I Didn't Mean It (Doctor Who)

Ch.14: Don't Let Go

Recap:

"Doctor!" I called out, but I couldn't even hear my own voice against the crowd. I didn't see him anywhere, "Doctor!!!"

I had lost the Doctor, on the Titanic, as it was sinking.

Great.

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I screamed as I saw a wave of water surge up from the stairs to the lower level and flood the deck, swallowning up crowds of people. I couldn't wait to find the Doctor now, I had to get to the upper level before this one flooded over. My heart pounded painfully against my chest with panic as I ran up the steps, tripping clumsily over them as I went. I gasped for breath as I reached the next level, running blindly through the maze of people. I glanced over at the life boats, seeing people piled high inside.

I glimpsed a small child amid the chaos, sobbing. I ran towards him, seeing that nobody noticed he was there in their blind panic. I grabbed his arm, knowing that their wasn't much time to be gentle, and tugged him over to a lifeboat.

"Women and children first in the lifeboats! Women and children!" A man was yelling, helping people inside. I turned to face the child, talking to him seriously so he would listen.

"Get in this lifeboat and find a woman who will make sure you're alright. Try to find your family when you get off. Whatever you do, don't panic, and everything will turn out all right," I told him, helping him into the boat.

He stared at me with wide eyes, "Where are you going?" He asked me.

"I have to wait for someone," I smiled reassuringly, buckling him into a life vest.

He stared at me with a wordless thank you as he was lowered into the choppy water. I sighed and began to walk in the direction I had been going. I screamed as I felt the ground beneath me tip horrifyingly to the side. The entire boat was tipping. I fell to the ground, feeling as if my brain were being rattled around in my scull, and cried out as I felt myself slide rapidly down the side of the boat, the water rushing up to meet me, hands scrambling for a hold. I blindly managed to grab ahold of a a railing at the edge of the boat, dangling just above the surging black water.

People dropped past me, plunging into the water and not coming back up. I closed my eyes and curled my legs around the bars, wrapping myself around them and hugging them as if they would comfort me. I heard a loud bang next to me, and my eyes snapped open. I craned my neck to see a man that ahead grabbed ahold of the railings next to me. He had his back turned to me.

"Oh hello! I've been looking for you!" The man turned around.

"Doctor!" I said, relief coursing through me. I wanted to hug him, but I didn't dare loosen my hold on the rails.

The water began to rush towards us, touching the tips of my sneakers. I could feel the cold water sting my skin through my shoes. I yelped and struggled to claw my way up onto the deck. Doctor followed me.

"We have to get to the top!" Doctor shouted, pointing to the other end of the boat pointed up towards the stars. I nodded and took a deep breath, maneuvering myself across the railings lining the entire boat and using them as a long, sideways ladder.

My lungs burned begging me to stop, but looking at the water swallowing up the boat bit by bit inches away from me encouraged me to keep going. I couldn't stop, even for a second, or I'd be swallowed, too. We finally made it to the top, breathing heavily. I entangled myself in the railings, struggling to keep ahold as the ship rapidly plunged deeper into the water. Suddenly I heard a horrible snapping sound that sent shivers up my spine. A wave of chaos swept over the ship as it broke it half, sending us plunging into the water the opposite way. I braced myself as I saw the water churning closer.

"Get ready," Doctor said, grabbing my hand. The water lapped hungrily at the boat, turning white with bubbles as it surged upwards, towards us.

"I can't do this!" I shouted, fear coursing through me.

"Yes you can!".

I took a deep breath of the freezing air, knowing that it might be my last, as the water pulled me down into its depths.

Everything was pitch black around me. The cold water stabbed me like a million knives, making me gasp in pain. Water flooded into my throat, filling my lungs and making me desperate to cough. Panic tore through my veins. I was swirling and swirling farther into the darkness, spinning uncontrollably. The water tugged on my body with force that made my bones crackle. I flailed my arms around me but it wasn't doing anything. I didn't know which way was up and which way was down. I churned in a random direction, trying to control my panic, and remembered something.

I couldn't swim.