Here it goes! My first chapter! I hope you all enjoy.
DISCLAIMER- I do not own Doctor Who, sadly, but my OC is all mine!
Please leave a review, I appreciate any and all feedback, including constructive criticism!
The hardest part of the day is getting out of the bed. This has become an even harder task now that I've moved into my university accommodation, because now Mum's not here to shout at me over the blaring of my alarm.
I'm not a morning person. I'm barely a social person at any point in the day, but especially not at 6 AM on a Monday. I'm hungover, sleep deprived and a tiny bit afraid.
Freshers week is now officially over. And it's time to face the reality of the degree I've signed up for. I'm an English student at Oxford. Yes, I know, how privileged. But I've worked hard to get here, I'm the first in my family to exceed the past the point of GCSE's. So I've certainly set the bar high for Jamie, my nuisance of a little brother. But ,oh, do I miss him, and mum and dad. I won't tell them, because that would be admitting that I need them on some level, but I do. It's only been a week since they dropped me off, but it's a shock to the system. I'm still adapting, settling into a new life.
This last week has been a haze of parties and getting to know new people. The social aspect is a right of passage when you start at university, and I arrived intending to get the full experience. I admit, sometimes I would have preferred to have been reading, especially on that night we went to a foam party and I spent most of the night looking for my phone that fell onto the floor. But I got involved and have made some great friends already. Everything is falling into place and once I find the lecture hall, I'll finally begin to relax and feel settled.
I pray that the pounding in my head will calm down when I stop stressing over this mornings lecture. I quickly pack my bag with the books and other bits I expect to need and leg it down the stairs, out onto the campus. Quickly, I get up a picture of the campus map and attempt to work out where I need to go. Then I head in the general direction of a cluster English buildings located in the west part of the university. This walk then becomes a bit of a skip, then a fully fledged run when I realise I have mere minutes until my first lecture.
By the time I arrive, I'm hot, sweaty and my head is killing me. Not a great start, first impressions and all. But I attempt to suck in deep breaths of air and compose myself as I head towards what I hope is the location of my lecture.
'Dreams vs Reality- Finding the balance' is written on a chalk board at the front. Internally, I groan. I can already tell this is a warm up meant to help us to feel comfortable and bond as students. We're not six! I find a seat and begin to mull over the direction this topic will take as the lecturer looks up from his laptop and begins.
"Welcome everyone, I am Dr. Phillips and I will be you're primary lecturer for this first half of the year, while Dr Adams will be also picking up the odd sessions and supporting your learning."
Dr. Adams interviewed me, very bright, but a very intense woman. She loves her Greek Literature, I expect that's why I was made an offer, we spoke for some time discussing The Odyssey and which of the 22 poems contributed towards shaping literature across time to the most extent. I, of course, argued the importance of the sirens in creating the image of a dangerous female who has ultimate power over men. Perhaps a reflection on the basis of patriarchal society which has dominated across time in many societies following this.
He continued, "Between us we will be able to provide the highest level of teaching, and our specialisms will allow you to not only engage fully with the requirements of your degree, but also to guide your personal growth and development across the next 3 years"
It's daunting, but at the same time, I can't wait to get myself into the matter of the lecture and engross myself in literature, critical views and debate. Let's just get through this starter.
Now that the introduction is over, he begins to explain the plan for the rest of the morning.
"Right, now, that's enough about me. It's now over to you. What I want to know is what draws a reader in, what, in particular, is the one thing that all good novels and texts have in common? Essentially creating the foundation of all the literature that we will explore over the duration of this corse"
Silence. Nobody dares to speak. Thats a bit of a big question, far too broad for such a complex subject! I slide down in my seat, half due to my migraine which is now starting to get seriously painful, half because I know I couldn't give a decent response in my state. Eye contact, avoid it, look down. Breath. Focus on whoever is brave enough to answer...
A boy coughs, catching Dr. Phillips attention as he shuffles his hand in what appears to be an indication that he wants to speak. Get on with it then, this headache is starting to make me irritable. I'm frustrated with myself for being too social during freshers and clearly not resting enough to be in a good condition this morning. This headache is becoming more of an whole-body-ache.
"A writer has to find a way to engage the reader, and this involves balancing both dream and reality in such a way that you become caught up in the creation of the author..."
I'm panting now, struggling to get in enough oxygen. Is this an allergy? Am I having a panic attack? Am I sick? Dying?!
"...While reality has importance in grounding the reader, helping them to engage with the events- usually through a narrator that has something normal and relatable in their characterisation..."
I feel hot, not just a fever, I am burning. Literally on fire.
"...The dream aspect of literature involves allowing an element of escapism for the reader that can only be achieved through words. Both are equally important, and every writer has to judge the ratio in which their work contains elements of reality and dreams..."
By this point I can barely hear what's being said. I am mortified. How will they let me stay when I can barely get though my first lecture? Another wave of pain crashes through my head and resonates through my bones. I bite my lip to prevent letting out a scream, drawing blood in the process.
Quickly I shoot out of my chair and race out of the hall. Thankfully I am so out of it by this point I miss the shocked look on my peers faces and I stumble towards the toilets.
Here, I collapse, dry heaving onto the floor. My body is wracked with sobs as I let out the pain that I'd been attempting to contain. I'm shaking and burning at the same time. Something is seriously wrong. Should I call an ambulance? But I left my phone in my bag at the lecture hall. Could I call for help? I try to yell, scream, catch the attention of a passer by.
"HELP!... please... SOMEBODY HELP ME..." I sag down closer to the ground as my hands refuse to support me. The effort from calling out leaves me gasping to take in air. The burning intensifies. I'm going to die. This is wrong, this can't be it.
Ice cold fear stabs through the burning as I realise how alone I am. My family miles away from me, would they reach the hospital in time to say goodbye? That's assuming anyone finds me in here. Will I just be another sad story of a 'young girl who had so much potential?' Wasted, stolen away 'before her time'. Soon the cold fear is unable to prevent the inferno building up inside me.
Before I know it, I've reached a whole new peak of agony. My last thought is of Jamie, I told him I wouldn't miss him jokingly, expecting to see him in a few weeks. I didn't think that last week would be my final goodbye.
Blackness engulfs my vision and I know nothing more.