Though the ride was disheveling, the sound of the machine landing was just as beautiful as the sound it made when taking flight. It sounded futuristic, out of this world. As the ship finally landed with a solid thud, my hands came free from the railings, scattering to pat down my hair. The Doctor looked ever so enthused as he came around the console to stand at my side. Catching my breath, I looked at him with a million questions running through my mind. Had we really moved? My analytical brain wouldn't let go of the want to learn more. Turning my gaze away, I looked towards the doors we had originally come through with uneasiness in my veins. If we really had moved, we were right outside the crime scene. Just outside those doors, rested my dead Father, with a hole in his chest. Tears dared to glisten my cheeks as I rewatched it in my head. The creature had come so quick, out of nowhere. My Father and I didn't even get a chance to yell for help, before the deed was done. The next thing I knew, I was being chased by... a shape-shifter.
Cupping my face in the palms of my own hands, I took a deep breath, trying to erase the horrifying memory. "Part of me wants to believe this is a dream still, even though the reality of this situation is so clear.." I wondered if I was overreacting in any way, but then I realized, if it had happened to anyone else, it would've been just as traumatizing. Casting my gaze back in the Doctor's direction, there was a certain level of uneasiness I just couldn't let go of. Part of me wanted to remain inside, safely behind those blue doors, but a part of me also didn't want the Doctor to leave my side. The last thing I wanted right now, was to be alone. But to walk out those doors and see my Father's corpse? That was the last thing I wanted. The last thing any child would want to see. "Are you sure you're going to be able to handle this on your own?"
For a second I felt crazy for questioning this man, and his ability to do whatever it is he does. But then again, I barely knew who this man was. I didn't even know his first name. "I'm more than positive," he hummed, "The threat has been eliminated, so it should be safe enough to pop out. Like I said, Calen. You don't have to leave the TARDIS." There was a look of genuine care that glistened over his green eyes as he spoke. It gave me a sense of security in a way I'd never felt.
"Wait a minute..what is a TARDIS?"
Those words leaving my lips set the Doctor's eyes alive with passion, but I was sure he'd been asked this question before. Hadn't he? "This is a TARDIS." he exclaimed, waving his arms around, pointing at random object around the room. "She's my ship, my home." Running a hand through his brunette hair, he tapped on the railing beside of us. "It stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. I ran off with her back in my early days. We've been together ever since." Overhead, a soft humming echoed through the room. "She's a living machine." My eyes were wide open as I listened to every word he spoke. The humming proved his point as the machine hummed in agreeance to the Doctor's words.
Looking at the railing the Doctor had tapped, I reached out slowly and gently put my hand against the cold metal. This machine was really alive? "What do you mean by that? How can a machine be alive?" At this point I knew I should expect the unexpected. "For a machine to be alive, it would have to have its own consciousness. The ability to think and feel for itself. To do for itself." The more I questioned the man, the broader his grin seemed to become.
"Back to the point," he breathed, "you're safe in here, Calen. I can take care of everything out there on my own. I promise." As the Doctor gave a firm nod of his head, I took a breath and tried to ease the pain in my shoulders. If he says I'm safe, I have no other option but to believe him. Gritting my teeth as I looked towards the front doors, I nodded my head in agreement.
"For some reason, Doctor. I trust you."
&
It had been almost two hours since the Doctor had left me inside the TARDIS, and at this point I couldn't help but begin to worry. The first hour had gone by agonizingly slow, but the second had nearly flown by. I couldn't help but pace back and forth by the front door as I awaited this man to magically come back. With how much time had passed, I couldn't stop my mind from forming dangerous scenarios. Maybe he'd gone out there, and there had been another creature, another shape-shifter. What if he needed help? My head was spinning at this point, and the only thing I could think to do, was to swallow my fear and go out after him. What if he really needed help?
My nerves were so shot my hands were shaking, sweat covered my brow, and there was a pain in my chest I couldn't really explain. "If he needs help, you're the only one who can help him." I spoke to myself, trying to convince myself to take action. "He saved your life, you owe him at least this much." Maybe I was being a little hard on myself, maybe I wasn't. But one thing was for sure, I was no coward. With a deep breath, I stepped forward and opened the TARDIS doors.
Outside, the moon was high in the sky, and the stars seemed to be shining a little brighter. The three big black numbers on my front door reflected the front porch lights. One had been busted, and the other had not. From the outside, it didn't really look like a crime scene, but behind that thin wooden door, was my worst nightmare. The only thing off-putting about the appearance of my front door, was the tiny smidge of blood across the handle. A lump formed in my throat slowly, becoming solid like a rock before I managed to swallow it down. It took a lot of courage for me to push open the front door, but nonetheless, I did it.
Stepping through onto carpeted floors, the scene finally began to unfold. The coffee table in the living room had been shattered. Glass covered the floor. Curtains were ripped, lamps were broken, but it was the crimson red hugging the pale furniture, that sent my stomach in a twist. Looking down, I watched as blood bubbled up from the carpet, coating the bottoms of my shoes. My heart started to beat faster, and faster the longer I looked at the puddle of blood. Tears streamed across my face as I clenched my fists, trying to take deep breaths. But it just wasn't enough. "Doctor.." I called out, trying to stay as still as possible. "Doctor!" my voice echoed through the house, bouncing off the walls as it went, but I never got a reply.
There was no other choice but to keep going. One foot at a time, I advanced as I steadied my breathing. There was blood everywhere, on counters, on walls. It looked like a massacre. Family photos were shattered, furniture was smashed. The creature had destroyed everything that held any value. My eyes couldn't help but follow the trail of blood to the back bedroom door. Just inside that doorway, was where I watched my father's lifeless body fall to the ground. Shaking, I reached my hand into my pocket for my inhaler, just in case I needed it. My blood-bottomed shoes left prints across the carpet as I changed direction and headed through the kitchen.
Looking in every direction, there seemed to be no one in this house but me. Reaching out, I flipped a light switch in hopes of some kind of electricity, just to be disappointed. Being in here on my own was starting to wig me out. I kept hearing creaking floorboards, and unusual sounds. There was a certain smell clouding the room, and the only words I could find to explain the scent, was the scent of death. "Doctor if you're in here, now isn't the time to play hide-and-seek." I commented, trying to keep my chin above the waters of my fear. Thinking rationally, I knew there was no way I could be on my own without having some sort of protection.
It was like a light went off in my head when I had that thought, and I began to scurry my way towards the garage. Opening the door, everything looked pristine and in its place. The cars were clean, parked perfectly beside each other. However, it wasn't the cars I was after. Rushing to the corner of the room, my shaking hands reached up to turn a metal dial. With three perfect clicks, I was in. Pulling open the door of my father's weapon case, my eyes glistened as they landed on my father's handy work. Reaching in and pulling out a sheathed sword, a part of my heart was still breaking. The only thing I could think about is how my father was dead in the next room, and this man who had promised to keep me safe, was nowhere to be found.
Standing tall, in two swift movements, I pulled the sword from its sleeve. It rang through the air as I held it out, and just by looking you could tell the blade was sharp. "Okay," I hummed. "Now lets find the Doctor."
