My screams echoed throughout the red pulsing hallways. The thing stared at me, cocked its makeshift head to one side, and shambled a step forward. I flinched, cowering back from the pure terror of its appearance. The screaming got louder. The shrillness of the sound is what finally woke me up from my horror-stricken state, and as before, I clamped one clammy hand over my mouth.
Silence. Pure and sweet, cloying and terrible. The ringing in my ears from now-absent noise almost was enough to stifle the sound of my heart thudding within my chest.
"The Sahsarri aren't a very peaceful race." The tardis had told me.
"There was a war, a long, long time ago. A war so terrible it makes the time war look like a child's game. A war long before there were distinctions between good and evil. There were no villains, no heroes... there were only the Sahsarri. The Sahsarri and the Ventri. They lived in peace for a time. A good long time. But then was born a Sahsarri warrior called Credah."
Curious, I had listened intently as the Tardis spun the tale.
"Credah was unlike his brothers and sisters. He was angry, jealous, and full of rage. He believed the only way to bring glory upon himself was to wipe out the entirety of the Ventri so the Sahsarri could rule eternally supreme over all planets, all dimensions, all worlds. Yet, he did not want to be the one credited with such a genocide. His plan was crafted carefully, and one historic evening he made his move. He crept through the city, moving from house to house. And surely and swiftly, he murdered every single adult Sahsarri male and female."
'He murdered his own people!?' I had asked in horror. 'But why? That doesn't make any sense!'
"Ah, but listen ma fille de soleil, Credah was an intelligent being. He didn't want the Sahsarri to reign supreme only during his own lifetime. He wanted to create within his own race an army of bloodthirsty, malicious beings who would seek vengeance and war upon all other living species. By murdering the adults, he was left with thousands upon thousands of lost children looking for guidance. Blaming the killings on the Ventri and others who might be jealous of the Sahsarri, Credah raised the children as fighters. Warriors who would battle to the death and fight without questioning.
Over time, the species evolved, the strongest fighters and survivors breeding with each other and eventually creating a camouflaged, intelligent, and deadly race of revenge-driven soldiers. They intimidate by changing their appearance, appealing to darkest fears, and stalking their prey."
'Well they sound like wonderful fellas.' I had remarked sarcastically.
And now, with heart thudding in my chest, I could see the tardis had been completely truthful. These creatures would stop at nothing to terrify, intimidate, and defeat their enemies.
My eyes lingered on the thing in front of me. It's charred sort-of-flesh and white splotches of bone glistened slightly in the red glow. The matted, clumped hair fell in ragged chunks—blonde against its filth-smeared facial features. And the face. That horrible, grotesque, oh so familiar face.
I let myself look up into its eyes...
***
I remember once when I was young, mum took me to a festival an hour or so outside of the city. There had been pony rides for the kiddies, and games with tantalizing prizes. Stuffed teddy bears, brightly colored balloons, simple magic tricks. It was heaven for a small child as I'd been. I remember riding the Ferris wheel, pretending I was aboard the Eye, and calling out all the sights I could see to mum standing below. I'd tried my best to get her to ride with me, but afraid as she was of heights back then, she'd refused.
But from atop that wheel, there was something that caught my eye. A magical looking house, covered in pinwheels, rainbow paint, and funny looking mirrors. My feet had barely touched earth again and I was dragging mum to where I'd seen the peculiar looking place. When I'd found it, mum had laughed, saying I was always looking for places of mischief like this one. The sign on the door read Tinker Timothy's Trailer of Tricks, and before mum could refuse, I'd dragged her inside.
The Trailer of Tricks was a run of the mill fun house, complete with dizzying optical illusions, spinning doors, rooms that seemed to be upside down and inside out, and pathways which seemed to lead no where and somewhere at the same time. It was full of funny looking people in clownish costumes going on about tricks, treats, and magics.
But what captivated me most had been the mirrors. Hundreds of them, on the floor, walls, ceiling. Mirrors that were doors, and doors that were mirrors. Mirrors which made a person look two feet tall or ten feet wide. Mirrors that made mums ears seem to stick three feet out from her head.
But also mirrors that made me cover my eyes and clutch tight to mum's hand. Mirrors that distorted a face and revealed a monster. Mirrors that showed something completely alien, and if not for the eyes, couldn't be recognized as your own reflection.
It was the same skin-crawling feeling I felt now staring at this creature in front of me, as I did those many years ago in Tinker Timothy's Trailer of Tricks.
For staring back at me, from a mess of rotting flesh and blackening scabs, were my own eyes.
I stood frozen, eyes locked on eyes.
Hssssssshhhhhhhhhhh the thing spat and shuffled closer.
'Tardis...' I whispered, tearing my gaze away and backing up slightly.
"Do not be afraid daughter. Each person viewing a Sahsarri will view a different being. Whatever it is showing you is a figment built to cripple you with doubt and uneasiness."
I swallowed once, the lump in my throat not subsiding in the slightest.
'Tardis what do I do.' I whispered as quietly as I could manage.
"I cannot aid you here my daughter. Each person must deal with the Sahsarri in his or her own way. I can get you to our Doctor, but fighting the monsters we come across is left to you. I cannot see what you see daughter."
'Bloody fantastic.' I murdered. The word brought a sudden flash of black leather, big ears, and bananas to mind and I found myself smiling slightly. Sometimes I missed the old Doctor.
A shuffling noise snapped me back to attention and I curled my lip in disgust as the thing in front of me pushed a clump of blond aside with a bony hand. The hair stuck to the side of its scalp, seemingly glued there by a mixture of filth and blood.
I raised my gaze once again to its eyes, and found it staring straight back into mine.
Hsssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh the thing hissed.
I lowered my gaze and the noise stopped. Interesting. Trying once again to see if my quickly forming theory was correct, I looked up once more.
Hsssssssssshhhhhhhhhh.
Quickly I lowered my eyes, and it stopped once again.
A creature who disliked being looked in the eyes.
I was reminded of a childhood friend who once tried to rescue a mutt of the street. It was a scrawny thing, but mean—rough and aggressive from years living on the streets. When caught, the animal would look anywhere except directly into a person's gaze. Something to do with dominance and obedience.
This creature, this Sahsarri, seemed to be much the same.
The story the tardis had told about Credah and his army had given me an idea. I glanced quickly at the creature shambling toward me and contemplated my idea. If Credah had truly programmed all Sahsarri to kill and battle those who didn't acknowledge Sahsarri as supreme, theoretically all I had to do was submit to them.
Slowly I raised my hands in the air, and lowered myself to my knees—the complete picture of perfect surrender. A surprised sounding hiss erupted from the air before me. I kept my eyes low, never looking up toward the creature's face, and let my arms fall into a mock bowing position.
Sssssshhhh
The hiss sounded almost satisfied this time, and I was startled slightly as more hissing noises started all around me. The creature was not alone. There was no way to tell how many Sahsarri were surrounding me, but if I had to guess I would have said a fair few.
'Tardis' I whispered.
"My daughter?"
'Can you speak to them?' I asked quietly.
"What do you wish me to say?"
'Tell them exactly this: I bow humbly before the great Sahsarri race and recognize their supremacy. I meekly ask for their gracious blessing to pass by unscathed and recognize that as a mere human, I do not deserve to reside here in their presence." I rolled my eyes at the sheer sarcasm of the speech. But hopefully the Sahsarri couldn't tell the difference between sincerity and sarcasm.
'As you wish daughter.'
A series of hissing in different pitches followed that seemed to last for ages. When it finally stopped, the Sahsarri remained silent, and the moment seemed to stretch on into eternity.
Finally, after I'd almost given up hope of ever living to see my Doctor ever again, the answer came.
Hssssshhhhhhhhh ssh hhhhhs ssssssss.
"The Sahsarri reply 'You may pass Weakling Mortal." The tardis informed me plaintively.
I felt my cheeks grow hot with annoyance. How about I shove my weakling mortal foot up their high and mighty arse, I thought.
'Tell them their kindness goes unparalleled throughout all worlds." I instructed the tardis.
"As you wish."
Moments later I stood, slowly, keeping my eyes trained downward. My feet once more beneath me, I felt slightly better about my situation.
"Look ahead daughter, and be not afraid. Do not show your fear. Travel down the corridor and take the third right you come across."
I took a deep breath, and lifted my eyes. My breath caught as my gaze took in the 40 or so Sahsarri shapes lining the room and corridor I was about to walk down.
Careful not to meet any of their eyes, I timidly took one step forward, and then another. I walked faster, determined to get down the corridor and to my Doctor. The only man who'd ever be worthy of making me bow to a bloodthirsty alien race. Bloody hell that statement was weird.
Stupid, stupid genius time lord. Why'd he have to go get himself trapped. Again.
I started walking more confidently, passing the grotesque creatures on both sides and feeling myself getting closer to my goal as their bloody shapes faded behind me.
On both sides they watched as I walked past, bony arms limp at their sides, mutated shapes defying all laws of physics.
Still and silent they stood, watching, staring back with my eyes, monstrous and distorted as a wall of fun house mirrors.
*******************************
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hey guys, wow I suck at writing on Wattpad. I literally haven't even thought about this book in a year and a half. I'm real sorry. And I can't guarantee I'll update again soon, but I'll try not to let it go as long as I did this time.
Life's been crazy though, figuring out my future and sh*t like that.
Anyways, hope you enjoy this extremely rough, short chapter I just typed up in like an hour.
It's not great but it's something,
Stay FANTASTIC everyone!
Your faithful and apologetic author friend with not much free time on her hands,
~alwaysfractured