exactly."

„Okay, I see."

Thank god I have a save home without zombies.

„It must be hard."

„Yes." Neil turned his gaze away from me, shadows crossing his face.

A tickle on my neck made me shiver and I turned my head.

„What´s wrong?"

I looked around, a bit confused.

Something touched me.

„Nothing, I just thought... I thought something touched me."

„Maybe it was just a breeze. Happens sometimes, because of the crevices in the cave."

No, that hasn´t been a breeze.

„Yes, maybe."

I turned my head again, but there was nothing to be seen.

„Actually, there isn´t much more I can show you. It´s a really small community as you´ve seen."

Neil sat down on a bench a few meters from the well, so we were looking to the marketplace-like space in the middle of the village.

He implied me to sit next zu him and I followed his request. There were children running around playing football and laughing. We watched them for a while.

What must it be like to grow up like this?

„Do they know what it´s like up there?", I asked without looking at Neil, keeping my gaze on the children.

„You mean if they know the sunlight or the moonlight and stuff like that?"

„Yes."

„Yes, they do. We sometimes take them with us when we´re hunting. They need to learn it, also we don´t want them to waste away down here. To know what´s it like up there keeps them hoping and hoping keeps them fighting and..."

„Fighting keeps them alive.", I finished his sentence.

„Yes. Have you ever been fighting?"

„No, not like that."

I realized that this was a future that actually was going to happen and that I would still be alive when it would happen. If I survived this adventure, of course.

What if I die here?

„Your friend...", Neil distracted me from my thoughts „the Doctor.. do you.."

He looked at me, worried. His hands clenched the edge of the bench. I tried to give him an assuring look.

„Yes?"

„Do you think, if he doesn´t find out what the virus actually is.. will he leave again?"

„He will find out.", I said and found that I was surprised about the conviction in my voice.

I believe in him.

„And he won´t leave until he will."

„But, if he does leave... do you think...do you think he´d take me with him? I mean with you, both of you."

That question sort of took me surprise and didn´t really know how to answer it, so all I got out was:

„I´ll ask him."

He nodded and again we stayed silent for a while. Neil wanted to get away from all this and I really couldn´t blame him. It was what I wanted too. The Doctor would never leave until he had solved this, even if he had the TARDIS. All I could do now was hoping that she´d come back and the Doctor would be fast in solving.

„Listen", I looked into Neil´s eyes, „What I said before.. that he´ll fid out. I propably rushed into that answer. I can´t make any promises, but one: he´ll try his very best." I took a deep breath before I continued "Also, he´s not really the one who gives up that easy that´s for sure, so don´t worry about that. He´ll do everyhting to help you, but that doesn´t necessarily mean he´ll succeed."

Neil only gave me a nod.

Then there was the touch again, this time on my upper arm. My head turned quickly, but again there was nothing.

„You´re okay?"

„Yes, I think it was just some kind of insect."

Neil suddenly stood up.

From the right, where the guildhall was, I could see a group of men heading towards us, I recognized two of them: Pete and Duncan.

„It´s time for the patrol.", Neil said, „It´s safer for you to stay down here. There´s a library in the guildhall if you want to kill some time while waiting for the Doctor."

I gave him a smile.

„Okay, thank you for showing me around."

„You´re welcome."

He jogged around the well and to the small group that was heading to the exit.

Pete waved at me while walking past. I stood up and decided to look around again, this time alone, but I couldn´t find anything, so I decided to go back to the guildhall and find that library.

+6+ In the night

The fireplace next to me flickered and crackled in a relaxing way and I smiled as I turned to the next page of the book I was holding.

Karl May´s Winnetou.

Before I had been heading to the library I went to our room where Pete had left some bread for us and ate a bit of it.

It had taken me only a few minutes to find the small library at the end of an corridor in the guildhall. It was very cosy and very beautiful with its huge shelves and the red carpet and old armchairs right in front of the fireplace.

But the relaxing mood was over when I heard the very familiar voice of my alien friend.

„Ena! Look what I´ve got back!", he cheered.

I looked up and saw the Doctor coming in, slightly running. I didn´t have any idea how much time had past, but it must have been some time in the afternoon. He stopped next to my armchair and showed me his sonic screwdriver, looking down on me with a smile. I put the book on the table which was standing between the two armchairs.

„Oh, good! Any news?"

His smile faded.

Not good.

The Time Lord went around the table and sat down on the second armchair, elbow on his knees and his chin resting on his palm.

„Unfortunately not. Dr. Rhymes´ lab is remarkable, considering the circumstances, but he doesn´t have the right technology. I still wasn´t able to decode the virus, we´re stuck, not one step further."

Definetly not good at all.

He got an unhappy expression on his face. The TARDIS was still gone god-knows-where-to, we almost got shot yesterday and found zombie-creatures who got turned by a virus, but nobody seems to know anything about it. And now not even him had been able to decode the virus, because he didn´t have the right equipment! He was very frustrated and I knew it was going to drive him mad.

„Is there nothing we can do?"

The Doctor shifted and leaned back in his armchair, folding his arms.

„Rhymes mentioned a lab in the centre of Atlanta, it´s abandonnend but still working. There´s only one problem."

„Which is?"

„Although it´s not used anymore it´s property of the military and very close to their base."

„Oh."

The Doctor nodded when he saw that I had understood the problem.

„They won´t let us in, I suppose?"

„No."

„So, what do we do?", I asked, knowing the Doctor had already worked out a plan.

He leaned forward again, a smile formed on his face.

„Are you ready for some plan?"

„Sure!"

„Pete and Duncan will take us to the border and help us to get inside the centre where we will meet a friend of theirs. He will smuggle us inside the lab."

„Aren´t Pete and Duncan coming with us?"

„They said it´s too dangerous. I can´t blame them, you saw the military back then on that bridge, it won´t take them too long to shoot us."

„So, you are suggesting that we get to the borders, crossing them without permission with lots of soldiers around, ready to shoot anyone who´s not allowed to be in, and then meet a stranger who ought smuggle us into the lab, which is also military property, or maybe he´s a psycho and will kill us straight away?!"

„Yep!"

„Well, sounds like a good plan!"

He grinned at me.

„My plans are always good, I´m the king of plans!"

„You´re more like the king of improvisation when it comes to making a plan!"

„Yes, but I´m good at it!", he protested and I had to laugh at his facial expression.

„Stop laughing at me!"

„Sorry. When are we leaving?"

„Sometime after midnight, we´ve got a better chance of not getting caught when it´s dark."

I nodded.

For a while both of us just sat there, staring into the fire. Then I remebered what I was doing in the morning.

„I haven´t found anything."

He turned his gaze to me.

„Sorry?"

„In the village. You told me to look around."

„Oh, yes! Yeah, of yourse, okay, that´s alright, I wasn´t really expecting you to find something."

„Neil, the young blonde guy, was with me, he told me the zombies can avoid traps and stuff like that. Open doors and climbing, you know?"

He simply nodded, staring into the flame again.

„Does that mean there´s some of their awareness left, some intelligence?"

„Some kind of intelligence, I think, yes, but I´m not sure about the awareness part. I don´t think they´re actually aware of what they are and who they´ve been before."

I nodded.

„That´s good in a way, I think."

„Yes, it propably is.", the Doctor said with a sad smile.

The light of the fire caressed his face and added some more light to his already shining eyes. I could see why he sometimes got chased by so many girls when we were travelling.

He was lost in his thoughts and I decided just to leave him and picked up my book again, so we sat and waited for the night to come.

It was only a few minutes after midnight when the Doctor got ready to meet me, Duncan and Pete outside the guildhall. Duncan had spent the last two hours with explaining me the small gun he had given me and showed me how to shoot with it (of course two hours wasn´t enough to teach me how to shoot properly, but at least I knew now how to hold still and not get thrown back by the kickback).

The Doctor and I had left the library about four hours ago, when Arthur Mullet asked us to have dinner with him, Pete and Duncan to talk over the plan one last time. Some of the men had been succesful in hunting and had brought a deer and two wildpigs, a very lucky day for the villagers.

„Are you sure you really want to do this?", Mullet asked while eating.

The five of us were sitting on a small table in Mullet´s office.

„Yes.", the Doctor, who was sitting to Mullet´s right, answered. „I´ve got to find out what´s wrong with that virus, why it doesn´t spread and where it came from, I need to know what exactly it is doing to human bodies and maybe I can even find out how to cure it or at least how to preserve people

from turning."

„Well, it´s your decision if you want to go, but I´ll tell you again: this is a very dangerous mission you´re planning.", Mullet said.

„It could cost you your life.", Pete added.

„Yes, I´m well aware of that, but I´m still going to do it, sometimes risks must be taken. Aslo, I kind of have a talent of getting out alive of this kind of situations.", the alien grinned.

„You mean you, or we, just were extremely lucky every single time.", I mocked him.

The Doctor, to my left, protested:

„No, it´s my incredibly clever plans that keep us alive!"

„Your clever improvisations you mean!"

„Yes! I´m good at improvising, actually I work the best while improvising!"

I grinned.

„Okay, this point goes to you, I have to agree with that."

Pete just grinned at our little teasing.

„Okay, so if we really are doing this... I´ve got a car and Pete and I will take you to the border and show you how to cross it without being seen. On the other side you will meet a friend of ours, Bill, he will help you get inside the lab . He´s very good at smuggling, trust me, once he.."

„Duncan, just go on with the plan.", Pete interrupted him.

„Yeah, sorry. So, Bill will help you get inside, the rest is to you, Doctor. You will find a fully functioning, but abandonnend lab where you can examine the lab samples you and Dr. Rhymes took. It´s absoluteley neccesary that the military won´t notice anything, I suggest it´s best if you use one of the lab rooms in the cellar, it´s the best chance not to get caught. If they see you, they´ll shoot you, or even worse, they´ll capture you and they´ll try to find out who you´re working for."

„That sounds an awful lot like torture...", I said, a bit (a big bit) worried.

„Oh, yes, they love torturing people.", Pete added.

„How nice.", the Doctor stated.

„Okay, you will need something to defend yourselves.", Mullet threw in. „Can you use a gun?"

„No.", both of us said at the same time.

„Well, I actually can use one", the Doctor said „but I won´t. I hate gins, guns are evil, actually I hate every kind of weapon."

„Well, you still might one. You´ve seen what´s out there. It´s impossible to teach you proper shooting in this short time, but I could teach you some basics, like how to unlick it and stuff..", Duncan said.

„We´re not going to shoot anyone!", the Time Lord insisted.

„Doctor, trust us, you´ll really need one.", Mullet said, „just because there is a border it doesn´t mean infected people can´t get into the centre. If they´re attacking you will have no other chance than shooting them! They´re fast and very, very strong!"

„You said the sonic didn´t show any lifesigns, so basically they are already dead.", I suggested.

The Doctor just stared at me.

„And the military", Pete threw in, „they will nit hesistate in shooting you, and what will you do when it´s him or you, letting him shoot you?"

„We will not kill a living being.", the Doctor growled.

Mullet sighed.

„Okay, fine, you´d rather die than shooting him, okay, I don´t really understand, but fine." He turned his body so that he could face the Doctor properly. „But what will you do, when the coice is between a soldier´s life and hers.", he was pointing at me. „Don´t you want her to be able to protect herself?"

The Doctor just stared at him for a moment, then he turned his head and his green eyes met mine. He looked utterly concerned.

„I´ve been thinking anyway.", he said in a soft, very quiet voice.

I knew exactly what he would be saying next.

„Maybe it´s best if you stay here."

Bingo!

„No way!", I said, „this plan is insane and I´m not going to let you do it alone!"

„Ena, this is very dangerous!"

„I know! And I´m afraid, yes I confess that, but still I´m not going to let you do this alone!"

The Doctor sighed in frustration.

„There is no use in pulling an argument, Doctor.", I said, now also in a quiet tone, „I´m coming with you, whether you like it or not."

Again, he sighed. Then he turned to Duncan.

„Alright, give her that gun."

+7+ Off to the centre

When climed through the trap door again we were hit by warm, dry summer air. I was quite thankful for that since I was wearing my dress again (Pete had given us back our normal clothes after the dinner) and my legs and arms were naked and I didn´t wear any socks in my Converse. The Doctor also was back in his normal clothes and I wondered how he managed not to sweat in his purple coat.

„Can I ask you something?", I said while we were walking behind Pete and Duncan, heading for the gates.

„Sure."

„It´s something about you being alien."

He gave a me an amused look.

„Don´t hold yourself back."

„What´s your body temperature?"

„What?"

„Well, everytime you hug me or hold my hand your skin seem pretty cold and now your wearing your coat and you´re not sweating although it´s still very hot."

He chuckled.

„You´re interested in Time Lord anatomy, then?", he asked while we were passing the cages.

„Yeah."

„Well, you´re right my body temperature is way low than yours. A Time Lord´s body temperature is usually around 15 degress Celius."

„Wow, that´s bloody cold compared to us."

He laughed.

„Yes, well it can drop to below-freezing temperatures.", he explained while we were walking through the first gate.

„Now you´re kidding me!"

„No, not at all. Time Lords can slip into a healing coma when badly injured, but not badly enough they would need to regenerate. It causes the body temperature to fall very rapidly."

„A healing coma?"

„Yes, it´s actually good you asked me this questions you might need to know about it one day."

Pete and Duncan were now opening the second gate.

„When in a healing coma a Time Lord appears to be dead.", the Doctor carried on his explaining. „As I already told you the body temperature will fall way far below zero, also one heart will stop beating."

I looked at him shocked.

„But the other one carries on, there will be heart beat around every 10 seconds."

„And it increases the speed of healing wounds?"

„Yes, although it works best if the Time Lord is near or inside his TARDIS."

„Did you use it once?"

„Yes, I did. People thought I was dead, so let´s just hope you´re around when it happens again.", he winked at me.

„Let´s just hope it won´t need to happen again.", I replied.

At that he just smiled at me.

As we got further into the woods I pulled my mobile phone out of my back and put it on. Arthur Mullet had allowed me to charge it in the guildhall since we would need it to call them when we were done to pick us up again.

After entering my pin I noticed that my boyfriend wrote me a message.

Where are you? Are you still with the Doctor? Please answer, so I know that you´re fine.

The Doctor noticed I was holding my phone and writing something back.

„Is it Dillon? I bet he´s worried."

„Yes, he is."

„As soon as I´ve got the TARDIS back we can pick him up."

„No, this is too dangerous."

The Doctor raised an (barely existing) eyebrow at me.

„You´re here, too."

„Yes, but we don´t have the TARDIS, so you can´t take me back."

„You could have stayed in the village."

„You might need me."

He just nodded at that. „Yeah, propably. Anyway, when we´ve got the TARDIS back I will drop you on the day we left, he won´t even notice you´ve been gone for long."

I laughed.

„The priorities of a time machine."

Don´t worry I wrote I´m fine, I´ll be back soon, I promise. The Doctor´s looking out for me. I love you.

Sent.

„It isn´t far right now, we´ll soon reach the street!", Pete called over his shoulder. We were heading to a small slope right now.

My phone vibrated in my bag.

Okay, please take care. And tell him, if something happens to you I will find him! I love you too.

I grinned.

When we had reached the slop Pete lead us to a small path down. Through the wood we could see the street.

„Be careful, the ground here is a bit slippery."

Carfully we went down the path and trod the street. A few meters from us I could see a pick-up truck, black and in a pretty good condition.

As we got closer I could see that it was a Dodge Ram.

„Nice car.", the Doctor commented and Duncan smiled brightly.

„Thanks."

„This will save us a lot of time.", Pete said „If we´d walked it would take us 6 hours to get to the centre."

Suddenly there was a crack in the woods and all of us turned our heads.

Duncan had already pulled out his gun, aiming in the direction the noise came from. Pete pulled me and the Doctor behind him before also drawed his weapon.

„May be one of the creatures.", he whispered to us.

We tensed when there was another crack, and then someone shouting.

„Pete, Duncan! Please don´t shoot, it´s me!"

The shape of Dr. Rhymes came out of the shadows of the forest, hands pulled up in a pacificatory way.

„I´m sorry, I didn´t want to alarm you.", he gasped. He´d obviously been running.

Pete and Duncan immediatly lowered their guns.

„What are you doing here?!", Pete snapped. „Mullet said it´s too dangerous, we need you here you´re the only doctor we have!"

„Well, thanks.", I heard the Doctor murmur.

„I know what he said.", Rhymes said while walking towards us, „But I have to come with the Doctor, I need to know about that virus!"

„Andrew, go back!"

„No, Pete, I´ve been trying to decode this virus for 5 years now! I want to be there when it finally happens!"

Pete sighed.

„Alright, do you have your gun?"

„Of course!"

„Well, then. Get in the car everyone!"

Duncan´s driving skills were debatable. Although the streets were merely empty, he was racing like a maniac and kind of driving in wiggly lines. We got thrown from side to side which meant I got hit from both side, sitting in the middle of both doctors. I was pretty sure we´d get some nice bruises from this car ride.

As we got closer to the centre Duncan left the main street and drove the car to a smaller one. Once we had passed a town sign (Panthersville) Duncan turned off the lights on his car. From what we could see of the town it was abanondend. Also, there was lots of ruins, buildings have been destroyed.

„ milesWhat happened here?", the Doctor asked.

„As soon as most of the town had been evacuated the government and the military decided to throw bombs onto it.", Dr. Rhymes said.

„What?!"

„Well, infected people had been everywhere, killing other people, noone knew if they´d turn too. The government thought they´d destroy the ´source of fire´by killing off all the infected people. Of course there were still some of them who ´survived´."

„They threw a bomb onto a city, although there were still normal people around here?", I asked in shock.

„Yes."
„Humans.", the Doctor hissed, „give them power and they think they´re allowed and excused to do everything."

Duncan stopped the car behind the ruins of a house.

„This is as far as we can go by car, if I´d drive further they´s see us. The border is right in front of us."

Looking out of the window we could see a huge gate made of metal, also there were look-outs on both sides of the gate and barbed wire to keep intrudors from climbing above the gate. To both sides of the gate were houses, wall to wall, so there wasn´t any fence or wall nedded to keep people from entering the closed off zone. The doors and windows had been bricked. On both look outs were soldiers standing, each one carrying a floodlight to lighten up the area around the gate.

„Alright, we have to walk the rest. Centre and the lab are still around 9 miles away.", Pete said.

„9 miles!?", I shrieked.

„Yes. Under normal circumstances it would take you around 3 hours to get there, but with the military around everywhere I think it will take you at least 24 hours."

Speechless I just stared at him. Of course I wasn´t used to walks as long as this.

„Right then, get out of the car."

„How do we get in there?", I asked when everyone was out, carefully paying attention to stay hidden behind the house.

„We´ll take you to one of the houses to the left of the gate. The military only has guards on top of the gates, but never inside the houses that´s their weak point. There´s a house were we can get through the cellar. Resistance fighters once build a tunnel into it to get into the city."

„There´s a resistance?", the Doctor asked.

„Yes, they think the government should rather invest into researches about the virus than into vehicles for the military so they can shoot people from a panzer."

„They´ve got panzers?", I asked.

„Yes, of course they are the military."

Great.

„Okay.", Pete said, „is everyone alright."

„Ready as ever.", the Doctor stated, Rhymes and I just nodded.

„You can still go back.", the Doctor whispered to me.

„No, I´m staying with you."

„Alright.", Pete said. „Now, follow me, and stay away from that floodlight!"

Pete went around the house so we were at the backside of it, in the garden, but still hidden ftom the views of the soldiers.

He pointed to the ruins of another house around 100 meters away from us and closer to the border.

„When I say ´run´you had to this house over there and hide inside the ruins, okay?"

Everyone nodded. I could feel my body tensing and my heartbeat has never been this fast.

When the floodlights swang to the opposite direction we were in Pete gave the signal.

„Run!"

All of us sprinted towards the ruins. The Doctor pulled me along with him, so I had to increase my speed. When we reached the ruins I was pulled behind a wall and I heard Pete almost whispering.

„All fo you stay down!"

Above my head I could see the floodlight shining onto the walls above us were once had been another floor of the house.

„Do you think they have seen us?", Rhymes panted, but the Doctor layed a finger on his lips.

„Ssh!"

„What´s wrong?", I whispered.

„Ssh!"

Then it hit me.

Time Lord. He can hear them!"

„One of them noticed something,", he then said, „But he´s not sure if he´d just imagined it. Best if we wait a few minutes before we go on."

Pete nodded.

„You have remarkable senses.", Dr. Rhymes said admiringly.

„Time Lord senses are much further developped than human senses."

The floodlight stayed on the ruins for a good 5 minutes before it swang away again.

„Now, follow me!"

Pete started to run and we followed close behind, he lead us alongside the border and then into another ruin. Again we hid behind the walls.

„Alright, here we are.", Pete said, moving away a big piece of wreckage together with Duncan to reveil a hatch.

„So, this is your secret tunnel?", the Doctor asked.

„Yes." Pete pulled the hach open.

„I´ll go first, then you lot and Duncan will be the last." with that he climbed into the small tunnel behind the hatch. Dr. Rhymes followed him.

„What´s wrong?", the Doctor asked when he saw my face.

„Claustrophobia."

„It´s okay, I´m right behind behind you. All you have to do is breath calmly."

I nodded and made my way into the small tunnel. It smelled of earth and dust and it was very narrow. Pete and Dr. Rhymes lead the way and I followed them trying to ignore the oppressive feeling in my chest. It was getting hard to breath.

„Calmly.", the Doctor said behind me „and regularly."

I tried to do what he´d told me, but I could feel the panic rising as we continued our way and the tunnel got even more tight, now the walls were so close my legs, arms and clothes touched them and got dirty with earth. MY breathing increased and soon turned into pantings.

„Hey, you´re doing fine, don´t let the panic get to you!", I heard the Doctor´s voice behind me, but I couldn´t really pay attention to what he was saying.

„Everything alright?", Pete called back.

„She´ll be fine!", Duncan answered, „Don´t worry, we´re almost through!"

By the end of the tunnel we could see a small hole and Pete climbed through it. Dr. Rhymes struggled with getting thorugh, because it was so tiny.

I hesistated.

„You can do this.", the Doctor said reassuringly. „Just try to stay calm."

Pete reached in to help me and I started to make my way through the hole.

It was hard to move in the last bit of the tunnel so I had to crawl like Pete and Dr. Rhymes did and it felt like hell. I could feel the walls touching my body everywhere and before I was halfway through the panic kicked in.

I couldn´t really breathe anymore and my vision got blurred from tears.

Just go on, it´s just a stupid tunnel and you´re almost out!

I could feel my muscels move and then a hand, pulling me out.

„There you are.", Pete said in a friendly tone and handed me over to Dr. Rhymes to help the Doctor.

„It´s okay, sit down, try to calm down.", Dr. Rhymes said, helping me sit down on the floor.

„Thanks."

„This happened to me too the first few times I came through here.", Pete said, helping the Doctor climb out of the hole. „Nothing to be embarrased about."

Duncan cam out close behind.

„You´re alright?", the Doctor asked, kneeling down in front of me.
„Yes, fine, thanks."

He squeezed my hand and gave me a smile.

„So, here we are then.", Pete said. „Welcome to Atlanta!"

+8+ - Bill

„Alright, let´s go upstairs.". Pete said, putting on a torch and leading the way to the stairs.

My breathing had calmed down and I stood up to follow the others.

„We will meet Bill, our friend upstairs. From then on you´ll have to rely on him, Pete and I will head back to the village.", Duncan said and opened the door at the end of the stairs.

The Doctor nodded to him and followed him through the door.

„Are you sure you want to stay with him?", Pete asked. At first I didn´t realized that he was talking to me, I thought he´d spoken to Dr. Rhymes.

„We can still take you back with us, you know? I think he´d be happier if oyu´d be back in the village."

„I won´t leave hikm.", I said with a smile.

Pete just nodded and walked on. We entered a floor. The wallpaper had loosened and the floor was dirty and full of dust. There were still pictures on the walls, covered in dust and almost bleached out.

A family was shwon on them, two kids and a nice looking couple.

They´re most likely dead.

„Don´t let it get to you too much.", Dr. Rhymes said when he saw my face.

„I know it´s hard, but it gets only in the way when it comes to surviving."

I just nodded and our group left the floor and entered a living room. The room looked like the family never left. Well, except the fact that the house was slowly rotting. Everyhting was still in its place. The cupboards, the shelf with the TV on it and the two green sofas. On one of the sofas sat a man. He looked a bit like Pete, the same blue eyes and a beard, only his face was a bit younger. He wore jeans and a white shirt and he held a shogtun. To his right was a table with an old oil lamp on it that added a warm light to the room.

He greeted us by lifting an imaginary hat.

„Hello, everyone.", he said. „Lady."

He slighty bowed to me and I shyly bit my lip.

„This is Bill.", Pete told us, „My brother."

That´s why they look so alike.

„He will take you to the lab."

Bill just nodded and gave us a friendly smile.

„I know I told you it would only be the Doctor and the girl, but Dr. Rhymes would like to accompany too. Is that a problem?"

„No, not a problem at all.", Bill said with a wink.

„So, you are the Doctor? Pete said you can propably safe us."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Pete.

„Well, I wouldn´t go that far, but I´ll give my best."

Bill just nodded at that and then turned to me.

„Are you sure you want to join us? This is not a place for a young girl."

Why does everyone keep aksing me that?

„Yes."

„Ena...", the Doctor said, „Pete and Duncan haven´t left yet you can still got back with them."

„No."

He sighed. „Alright."

„Okay, so Pete and I are going back. Do you have the gun I gave you?"

Duncan asked me.

I nodded and showed him the gun that rested in the rifle holder that fas fastened to my belt.

„Good. Now, good luck on you.", Duncan said and left with a smile.

Pete came over and pulled me into a hug. I gave a surprised gasp, but returned his hugging.

„Take care.", he just said and then turned to Bill.

„Thank you and keep them safe, little brother."

„Don´t worry, I will!", Bill waved at Pete and then he was gone too.

„So, what happens now?", Dr. Rhymes asked.

Bill took the oil lamp in one hand and the shot gun into the other.

„First we head to my hiding place, then we rest. It´s a long march and you look tired. We´ll eat and drink and we leave after sunset, it´s too dangerous to move around here by day."

The three of us agreed to this and so we followed Bill, who put out the fire of the oil lamp before we left the house and put it into his rucksack. Bill opened the main door a crack to peek to the outside.

„Okay, we´re lucky, no patrol inside. Let´s go!"

Bill left the house and we entered the empty street. Everyhting looked like in a ghost town. Houses, shops and cars had been left and were rotting now. It looked so much like an actual apocalypse.

This is my planet dying.

I cought the Doctor´s gaze and he looked at me in a mixture of sadness and pity.

Bill lead us into a small alleyway with fire ladders at the sides of the houses.

„We will have to get in there and then move on through the garden,", he told us, already climbing one of the ladders.

„Are there many of the creatures?", I aksed while following him.

„Not here, we will come across some later, I´m afraid. The military usually gets rid of them very fast, but further away from the check-point are less patrols, which means more infected. We´ll have to be careful."

I felt a shiver running down my spine and I asked myself why I was following this insane plan and didn´t stay in the village.

You know why.

Yes, in fact I really knew why. It was the Doctor. If he died out here I would never see him again I wouldn´t even know what had happened to him. I´d be stuck in this time until I die without knowing about his fate. I couldn´t let that happen.

„Damn, they locked the door! Stupid trespassers!", Bill sweared. „Not you, of course.", he smiled back at us.

Fumbling in his pocket, the Doctor stepped closer to the door.

„May I?" Bill stepped aside and gave the Doctor access to the door. The sonic screwdriver came out of the pocket and with a wheezing sound the door popped open.

„Wow! How did you do that?", Bill admired.

„Sonic screwdriver, useful little gadget.", the Doctor smiled and entered the house. We followed close behind. It was hard to see inside with no light so Bill took out his torch and lead the way. „Be careful on the stairs there not that solid.", he said while walking sown said stairs, making creaking noises with each step. After we went down we were standing in a tiny floor and Bill lead us through the bedroom into a large garden. We could see remains of what might have been statutes and in the middle of the garden was a watersproud fountain. The stone might have been white some time agao, but now it was almost completely green with alga.

„How long will it take us to reach your hiding place?", Dr. Rhymes asked.

„Oh, it´s not that far about half an hour."

Bill lead us our way through gardens, streets and houses. Two times we had to hide from the patrols of the military, but Bill did a great job walking us through all the areas. The town looked like a real ghost town, ruins and abanondend houses, rotting cars and destroyed fences reminded me of a game I loved to play on the Playstation. Except this was real. Bill lead us across a street and turned to us.

„We´re almost there.", he said and walked ahead.

Further away in the street we could hear some rattling, like a dustbin ahd been bowled down.

„What was that?", Dr. Rhymes asked, he couldn´t hide his nervousness.

„Whatever it is, it´s growling and snarling.", the Doctor said, looking concerned.

„We should hurry, common!"

Then we saw them. Three of the creatures came onto the streets, heading towards us.

„They,ve seen us! Hurry!"

We ran along the street until we had reached an old music store. Bill fumbled with some keys, but the Doctor just soniced the door and pulled it open.

„In, in, in!", Bill called in a hurry.

Looking behind me I could see the creatures coming closer and closer. Neil had been right, they were incredibly fast! When we were in the Doctor lcked the door behind us.

„What now?", he asked Bill.

„Follow me!"

We followed Bill into a small back room of the store.

I heard glass break.

Oh, shit!

„Hurry, now! Through the window!", Bill yelled and yanked the window open, gesturing wildly to us.

Dr. Rhymes climed through first, we could hear the noises getting closer.

„Go!", the Doctor said pushing me towards the window, while he tried to lock the door with his screwdriver, and I climed through, Bill close behind me.

„Doctor!"

I couldn´t see anything since Bill was in my way but I heard the door bang against the wall.

„Get out!", Pete yelled, loading his shotgun.

The Doctor climbed through the window, but when he was half out he buckled.

„Doctor!", I ran to him and grapped his arms, he was desperatly clinging to mine.

„It´s got my leg!"

I pulled and the Doctor gave a slight groan. I could see one of the creatures grabbing the Doctors leg, trying to bite him, but the Doctor somehow still managed it to shake his teeth away from his calf.

The creature growled angrily and then the two others appeared in the doorframe.

„No, no, no!" I desperatly pulled harder and actually, the creature was pulled against the wall untightening his grip.

Then a shot fell and the Doctor fell out of the window and on top of me. I heard two more shots and then silence, well, except our heavy breathing.

„Well, that was narrow.", Bill stated.

Dr. Rhymes was panting and stared wide eyed into the window.

The Doctor groaned and rolled off me.

„Sorry.", he breathed heavily.

„I´m fine.", I just said. „You´re okay?" I sat up and pulled him into a hug.

„I´m fine.", he said, hugging me tight before letting go, again.

On shaky legs, the Doctor stood up and put a hand on Bills shoulder.

„Thanks."

„You´re welcome. Now, is everyone okay? Noone injured?"

„No."

Dr. Rhymes just shook his head.

„Right then, lets go on, it´s really not far now."

After another fifteen minutes of walking my heartbeat was almost normal again. I wittingly hadn´t put a look back into that window, after all they had been human, dead or not, infected or not.

The Doctor kept giving me puzzled looks, but I tried to ignore it. I didn´t want to show weakness in front of the others.

Bill suddenly stopped infront of a school.

„So, here we are!"

„That´s your hideout?", Dr. Rhymes asked. „A school?"

„Nice one!", the Doctor just stated.

The school soon proved to be more safe than the houses we had seen on our way. The walls, windows and doors were all intact and doubly secured. Also, Bill had installed an alarm system, so we would hear if anything entered the school. He lead us across the floor to a small classroom. The tables and chairs

had been put to the walls and a matress was lying on the floor, alongside a bedside lamp and some books.

„This is my room, but I have more rooms like this, you never know who needs some shelter."

He led us to another room, a bit bigger and with two matresses.

„Maybe the men can use this one and you can have the room on the oppsite.", Bill suggested.

The thought of being alone after seeing that creatures in action wasn´t really amazing me.

„I think she needs some company now.", Dr. Rhymes said. „I´ll take the smaller room."

I gave him a thankful gaze and he smiled at me, as if to say no problem.

„Okay. Then we better get some rest, the journey will be quite exhausting.", Bill said „If you need something I´ll be in my room. Try to get some sleep. Se you in the morning."

With that he left.

„Right, I´ll try to gain some sleep. See you tomorrow.", Dr. Rhymes babbled and then he was gone too.

„You´re alright?", the Doctor asked when Rhymes was gone.

„I don´t know.", I answered honestly. „I mean, they were already dead, but..."

„Yeah, I know.", the Doctor said softly, putting a hand on my cheek.

„Now, try to sleep."

I simply nodded, knowing there would be no use in arguing.

+Interlude+

About 640 miles away in an office, a phone rang. The man behind the desk had been looking outside his window and watched the patrol of the military on the street below. It was late at night, or early in the morning, depends on which why you wanted to see it.

„Hello?"

„Sir? It´s me!"

Of course he recognized the voice.

„Yes, I know, what makes you calling me in the middle of the night?"

„He´s in right now, he´s crossed the borders."

„Very well, everything went finde, I suppose?"

„Well, he got almost bitten, but everything is fine so far."

„I need him alive, remember that he has to get through the zone safe and in one piece!"

„Yes, Sir."

„What about the girl?"

„She´s still with him, Sir."

„Well, it doesn´t matter, we´ll get rid of her, she´s of no use. Just make sure they get to this lab safely and don´t let them suspect anything."

„Of course, Sir."

„Good. I have to say you´ve done your job very well."

„Thank you, Sir."

„I still can´t believe how lucky we are, him being here and I didn´t even had to sent a fake distrass signal." The man behind the desk chuckled.

„Yeah, it´s been very lucky he crashed here."

„Well, however, keep an eye on him and make sure he´ll really reach that lab, I´ll be there and welcome him.", an evil smile formed on the mans lips. „Just call me when you´re close to it, I´ll be heading over tomorrow."

„Yes, Sir, goodnight, Sir."

The man hang up and then pressed a button on his desk. After a few seconds the voice of his assistant came out of the speaker on his desk.

„What can I do for you, Sir?"

„Prepare everything for a journey to Atlanta, I´ll be off at 8 in the morning."

„Yes, Sir."

+9+ Of monsters and men

As soon as Ena was asleep the Doctor stood up and left the room. Voices came from the room Bill had shown them as his private room and the Doctor followed the voices. Dr. Rhymes and Bill were sitting on the floor, talking.

„I thought we should get some rest.", he said with a smile.

The two men turned their heads and looked at him.

„Doctor!", Dr. Rhymes waved at him to come in. „I was asking Bill about the virus!"

The Doctor went to sit on the floor next do Rhymes and Bill. In the middle of their little circle was an oil lamp, flickering in the, apart from that, dark room.

„Dr. Rhymes told me that they´ve been suggesting that the virus doesn´t spread when people get bitten.", Bill said.

„Yeah, Arthur Mullet told us so.", the Doctor replied „But in the way you were saying that I suppose this is not entirely true?"

„No.", Dr. Rhymes said.

„People do turn when they get bitten, I thought Pete, Mullet and their people would know that already. They don´t turn when they´re alive, though..."

„They turn when they die.", the Doctor ended the sentence. „That´s what you´ve wanted to say, isn´t it?"

„Yes.", Bill nodded.

„Interesting, it seems to feed from dead tissue."

„You said it´s propably an alien virus, could that cause those symtoms? Turning people into monsters only after they died.

„Yes, that´s quite possible, I still think it´s a virus of the Comubes and since their biology is so different from the one of humans.. yes, I think that´s defenitly possible."

„I never believed in aliens before.", Bill said.

„Until Pete contacted me and told me about you. What´s so different with you? You look human."

„No, you look Time Lord.", the Doctor smiled at him „Amd there are plenty of things, more than you can imagine."

„He´s got two hearts.", Dr. Rhymes said in an admiringly voice as if he was talking about making a big archaeological discovery.

Bill´s eyes widened.

„Two hearts? Blimely, that´s creepy."

„For you, propably, for me it´s the -heart-thing that´s creepy, still don´t get how you manage that.", the Doctor replied.

„So, where do you come from? What is your planet like and why do you sound british?", Bill babbled.

„Well, lots of planets have a Britain and please don´t get me wrong, but I don´t like talking about me on first dates, so tell us about you!", the Doctor said. „How did you end up here in the forbidden zone and never got caught?"

„Well, I´m just very good at not being seen, and even if, I´m very good at escaping.", he said with a proud smile on his face.

„In other words I´m the perfect smuggler for you."

„Why did you stay here? Why not go to the village with your brother?"

„Oh, I have a place in the village.", Bill answered, „Sometimes I go and pay them a visit, but I offered them to smuggle food and stuff to the outside and it´s easier to do it from in here. Also, I kind of like the excitement."

The Doctor nodded.

„You´re a man of adventure."

„Exactly."

They were quiet for a while. Then Dr. Rhymes took the word.

„Are there lots of infected on our route?"

Bill sighed.

„We will meet a few, I suppose, but they´re not the problem, since they are quite easy to execute, it´s the military that we should avoid by any means. Will get difficult from time to time."

„They´re not really the noce guys, are they?", the Doctor said.

„No.", Bill said. „Who´s the girl by the way? Why bring her? As much as Pete told me she can´t help you in the lab."

„She´s a friend of mine.", The Doctor said. „And she insisted on coming with us."

Bill just nodded.

„Will keep an eye on her.", he winked at the Doctor who gave him a friendly smile.

„Thanks."

„And on you too, that was pretty close, he almost bit you."

„Yeah, I know, I´ve been there."

Bill laughed. „Sorry, I didn´t mean to offend you."

„What do you think would happen if they bit you?", Dr. Rhymes threw in.

The Doctor thought for a moment.

„Actually I don´t know. Maybe turn me too, maybe not, I really don´t know, but I´m also not very keen of finding out."

Dr. Rhymes yawned.

„Well, I supposed we should really get some rest. I´m going to sleep.", he stood up. „Goodnight, gentelmen." With that he left the room.

„I suppose I should be leaving too, you propably want to get some sleep." The Doctor also stood up.

„What about you`Won´t you go to bed?"

„That´s another difference between me and you, I need less sleep than humans."

Bill just smiled.

„I think I don´t envy you.", Bill said while getting up as well.

The Doctor, now standing in the door frame turned around.

„The two hearts thing.", Bill said. „Always carrying twice the pain that we feel. I think I couldn´t cope with that."

The Doctor just looked at him.

„I can see it in your eyes, you know.", Bill continued. „All the loss in your eyes. Pete told me about your age, must be hell loosing everyone around you. I lost my son to the military, he got shot after the infection broke out."

„I´m sorry.", the Doctor said, standig there, his shoulders hanging and a pityful look on his face.

„Don´t worry, I´ll make sure you won´t loose her, too."

The Doctor gave Bill a nod and a sad smile before went back to his room again.

+10+ - Cards

OMG, I´m so sorry it took me that long to update! And I´m even more sorry for this really crappy chapter! Anyway, here it comes:

I shot up from the matress because of a very loud, rattling noise next to my ear. I could hear someone swear and turned my head to find the Doctor standing behind me, bending down to pick up the oil lamp he´d obviously just dropped.

„Jesus, I almost got an heart attack.", I panted.

„Sorry.", the alien muttered, placing the lamp on one of the tables.

„Is your clumsiness kicking in again?"

„Oi, shut up!"

I blinked against the sunlight that was shining through the huge windows.

„What time is it?", I wanted to know.

„Sometime in the morning."

„Oh, how very precisely."

It must´ve been very early in the morning, since I realized the sun was only just rising and put everyhting into an orange light.

„I think the others are still asleep.", the Doctor said now leaning against a table. Looking around I found that the floor of the room was covered with pieces of origami work and a Rubik´s cube (a solved one) lay on the Doctor´s matress. I looked up to him.

„You haven´t slept, have you?"

„No.", he just said.

I grinned at him and stood up to stretch my body, the matress had been very hard.

„So, what are we going to do all day before we leave?"

The Doctor shrugged.

„I don´t know.".

„Well then, let´s have breakfast.", I said pulling out the bread.

„I´m not hungry.", the Doctor said, starting a new piece of origami.

I shrugged and pulled the rest back in to my bag.

As I was eating the Doctor finished his origami (a swan) and then just tood there, arms folded, and watched me.

„Stop that."

„Am I making you nervous?", he grinned.

„No, I just hate to be watched while im eating!"

I finished eating and then stared back at him.

„What now?"

„I don´t know."

„Well, I have a cards game in my bag."

He clapped his hands.

„Yes! Good! Very good idea! Let´s play cards!"

„God, you really are bored, aren´t you?"

He gave me a desperate look and I just nodded. He hated it to wait, especially when there is something he hasn´t figured out yet.

I stood up to help him carry one of the tables into the middle of the room. Both of us took a chair to sit on.

After 12 rounds of „Hearts" (out of which I had won exactly, well, 0) we noticed a shape in the door frame.

„Morning.", Bill said.

„Hi.", I replied.

„How´s it going?", he aksed, entering the room followed by Dr. Rhymes.

„Ah, well, we´re trying to kill some time, you see?", the Doctor said with a smile. „Since my ship is gone we can´t just skip the boring parts of waiting."

Dr. Rhymes and Bill each took a chair to join us at the table. I looked at my friend.

„Still no signal from her?"

He sighed. „No."

„What do you think is taking her so long?"

„My theory is that she received some serious damage because of the shooting. And repairing that damage is slowing her down."

„You mean she needs more time to heal?", I asked, playing my card.

„Exactly."

Dr. Rhymes seemed to be listening with great interest.

„Are you saying your ship can heal itself, meaning it can repair damage on its own?"

„Yes, she can heal herself. She´s a clever old girl.", the Doctor stated, prife glinting in his eyes.

„Sorry... her?", Bill said „I thought we were talking about a spaceship?"

„We are, yes.", I said with amusement. Once you knew about all the time travel, Time Lords and timey wimey stuff it was just so funny to see people´s reactions to it. „Except this one is alive, or kind of."

„Well, she is a spaceship and she´s very alive.", the Doctor said giving me an insulted look.

„Sorry.", I mouthed.

„So, can she talk?", Rhymes asked.

„No, no, she isn´t constructed that way. Although she actually was talking once, she was imprisoned in a human body, but that´s a long story."

I wanted to ask him about it, but he looked rather thoughful and yearning so I decided to leave it. I just noticed that he had played his last card and, again, had won.

I sighed.

„So, you two wanna join in?", I asked Bill and Dr. Rhymes.

„Yes, sure!"

„I can´t even remember when I last played a game of cards.", Bill said with a sad smile.

„Yeah, it´s been a while.", Rhymes added.

We spent the rest of the day playing cards and chatting.

After it got dark we got ready to leave. Bill had prepared backpacks for all four of us, filled with food cans, water bottles and a knife. My bag was small enough to be stuffed in too.

While we had been playing cards Bill told us that the military and the infected weren´t the only ones to be avoided. He told us about gangs, lingering in the streets at night, rubbing passers-by and capture some of them.

„What do they do with the people they kidnap?", I asked.

„Well, I don´t think I have to explain to you what they´re doing to the women?"

I pulled a disgustedly face. The Doctor just had a dark expression on his face.

„We think after they tortured them, they eat the men. It´s hard to find proper food these days."
I felt like I was getting sick.

„Well, let´s stay away from them, then.", the Doctor just said, again winning the game.

„Yeah, sounds like they are pretty sick bastards."

„Yes, they absolutely are."

„Okay, same as yesterday, you follow me and you will follow my instructions and don´t ask why I tell you do something just do it, alright?"

„Understood."

Dr. Rhymes just nodded.

„I trust you.", the Doctor just said.

And then we headed to the exit of the school.

+11+ - Danger

„Where are we going exactly?", I asked after we´ve walked about 1 hour, always trying to avoid patrols of the soldiers. Most of the time we had been sneaking from building to building since it was too dangerous to walk in the middle of the road.

„We are heading for the zoo.", Bill said.

„The zoo?", the Doctor said, „that´s pretty close to the centre already."

„Yes, we´ll have a rest there and will do the rest of the way tomorrow night."

„Why the zoo?", I asked.

„Remember when I told you about the gangs? Well, there are good gangs as well. I have friends who are in a gang, a friendly one of course, and they live in the zoo. Build their own little community in there."

„And they´ll help us?", Dr. Rhymes asked as we were entering an old gas station.

„Well, they won´t help us get in I think, but I´m sure they´ll give us a place to rest. I once saved the life of their leader, so he kind of owes me a favour."

„It´s always good to have someine who owes you a favour.", the Doctor smirked, pulling out a torch, since it was almost pitch black inside the building.

„We should look around if we find something useful and then hide. It´s best if we wait until the next patrol has passed.", he took a look at his watch. „They should be here in about 15 minutes, if we leave now we´ll run straight into them. We have to make a short piece of the road on the streets after we will have left here, the buildings are all entrenched."

„There´s no way in?", I asked.

„No, this is one of the few areas where the houses are well secured, you can´t break into them, would take hours, the soldiers would find you before you got in."

I nodded.

The Doctor was strolling around looking at the dusty, empty shelves. There were still price labels tagged on them. I went behind the counter and entered the room behind it.

Staff only was written in red letters on the door. The room was pretty much empty except a small table, two chairs and a very small kitchen. Everything was full of dust. I opened one of the kitchen´s drawers. It contained a

lighter. I tried it and found it was still working.

„I found nothing.", Dr. Rhymes said, coming from another romm which had propably been the storage.

„I found a lighter, it´s still working in case anyone needs one."

„Oh, yes, please!", Bill almost sighed and took it from my outstreched hand.

Then he fumbled in one of his pockets.

„I found cigarettes."

„Seriously?", the Doctor said. „You are fighting zombies and soldiers to surivive and then you ruin your lungs by smoking a cigarette?!"

Bill took a deep draw on the cigarette and let out a sigh.

„I missed this."

I giggled at the Doctor´s unbevlievingly expression and walked over to him.

„Still no signal?"

„No, but there will be.", he gave me an assuring smile and couldn´t help but smile back at him.

„I think we can do this.", he continued, „Bill is a good guide we stayed out of trouble until now, I think we can reach this lab without being kidnapped or killed, or..."

„Yeah, I know!", I hissed in a whisper. „Please don´t remind me of the possibilty of death. There´s no need for that."

„Sorry.", he whispered back.

Outside we could see moving lights on the street.

„Alright.", Bill put his cigarette out and turned to us. „Time to hide!"

„Will they be coming in?", the Doctor asked.

„They usually don´t.", Bill whispered and hid behind the counter together with Dr. Rhymes, while the Doctor pulled me by the wrist into the storage room where we hid behind one of the shelves.

We could hear the soldiers talk outside, but we couldn´t see how close they were from our hiding place. The voices were getting louder and I could see a trail of light on the floor, swinging around.

A torch. It was only there for about a minute then it was gone again. I could hear someone shout something that sounded like All looks clear!.

We waited in our hiding position for about another ten minutes before we heard Bill´s low voice.

„It´s okay they should be far away enough by now."

I sighed in relieve to be able to move again and stood up, seeing the Doctor stretching is limps and shaking his right foot strangely.

„What are you doing?"

„It fell asleep.", he said pulling a grimace.

I chuckled.

„What´s wrong?", Bill came through the door.

„His foot fell asleep.", I giggled.

„That´s not funny! I can´t even feel it.", the alien complained.

„Only you can manage to get one of your limbs fall asleep while hiding."

He gave me an offended look while trying to keep his balance, only standing on one food.

„And now we can´t leave beacuse of your foot being asleep.", I teased him.

He stuck his tongue out at me.

„You´re way too cheeky sometimes!"

I knelt down and grabbed his ankle.

„What are you doing?", he asked.

„Helping.", I simply said and began to massage his lower leg, always starting right under the knee and moving my hands down to the ankle.

„God, I hate that feeling.", he grimaced as the blood came flooding back into his foot again.

„Will this take long? Because we´ll have to leave soon!", Bill said from behind me.

„Won´t take long.", I simply said. I gave the Doctor´s leg another three strokes until I got up again.

„Better?"

„Yeah, thanks, still tickling, but let´s go now.", he said.

„Right, follow me."

We followed Bill right onto the street. As we walked I could see the houses and buildings that had been firmly shut with metal bars on doors and windows. Even the windows of the cellars had been closed that way.

„Okay, we go straight forward, just follow me!", Bill said and broke into a slightly, chilling run. We made it only through the secured area before we heard voices again, laughing and from around the corner we could see an orange glow like a fire would do.

„Oh, no."

Bill suddenly stopped, making the Doctor almost running into him. Me and Dr. Rhymes stopped behind them.

„What´s wrong?", he asked.

„Dear god, no."

„Bill, what´s wrong?", the Doctor asked as Bill stared into the direction the light came from.

„Turn off your torches!", he hissed. „This way!"

With a pounding heart I followed his order and followed him into a shop, a supermarket, which we entered through a hole in it´s front window.

„Hide! And don´t make any noise! It´s one of the gangs!"

For a second I just stared at him, then I got dragged behind one of the pay desks just as the light ray of a torch hit the spot where I had been standing just one second ago.

„Stay down!", the Doctor hissed in my ear.

I crouched down as far as I could, the Doctor behind my bag, arms outstreched around me and pressing his palms agains the desk as if he tried to protect me from a shot.

We could hear the voices getting closer.

Oh no, that´s not good.

„I think I saw someone.", came a voice from outside and another light ray searching for us.

„Great. They´ve seen us.", the Doctor whispered.

„What do we do?"

„Just stay down, maybe they won´t come in."

He was wrong. They came in. We heard glass braking as they increased the size of the hole in the window and climed through.

I desperatly tried to stay calm and breath without making too much noise. The Doctor dragged me even deeper, so I had to climb under the desk completely, so I was sitting now in the little room under the table with the cash box on it.

Somehow he managed to fit in there too, but it was unbelievingly uncomfortable and I couldn´t move at all. I was frightened I couldn´t deny that and I realized that I was shaking and my brething had fastened.

„Well, let´s see if you were right. Maybe we´ll find someone to play with tonight?"

The voice seemed to belong to a middle aged man, if I didn´t know he belonged to a brutal gang of man torturing other humans I would have found is voice very nice.

They were now very close to the pay desk and I prepared myself for the light of the torch to find us and then being brutally murdered.

„Hold your breath.", the Doctor whispered so quietly I almost didn´t hear him.

I did as he told me. The men were now passing by and, just like a miracle, ignored the pay desk and made their way straight to the rows of shelves.

We could hear them throwing around glas and other stuff, yelling and obviously having fun in destroying stuff. I really hoped Dr. Rhymes and Bill had found a good hiding place.

The Doctor suddenly moved, slowly, creeping out from under the desk slowly straightening his back and lifting his head to peak a sneek.

„Doctor!", I hissed. „Don´t!"

He managed to get a look before he crouched down again.

„There are six of them.", he whispered. "Bill gave me a sign to slowly head for the entrance again."

„What!? We´ll never make it, they´ll see us!"

„If we stay here, they´ll find us sooner or later. This is our best chance, I think."

„You think?!"

„Yes!"

We could hear someone shout and a lot of noise as one of the shelves came down. The Doctor immediatly shot up and saw Dr. Rhymes and Bill sprinting towards us.

„Up!", he ordered me and I got on my feed as quick as I could.

One of the shelves lay on one of the gang members. He growled in pain, while the others where looking around in shock. But unfortunately they got themselves together far too soon.

All of them were middle aged, like Bill, beardy and had a pretty impressive statue. They really din´t look like the nice guys.

„Get them!"

„Come on!", the Doctor shouted heading for the window. We climbed trough the window again, back on the street.

„You bastards!", I could here one of the man shout. „Come back here!"

We ran, the men always close behind us.

„To the right!", we followed Bill into some smaller streets, again the men close behind.

Then I noticed something flying across our heads.

„Oh, shit!", Bill gasped and immediatly stopped his running.

The explosion made my heart racing like an antelope hunted by a cheetah. Then all we saw was grayness.

A smoke bomb.

I tried not to breath in too much of it, but it was hard and I soon I was coughing hard. I couldn´t see anything, neither where our pursuers where nor where the others or the Doctor where.

I dind´t know in which direction to turn, so I decided just to go forward. I could hear one of the man close behind me.

„We´ll get you anyway, you know!"

Then someone grabbed my wrist. I tried to pull free, but then I realised it was Dr. Rhymes who was pulling me.

„Where are the others?", I said, still coughing.

„Sssh! Don´t say anything and try not to cough or they´ll hear in which direction we´re going.!", he whispered.

He was right. Not only we couldn´t see where to go, but our persuars also didn´t see where we were going! Desperatly I tried to stop the coughing.

Dr. Rhymes led us into a small alley and we got lucky.

We found a fire ladder.

„Come on, but try to make no noise."

Slowly we climbed up the ladder until we reached a broken window through which we could climb inside the house.

It was a small appartement with no furniture left except the kitchen. I crawled to the other window from where I could see down on the street. The smoke was slowly fading again and I could see the figures of three of the men.

„Where have they gone?"

„That bomb was a stupid idea."

„It was supposed to slow them down!"

„Well, it obviously didn´t work!"

„I really hopethe others are alright.", I said with a shaking voice as Dr. Rhymes

knelt down beside me, also taking a look out of the window.

„Me too."

He ran, but he couldn´t see a thing. Also, he didn´t know where the others were, he couldn´t hear them around. But that was propably the best thing to do, keeping quiet so their hunters could not hear them. He started coughing as he breathed in too much of the smoke. It was everywhere! He didn´t even know where to turn too. The footsteps of the men were getting closer, he needed a place to hide!
But where to turn? His decision got facilitaed by someone grabbing his sleeve.

„There you are!"

It was one of their persuers. Quickly he managed to get out of his coat leaving it in the man´s hands and ran in the opposite direction. He found an old bookstore with both doors missing and quickly got in.

He was now outside the smoky cloud which already was fading into the air. With pounding hearts he stood now in the book store searching for a place to hide. He could already hear the man getting closer.

„I saw you! There´s no point in hiding!"

Still worth a try., the Doctor thought, but he didn´t have much time to look for the most efficient hiding place.

So, it´s the pay desk again!

He crouched underneath the small desk, which really was just a small desk with a cash point on it. He stopped breathing as the man entered the shop, followed by more foodsteps.

Oh, great there´s two of them!

He kept perfectly still as their torches searched around the room.

„Are you sure he´s in here?", another voice asked.

„Absolutely sure. We´ll find you anyway, you know! Come out, be a good boy!"

The Doctor didn´t like this one, he obviously was some kind of psychopath. He was desperatly thinking of a way out of this now, but he couldn´t find one. He was trapped. He cursed himself for running into this small shop where there was nowhere further to run. He was trapped and it was his own fault.

Stupid Doctor, you should have known better!

His thoughts got interrupted by the desk being pulled away from him and being thrown over, so it was lending on its tabletop. Alarmed the Doctor jumped on his feed and stumbled backwards, his back hitting the wall hard, staring at the men in front of him.

„My, my, look who´s here. It´s one of our new playmates.", the psycho purred.

+12+ - The zoo

„Ah, hello!, the Doctor said, holding his hands up. „I´m the Doctor and who are you?"

The psycho one (with blonde, messy hair and a half grown beard) grinned.

„Oh, he´s a doctor."

The other one took a step forward, he had dark hair and a fully grown beard.

„Noone your age can become a doctor these days, they don´t get accomplished anymore. How old are you? Fifteen?", he laughed, waving his gun around.

The Doctor pulled an insulted face.

„I am far older than I look and I really don´t like having a gun pointed at me."

„No?", the psycho grinned walking towards the Doctor who straightened himself up and stubbornly held the psycho´s gaze. The man was slightly taller than him and stopped just before him, their faces very close to each other.

„What do you like then?", he purred, pushing the Doctor on the chest so he was backed against the wall again.

„Well, I´d like you to leave my friends and me alone.", the alien said in a dark voice.

The psycho laughed.

„Jim, do you hear that?"

Jim nodded.

„Yes.", he grinned.

„Well, your friends just killed one of our friends by throwing a shelf on top of him!", he yelled the last bit of the sentence, making the Doctor´s ears ring.

„Yeah, and I´m really sorry for your loss, but...", he got interrupted by the psycho again.

„SHUT UP!", he shouted, grabbed the Doctor´s hair and yanked his head back. The Time Load gave a moan in pain and tried to pull free. The man used his other hand to grab the Doctor´s chin and forced the man to look at him. His eyes were sparkling with madness.

„Your friends killed him and you will pay for that!", he spat.

„Where are the others?", I asked, still trying to see through the window without being noticed by the men down on the street.

„I don´t know, hopefully they´re safe.", Dr. Rhymes answered.

The smoke was gone now and we could see them properly now for the first time in the past minutes. Like I had noticed in the supermarket before, they all were around 40, carried backpacks and two of the three had a beard. And all of them were carrying weapons. One had a gun, another a knife and the third one carried a baseball bat.

A few meters away form them I noticed something lying on the ground. The Doctor´s coat and his backpack! Immediatley my pulse got faster and my heart now really hammered against my chest. One of the men had noticed it as well and picked the stuff up.

„Damn, where are they?", I couldn´t hide the concern in my voice, I just hoped Bill and the Doctor would be safe.

„Dave! Jim! Have you found something?", on of the men, with dark hair and without a beard, suddenly shouted.

I heard voices coming from the small street that went around the corner, but I couldn´t hear what they were saying.

Soon another man came around the corner of the house and entered the crossroads. Another man followed close behind him, dragging someone along with him.

„Doctor!", I gasped and jumped on my feet, ready to run down the stairs again, but Dr. Rhymes pulled me back down.

„You can´t help him when you get caught yourself!", he said.

I nodded and tried to calm down. We needed a plan!

Down on the street the four men formed a circle around the Doctor and the man holding him.

„Where´s the rest of your group?", a red haired man asked, toying with his knife.

The Doctor didn´t answer him. His hands were tied behind his back and the blonde man was holding him by wrapping his arm around the Time Lord´s chest. The Doctor had his jaws pressed together, staring back at the man. He was in defence mode.

„What makes you think I´d tell you?", he growled.

„Well...", the read head said and the man who was holding my alien friend yanked his head back by the hair.

Again I fought the urge to just run down and help him, although I knew I wouldn´t make it very far.

The red head pressed his knife against the Doctor´s, now exposed, throat. „Maybe this will. Tell me or I´ll cut your throat!"

I felt tears in my eyes. Desperatly I looked to Dr. Rhymes, who swallowed nervously. He obviously didn´t have a plan, but then he took is gun out of his pocket and pointed it at the men.

„I don´t know if this works, they are too far away to aim properly with this small pistol."

„Even if I knew, I wouldn´t tell you.", the Doctor on the street hissed.

„You´re going to shoot them?", I asked.

„Wait, look!", Rhymes said, he lowered his gun and pointed to the building on the oppsite side of the street. And there, in a window on the second floor I saw a face.

„Bill!"

Bill, in the window, had noticed us and waved with something, then he gave a sign to go downstairs again.

„What was that thing in his hand?", I asked, while Rhymes pocketed his weapon again.

„Do you know what Bill is really good at?", he said with a smile.

„No."

„Builiding smoke bombs.", Rhymes said while we were heading for the window through which had come in.

„We´re gonna beat them with their own methods."

He dragged me back down the fire ladder and we managed it ti get down without being heard. Carefully we took a look around the corner so we could see what was going on in the street.

„Make sure you remember where everyone is standing, it´s important we get him out without being caught. When we´ve got him we run straight down the street, got that?"

I nodded. Bill, who was still insight from where we were hiding, and Dr. Rhymes exchangend some signs and I wondered if they actually were able to speek in signs or if they were just trying to tell each other what to do by wildly gesturing around.

„Hey!", the blonde man who was holding the Doctor yelled, „Get out! Or your bowtie-friend here will pay!"

I could feel every part of my body tense. We had to save him! Now!

The Bill gave us a sign and Dr. Rhymes said „Now."

This time we were prepared for the loud bang the bomb made, but the men on the street weren´t. As soon as the smoke made it impossible to see I sprinted towards the group.

„Ena!", I heard Dr. Rhymes calling, but I ignored it. I could hear the men coughing and carefully tried not to run into one of them.

Then I stumpled and I realized that I had tripped over something.

„Ouch!", the thing said.

„Doctor?!"

„Ena?"

Oh, thank god!

I reached down to help him up.

„This way!"

I dragged him into the direction Dr. Rhymes had showed me, or at least I hoped so. To my left I could hear the psycho swear.

„Bastards!"

„Run!"

„That´s a bit difficult to do when you´re hands are tied on your back!", the Doctor complained.

„Oh, thank god, there you are!", this was Bill´s voice.

The smoke was already fading and I could see his silhouette in front of us.

„Follow me!", he grabbed my hand and started to run.

The Doctor (I was dragging him along with me by grabbing his upper arm) was definitely struggling to run without his arms. While running I managed it to pull the knife out of the side pocket of my backpack. When we got out of the smoke I could see Dr. Rhymes had made it too and was running along with us.

„Keep running!", Bill yelled.

It was hard to remember the way we took, but it wouldn´t really matter anyway. After we had run for around 10 minutes we finally stopped to catch our breaths again. I took this opportunity to cut the Doctor´s wirsts free from the rope.

„Ah, thanks!", he said, rubbing his wrists.

„You´re alright?", Bill asked him and the Doctor nodded.

„Although I loved that coat."

„Was your screwdriver in it?", I asked.

„No, it´s here!", he grinned, pulling it out of the pocket of his trousers.

„But you never carry it in your trousers.", I said confused.

„No, I usually don´t, let´s just call it intuition. Still gonna miss that coat."

„I always thought you had more than one of these.", I giggled.

„Oh, I do! They´re in the TARDIS.", he smiled, „Which is gone too."

And his smile faded.

„Is everyone else okay?", he then asked and we assured him that we were fine.

„It´s not far by now.", Bill said and pointed down the main street which lead to the highway.

„But we have to be fast, the sun will be rising soon and then the patrols will be here again."

He guided us down the street and to the highway. Again we could see how damaged the city actually was and a strange feeling hit me.

„Are you alright?", Dr. Rhymes asked me when he saw my face.

„Yes, yes I´m fine."

The Doctor turned his head around to meet my gaze, but didn´t say anything.

Whe kept walking for another twenty minutes when we finally reached the entrance of the zoo.

Zoo Atlanta said the sign and we headed for the cash point.

„Stop! Stay where you are! We are armed!", a voice shouted.

Immediatley we stopped walking and held up our hands.

„It´s me!", Bill shouted back. „Thomas, is that you?!"

From behind one of the cash points a head was showing up.

„Bill?"

„Yes!"

The man left is hiding place and took a few steps forward as if to check if he really was tallking to Bill.

„It´s really him!", he yelled and three other men came out of their hiding places.

Thomas headed towards us with a smile on his face.

„Dear Lord, it´s really you!", he said and Bill and him shook hands.

„It´s like an eternity has passed since I last saw you, mate! Who are your companions?", he asked nodding to us.

„I´ll explain everything, but can we get inside first?"

„Of course, of course! ", Thomas said and waved us to follow him.

The other man had been waiting in the background and joind us while we were entering the abandoned zoo.

+13+ - Shelter

„So, who are your friends then?", Thomas (or Tom, as Bill called him) asked with a smile and offered us a seat on some chairs.

We were in the kitchen that had been used by the staff back when the zoo had still been in use.

Bill answered him.

„This is Dr. Rhymes, the doctor who lives in the same village as my brother."

Dr. Rhymes gave a nod and a smile to Tom.

„And this is Ena.", I waved at him. „She´s a friend of him here.", he pointed at the Doctor. „The Doctor. He´s here to find out more about the virus. And for that we are trying to get to the lab."

The Doctor also waved at Thomas, who just stared at him, quite concerned obviously.

„The lab? You mean the one here in the centre?"

„Yes."

Tom laughed, but it sounded like the laugh of someone who didn´t believe what he just heard. „The lab in the centre? You want to get in there?"

The Doctor nodded.

„Dr. Rhymes and I would like to run some tests in there."

„Dear god, you´re serious? You´re not kidding?"

„No, not at all."

Tom turned to Bill.

„But that´s insane! There´s so much military around there!" Then he turned back to the Doctor.

„Do you actually believe you could find a cure? Really, you should not go there, you´ll never make it!"

„I have to try.", the Doctor said. „I can´t just let this planet leave like this. Well, in fact I actually can´t leave, because my spaceship disappeared, but anyway: we have to try to find out where that virus came from and if it can be healed."

„We think it´s propably some kind of unknown alien virus.", Dr. Rhymes added and the Doctor agreed with a nod.

Tom just stared at them.

„O-okay, but now you´re kidding me?"

„Noones playing a prank on you, Tom! This isn´t something I´d be joking about and you know that!"

„But...but did he just say, that his spaceship disappeared?", Tom whispered so loud everyone of us did hear him.

Bill just looked at him.

„Oh, come on!", he laughed. „Aliens? As if this whole zombie thing wouldn´t be mad enough you´re now telling me, that there´s aliens and spaceships around here? Oh, please!"

„Uhm..", the Doctor said, while Bill and I couldn´t stop ourselves from grinning. As much as I understood his confusion, it was just so funny to see his face.

„Actually, there´s an alien in this room.", the Doctor stated. „Actually, you´re just talking to one right now."

„What do you mean? Oh, wait...you said spaceship..."

„I´m a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey."

„You are human!"

„He looks human.", I corrected.

„You look Time Lord.", the Doctor added and I mouthed the words along with him, which made Bill giggle and the Doctor stuck out his tongue on me.

Thomas still looked sceptical, but he seemed to believe us anyway.

„And you think you can heal that virus?"

„I don´t know, I haven´t got enough information right now. But that is why I need this lab, I need the instruments to run proper tests."

„Okay, so ..you really are an alien? An alien that looks human, wears funny clothes and has a british accent?"

„Yep, totally me!", the Doctor smiled. „Hello, again!"

„It´s hard to believe this.", Tom just said.

„Just you wait until you hear about his age.", Dr. Rhymes grinned.

„Oh, common!", the Doctor protested, but he was being ignored.

„He looks around 30.", Tom said.

„Do I look like a child?", the Doctor protested again.

„It´s a good age for humans.", I assured him.

„So, how old are you then?", Tom asked.

The alien sighed.

„It´s hard to keep up, when you´re a time traveller, but it must be something about 1200 years."

„1200 years?!", Tom almost yelled. „And did you just say timetravel?!"

Right now he looked like he was about to faint.

„She´s from 2015.", Bill eyplained and Tom just stared at me.

„But she´s.. she´s.."

„So young? Yes, she came along with him in his time machine."

Tom took a deep breath in.

„Okay, I´ll need time to sort my thoughts right now."

„Yeah, that was a bit much today.", Bill said with a smile. „But, however. Can you help us? I mean with letting us stay here to rest and sleep. We just got attacked by one of the gangs."

Thomas´ face got serious.

„Yeah, one of them got very annoying the last few weeks. They tried to attack us last week to get the zoo for themselves, cost us three men.", he told us.

„I´m sorry to hear that.", Bill said.

„Of course you can stay here to rest, you travel only at night, I suppose?"

„Sure."

Tom nodded.

„Maybe I can give you two of my men to escort you to the lab."

„No, you don´t need to that, it´s too much of a risk.", Bill protested.

„You´ll need them, trust me. They increased the presence of the military in the centre."

„Why would they do that? Did something happen?", the Doctor asked.

„We don´t know.", Tom answered „But two days ago we saw a truck, brining in around a two dozen soldiers."

„That´s bad news.", Bill stated.

„And that´s why I´m offering you help. Any chance to end this nightmare has to be taken and you won´t stand a change if you´re going alone."

„They increased the presence two days ago?", I asked and Tom nodded.

I looked at the Doctor.

„But that was...",

„..just a short time after we´ve landed here, I know.", he completed my sentence.

„Do you think they know that we are coming?", Dr. Rhymes suggested.

„If so, why didn´t they try to stop us at the border?", I asked.

„The border is quite long, it would be easier to fetch you at the lab.", Tom said.

„Good point.", I agreed.

„But how could they´ve possibly known?", Dr. Rhymes said. „Except..."

„Except what?", Bill wanted to know.

„The only way they could have known about this is if someone gave us away."

„You mean one of the villagers?", I asked.

We stayed silent for a moment.

„But why?", Bill said.

„I don´t know. Maybe we´re just suggesting something that is wrong. Maybe they increased the number of the soldiers for a completely other reason."

„Yeah, maybe."

„Or maybe the government knows something we don´t.", the Doctor suggested. He was sitting there, deep in his thoughts while the rest of us had been discussing. „What if they know what causes the virus and how to stop it?"

„But, why wouldn´t they stop it then?", I asked, „What´s the use in this?"

He looked at me some time before he answered.

„I don´t know, but this isn´t the first time this happens. I saved so many worlds from catastrophees that had been caused by their government. You really wouldn´t imagine.."

An hour later we were walking through the paths of the zoo, passing the empty compounds to get to our sleeping place. Tom had told us that they had turned the elephant´s compound into some kind of common room and offered us to bring us some mats to sleep on.

„Where are all the animals?", I asked while walking.

„Most of them died, because noone was looking after them after the virus had spread so fast. A few of them died from the virus itself and some escaped and are now living in the city. Only last week I met a giraffe in the way home.", Tom said.

„And the people just let them live?"

„No, a giraffe means meat for a lots of weeks."

„You killed her? Or him?"

„Sure, we were hungry."

That wasn´t really the answer I wanted to hear, but I couldn´t blame them, they needed food.

„Alright, here we are.", Tom said, guiding us to the empty hall of the elephant´s bawn.

There were small tables and wooden chairs, and some men were bringing in mats, so we didn´t have to sleep on the hard ground, and pillows and blankets.

„Thank you.", Tom said as they were leaving.

„You can sleep over the day, I will see if I can find someone to accompany you tonight."

„Thank you, Tom."; Bill said and shook his hand. „You´ve got no idea how thankful we are."

„Just stop that disease.", he only said and left.