Putting on Some Pressure
"Step on it!" the Doctor insisted.
Cautiously, Donna lowered her foot.
"Harder."
She frowned, but did as told.
"It can take it," the Doctor said yet again. "Just put your foot down, hard. We'll never get anywhere if you don't put on some pressure."
"Would you kindly shut the hell up and let me do this?"
The Doctor rolled his eyes but stood back. "But all means. Go on then."
She looked down at the creature below her and tried to build up the courage to stomp on its precious little toes. But alas, she could not seem to muster the desire to do so. "Won't it hurt?"
"Donna, we've been through this. It needs a little urging to do its bit."
She kept looking at the creature and refused to press her foot down harder. Finally, she climbed off its back. "No. No, I can't."
"Why not?" the Doctor asked.
She tried to think why she didn't want to step harder on the animal but got stuck. Her mind kept returning to the fact she was stepping on an animal. "No," she said, and headed toward the town's train station instead. The train wouldn't arrive for another two hours, but it was better than hurting this poor animal.
The Doctor followed her.
"Never again," she told him.
"But they like it," he insisted, pointing back at one. "It doesn't hurt them. They like helping people around. It's like their version of playing fetch."
"Never again," she repeated.
The Doctor nodded, and with a scowl, led her into the station. "Train it is then."
fin.