13 Novella 3

Tied

TW: Slight gore

The sun sets low over the horizon as you bide your time. Nothing matters except reaching the beautiful pictures of the source.

Yaz can see the vivid images it's producing and the lure is strong.

You sit with your legs crossed, back to the tree and glaring at the others who shoot worried looks over at you two every now and then.

You refuse the food and water they manage to scavenge from the woods out of pure spite.

They huddle ten feet away, muttering to each other while you allow the feeling to flow right through you.

"Ok you two, bed time" says Missy, untying you while The Doctor does the same with Yaz. Your senses are down and you feel no need to be alarmed.

Still, you tense to run but she slips the end of the rope around her own wrist and ties it there until you are effectively handcuffed to her. You yank experimentally and she laughs.

"You know my knot tying skills are better than that" she says and you scowl. She lies down on the floor and you kneel next to her, Jenny glaring at her in the dark.

You can hear The Doctor trying to soothe Yaz but she too is resisting. You sigh and curl up on the ground, letting your nails dig into your palm. No way were you drifting off. Goodnights are exchanged but you refuse to reply.

This was going to be a waiting game.

Minutes snail into hours as you pretend to be asleep.

You check on the others inconspicuously every half hour until you are sure they are all asleep.

You sit up without pulling at the rope and begin to wriggle. It's stuck fast but you are determined.

Realising what you must do, you lower your head to your hand, tensing your trapped hand before biting down hard on it.

You gasp as blood flows which you wipe and spit onto the rope. With some more tugging, and reduced friction from the warm blood, your hand begins to free.

Skin peels off your wrist and hand as you ease it out inch by inch, rubbing off several layers and exposing the dark pink bloody stuff underneath.

With a final pull it slides free and you tuck it safely into your chest where is throbs and stings in the background.

Standing quietly, you look back but Yaz is asleep.

With that, you turn and disappear into the darkness. You walk until you are far enough to risk more noise by running, following the pictures as they get clearer and more frequent.

It promises peace and happiness, and you believe it.

Your uninjured hand reaches out of its own accord as a dark maroon shape comes into view. Wider than it was tall, you guessed it were magenta in the half light. Squinting carefully, you decide it is some sort of giant lotus flower. You want to touch it, and you see no reason not to.

You go to step over something warm, but your feet catch and you tumble to the ground. Looking down, you see it is some kind of doe, but huge and an intense butterscotch colour. It is breathing clearly but somehow deeply asleep. With the kick you just gave it, it should have woken. Flicking your hair over your shoulder and resting on you elbows and back, you prod it with your toe. Nothing.

It's eyes are open and staring, blissfully unaware of its surroundings. It occurs to you that that may be how you look.

It also looks sad, and with that, you feel the warmth disappearing from your chest.

You recoil as you realise the ground surrounding the flower is littered with unconscious animals, some you vaguely recognise as distant cousins to their Earth-counterparts, but some are completely foreign.

"(Y/N!)" someone shrieks and you turn to find Jenny standing not too far away, blinking furiously.

Perhaps now she could feel the pull of the flower.

Three more people come crashing through the forest; Missy, The Doctor and a mesmerised Yaz. The Doctor is keeping a firm grip on her.

Missy steps your way and you retreat a pace towards the flower, enjoying its pull again.

"Ok" she says, smiling anxiously. "I won't come any closer" she says with her hands raised and you swallow.

"But you need to get back here. Look around you (Y/n). They're not going to wake up. And neither will you if you get any closer."

At that you feel another pull from the flower, as does Yaz who tries again to escape. The Doctor tackles her to the floor.

"I'm tired" you say in child like tones and Jenny nods understandingly, also approaching, but stopping a safe distance away.

"That's ok, you can sleep soon" she says soothingly.

You have the urge to lie down, and feel your whole body droop.

"Walk towards me (Y/n)" calls Jenny in a controlled voice, and you consider it. Her voice is very inviting.

"The doe looks sad" you mumble looking down at the creature. "Can't you save her?" You aim at The Doctor who is holding Yaz on the floor.

"I'm sorry (Y/n), I'll make sure no one ever come here again, but you can't save her. Just walk towards us." She pants through the effort of holding Yaz.

You look at Jenny's anxious expression and Missy's determinedly light one and then back at the flower.

You sway slightly and shake your head to regain balance, pulling your hands out incase you fell.

"Your hand..." whispers Missy, facade cracking.

Blood drops off your fingers onto the crunchy leaves below.

"It hurts" you choke and Jenny swallows.

"Just come to me (Y/n), we'll make it better." She whispers and you turn with a huge effort and put one foot in front of the other.

"That's is (Y/n)! Focus on our voices." Calls Missy and you nod hazily. You feel disorientated but still you move, following the noises of their encouragement.

One step then another, the another and another until you cross an invisible threshold and they grab one arm each.

You wince and both relax before Missy calls over your shoulder to The Doctor "Now!" And with a rippling sensation you feel the connection cut off as some kind of force field appears around the flower.

"'Knew I Carried that for a reason" smiles Missy as you blink in confusion.

"Um... where are we? What happened?" You ask with a clear mind for the first time in hours. You remove your arm from their grips and cry out in pain.

"Shit what's that!?" you gasp, looking down at your almost skinless hand. Your retch drily at the agony and look away.

"We'll sort it soon." Says Missy, holding it gently in her own warm hand.

"It's ok, The Tardis should feel that's its safe to land now that the connection is cut" soothes Jenny and you listen as the magic box does indeed appear.

"If you can't control your pet don't have one" mutters Missy with an eye roll and you almost feel The Doctor's offence.

You giggle weakly and follow the others back inside, standing bemusedly next to an equally confused Yaz as the ship takes off.