The Beginning of the End (Doctor Who)

Chap. 25

The only not-so-great part about being on the front is you can still hear them talking.

"Hey, Yaz, can you believe it? Alien planet, man." Ryan exclaims.

"I know."

"This planet doesn't make any sense. No other life forms except us and the microbes in the water. No people, no animals, no insects, no nothing. But he talked about the old settlements. What happened here?" The Doctor baffles.

"No-one cares." The man dismisses.

"Don't take him personally. He treats everyone like this." The woman explains.

"I don't need other people."

"We all need other people, mate." Graham says.

"We're all alone. That's how we start and end, and it's the natural state of all points in between."

"Were you born that miserable, or did you have to work at it?" Graham asks.

"You know, when I was four, my mum told me to climb a tree. She made me climb until I was too scared to climb any higher. Then she told me to jump into her arms. Don't worry, she said, I'm your mum, I'm here for you, I'll catch you. So I jumped. And she moved out of the way."

"What?" The Doctor exclaims.

"Sorry, did you say your mum did this to you?" Yaz adds, sounding shocked.

"I smashed into the ground. Broke this arm, shattered that ankle. And she stood over me and said, Now you've learned. You can never trust anyone in this life."

"That is messed up." Ryan sighs.

"Best thing she ever did for me. I loved my mum."

"Yeah, she sounds terrific." Graham remarks.

"Your mum was wrong. We're stronger together." The Doctor disapproves.

"He has a point." You turn around, leaning against the railing. If it were to snap... you love a little thrill. "You never really know who you can trust until it comes down to it. But by that point, it's too late. It's better to stand alone."

The Doctor sadly shakes her head, looking down.

"I don't know your past, Y/n, but-" You know where she's going.

"Don't start." You cut her off, turning back to watching the ripples in the water.

You tune out, one because everyone's voices become silent, and two because the water is hypnotizing. No thoughts cross your mind, just watching the ripples and waves created by the boat. It's like sleeping with your eyes open.

At some point you do hear voices, but they seem to slip by.

"Y/n!" Someone lightly touches your hand. You snap your head up, blinking a few times to see a pair of hazel eyes meet yours. "Time to go." She softly says.

You nod, swiftly leaving the boat. Back into the desert.

"Have you seen yourself, Epzo?" The woman taunts, "I'd say you love that cigar more than you've loved any person."

He twirls it in his hands, "Have you any idea how rare and expensive these are? It takes half an Althusian lifetime to make just one of these. To make them, roll them, age them, and then, and this is the best bit, they make them self-lighting. Just one click of the fingers and it lights itself." He grins.

"Really?" You amusedly say, holding up your fingers as if to snap.

"Don't you dare." He warns, and you laugh, putting your hand down. "You really are tightly wound." You hold up your hand again, but this time he pulls out his pistol.