Chapter Five – Just Breathe
Today I determine that I am not going to sleep. The traumatic dreams of the last few nights have taken their toll and I am more afraid of sleeping than of anything else. I refuse to go to bed and sit on the sofa drinking strong black coffee, determined to stay awake.
Unfortunately, I am the sort of person who can sleep anywhere, standing up even, if I'm that tired, and despite my best intentions, my lids droop and I am off again.
This time I'm in a large field of corn. There is no way out and I feel like I've been here for ever. The ears are up to my waist and no matter which way I wander, there is nothing but endless corn. I am frustrated more than anything. I want to escape and yet it's impossible. Until I see the door. It is buttermilk in colour, blending in with the scenery, and the words 'The Doctor' are written in dark red this time. Realising I have no alternative, I push my way through.
As I walk through I realise too late that there is no ground beneath me, and I am now falling. Fast and furious I tumble downwards. I am spinning and performing somersaults that would make my gymnastic teacher proud. And then I land with a gentle thud on my bottom.
I sit there for a moment, confused and trying to take in my surroundings. I am clearly very deep underground, judging by the fall. And the walls, floor, everything around me is made of a mixture of moss, twigs and earth. It feels like a giant birds nest, only long and narrow. Getting to my feet, I brush down black trousers, tug down my black and white shirt and start walking.
I haven't walked far, when I hear voices behind me. I stop and look back, waiting for whomever it is to catch me up. Eventually I am surrounded by a group of five people all talking at once. A rather large gentleman in jeans and striped jumper is telling his grey haired wife that it isn't far now. His wife, her hair tied into a bun on top of her head is more interested in me. She wants to know, how I got here. She thought everyone else had escaped.
I smile at her non-committedly and tell her my name is Alice. I half expect her to welcome me to wonderland but she just says 'lovely' and hurries on. A young couple are also here and boy of about 12 years.
I wonder where the Doctor is, as I haven't seen him yet, and was just about to ask when the young man suggests I get moving, otherwise I'll be left behind. I look around expecting the Doctor to appear, but he is nowhere to been seen.
The young man turns back to me again. "What's the matter?" he asks.
"I was looking for the Doctor." I answer surprised at how upset I am that he is not here.
"Alice," he says bending down to look in my eyes. "I'm here."
"Oh!" I answer startled. "You're very young."
"Thank you, but not as young as you think. Now if you wouldn't mind?" he holds his arm out to the right, directing me up the tunnel.
"Sorry I answer," and jog on in an effort to catch up with the others.
Once we are all together, I look at this new Doctor again. He is very young, probably not much older than me, blonde, quite nice looking. He is wearing the most filthy cricket outfit, which I think would come up quite nicely in the wash with a bit of Persil.
"Why do you keep changing?" I ask. "Last time you had curls, and the time before that you were going grey."
"Regeneration. It's a Timelord thing."
I nod my head knowingly, whilst not having the slightest idea what he's talking about.
"Why can we see, when we're underground?"
"Phosphorescence."
"Oh," I say. I wish I'd studied a little more at school as I am none the wiser.
The Doctor is now studying the ceiling some concern written on his face. He looks behind us back down the tunnel then forwards and then back up to the ceiling.
"Move!" he shouts out, pushing past me down to the front of our little group. "The ceiling isn't safe, run!"
There is a slight pause, as his words are digested, and I hear the disturbance of the earth above me. Bits of dirt fall into my hair and I shake them out. Then we are running, full pelt down the tunnel.
"Come on, come on!" he is urging us onwards.
I am at the back of the group, and already I can feel dirt, grit falling behind me, some infiltrating the back of my shirt. A cloud of dust bellows over me and I cough and choke as I breathe it in.
Everyone else has disappeared up ahead and I am annoyed at how slow I am. Only the Doctor is waiting for me, urging me onwards.
And then it happens. I hear the Doctor call, "Look out!" The ceiling above me collapses and I am buried alive underneath soil, the dirt and mud has become my tomb. It is in my mouth, up my nose, clogging up my ears. I am terrified, gasping for breath, but I can inhale nothing but dust.
I lay there silent for what seems like an age, suffocating, but incapable of doing anything about it. And then I feel the soil moving around me, being scraped away. The weight on my back is removed. I am surprised it hasn't broken my spine. Then I feel myself being turned over and someone far away is calling my name. Hands scrape away the earth from my face and a finger probes inside my mouth.
I try to cough to free my lungs of all the debris, but the pain in my chest makes me cry out.
"Alice? Alice, can you hear me?"
I open my eyes and look up at the Doctor.
"Be brave for me Alice," he says. The emotion is straining his voice. "Just breathe."
I try to breath but it hurts so much. I've done some serious damage internally.
"You're doing extremely well," he encourages me. Taking my hand he sits cross legged next to me. With his other hand he feels for the pulse at my neck.
I want to say something to him, tell him not to worry. But I can barely catch my breath let alone speak.
"Breathe Alice, breathe," I hear him tell me again.
My world which was already devoid of colour, turned grey and fuzzy at the edges. The last thing I heard was the Doctor promising to take me home.