The Always More (Doctor Who Fanfiction)

Chapter Eleven

"No a trace of teleportation, or wormholes, or void jumps," The Doctor scans the room for the third time.

"The observation cams show nothing," Captain Chrysanthemum reports, walking in.

"I'm not lying," I insist. "There was really someone there!"

The Doctor crouches down with me."Tell me, Irene, what exactly did you see?"

"Well, I was talking to her, and I turned to look up there, and when I looked back, the lady had a piece of glass to her neck."

"What lady?"

"I don't know! She was wearing a black dress, and her hair was blonde and straight. And she shushed me and disappeared with Oswald again in some green light."

The Doctor's face falls. He shakes his head. "Well, without a trace, we can't track them."

"Are you giving up?" I ask.

With weary eyes, he looks at me and says, "It's time for us to go, Irene."

***

Standing outside the TARDIS, I tug on The Doctor's sleeve gently so he'll look at me.

"You knew who she was, didn't you?"

He doesn't speak. He just unlocks the blue doors.

"Mr. Smith, are you going to answer me?"

"No, Ren. We're doing them a favour. No one needs to be wrapped up in it any more than we already are."

"But-"

"I'm taking you home now." This silences me. "Like you asked."

***

Home feels different, now. My family already had dinner, and thought that it was strange how late I was, but I just assure them that Taylor will be alright. I didn't yell at Tony when he stole my desert. Thoughts of Oswald being shot in the arm haunted me. It seemed so pointless to argue about a cookie. I let him eat it.

Upstairs, I picked up my notebook, and wrote the following words in my bucket list:

"Get home."

Then, I cross them off. I have gotten home, alright.

Some hours later, after tossing and turning in bed for a while, I open the notebook, and scribble in the words, "Find who kidnapped Oswald." But I can't cross them off yet.

The next two days pass without disturbance. I focus on my math, so I don't visit the library during lunch. It is on the third day (it turned out to be a Friday) when I realize that I kind of miss Mr. Smith.

After school, I wander to the school library, but no Mr. Smith is found. I whisper his name (I know, like any sensible person, not to shout in a library). Everyone except the teachers and the janitors have already left.

Then I find the emergency exit at the back of the the library. It's alarm has been dead for ages, and I've known kids who sneak out of detention through it. I decide to leave via said door, instead of heading back through the school to the main entrance.