Chapter 6 go the parallel way
Still sat in the road she looked up at the blue skies with fluffy white clouds and the brilliant yellow sun. She knew where she was from just breathing in the fresh country air. Looking down at her arm she peered upon a black bracelet wrapped around her wrist. The smell of burning leather and metal filled her nostrils. She tore it off and placed it in her bag to get rid of the stench. Slowly getting up she lifted her hand off the floor to reveal bleeding cuts and grazers from her ruff landing. The slow calm winds offered some aid to cool down the burning sensation. The car that had nearly caused her, her death was long gone and all that was left were the tire marks from where he suddenly sped up. She walked in the direction the car had gone to look over the horizon and where the path would lead her. Over the small hill was nothing but roads and the green land seemed to go on for miles.
Without a map or any sort of aid she wondered on for a while. Getting tired she leant against an old stone wall built with random bits of rubble. A rock fell off the top as she went to stand back up straight. As the rock hit the ground the sound of a splash rang through the air filling Romana's ears. She looked over the wall to reveal a small steam running under where she stood. She hadn't realised she was standing on an old disused bridge. Walking on the cool breeze sent a chill down Romana's spine as she wrapped her arms around herself to keep in the warmth. In her way was another wall. It had a gap in between which was big enough for a car to get through, and then up ahead was a dusty path leading up a hill. Taking the path of an investigator she walked up the small dusty road to have a gander.
The wind grew more violent as she climbed higher up the mound. The air tried hug her as she wrapped her arms tighter around herself, her bare skin pimpled as the breeze blasted her. At the top of the hill all seemed to quieten. In the distance a large house stood proud in the middle of the surrounding area. A black flashy car was pulled up at the front of the cobbled drive way, the same car as before. Flowers hung in baskets next to the door and a small fraction of the front yard was covered in an array of different colour flowers.
Sat away from the flowers a young boy played with toys. His long mousey brown hair sheltered most of his face and his white t-shirt splattered with mud plus his hands the same way. As he stood up he spotted Romana at the top of the hill and started to toddle towards her. He couldn't have been more than four years old and his wide smile nearly went from ear to ear. At the top of his small cheeks dimples lit up red from the cold blasts of wind, but that didn't stop him from running up to Romana and tugging on her long robes. She wouldn't comply as his mother might catch her and see her as a threat. As soon as the thought crossed her mind a plumpish blond woman came out the front door and her eyes swept the garden like a hungry eagle. Suddenly her expression changed from fierce to worry as her son was out of her sight. Hastily Romana grabbed his small hand and ran him down to the lost looking mother at the front of the house.
As the woman's eyes met with the two moving body's rushing towards her she returned the call by running up to them. As they met in the middle they all panted out of breath. The women rushed down to wrap her arms around her son and bring him up to her level. She squeezed him until he almost went blue and his eyes popped out his poor skull.
"Oh don't you ever go out of my sight again Tony. Do you hear me" she said in that calm motherly voice, not angry yet not happy. Then she looked up at Romana with a smile on her face.
"How can I ever thank you" she said.
"You could tell me where I am because I seem to be a bit lost" Romana said in hope the lady would help her.
"Come inside and we'll sort you out" she said walking away. Romana followed her in as slowly as possible; making sure it was safe enough to venture in. The woman popped her head around the door staring at Romana like she was some sort of stranger.
"Are you coming or what?" she asked. Romana picked up the pace and went into the house.
Just the hall was enough to make your mouth drop. The grand staircase smacked you in the face as you walked in. The chessboard style flooring was shinier than a new button and yet more plants filled the area, it was like walking in to a miniature rainforest. The plumpish lady had walked in the kitchen with her son leaving Romana stood at the door way with only the cleaners for company. Suddenly a male figure made a grand entrance down the stairs followed by two other people. Romana had never felt so stupid in her life. The three people who walked down the stairs took no notice and walked right by her. The first man had short ginger hair with an almost bold touch to the top. He wore a black suit with a bright red tie. The second man was tall and skinny with a proud dark brown spiky patch of hair. His pale blue suit fitted perfectly to his body shape and his burgundy top went well with the rest. The third person was a young blond woman in her early twenties and she walked around casually in faded tight jeans and a long top which hung off the shoulders.
For some strange reason the girl changed her course and started for the door. She spotted Romana stood innocently in the doorway; perplexion filled her face as she glared up on her. Suddenly redirecting she headed for the kitchen with the others. Suddenly the plumb woman came out of the kitchen and grabbed Romana by the arm. Once they entered the kitchen all eyes were upon them. Friendly smiles filled the atmosphere as Romana wasn't expecting a warm welcome. The man in the red tie was the first one to speak coming out with a board London accent.
"Welcome to our home, we're sorry for the wait", his conversation started to seem like he was the manager of something and from the way he spoke and dressed he defiantly a business man. As his speech went on Romana dragged away wanting to fall to sleep on the spot. Then all of a sudden the young woman interrupted him by coming forward with a speech of her own. Distort the man give up and sank his hands in his pockets. "Hi my names Rose" she started, her voice also that of a Londoner.
"Hi I'm Rouen" she lied nervously. As she looked around the family seemed to take in her lie and smiles still wide upon their faces.
Rose went on to introduce the rest of the family. The skinny man in the tight suit was none as John and the plumpish woman and the business man were none as Jackie and Pete Tyler and their young son Tony.
"Where are your bags and possessions?" asked John, his eye brows narrowed and Romana's feet.
"This is all I have" she replied holding up the bag that hung around her shoulder. John lifted his head as a sign he understood. Blankness filled the others faces as they also glared at Romana's empty surroundings.
"Well how about we put you up for a couple of days until you sort something else out" said Jackie with a nod and with that she picked up Tony and went out of the room.
"Don't mind her; she's always the same with people who stay" said Pete as he exited leaving her alone with John and Rose.
The two seemed friendly enough when the smiles were still painted on their faces. Rose made the first move by offering to take Romana up stairs to one of the many guest bedrooms. As they went up the stairs Romana seemed to quiver over the fact she was actually doing this, like she was drowning in a lake of her own lies. The guest bedroom was rather large and the double bed looked tiny in the over sided area. A grand wardrobe full of Roses old clothes filled the back wall the patio window drowned the room with sunlight.
"These are all my all clothes so you can wear any you like, you could use a wardrobe tuning any way" she said vaguely. With that Rose disappeared leaving Romana to explore her surroundings. She placed down her bag and slipped of her shoes, her feet seemed to breathe from the relief. She jumped on her bed and sank into the mattress; it was like landing on a cloud.
That night she joined the Tyler's for dinner in their dining room. The table reminded her of the one the strange woman sat at back on gallifrey. Romana sat quietly while the others amused themselves with chat and laughter. After dinner was over Romana situated herself in the on suite of her bedroom. There she ran the bath and the water flowed hot. The steams from the bath made the translucence glass of the frosted window sparkle in the dim white glow of the artificial light. Peering at herself in the mirror Romana saw what a peered to be a red balloon bobbing up and down in the reflection. With the balloon came a girl no older than seven. Her hair in a tight bobble and she wore along pink coat ending at her knees. Within the blink of an eye she was gone. Romana blamed the hot steam. Abandoning the bath she laid out on the soft bed and at that moment fell to sleep.
Dreams started to circulate in her mind. At an old empty house she stood in a long stretch of corridor. Only one door sat at the end with a room of mysteries on the other side. The temptation was too strong as her feet started to walk themselves without control of her brain. The door up close was completely different then from far away. The panelling had totally decayed and the handle so rusted flakes blow across the floor. The door seemed to open its self and the room on the other side was revealed. Cold wind shot through the partly open door like a bullet from a gunshot. Thin vinyl curtains blow softly with the air from the open window explaining the explosion of wind. Rotting sheets of wood covered the floor and walls and a single mirror stood proudly in the corner of the abandoned room. The once gold trimming now faded with years of niglection but the reflective glass still remained intact like it didn't go with the rest of the mirror. Romana's reflection filled the glass as it did in the Tyler's bathroom. Suddenly the same girl popped her head around Romana's shoulder as she did before, the balloon still floated in the air too. She reached out her hand and just like a portal her hand come through the glass like there was nothing there. Her whole body appeared out of the mirror like something out of a horror film and the glass shot back like rubber forcing the frame to shake. Now she was no longer a reflection but a fully fledged human, or was she? She then looked up at Romana and a victory smile filled her face.
The dream ended with Rose at the end of her bed with a smile on her face. She was clothed differently and a face fresh for an early day.
"How was your first night on parallel earth" she gleamed.
"Parallel earth" Romana's mind thudded. What had she gotten herself in for?