Chapter 5
Donna slowly turned around and saw the same nurse with the purple hair staring at her.
"What are you doing?" she repeated.
"Nothing, I was just looking out of the window. Is that a problem?" replied Donna.
"No, but you should be in bed," said the nurse, slightly irritated.
Donna turned and moved towards the bed and sat down. She smiled at the nurse. "Happy now?"
The nurse didn't reply but by her demeanour she seemed to relax a little. She moved about Donna's bed, tidying then finally picked up what seemed like Donna's chart, fishing out a pen from her pocket.
"How are you feeling today? Still feeling headachy and dizzy?"
"What do you think?" retorted Donna, "how would you feel if you had been knocked over the head and man-handled?"
The nurse said nothing. All she did was look at Donna, with a 'just answer the question' look.
"Ok, yes I still have a headache but other than that I feel fine," replied Donna.
"I'll give you a painkiller for that" replied the nurse, writing notes onto the pad in her hands.
"Oh, how nice of you!" replied Donna, sarcastically as the nurse moved to get Donna the drug.
A few minutes later, the nurse returned holding a small vial of blue liquid. The nurse motioned to her but Donna just looked at it.
"What's that?" she asked, eyeing up the blue liquid, suspiciously.
"It's your painkiller, for your headache," replied the nurse, "I suggest you take it."
"Well, I suggest you take it away. I think I can manage the pain," replied Donna, clearly suspicious that it could be something more.
"You said you are feeling pain, so take it and it will go away" replied the nurse.
"What am I a child? Just leave it," retorted Donna, "and anyway who are you?"
"Fine but take it when you really need it! My name is Xenafa, and you?"
"Donna, Donna Noble. Xenafa is a nice name. So you come from Vita then?" replied Donna.
"Thank you and yes I am from Vita," she replied.
"Well, while I was just looking outside, I saw absolutely nobody on the streets and before I got hit over the head, I saw no-one in the rooms or in any corridor. Where is everyone? Some kind of public holiday?" asked Donna.
Xenafa looked uncomfortable and dispirited. Donna instantly knew there was something more sinister to this. Xenafa didn't say anything for a while but by the look on her face she was fighting an internal emotional battle.
"Xenafa?" began Donna, "tell me what's been going on. What happened?" motioning Xenafa toward the bed. Xenafa sat down next to Donna and began to tell her everything.
"When did it begin?" prompted Donna.
"It began a few months ago" began Xenafa, "when this building was taken over. It seemed to signify the growing prosperity of our city and planet but after a few months' people started to disappear."
"Disappear?" said Donna, puzzled.
"Yes. It wasn't that outrageous at first but an increased number of people started to go missing. Mainly from alleys and other localised areas and now most of the population has gone missing. People are now very scared to come out of their homes, so no one goes out and so the streets are deserted" replied Xenafa.
"And you believe it involves this building? Who runs this place?" asked Donna.
"I do. Bad Wolf Industries took it over approximately a year ago and they introduced alien objects that transported people to the hospital. They said that it was an emergency service to transport people who were injured and the like. But those people haven't been seen again." said Xenafa. She looked on the verge of tears.
Donna moved towards her and tried to comfort her. She couldn't believe what was happening. Possibly the same device they had introduced had also taken her to this place.
"But, it didn't stop with the injured," said Xenafa, "it began to take healthy people as well for no reason at all."
"And, what did the company say?" asked Donna.
"Nothing. I think they tried to make out that nothing was happening or going wrong," replied Xenafa.
"And, did you lose anyone?" asked Donna.
"Yes," Xenafa whispered, "my mother, sister and brother were all taken. All that is left now is my father and I." Xenafa sobbed even more, the memory of the day her mother and siblings had gone missing still raw in her mind.
"I'm so sorry," said Donna, placing an arm around the sobbing nurse.
"So, how come you're working for the people responsible?" asked Donna, after Xenafa had regained her composure again.
Xenafa looked into Donna's eyes, "To try and find them and bring them home."
"But, don't you think they are dead or gone from here?" asked Donna.
"Maybe, but I still have to hope that they are still here and that is enough for me," replied Xenafa.
"So have you found out what they actually do here?" asked Donna.
"Well, I know that it is run as a hospital but I have heard that there is some kind of genetic engineering going on but I don't know for sure," replied Xenafa.
"Genetic Engineering, what for?" asked Donna.
"I don't know," replied Xenafa.
Well, it can't be for anything good, thought Donna. She would have to find the Doctor, wherever he was and tell him. But how, she would have to figure out.
"Thanks for letting me know, Xenafa," said Donna.
"That's ok, but how come you're here? Your not from here are you?" asked Xenafa.
"No, I'm not from here, I'm just visiting but I got taken here by a small black device I found in an alley," replied Donna.
"Ah, I understand. Are you travelling alone?"
"No, I have a friend whom I travel with called the Doctor, he will help us if I can find him but don't tell anyone because I have told them I am alone," replied Donna.
"Why?" asked Xenafa.
"Because I think they will be after my friend, if I let slip. So, please don't tell anyone," Pleaded Donna.
"OK," replied Xenafa.