The Girl of Time (Doctor Who Fan-fiction)

Chapter 16

I tried to yell to Alyssa to hold on to something, but I don't think she heard me. The second the Doctor flips a switch, the TARDIS begins to violently shake. I managed to grab onto a rod sticking out of the wall, but Alyssa wasn't quick enough. She somehow manages to make her way over to me, and I grab her hand. Then, we finally stop.

"Woah, is it always like that?" Alyssa pants.

"No, it doesn't have to be," I say, glaring at the Doctor.

"What? You have to admit, it is way more fun that way." The Doctor quickly says.

"So, is this Neptune?" Alyssa asks excitedly.

"See for yourself," the Doctor says, pointing to the door.

Alyssa slowly walks over to it, and opens the TARDIS doors. "This...is amazing."

"You can go out there, if you want." The Doctor says.

"Wouldn't we, I don't know, die?" Alyssa asks.

"Nope, you see, the planet is actually-" The Doctor is cut off by a strange being who appears out of nowhere.

"Greetings! Welcome to Neptune, would you please follow me this way?" She says. She begin to walk away, expecting us to follow. The Doctor follows, Alyssa and I slowly follow behind.

"So...yeah, Neptune's been inhabited for a while, it's a business, actually." The Doctor says.

"Where are we going?" Alyssa asks.

"To the planet core, I'm assuming," the Doctor replies.

The alien stops, and pushes a button on a small device that she has in her hands. Slowly, an elevator-like device surfaces from the ground. We all step in, and the doors shut behind us. Suddenly, the elevator plunges down. "How are we going so fast? Why are we not slamming into the ceiling?" Alyssa yells.

"It's the floor. Hugs your feet, keeps you from moving." The Doctor yells back. I wonder why they're yelling, because besides the weird falling feeling, it is absolutely quiet.

A moment later, we stop, and step out of the elevator into a room filled with chairs and people eating. "This...this is restaurant." Alyssa says, as if she could not possibly believe what she was seeing.

"Neptune," the Doctor says, "Known to the rest of the universe as one of the best restaurants in, well, the universe." We're led to a table, and we sit down.

"Can I start you out with drinks?" The waitress asks.

"May I have...wait a second, do you have water?" Alyssa asks.

The waitress gives her a funny look, "Uh, of course ma'am! And for you sir?" She motions to the Doctor.

"I'll have the same," he replies.

"You, miss?" She asks me.

"Oh, I'll have water too, thanks," I quickly say. The waitress smiles and then leaves.

"So they have water on Neptune?" Alyssa asks.

"Of course. Water is sort of a universal thing." The Doctor says. The waiter comes back with three glasses of water. It looked relatively normal, but the cups were a bit oddly shaped. I didn't try it, though.

"Is everything alright?" The Doctor asks me, "You've barely said a word since we left." To be honest, I wasn't alright. Ever since we got here, something has been bothering me. Something just feels...not right. I can't see anything, but I sense there's something wrong. I stand up and begin walking away from the table.

"We're are you going?" Alyssa asks.

"I just need to check something, I'll be right back," I reply.

"But what are you going to eat?" Alyssa asks.

"Nothing, I'm not hungry." I say, walking away. I don't even know where I'm going. I walk around the tables, avoiding eye contact with the people. Nothing out of the ordinary, I can't tell what it is. Everyone is acting normal, well...normal for their specific species. But, I feel something, I sense something. I walk over to the kitchen, and I peek through the window in the door. Two chefs are preparing some weird alien meal. A waiter comes over, and takes it, and starts walking to the door. I hide around the corner just before he comes out. Nothing weird here, either.

"Don't drink the water."

"What?" I say, spinning around, to no one. I can't tell whether the voice was male or female, or where it came from. "Who said that?" I ask. I want someone to answer, but I secretly know it was me. Nobody said it, it was all in my head. This used to happen to me when I was younger, a little voice in my head would say something like 'Stay away from Suzy', and then Suzy would soon develop a horrible cold. Everyone would get sick, but I wouldn't. So now why shouldn't I drink the water? Alyssa and the Doctor both have water, should they not drink it? What if it's...poisoned?

I maneuver through all the tables, and get back to the Doctor and Alyssa. "What was that all about?" Alyssa jokingly asks.

"Doctor, did you drink the water yet?" I ask, ignoring Alyssa.

"Uh...no, why? Is it bad?"

"Alyssa, did you?" I ask.

"Well, yeah, of course I did!"

"Did it taste funny?" I say, biting my lip.

"I mean, I guess. I just thought that was what space water tasted like." She says.

"Um...okay. Don't drink any more." I say.

"What's wrong?" The Doctor asks.

"Er, nothing," I say. Maybe I'm just paranoid. I must have just imagined it. I'm still not drinking the water though.

"This is such an interesting place," the Doctor says, "Years ago, the whole core of Neptune was dug out, they added an oxygen field, and opened a restaurant. People will travel long distances just to get here. This place was rated as one of the best restaurants in the universe."

"Well, except for their water, apparently," Alyssa says, laughing.

"Ha ha, very funny. I thought you were my friend," I say. Alyssa and I speak sarcasm half the time.

Someone drops a glass behind me, and it shatters on the ground, causing me to jump up out of my seat.

"Are you sure you're alright? You're acting kinda jumpy," Alyssa says.

"I'm fine," I say, which honestly, is a total lie. I still think something is wrong. "Are you feeling okay?" I ask.

"Me?" Alyssa exclaims, "I'm fine." She takes another sip of water.

"Alyssa..."

"Oh come on, it's fine!"

That's when the lights turn off.