Chapter 12
Where a Goddess Breaks a Curse and Returns Home
The next thing I was aware of was that my whole body pounded in agony. My head felt like someone had used it for a base drum in a death metal concert, my stomach felt like it was one big knot while being a creature of total rage, my whole right side throbbed, my back felt like someone had played jump rope with it and my feet felt like they had been slow roasted over an open fire. In short, I was definitely not feeling my best. I was so far from my best that my best may as well be several galaxies away and barely in sight even if I were to use a consumer-grade telescope. It was in that moment that I knew I was not having a good day.
I opened my eyes, which turned out to be the worst thing I could do. Not only did it make my head feel worse, it may as well be advertising to all and sundry that I was awake and conscious and somehow ready to deal with whatever they wanted me for. Which, I was in no way, shape, or form, anything I wanted at that moment. What I did want was a prescription-strength pain killer and a can of Starbucks. Didn't matter what, as long as it had the Starbucks insignia on it. Nothing says 'I'm ready to take on the day' like overpriced caffeine.
"She is awake," I heard a male voice state as I heard a crowd make sounds of anticipation.
"Water," I stated groggily, hoping that water would wash away most of my pain.
"She demands water!" the male voice exclaimed, making my skull pound loudly.
"Water!" the crowd exclaimed, echoing like a group of children before suddenly stop.
"Here is your water," the male voice state gently as he handed me a skin full of water.
I sipped the water gently, feeling that my stomach wasn't going to accept more than a few sips every so often. My headache dissipated as I sipped the water, testing just how much was enough for my stomach to take. I was feeling better slowly, but nothing was helping my back or my right side. That I knew, was something unavoidable. But my headache was getting better and soon, I was able to at least sit up, look around, and hold a satisfactory conversation.
"What happened?" I asked the male, seeing that he looked much like a brave of some kind.
"We found you," he stated, "no one has ever been discarded. You must be powerful."
"Oh yeah," I stated sarcastically, "I'm an absolute goddess."
Apparently, these people really don't know the meaning of the word 'sarcasm' because their reaction took me by surprise.
"I knew it!" the brave exclaimed, not realizing that I was being sarcastic and not truthful, "We will be led to greatness!"
"Hold it before you lead us to ruin," an elderly man stated sourly, "I suggest that she prove it that she is indeed a goddess before we bow down and worship her."
"Very well," the brave stated to the elderly man with a nod before turning to me, "give us a sample of your power."
"I must first decide what would be a suitable power to show," I stated, "I will need to consider for a short while."
"Your powers must be great if you must consider which one to use," he stated as I ran my hands through the pockets of the pants I wore underneath my skirt, getting looks from the crowd.
I knew a yo-yo wasn't going to cut it. Neither were smoke bombs. The matches? Now that had some merit. If only I wasn't so nervous about using lighters. That would've worked well. But the matches were a possibility. My left hand hit the cargo pocket. I had a handheld gaming system that had a camera. My mind suddenly conjured up the knowledge that many Native Americans believed that cameras stole souls. And perhaps the fact that I used the gaming system as a music player would also help. I had the workings of a plan and I was running out of time. I grabbed my gaming system.
"Behold, I present you with this," I stated in my best show-woman's voice considering my sad state, "With this, I can steal your soul, show it to you, torment your soul, and let it return to you, if any of you are brave enough to challenge me!"
"I am brave enough," the elderly man stated, walking up to me.
"Very well. You volunteered, so this is on your shoulders," I stated as I unfolded the gaming system and entered the camera application and snapped a picture of the elderly guy, causing the gaming system to make a camera sound.
"Behold! His soul is here!" I exclaimed, showing all and sundry the screens which, indeed showed the picture of the elderly man, causing everyone to gasp at me and bow down.
"I did not know you truly had such a power," the elderly man stated apologetically, "please return my soul to me."
I erased the picture and revealed a blank upper screen and exclaimed, "It has been done!"
The crowd cheered as the brave exclaimed, "As shown by her power, she is indeed the most powerful and merciful goddess! We must feast in her honor!"
My stomach churned. Feast. Just the idea of food was making my wrathful stomach more unhappy. I was going to have to use what I knew to my benefit. After this, I knew I had more respect for those who came up with more elaborate plots than this off the top of their heads. I was just flailing around in comparison.
I smelled food cooking and my stomach churned more. Just what was going on with me? I usually was the kinda girl who was always hungry and at any time, can eat anyone's leftovers with gusto. But now? Now, just the smell of food was making me sick and I knew for a fact that I was definitely not pregnant. Which meant that I had new respect for another group of people – pregnant women. Before too long, I'd have new respect for everyone at this pace.
"What is wrong, Goddess?" the brave asked respectfully.
"This food...since I am a goddess, my body is ill-equipped for such things. I fear I will not be able to partake in the feast," I stated.
"I understand, my Goddess. This is not of your origin," he stated, "how shall we make it better for you."
"If you were to make a plate with a bit of everything on it and burn it, it will be sent to my realm and once I return there, I will be able to feast," I stated, leaning on my knowledge of theology and myth.
"Very well. It will be done as you say," he stated respectfully.
In the end, I wound up watching the feast and festival happen around me, feeling a bit disconnected. I knew that my condition was indeed worsening, but I couldn't exactly go home since I wasn't exactly with the Doctor. But I knew that the first thing I wanted once this whole mess was done was that I'd want to go to the hospital in my era. Just the fact that I lacked an appetite at all worried me and the fact that I couldn't breathe deeply scared me. Not being able to walk without extreme agony was the cherry on that cake that I wish I never had and would never inflict on even my worst enemy.
"Excuse me," I heard a familiar voice call out over the din as he walked into view and I smiled, "may I approach?"
The entire ruckus of the festivities stopped as everyone turned to me, clearly telling me that I was in charge. I had never been in charge of anything. This was a change for me, clearly a step up.
"You may," I stated evenly.
"Who is this man?" the brave asked.
"One who is more powerful than I am," I stated, "and my friend."
I could see on his face that he realized just what was going on. His expression quickly changed almost too fast for me to see before resting on amusement. He was amused that I managed to convince a tribe that I was some kind of Goddess.
"I am sorry," the brave said, grovelling to the Doctor.
"It's completely okay," he stated with a kind expression.
"It is time that I am led to where I was found," I stated, looking at the brave.
"Of course, my Goddess," he stated with a low bow as I achingly stood up.
The Doctor had reached me at that point and assisted me as we approached the brave who was playing the part of a guide. We remained quiet as I remembered what the old woman had told me the day before. That there was a curse in play that will require the blood of a goddess. Did that have anything to do with the whole my dying thing? I was scared about it, but I knew that I had other things that was pressing on my mind. The Doctor clearly was able to tell by now that my condition was worsening and we were too far to turn back. He said as much in the look he gave me.
I was relieved that the hike was short and led us to what looked like a cave. Whether this was a good thing or not, I didn't know. The brave stopped us at the mouth and said, "this was where you were found, my lady."
"Thank you," I told him, "you may leave now. This is a matter for those greater than you."
He gave me one last bow before running off, obviously scared of the place. I saw the look the Doctor gave me.
"What? I was playing it all up to avoid suspicion," I stated defensively.
"I'm just curious how you managed to get yourself to be worshiped as a Goddess," he stated as he led the two of us deeper into the cave.
"It started as a sarcastic remark. Then I had to find something to back up my story and then I found my DS. Used its camera to make them believe I can toy with their souls," I stated.
"Even if I do applaud your creativity, I hope that you're not going to be a goddess wherever we go," he stated with a smirk.
"Even I know I'm no goddess, but that wise old woman certainly thought you were at least god-like," I stated.
"An exaggeration," he stated as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver and scanned the area and then looking at the device before he started to grin, "just what I thought. A perception filter. There's something in this cave that someone wants to hide."
"Shouldn't we be heading back first?"
"One, the wise old woman made a mention that it'll take the blood of a goddess to solve this problem, which by now, I think she was talking about you. Two, if I need to, I can have the TARDIS materialize nearby."
"Just that you said you would take me home if my condition worsens," I stated.
"Do you know if your condition is immediately threatening your life?"
"Not immediately if I stay hydrated," I stated.
"Then we're fine. I think," he stated.
"Gone too far to stop now, huh?" I asked.
"Of course," he stated as he radiated excitement, "who knows what it is that whoever it is doesn't want us to find."
"And I'm sure I can still run if my life depended on it," I stated quietly as he led us to a far wall in the cave which rippled in response to the sonic screwdriver.
I followed him as he walked through where the wall rippled as I saw smooth metal walls and bright overhead lights. The corridor curved gently at intersections rather than having sharp turns, almost like it was crafted without any sharp angles. I kept my footfalls as silent as I could as I crept behind the Doctor, who was clearly trying to be quiet about things. We quickly found ourselves in trouble, though. The shape our trouble took was that of a door.
"Let's see what we can find on the other side of this," I heard the Doctor say as he used his sonic screwdriver in an attempt to open the door.
"Doctor?" I called out as I had decided to play lookout and was staring at an alien that looked almost identical to the first kind of alien I had seen that wasn't the Doctor.
"I'm busy," he stated as he stopped to fiddle with the settings.
"Doctor," I stated more seriously as they lowered their weapons at us.
"What?" he almost snapped, turning to face me, and in extension, those who were pointing their guns at us.
"We're in trouble," I stated.
"Yes, I can see that," he replied as he raised his hands in the position of surrender as I did the same.
"You will follow," the alien security leader stated, leading us through the ship.
It was yet another short walk until we found ourselves in what looked to be the bridge and we were made to stand before their leader. It was obviously female, still a mix of feline and reptilian as she glared at us angrily.
"Are you behind the disappearances in the local human settlements?" the Doctor asked.
"Of course we are," she stated, "the people will be returned to their people once we are done with them."
"When will that be?" I asked with a frown, "and will they even be alive?"
"They will be returned alive and well when the repairs are finished and after their minds have been turned back to normal," the woman stated.
"You took them and are using them as a labor force," I stated with a frown.
"Temporarily, yes. The crash caused us to loose a great deal of my crew. Besides, I'm aware that a whole settlement of the humans have recently died due to a contagion that they couldn't fight. We wish to obtain a blood sample to assist them against this contagion."
"As much as I'd hate to admit it, but you can't. I'm from a future that resulted from them not having a defense against the various illnesses that the Europeans brought with them. Because of that, you can't change the future," I stated.
"And what makes you in charge of what we may do?"
"I'm not in charge of enforcing the timeline," I stated simply.
"Then who is?"
"I am. I'm the Doctor, the last of the Time Lords. It is my duty to protect time from being altered from the course it needs to go. If you do give the Native Americans the chance to resist the various contagions, your actions can alter the universe itself in a very real way and not in a way you want it to be altered."
The leader seemed to pause, obviously taken aback by the Doctor's words. She looked at him seriously for several long moments before letting out a sigh.
"I have heard of your people," she stated with a frown, "so I will do as you say. I will not give the natives the chance to survive. Since we have your friend's blood sample in storage anyways, we will keep that to us and research it ourselves. You may leave.
Once we were out of the cave, I turned to the Doctor.
"Mind getting the TARDIS to materialize here? I don't think I can walk all the way out there," I stated with a frown before he placed his hand against my forehead with a frown.
"Your fever's worse," he stated with a frown as my sight grew bleary and dim.
"Let's see if we can sit you down," he stated, guiding me into a sitting position on the grass before I completely lost consciousness.
I was vaguely aware of hearing the sounds the TARDIS makes when it's traveling and being carried around. The next thing I was fully aware of was waking up in a hospital bed with an itch on the back of my left hand. I went to scratch it, but felt tape. I was then more aware of something stiff being attached to my left pointer finger and that I was on oxygen. I opened my eyes, seeing a group of people I wasn't familiar with.
"I see you're awake," an elder man stated with a smile, "you were unconscious when you were brought in two days ago and you had to have your gall bladder removed."
"Oh, that's good," I stated with a smile, feeling the familiar feeling of being drugged up into oblivion, "so did you have to remove it by cutting it up or-?"
"Actually, it can fit between the ribs," he stated.
"Oh. I didn't know that. I take it that the surgery was a success?" I asked.
"I doubt that you'll have any complications," he stated with a smile, "and this is your nurse."
"Nice to meet you, Melissa, I'm Holly," the woman who looked about my age stated.
"Hey," I stated right back, unable to think of anything to say before I passed out again, but this time, because of the medications rather than because of anything wrong with my body.