I'm currently writing a fan fiction for a L4D Big Bang (essentially a writing workshop). The story I decided to write is a L4D/Doctor Who crossover. What I'm looking for from you all is some feedback, be it positive or negative.
A few things to note:
1) This is story is UNCOMPLETED. What is posted here is the first 6,000 words of the story. I'm still writing it (though the entire story is planned).
2) THIS HAS NOT BEEN EDITED IN ANY WAY! I'm not looking for grammar/spelling/punctuation critique, just critique on the story itself.
3) Yes, this story will have a happy ending.
Without further ado:
Yes, the Doctor had in fact been bored. It was an outrageous idea, really. He always had something he could be doing, always had some place he could be, someone he could save. But for now, in this particular moment, he didn’t. Well, technically he did but rather, couldn’t. The sensation didn’t last long, nearly five seconds, but it was enough of a stretch to catapult him in to action.
He was stuck in the TARDIS and couldn’t vacate it without being erased from reality itself. Not only that, but because the TARDIS itself was all that was keeping him grounded in reality it was, for the most part, immobile. It turns out sustaining an anomaly in an ever changing time stream isn’t a particularly easy task.
He quickly weighed his options and set upon the task of scanning the outside world. Where was he? When was he? You know; the basics. He twisted knobs, pulled levers, typed commands, going about each task in a much slower pace than he would normally have allowed himself. He just wasn’t sure what the TARDIS’ limits were. So he would give her a task, a simple one at first, like what the climate was, and if she was able to answer him without much effort on her part he would slowly climb up the ladder to more complex tasks, like what the year was.
He was, after a good ten minutes of tinkering, able to get all the data he usually found critical. He was, as he had expected, on Earth - In the southern United States, no less. That was good; he really didn’t travel to the west of the planet enough. All the other scans remained unremarkable. At least until he got down to the bottom of the screen. Local Human Population: 3.
The Doctor blinked then frowned and ran that particular scan again. But the result remained the same. Naturally he came to the conclusion that he was just in some remote area of the country and that the only people nearby was one small family. Still, he ran a global analysis for good measure and almost wished he hadn’t. Global Human Population: <100,000,000.
There was still one more critical scan to run. Still wary of what the TARDIS could accomplish in its present state, he asked only one more critical piece of information: the date. The day and month were inconclusive, but neither was nearly as important as the year, which the TARDIS was indeed able to provide. The Doctor’s spirits sank when the year was displayed on the console: 2010.
That was all the information he needed to do something outrageously risky, something most people would consider completely bonkers. Fortunately he was just that. He sprinted for the door and only hesitated for a brief second before swinging them open-
-And found himself face to face with someone’s, well, face. Or rather, what was left of someone’s face. The eyes are what drew the Doctor’s attention first. They were nearly completely glazed over, the pupils barely visible at all, even at this close a distance. This person, he couldn’t distinguish gender, had no nose. Where the cartilage had once been there was just a vacant hole with the boney outline of a nose, with a murky yellow fluid running out of it. No hair, either, and it’s flesh was a dead grey color which seemed to be flaking off.
The creature didn’t react, or even seem to notice, the TARDIS doors swinging open or that the Doctor was standing there. It was just swaying wobbly from side to side as if it was having trouble keeping its balance. It reminded the Doctor distinctly of a decaying corpse.
The Doctor didn’t move right away keeping carefully still and just… watching.
“Well, then. Either the perception filter is working over time or I’m still very far away from existing,” he mused out loud.
The creatures face twisted up in to a horrendous scowl and let out such a loud wail that the Doctor took a few instinctive steps backwards and just had the creature began to start forward he closed the door. The sound of pounding fists against wood started not a second later.
“Oh,” the Doctor said, bemused. “Perception filter, then.” He turned and started back up towards the controls without missing a beat. When he reached them he sat down in his chair, draped one leg over the other, and began thinking.
The TARDIS said that the human population has all but been annihilated. The creature lingering outside his door clearly used to be human but it was also equally clear it no longer was. Before the creature took notice to the Doctor, ala him speaking, it should no sort of thought, should no clear indication that it was thinking. When it did become aware of the Doctor it immediately attacked, again showing no thought process in doing so. It also didn’t hesitate.
He didn’t like where this train of thought was leading.
The Doctor smiled a smile that inappropriately cheery. “Okay then,” he said to no one in particular. “Local population is three. So let’s go meet the locals.”
It was times like this she missed Bill terribly; when she had her doubts.
The island idea had worked, if only for a while. They’d been there for nearly ten months before the supplies began to wane and they’d been at the eleven month mark when things started to go critical. So they’d gone to the main land, they hadn’t a choice, to attempt to restock. But even as they set out Zoey had known the chance of being to do so were slim. The fact of the matter was there weren’t any supplies left, and now they were worse off than when they had started.
The three of them were in a makeshift safe room, which was really just the office area of an abandoned warehouse. But it was surviving its purpose well enough; thick walls, plenty of furniture to barricade doors for the night and best of all: no windows. It was kind of like an apartment when she thought about it. After moving all the furniture from the various offices to block off the main entrance that left a hallway with empty rooms. Though, they naturally all bunkered down in the same room.
The walls in this particular room were manila with an old fashion oil lantern they’d found a while back sitting in the middle of the floor, its flame finally starting to flicker. There was a diploma that hung on the wall furthest from the door, though Zoey hadn’t taken the time to read it. She’d lost interest in the past when the realized the world had no future.
She shook her head a bit harshly, trying to clear her head of those thoughts. Pessimism was a slippery slope, especially now. The world may be over and there may be no hope of recovering but she still refused to go out without a fight.
The boys were asleep in their sleeping bags on the wall opposite she had her back against. The three of them had actually gotten used to sleeping as near each other that they could. She wondered what that might mean.
Then she heard what she could only classify as a whisper. She wasn’t even sure she had heard it at first, thinking maybe her mind was playing tricks on her. But then she heard it again, and it was coming from the other side of the office door. Quickly, though, it ceased sounding like something as tame as a whisper and escalated to what could be described as a heavy gust of wind.
“Get up,” she didn’t quite yell, but it was close. Funny thing about living during an apocalypse though; you become a very light sleeper, and both Louis and Francis were sitting up and grabbing their respective weapons out of reflex, even though their brains were still partially sleep addled.
“What’s going on?” Louis asked groggily but was already on his feet, fire axe gripped tightly in his hands. They’d all long since run out of ammo.
“No idea,” was her simple reply.
Francis, surprisingly, was alert. “Sounds like a god damn tornado.”
Then there was a new sound, a rough, wheezing sound that faded in and out but became much louder each time it did so.
“What the hell is that?” Francis grounded out, hunting knife in one hand brass knuckles on his other. Zoey brandished a machete.
The noise grew louder and louder and then… stopped. Just like that, followed by a tense, eerie silence. They just stood there, Zoey not at all sure what to do. So they waited for what seemed like forever.
“Hello?” called a voice from outside the door. “Hellooooo?”
Zoey blinked uncomprehendingly.
“Come on out, then. I’m not going to bite.”
“What. The. ****?” Francis growled in a hushed tone. “Who the hell is that?”
Louis was frowning but that old glimmer of hope was shining in his eye. “A survivor?”
“Sounds like it…” Zoey replied.
“Yeah, sounds. Probably some kind of trick.”
“Trick?” Louis asked.
“Yeah, trick. Bastards are always changing and mutatin’ and ****. A trick.”
Zoey was less sure. “I’ve never heard one of them talk before.”
“Please?” The voice outside asked.
“Why don’t you come in here?” Louis shouted, for which Zoey swatted him on the side of the head. He cursed.
“That is an excellent question.” The voice yelled back. “And under normal circumstances I would be unhindered in doing so. But I am. Hindered, I mean. Stuck. So if you could just come out in to the hall we could talk a bit more quietly?”
Zoey noted the British accent. And whoever it was did raise a good point; shouting, even in doors, was just asking for a swarm. But she was still uncertain. “Who are you?” she called.
“The Doctor,” was the reply.
“A doctor?” Francis asked.
“The Doctor,” whoever it was said.
“Doctor Who?” Louis asked and Zoey was almost certain she heard the man on the other side of the door snort.
“Look, if you could just come out in to the hall this would all be so much simpler.”
Louis started toward the door and Zoey put a hand on his shoulder signaling to not. “Hold on, Louis.”
“Hold on? Someone is out there!”
“Yeah, but this whole thing smells,” Francis hissed.
“Yeah, something isn’t adding up,” Zoey agreed. “What does he mean he’s ‘stuck’? He got out there alright, didn’t he? And what was with all the racket earlier?”
“Well we won’t know until we check. We have to leave sometime anyway, right?”
Zoey bit her lip.
“…man has a point.” Francis said. “If whoever is out there is gonna try to kill us it’s gonna happen sooner or later. Might as well be sooner.” Ever since Bill had died Francis had been more leveled and had started actually offering legitimate opinions instead of being solely the comedy relief.
So stared at the two of them for a moment before sighing, “Two against one, not much I can do, I guess.” Francis slapped her on the back.
The three of them went over to the door together, and with a grin Louis turned the knob and they stepped out in to the hallway.
The people who walked out in the hallway broke his hearts.
There were three of them; two men, one woman. The tall white man had a vast array of tattoos on both his arms that ran up his shoulders and to his neck. His hair was short and unkempt and stuck up in all directions with a beard that looked like it was haphazardly shaved with a piece of glass. He wore a sleeveless vest but had on a dark red t-shirt underneath.
The dark skinned man was in a similar condition, only thinner. He had on a white tee and blue jeans with a belt that, the Doctor noted, was pulled down to its last hole.
The woman had hair that looked like it hadn’t been cut in at least a year. She wore a green coat that was zipped up all the way with blue jeans. What set her apart from the other two were her eyes; they weren’t as dark her companions. They still had a bit of fire in them. But there was something else… something-
“Who are you?” She asked.
He blinked, as if remembering where he was, “Ah, yes. Well, I’m the Doctor.”
“What is that thing?” The black man asked. “A police box? What’s a police box?”
“Oh, that. Well it’s a camouflage. Well, it used to be. It’s stuck. Never bothered to get it fixed, I like this one.”
The man blinked. The Doctor smiled.
“A more interesting question;” the Dcotor started. “Who are you three?”
The girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but answered, “Zoey. This is Louis and Francis.”
The Doctor beamed, “Yes, hello. Nice to meet you. So, I can see from your faces you have questions. Questions are good, I love questions. They’re the only real way to know things, and I also love knowing.”
“You’re rambling.” Zoey said simply.
“Yes, I love doing that too. Overload the mind of who ever you’re talking to, they’re less likely to ask questions I don’t feel like answering. But I can tell from your face—Zoey, right? – that overloading you would be particularly difficult so,” The doctor stepped slightly to the side of the doorway with a small grin on his face, “Why don’t you come inside?”
“Kinda small, don’t you…” Francis trailed off as he actually looked just beyond the Doctor to see… a room? He wasn’t sure what else to call it. He tightened his grip on his knife nervously. “This some kind of trick?” Louis glanced over to him, sharing the sentiment.
“Oh, yes.” The Doctor said brightly. “The best trick you will ever see. I promise.” Without warning he turned and ran up the ramp and to the center console. A pivoted on his heel and threw his arms in the air. He said something but was apparently too far away to be heard.
The three of them just stood there.
“What do you guys think?” Zoey asked.
Louis ran a hand over his face tiredly. “I don’t know.”
Francis narrowed his eyes. “Lets do it.”
They both turned to him, shocked.
The ex-con scowled. “What have we got to lose? He seems…” he hesitated, “…nice?”
“Nice?” Louis said under his breath.
“You feeling okay, Francis?” Zoey asked, a ghost of a smile on her face.
“I’m just sayin’… what’a we got to lose?”
“How… is this possible?” Zoey asked weakly, gazing around in wonder. It was massive, larger than her college dorm. Larger than her parent’s house! The walls were curved and waved with pillars sticking out of the base that were at such odd angles that they couldn’t possibly be anything over than decorative. Cat walks were raised up off the floor which was a good five feet down. All the walk ways met each other in the center and circled around what Zoey could only describe as a giant machine.
“Quite simple, really; just fold one dimension on to another and repeat the process until you have the amount of space you need. The TARDIS does it all on her own.” The Doctor said as he patted the control console affectionately.
“Her? This thing is alive?” Louis asked.
He shrugged, “For the most part.”
“That’s a terrible answer.” The dark skinned man said.
The Doctor looked a offended. “Oi, maybe it was just a bad question. Ever think about that? Is she alive… what kind of question is that?”
“A good one!”
“Fair enough. Look, I’ll just get it all out of the way; yes, it is bigger on the inside. Yes, she is alive. I’m a Time Lord. Which means yes, I’m an alien and a time traveler. I’m the Doctor. I’m nine-hundred and ten years old… roughly. Any more questions?”
There was a moment before anyone responded. “A lot more, actually.” The woman said, crossing her arms.
“Well, they can wait. I’m sure you’re all tired. Follow me if you want to live.” The Doctor turned and walked away. The three survivors stood there shocked at what the Time Lord had just said. A split second later the Doctor came walking back looking a bit abashed, “Sorry… got caught up in the moment. I meant rest. Follow me if you want to rest.” He nodded once and spun on his heel.
A few things to note:
1) This is story is UNCOMPLETED. What is posted here is the first 6,000 words of the story. I'm still writing it (though the entire story is planned).
2) THIS HAS NOT BEEN EDITED IN ANY WAY! I'm not looking for grammar/spelling/punctuation critique, just critique on the story itself.
3) Yes, this story will have a happy ending.
Without further ado:
1.
It had been a while since he had felt this particular emotion, perhaps centuries. He’d hardly recognized it at first as it had crept up on him slowly, only pouncing when he was at his most venerable. It had taken quite a bit of his considerable intellect to properly identify it and when he had he had been less than pleased.Yes, the Doctor had in fact been bored. It was an outrageous idea, really. He always had something he could be doing, always had some place he could be, someone he could save. But for now, in this particular moment, he didn’t. Well, technically he did but rather, couldn’t. The sensation didn’t last long, nearly five seconds, but it was enough of a stretch to catapult him in to action.
He was stuck in the TARDIS and couldn’t vacate it without being erased from reality itself. Not only that, but because the TARDIS itself was all that was keeping him grounded in reality it was, for the most part, immobile. It turns out sustaining an anomaly in an ever changing time stream isn’t a particularly easy task.
He quickly weighed his options and set upon the task of scanning the outside world. Where was he? When was he? You know; the basics. He twisted knobs, pulled levers, typed commands, going about each task in a much slower pace than he would normally have allowed himself. He just wasn’t sure what the TARDIS’ limits were. So he would give her a task, a simple one at first, like what the climate was, and if she was able to answer him without much effort on her part he would slowly climb up the ladder to more complex tasks, like what the year was.
He was, after a good ten minutes of tinkering, able to get all the data he usually found critical. He was, as he had expected, on Earth - In the southern United States, no less. That was good; he really didn’t travel to the west of the planet enough. All the other scans remained unremarkable. At least until he got down to the bottom of the screen. Local Human Population: 3.
The Doctor blinked then frowned and ran that particular scan again. But the result remained the same. Naturally he came to the conclusion that he was just in some remote area of the country and that the only people nearby was one small family. Still, he ran a global analysis for good measure and almost wished he hadn’t. Global Human Population: <100,000,000.
There was still one more critical scan to run. Still wary of what the TARDIS could accomplish in its present state, he asked only one more critical piece of information: the date. The day and month were inconclusive, but neither was nearly as important as the year, which the TARDIS was indeed able to provide. The Doctor’s spirits sank when the year was displayed on the console: 2010.
That was all the information he needed to do something outrageously risky, something most people would consider completely bonkers. Fortunately he was just that. He sprinted for the door and only hesitated for a brief second before swinging them open-
-And found himself face to face with someone’s, well, face. Or rather, what was left of someone’s face. The eyes are what drew the Doctor’s attention first. They were nearly completely glazed over, the pupils barely visible at all, even at this close a distance. This person, he couldn’t distinguish gender, had no nose. Where the cartilage had once been there was just a vacant hole with the boney outline of a nose, with a murky yellow fluid running out of it. No hair, either, and it’s flesh was a dead grey color which seemed to be flaking off.
The creature didn’t react, or even seem to notice, the TARDIS doors swinging open or that the Doctor was standing there. It was just swaying wobbly from side to side as if it was having trouble keeping its balance. It reminded the Doctor distinctly of a decaying corpse.
The Doctor didn’t move right away keeping carefully still and just… watching.
“Well, then. Either the perception filter is working over time or I’m still very far away from existing,” he mused out loud.
The creatures face twisted up in to a horrendous scowl and let out such a loud wail that the Doctor took a few instinctive steps backwards and just had the creature began to start forward he closed the door. The sound of pounding fists against wood started not a second later.
“Oh,” the Doctor said, bemused. “Perception filter, then.” He turned and started back up towards the controls without missing a beat. When he reached them he sat down in his chair, draped one leg over the other, and began thinking.
The TARDIS said that the human population has all but been annihilated. The creature lingering outside his door clearly used to be human but it was also equally clear it no longer was. Before the creature took notice to the Doctor, ala him speaking, it should no sort of thought, should no clear indication that it was thinking. When it did become aware of the Doctor it immediately attacked, again showing no thought process in doing so. It also didn’t hesitate.
He didn’t like where this train of thought was leading.
The Doctor smiled a smile that inappropriately cheery. “Okay then,” he said to no one in particular. “Local population is three. So let’s go meet the locals.”
2.
Zoey was doing her best to be a leader, really she was. But she wasn’t Bill; she didn’t have his honed instincts or his inherent intuition. But now that she was officially in a leadership position, she had to wonder if Bill hadn’t made it up as he went along, too. Well, she was using the term ‘official’ loosely, but all things considered she was the one who usually ended up making the final decision. Francis was to much of a hot head to and Louis was at times naïve, which left her.It was times like this she missed Bill terribly; when she had her doubts.
The island idea had worked, if only for a while. They’d been there for nearly ten months before the supplies began to wane and they’d been at the eleven month mark when things started to go critical. So they’d gone to the main land, they hadn’t a choice, to attempt to restock. But even as they set out Zoey had known the chance of being to do so were slim. The fact of the matter was there weren’t any supplies left, and now they were worse off than when they had started.
The three of them were in a makeshift safe room, which was really just the office area of an abandoned warehouse. But it was surviving its purpose well enough; thick walls, plenty of furniture to barricade doors for the night and best of all: no windows. It was kind of like an apartment when she thought about it. After moving all the furniture from the various offices to block off the main entrance that left a hallway with empty rooms. Though, they naturally all bunkered down in the same room.
The walls in this particular room were manila with an old fashion oil lantern they’d found a while back sitting in the middle of the floor, its flame finally starting to flicker. There was a diploma that hung on the wall furthest from the door, though Zoey hadn’t taken the time to read it. She’d lost interest in the past when the realized the world had no future.
She shook her head a bit harshly, trying to clear her head of those thoughts. Pessimism was a slippery slope, especially now. The world may be over and there may be no hope of recovering but she still refused to go out without a fight.
The boys were asleep in their sleeping bags on the wall opposite she had her back against. The three of them had actually gotten used to sleeping as near each other that they could. She wondered what that might mean.
Then she heard what she could only classify as a whisper. She wasn’t even sure she had heard it at first, thinking maybe her mind was playing tricks on her. But then she heard it again, and it was coming from the other side of the office door. Quickly, though, it ceased sounding like something as tame as a whisper and escalated to what could be described as a heavy gust of wind.
“Get up,” she didn’t quite yell, but it was close. Funny thing about living during an apocalypse though; you become a very light sleeper, and both Louis and Francis were sitting up and grabbing their respective weapons out of reflex, even though their brains were still partially sleep addled.
“What’s going on?” Louis asked groggily but was already on his feet, fire axe gripped tightly in his hands. They’d all long since run out of ammo.
“No idea,” was her simple reply.
Francis, surprisingly, was alert. “Sounds like a god damn tornado.”
Then there was a new sound, a rough, wheezing sound that faded in and out but became much louder each time it did so.
“What the hell is that?” Francis grounded out, hunting knife in one hand brass knuckles on his other. Zoey brandished a machete.
The noise grew louder and louder and then… stopped. Just like that, followed by a tense, eerie silence. They just stood there, Zoey not at all sure what to do. So they waited for what seemed like forever.
“Hello?” called a voice from outside the door. “Hellooooo?”
Zoey blinked uncomprehendingly.
“Come on out, then. I’m not going to bite.”
“What. The. ****?” Francis growled in a hushed tone. “Who the hell is that?”
Louis was frowning but that old glimmer of hope was shining in his eye. “A survivor?”
“Sounds like it…” Zoey replied.
“Yeah, sounds. Probably some kind of trick.”
“Trick?” Louis asked.
“Yeah, trick. Bastards are always changing and mutatin’ and ****. A trick.”
Zoey was less sure. “I’ve never heard one of them talk before.”
“Please?” The voice outside asked.
“Why don’t you come in here?” Louis shouted, for which Zoey swatted him on the side of the head. He cursed.
“That is an excellent question.” The voice yelled back. “And under normal circumstances I would be unhindered in doing so. But I am. Hindered, I mean. Stuck. So if you could just come out in to the hall we could talk a bit more quietly?”
Zoey noted the British accent. And whoever it was did raise a good point; shouting, even in doors, was just asking for a swarm. But she was still uncertain. “Who are you?” she called.
“The Doctor,” was the reply.
“A doctor?” Francis asked.
“The Doctor,” whoever it was said.
“Doctor Who?” Louis asked and Zoey was almost certain she heard the man on the other side of the door snort.
“Look, if you could just come out in to the hall this would all be so much simpler.”
Louis started toward the door and Zoey put a hand on his shoulder signaling to not. “Hold on, Louis.”
“Hold on? Someone is out there!”
“Yeah, but this whole thing smells,” Francis hissed.
“Yeah, something isn’t adding up,” Zoey agreed. “What does he mean he’s ‘stuck’? He got out there alright, didn’t he? And what was with all the racket earlier?”
“Well we won’t know until we check. We have to leave sometime anyway, right?”
Zoey bit her lip.
“…man has a point.” Francis said. “If whoever is out there is gonna try to kill us it’s gonna happen sooner or later. Might as well be sooner.” Ever since Bill had died Francis had been more leveled and had started actually offering legitimate opinions instead of being solely the comedy relief.
So stared at the two of them for a moment before sighing, “Two against one, not much I can do, I guess.” Francis slapped her on the back.
The three of them went over to the door together, and with a grin Louis turned the knob and they stepped out in to the hallway.
3.
The Doctor wad old. Well, old according to most standards. As a Time Lord he was middle aged, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that he had seen many, many things.The people who walked out in the hallway broke his hearts.
There were three of them; two men, one woman. The tall white man had a vast array of tattoos on both his arms that ran up his shoulders and to his neck. His hair was short and unkempt and stuck up in all directions with a beard that looked like it was haphazardly shaved with a piece of glass. He wore a sleeveless vest but had on a dark red t-shirt underneath.
The dark skinned man was in a similar condition, only thinner. He had on a white tee and blue jeans with a belt that, the Doctor noted, was pulled down to its last hole.
The woman had hair that looked like it hadn’t been cut in at least a year. She wore a green coat that was zipped up all the way with blue jeans. What set her apart from the other two were her eyes; they weren’t as dark her companions. They still had a bit of fire in them. But there was something else… something-
“Who are you?” She asked.
He blinked, as if remembering where he was, “Ah, yes. Well, I’m the Doctor.”
“What is that thing?” The black man asked. “A police box? What’s a police box?”
“Oh, that. Well it’s a camouflage. Well, it used to be. It’s stuck. Never bothered to get it fixed, I like this one.”
The man blinked. The Doctor smiled.
“A more interesting question;” the Dcotor started. “Who are you three?”
The girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but answered, “Zoey. This is Louis and Francis.”
The Doctor beamed, “Yes, hello. Nice to meet you. So, I can see from your faces you have questions. Questions are good, I love questions. They’re the only real way to know things, and I also love knowing.”
“You’re rambling.” Zoey said simply.
“Yes, I love doing that too. Overload the mind of who ever you’re talking to, they’re less likely to ask questions I don’t feel like answering. But I can tell from your face—Zoey, right? – that overloading you would be particularly difficult so,” The doctor stepped slightly to the side of the doorway with a small grin on his face, “Why don’t you come inside?”
“Kinda small, don’t you…” Francis trailed off as he actually looked just beyond the Doctor to see… a room? He wasn’t sure what else to call it. He tightened his grip on his knife nervously. “This some kind of trick?” Louis glanced over to him, sharing the sentiment.
“Oh, yes.” The Doctor said brightly. “The best trick you will ever see. I promise.” Without warning he turned and ran up the ramp and to the center console. A pivoted on his heel and threw his arms in the air. He said something but was apparently too far away to be heard.
The three of them just stood there.
“What do you guys think?” Zoey asked.
Louis ran a hand over his face tiredly. “I don’t know.”
Francis narrowed his eyes. “Lets do it.”
They both turned to him, shocked.
The ex-con scowled. “What have we got to lose? He seems…” he hesitated, “…nice?”
“Nice?” Louis said under his breath.
“You feeling okay, Francis?” Zoey asked, a ghost of a smile on her face.
“I’m just sayin’… what’a we got to lose?”
4.
The first few minutes on board the TARDIS were, naturally, spent in awe. The Doctor never got tired of it. He liked impressing people; it was one of his many guilty pleasures. “How… is this possible?” Zoey asked weakly, gazing around in wonder. It was massive, larger than her college dorm. Larger than her parent’s house! The walls were curved and waved with pillars sticking out of the base that were at such odd angles that they couldn’t possibly be anything over than decorative. Cat walks were raised up off the floor which was a good five feet down. All the walk ways met each other in the center and circled around what Zoey could only describe as a giant machine.
“Quite simple, really; just fold one dimension on to another and repeat the process until you have the amount of space you need. The TARDIS does it all on her own.” The Doctor said as he patted the control console affectionately.
“Her? This thing is alive?” Louis asked.
He shrugged, “For the most part.”
“That’s a terrible answer.” The dark skinned man said.
The Doctor looked a offended. “Oi, maybe it was just a bad question. Ever think about that? Is she alive… what kind of question is that?”
“A good one!”
“Fair enough. Look, I’ll just get it all out of the way; yes, it is bigger on the inside. Yes, she is alive. I’m a Time Lord. Which means yes, I’m an alien and a time traveler. I’m the Doctor. I’m nine-hundred and ten years old… roughly. Any more questions?”
There was a moment before anyone responded. “A lot more, actually.” The woman said, crossing her arms.
“Well, they can wait. I’m sure you’re all tired. Follow me if you want to live.” The Doctor turned and walked away. The three survivors stood there shocked at what the Time Lord had just said. A split second later the Doctor came walking back looking a bit abashed, “Sorry… got caught up in the moment. I meant rest. Follow me if you want to rest.” He nodded once and spun on his heel.
