The Artist and the Doctor

Chapter 3

"Maia, let's think about this rationally!" I begged as she dragged me through the crowded streets of Salem, Danae following close behind. "We don't even know this guy! For all we know he could be a creepy psychopath or a serial killer!"

"Claire, will you stop being such a worry wart! Live in the moment for once!" She snapped.

I wrenched my hand out of hers and stopped walking. "I'm going home." I mumbled before turning around and heading in the opposite direction.

"Wait, Claire, I'm sorry!" Maia shouted after me. I ignored her and blindly made my way through the crowds.

"Claire! Please, just wait!" Danae called running up behind me.

I groaned slightly before turning around to face Danae. "You know she didn't mean it. She's just trying to get you out of your shell. Yeah, she might be going about it the wrong way, but you know her intentions are good."

I sighed heavily "I know, I'm just not the partying type. Besides, I don't feel comfortable in all of these crowds and I'm not very keen on being set up with some guy I don't even know!"

"Yeah, that was a little uncalled for... but you know how Maia can be."

I rolled my eyes in agreement. "Yeah, well you tell her that I'm not mad at her and make sure she doesn't get herself into any trouble. I just need to go home right now and try to relax."

Danae nodded in understanding. "Ok, I'll see you later. Call me if you need anything."

"Will do." I smiled at her.

With that I made my way through the crowds of people clad in all sorts of costumes waiting in lines at museums, haunted houses, and other attractions. I was about halfway through the crowd when something caught my eye.

How is that even possible?

Standing a few feet away from me was an exact replica of the alien creature I had drawn for my Illustration class. Every little detail was spot on from the designs on his armor to the blue fire coming out of his eyes and nostrils. I stared at him in bewilderment.

How could anyone even pull that off? Was someone stealing my ideas? How did they even get the blue fire?

I continued to try and wrap my mind around what was in front of me when someone crashed into me for the second time that day breaking me out of my trance.

"Oh dear I am so sorry. I really am a klutz. Are you ok- Claire!" I stared in shock at the same bow-tie-wearing-doctor from earlier today. Thank God my friends weren't here. "Well isn't this nice. I was hoping I'd bump into you again." He said with a smile.

"I-it's nice to see you too." I stuttered. I quickly looked back to where the alien was, but he was gone. Damn it.

"Enjoying your Halloween? Lot's of interesting things to see in good old Salem; haven't been here in ages. I certainly missed all the witchcraft and history this town has to offer." He rambled as he rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"Yeah, it get's really busy around this time of year... Are you ok?"

He seemed to have frozen with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Oh my stars..." He said under his breath.

"What?"

All of a sudden he flailed his arms about in excitement, a stupid grin on his face.

"Finally someone agrees with me!" He cried happily and pulled me into a tight hug.

A gasp escaped my lips and I quickly pushed away from him, as my cheeks grew hot and panic started to creep up on me.

He seemed to have sensed my discomfort and immediately apologized. "Oh, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you; it's just that I really like your shirt. You see everyone I've met has always asked me why I wear a bow tie because they think they're rather dreadful looking, but Claire, my friend, your shirt explains it all. Bow ties are and forever will be cool." He grinned pointing at my shirt.

I shifted uncomfortably. "Err, thank you." To be honest I didn't really know what else to say. This guy was just strange and I didn't know if he was some creep or if he was just overly friendly. I had a feeling it was most likely the latter.

"May I ask where you got that beautiful shirt?" He asked eagerly.

"I um... found it in a store at the ma-" My voice trailed off when I spotted the person dressed up as my alien character again standing a few feet behind the Doctor.

The Doctor arched one of his none existent eyebrows at me before turning around.

"Oh wow! Now there's something I've never seen before." He said in excitement a huge grin on his face. "I just love discovering new species!"

"What are you talking about, it's a costume." I asked starting to fear for this man's sanity.

"A costume? You humans are so silly sometimes." He laughed as he grabbed a hold of my hand and started dragging me towards the alien while rambling on about a lot of nonsense. "That Claire; is an alien! An alien I've never seen before which is very rare because I've pretty much encountered every type of species that the universe has created. But then again it's always a pleasant surprise when I do find someone new."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I asked in confusion as I let him drag me along with him.

We stopped in front of the guy with the costume. I couldn't help, but glare at him. Stealing my idea. I thought angrily.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor. Where may I ask are you from? I've never met anyone like you before. Always really exciting when I meet a new species." The Doctor rambled.

The guy stayed silent and stared at us intently. I stared back at him uncertainly. There's no possible way he knows that it's an Oxyopythene from the planet Spockyotythamous. I didn't even write that down on the paper with the drawing, in fact I just made that up right now on the spot. At least he couldn't steal that idea.

"I am an Oxyopythene. I hail from the planet Spockyotythamous." He claimed in a raspy voice.

I tensed up and let my hand slip out of the Doctor's as I stared at the creature in shock.

"Claire are you ok?" The Doctor asked in concern.

I took a step back and eyed the creature warily. My heart rate started to pick up and my palms began to sweat. My teeth chattered slightly as my anxiety started to raise its ugly head.

"How do you know that?" I asked my voice shaking slightly with anger and fear. "I never wrote that down on the paper, not to mention even spoke of it to anyone. I just thought of that right now! Are you reading my mind or something? How did you get my drawings? How could you have been able to make this costume in only a couple of hours?"

"I don't understand." The creature rasped.

"What do you mean you don't understand?" I was growing hysterical. "Either you've been stealing my ideas or you really are an alien, but I highly doubt that because aliens aren't real!"

The Doctor cleared his throat causing me to look at him.

"Right?" I asked him fearing the answer. Tears were starting to prickle at my eyes and my teeth were chattering so hard it was getting hard for me to talk properly.

The alien then started to walk away clearly growing bored with us.

The Doctor didn't answer instead he grabbed my hand and squeezed it slightly. "I'll explain everything later, I promise." He gave me a small smile before darting off after the alien.

I stood there in the middle of the crowded street feeling completely lost and confused.

What just happened?