The Legends Of A Blue Box: Short Stories

Story Two: The Great Discovery of 10

Her eyes shone with fear, as she shrugged uneasily. She was eyeing her partner with concern; a nervous shiver rattling her rib cage as her mind gave way to allow space for terror. Her partner glanced down as if in a disconcerting manner; as if hiding his true distraught thoughts.
The pair were melted to jelly; their hopeful, lost and terrified figures gulping and adjusting position with a hopeless sense of courage.
She reached a vibrating arm out towards the camera. With a softened click, the recording bulb flickered on; its crimson colour not helping matters at all. Silence reigned for a while, as she checked on her partner's fading acceptance cautiously.
Then, she began, "My name is Malorie Charleston. The date is -" she glanced down at the laptop screen before her, "10th October...2110, and the time is approximately," she looked over at her parter for input, to find him holding up all ten fingers, "10PM, BST." with a voice like a child on stilts, she battled on, "We have recently reported signs of other life within our base. Having found no support relevant..." she shook with the thought, "we have no other choice but to discover it..." she gulped, "for ourselves."
Her partner gazed at her worryingly. She shot a glance back at him; her face clouded in a terrorised trance.
Still focusing on him for luck, Malorie continued hesitantly, "There has been," she glared back towards the lens, "a few...disturbances within our research. All of which have scanned to be some sort of -"
She paused. Her voice trailed off like a train scraping off a cliff; her own breath dying down like the steam from the plummeting carriages.
She shook violently, "Scanned to be some sort of...sort of..."
Her emotions collected and spilled out in one, gentle tear. It rode down her face gradually; attracting reflections all along it's delicate rim.
Her partner took one look at the camera, before racing onto the screen. He gripped his fellow colleague tight, reassuringly rubbing her shoulder.
He took the speech and continued; his own nervous voice much less fragile, "All of which have scanned to be some sort of...paranormal creature."
Glancing briefly down towards the laptop screen, and then back up at the impatient recording camera, he stumbled over a quick introduction, "We have picked up some readings..."
He let go of Marlorie, as she cowered future back into the frame; still visible, just not as noticeable. Her colleague was fidgeting with the laptop; ripping out wires and attachments from the back. He rose back up into the camera's aim with laptop firmly in hand.
He swivelled it around in his arms; poking the feeble screen onto camera with a hesitant explanation, "It's not perfect, as you can see; but it's clear enough to read." he motioned the screen with his thumb, "We can see that the creatures invading us have no visible form. They have no visible attacks and no visible pathways. Nothing is moved; when they come; nothing at all; no chairs, no papers; nothing." quickly reassuring with Malorie behind, he continued rapidly, "We were beginning to come to the conclusion that they were...ghosts, but, well...they're not. They can't possibly be. They are invisible, yes, but they travel the same as us; they don't skip walls, they don't hover above ground. The walk on our earth, they live of our food stocks...I would almost say they're humans. But...well, they're not. They can't possibly be." Malorie shifted uncomfortably, "Because we've had readings come through from their insides." he indicated more readings on the laptop; scrolling down with the mouse pad, "They've got no heart, no brain, no main organs. It's just like they're mimicking our outer-shells and nothing else, yet, they still...live." he raised an eyebrow in thought, "We were beginning to come to the conclusion that they were ghosts...but, well, they're not. They can't possibly be." Marlorie narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "I would almost say they were human, but, well...they're not. They can't possibly be."
Marlorie scurried forwards as discrete as she could, as her partner's words stood on repeat.
"I would almost say...that they were ghosts. But, well, they're not. They can't possibly be."
At once, she whizzed off camera. Her eyes darted before her in a lightning speed attempt to find her equipment.
"But, well, they're not. They can't possibly be."
She retrieved what she was looking for in a matter of seconds. Spinning around in a mad rush, she fiddled around with the gun-shaped object in her hand.
"They can't - they can't - they can't possibly be."
Grasping at her weapon in both, nerve-shook palms, Malorie eyed her friend doubtfully.
"They can't..." Marlorie wanted to yell as loud as she could; she wanted to wake up from a dream, "They can't -" she rested a finger on the trigger, as her ears tried desperately to block the last, predictable words of horror from entering her mind, "They can't possibly be."
Malorie fumbled with the trigger, debating uselessly. Her colleague turned all of a sudden. The moment was swift, sharp and terrorising as his lifeless eyes locked right onto Malorie's own. The laptop fell straight from his grip as if it had been flung to the ground. Crashing with a frightening snap, the screen shattered. It's elegant, jagged crack spread like wild fire across the twitching blackness; it's white linings curling out cruelty like branches from a tree. The keys that once gripped firmly onto the keyboard were now sprayed all over; some still clinging onto the original board if they were as lucky as a millionaire.
Marlorie staggered her breathing obliviously, whilst her fingers gripped onto the gun as if it were her life-ring.
Her partner took a striding, uneven step forwards. His eyes were lost in a cloud of white; his arms steady like metal and his legs utterly unbendable.
She pondered over the trigger. She couldn't possibly...
Then, as quick as a flash of spark from a fire, her friend faded. His visible figure turned to nothing. He was gone...he was as good as dead.
Malorie dropped her weapons immediately; the sweat from her forehead glistening, as her arms trembled in total terror. Her mind swayed along the rapids of loss and hope, and hope and loss. She had lost a colleague today, and not just that. She had lost a friend. She had lost her only chance of survival, for now she was alone. Completely isolated for everything else...apart from the paranormal creatures. He was one of them now. One of them.
"Put that gun down!"
Malorie raised her weapon as a reaction. Her eyes shot around, scanning for the owner of the sudden instruction.  She started back, yet heroism lured her from reaching the very corner.
"I am Malorie Charleston!" she yelled hesitantly, as her arms cut from side to side with aiming gun, "I'm a professional at the study of Science and warfare; fully trained at discovering new lifeforms. I was trained to use this gun, and I'm not afraid to." she gulped, "I wouldn't think of shooting you; not unless I have a reason." she paused, "So I suggest...so I order you show yourself, else I'll really have an accuse to fire this gun."
No figure emerged. No voice erupted. No disturbances were detected.
"Right, now..." Marlorie ordered; hiding her growing plead, "Listen here. I can fire this gun whenever I want, and if you don't show yourself now, I'll definitely fire it when I find you. And I will."
The silence interrupted her words, as she continued to circle around like a radar with a readied weapon.
The same voice suddenly emerged from nowhere; it's tone interested, "Did you say you were fully trained at discovering new lifeforms?"
Malorie bit her lip; her hands moving farther down the gun with a growing suspicion.
She replied hesitantly, "Yes." she paused, her objections shining through her voice, "So what if I am? I work at a specialist life-form task-force, and will proudly continue to do so until my service ends."
The voice seemed unsure, "And when will that be?"
"When I die, of course." Malorie stated loyally, yet her voice hinted at signs of confusion.
"Well then, Malorie Charleston..." the voice added in, until a stating order emerged, "You're fired."
She heard the sudden scuttle of feet, yet still, no-one appeared. Malorie checked all around her as she felt more and more unfamiliar with who, or what, she thought she was facing.
Marlorie murmured; her tone rising louder, "I don't understand."
The voice replied immediately, "Of course you don't." more footsteps could heard, "You didn't pick me out from the crowd."
Malorie narrowed her eyes. Her thoughts whizzed around, almost forgetting about her recent loss.
She objected challengingly, "But why should that mean I'm fired?"
As a reply, another lot of hurrying shoes on metal flooring clattered around the room, until, with no grand entrance at all, a silhouette appeared; just in the verge of darkness.
"Your fired," the figure began again, "because you didn't notice me."
Marlorie huffed, unimpressed, "Of course I noticed you, else I wouldn't be talking to you!"
The figure chuckled slyly, "Ahh, but you didn't pick me out as odd, did you? As...a new life-form?" Marlorie did not reply, much as the figure expected, "That's why your fired; because you didn't see me as a TimeLord."
Marlorie's ears pricked up; her gun lowering curiously. The figure emerged from the haunting shadows and neared her approach-fully. Her weapon shot up again at the nearing danger.
"Stop." she ordered, hesitantly, "You said TimeLord." she motioned her gun like an action, "TimeLord's don't exist."
"And a good day to you too." the TimeLord chuffed, surprisingly unimpressed, "I'm the Doctor. Just the Doctor." he leant forwards with excitement, "And I've come for the action!"
Malorie narrowed her eyes. She lowered her weapon steadily, yet still firmly grasping onto it's support. The Doctor wandered around before her; not giving the destructed laptop a second glance. He seemed to be more interested in the recording equipment.
Nearing it, he asked, "So...had some trouble with aliens, have you?"
Ignoring a reply, Malorie examined his casual and correct figure in suspicion.
He looked towards her with a muttering sigh, "I'll take that as a yes."
Leaning forwards for the camera, the Doctor grasped at it; swinging it around on the make-do tripod, and admiring it's buttons.
"So...it's this button here, is it?" the Doctor double-checked, "To turn it off?"
Without receiving any signs of a new comment, the TimeLord experimented by clicking a certain control, before sighing once more, "Good, I thought it was."
Malorie watched as he replayed the previous video in interest.
The voices from the camera were muffled and hesitant; leaving Marlorie to wonder why she sounded so...lifeless.
"My name is Malorie Charleston. The date is -" a pause clattered through,"10th October...2110, and the time is approximately," another unsure halt, "10PM, BST."
The Doctor chuckled merrily, "Ahh, the great discovery of 10/10/10, at 10PM..." he paused, thinking, "Oh! Would you look at that! It's now 10 minutes past!"
He glanced towards Malorie's unsure expression, with a quickly fading grin. Looking back, he skipped through the stretching footage with boredom.
Malorie inputted suddenly, slightly on edge, "Do you have to watch it? Can't I just tell you what happened?"
The Doctor paused the recording, as his honest reply came through, "You don't seem to be much the talkative person. You wouldn't tell me the whole of it anyway; no one ever does."
Malorie sighed, glancing away as the TimeLord looked to her.
He said questioningly, "Why?" his suspicion grew to maximum, "What happened?"
Malorie told him nothing. She waited, whilst the Doctor sat in his own mind of blurring guesses. Eventually, she neared the TimeLord in a fast stride. Reaching his side, she gave him one, harsh, long glare, before reaching out and switching the camera directly off.
"My friend is gone. He's one of them." she stated furiously, "It was meant to be an investigation; you know; to tell the outside world what we had discovered. But -"
"Your discovery turned against you." the Doctor nodded, "And who do you mean by them? Aliens?"
Malorie shrugged, uncaring for the unmeaningful explanations, "In a sense, yes. They're like us; almost. We only wanted to communicate with them, and then we'd have discovered a new species. Him and I; we'd be honoured." she glanced towards the Doctor in blame, "But considering that I'm fired now, it doesn't count for much, does it? He's dead and I'm no-one. It's not much to go by for the papers."
The Doctor stood up gradually. He looked around him, before adding quietly.
"It's not all about the papers and the honour." he smiled, "There's so much more out there to discover. You don't have to be a hero, or to even be recognised; just investigating those new civilisations and planets and mysteries and lives is good enough to fulfil your desires." he looked Malorie in the eye, "What's the point in having praise for something, but not seeing their real thoughts? They could be lying, and even if they weren't, there's no way of experiencing how impressed they are. But you can feel your own achievement." he smiled again, lightly, "You can always feel your own pride. If there's no one there to congratulate you, then your more than good enough to congratulate yourself." he sighed, focusing on something different, "Then again, you don't need attention to make your joy of life rise."
Malorie glanced away, her thoughts hidden beneath her straight face. She saddened a frown, scanning the area around them.
A sense of self-guilt grew within her like a virus. She had wanted fame over the passing of her friend. How idiotic was she? How idiotic was she going to be?
As if sparking with an idea, she turned the Doctor, who looked to her shortly after.
"I've heard all about you, Doctor." she grinned mischievously, "I know you've got your own time-machine." the Doctor sighed uneasily, yet she continued, "Am I...a better person? In the future?"
The Doctor stared at her; unblinking. It was normally the usual 'I want to travel with you' or 'take me on one trip', but now, he was struck by pure surprise. An explorer wanting only the expense and fame of life, asking about her future; not wanting it, not wanting to see it, but to learn from it. He smiled, but what lay in store wasn't projected just yet.
Malorie grew a little impatient. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it shortly after. The silence was irritating and tense. She began to frown guiltily, in an almost jealous fashion.
"Or...do I die?" she guessed, "Am I meant to die here today? Just like -"
The Doctor shook his head lightly. Malorie brightened up; her thoughts whizzing around like cars once again, until she realised the truth. It wasn't a shake to say 'no'. It was a shake to apologise...to admit...to say 'I'm sorry'.
She dropped her head. The Doctor watched her; processing his thoughts and trying to dismiss the potentially hurtful ones to the back.
He began a slow walk towards where he had entered the base. Malorie rose her head slowly. Another tear ran down her cheek, but this time she wasn't afraid. She knew she had tried. She knew she had given it a go, and she felt proud; proud that she hadn't taken all the glory. She was to die with loyalty tied across her heart. She was to die knowing that she had done the right thing; that she had lived a selfish life yet made it better. Maybe dying today wasn't so bad after all. Maybe dying today was what she needed to improve.
She nodded; gratefully soaking up the advice her new friend had given her, and wandered off in the opposite direction. She was finally proud for herself. And she knew, that there was a man up in the stars, that would know her for what she did. There was at least one man and his box to remember her. That was all that mattered.

"Malorie?" the Doctor glanced back, confusion widening his eyes.
She turned; sniffing lightly.
"You're going the wrong way, Malorie."
She looked up quickly. Hope layered her tears as they fell one by one onto her cheek. With another sniff, she wiped her eyes shamefully.
"You're coming this way; with me." he added, "Quickly! Pick up your pace! Else I'll really leave you for dead!"
Sudden shock and joy speeded Malorie's jog, as she neared the Doctor as fast as she could.
"I couldn't leave you here, could I? You'd be dead within a matter of minutes with these creatures chasing you about." the Doctor grinned, "They're called ghosts, in case you hadn't figured out."
Malorie's smile faded to nothing. She gazed up at the TimeLord, remembering her collegue's last words as another tear rained from her eye.
"But...they can't possibly be..."
The Doctor chuffed, "Oh yes, they possibly can! There's all types of ghosts! Not all of them can walk through walls and hover like a flying car!"
Malorie looked down, confused. "But...my friend's...they're -"
The TimeLord sighed, looking down also, "I'm afraid that last thing really did happen to them. They were dead before you even arrived; just choosing to keep themselves visible until they couldn't resist the hunt any longer."
She snuffled, "So, you mean they were going to kill me in the end?"
The Doctor nodded gradually. The pair walked in silence; nearing the blue box the more they ventured.
The TimeLord grinned, "There's no such thing as endings, though. That's why I'm taking you to safety."
Malorie gazed up at him in thanks, yet her friend only took it as an offence.
The strange, blue time-machine came into vision. Malorie stared at it for a while, unimpressed to find it as small as a door.
"Let's get you home, shall we?" the Doctor grinned, guiding Malorie towards the TARDIS.
She smiled the warmest smile she had attempted in ten years, for her and her ghostly crew had been left stranded for ten, whole years.

"The great discovery of 10/10/10 was mentioned in history many times. The tale of 10 crew surviving on base 10 of the tenth expedition for new-life forms; finally coming to an end ten years later at 10 minutes past 10, when the only remaining crew member, Malorie Charleston, was attacked by the suffering ghosts of her crew." Clara read-aloud from a book titled 'The Great Discovery of10'.
She chuckled after glancing up at the Doctor, "Bit of a fan for the number ten, wasn't she; this author?"
She closed the book, and examined the cover with interest; scanning for the author's name.
She noted with a grin, "Malorie Charleston." smiling, Clara began to return the book to the TARDIS' library, when she halted in realisation, "Hang on...wasn't she the one of the crew? But she died, it said in there. How could she have written it?"
She glanced up at the Doctor with great confusion.
He gazed into the air with a beaming smile spreading wide across his cheeks, "Yes..." he glanced towards his bewildered companion, as a hidden truth was concealed behind his words, "What a mystery..." he grinned proudly, "Must have been a ghost."