Through the Universe [2]

II. Fear Her

Rose and I are sat on Trish's sofa and the Doctor flings his coat down next to me. "The Torch Bearer is running up towards the mall, which I can tell you is..." the Commentator on the TV for the Olympic games says.

"She stays in her room, most of the time. I try talking to her, but it's like trying to speak to a brick wall." Trish says. "She gives me nothing, just asks to be left alone."

"What about Chloe's dad?" I ask her.

"Chloe's dad died a year ago." Trish says.

"I'm sorry." Rose apologises.

"You wouldn't be if you'd known him." Trish says.

"Well! Let's go and say hi!" the Doctor says brightly.

"I... uh... I should check on her first..." Trish says, hesitantly. "... she might be asleep."

"Why are you afraid of her, Trish?" the Doctor asks her.

"I want you to know before you see her that's she's really a great kid." Trish says.

"I'm sure she is." I tell her.

"She's never been in trouble at school... you should see her report from last year. As and Bs." Trish says smiling at me and Rose. This causes us to smile back.

"Can I use your loo?" I ask her and Trish nods her head. I stand up from the sofa and walk out of the room, feeling the Doctor's eyes on me as I leave the room.

I walk up the stairs and emerge on the landing. A shadow blocks out the light from the crack beneath Chloe's bedroom door and there is a movement within the room. I hurry to hide myself in a nearby airing cupboard, closing the ventilated doors on myself. I watch Chloe leave her room through the gaps and hear her footsteps on the stairs. I cautiously walkout from the cupboard, closing the door as quietly as I can behind me. I push Chloe's bedroom door and look inside, observing the hundreds of drawings covering the walls.

I creep further in, looking around. The wardrobe doors rattle, and I gasp. Jumping, I knock a pencil holder onto the floor which causes me to quickly pick them up and replaces them where they were sat. My gaze is suddenly drawn to a drawing of a boy, baring his teeth at her, the boy is merely frowning a few moments ago.

I jump at the sound of the wardrobe doors rattling again. After a few nervous glances around the room, I approach the wardrobe slowly... then I open the doors slowly, peering inside. A wind is rustling clothes. I part them to see the back of the wardrobe, and a red light floods the wardrobe and reflects off my face. On the back of the wardrobe, there is a huge picture of a bearded man whose face is contorted with fury – the red light is coming from his glowing red eyes. This is Chloe's dad. "I'm coming..." the man says.

"Doctor!" I yell, terrified from where I'm standing. A few seconds later, the Doctor bursts into the room. "I'm coming to hurt you..." Chloe's dad says.