The Girl Who Survived (Doctor Who)

"We're Going To Have a Seance"

Gwyneth lit up a gas lamp in the pantry. Rose and I stood next to her and staged as she moved to do the dishes, Rose moved to the dishes and stared to do them. "Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping. It's not right." Gwyneth insisted. "Don't be daft. Sneed works you to death. How much do you get paid?" Rose asked. "Eight pound a year, miss." Gwyneth smiled. "How much?" I asked her. "know. I would've been happy with six." Gwyneth admitted. "So, did you go to school or what?" Rose questioned. "Of course I did. What do you think I am, an urchin? I went every Sunday, nice and proper." Gwyneth was a really sweet girl. I really thought so. Rose jut didn't get that she had is it so much easier than these people. "What, once a week?" Rose inquired. "We did sums and everything. To be honest, I hated every second." Gwyneth light laughed. "Me too." Rose giggled. "Don't tell anyone, but one week, I didn't go and ran on the heath all on my own." Gwyneth whispered.

"I did plenty of that. I used to go down the shops with my mate Shareen. We used to go and look at boys." Rose retorted. "And you Rebel?" They turned to me. "If I skipped class I'd be punished..... But I still skipped. Went around with my friends and we went up to this little spot. On a hill. It's not important-" I trailed off. "Well, I don't know much about that, miss. The boys..." Gwyneth admitted. "Come on, times haven't changed that much. I bet you've done the same." Rose prodded. "I don't think so, miss." Gwyneth continued on cleaning as we talked to each other.

"Gwyneth, you can tell us. I bet you've got your eye on someone." Rose winked. "I suppose. There is one lad. The butcher's boy. He comes by every Tuesday. Such a lovely smile on him." Gwyneth blushed. "I like a nice smile. Good smile, nice bum." This comment from Rose made me snort and I covered my mouth as I smiled. "Well, I have never heard the like." Gwyneth stammered. "Ask him out. Give him a cup of tea or something, that's a start." I suggested. "I swear it is the strangest thing, misses. You've got all the clothes and the breeding, but you talk like some sort of wild things." Gwyneth noted.

"Maybe I am. Maybe we both are. Maybe that's a good thing. You need a bit more in your life than Mister Sneed." I said, still mad at the old man. "Oh, now that's not fair. He's not so bad, old Sneed. He was very kind to me to take me in because I lost my mum and dad to the flu when I was twelve." She sighed. "Oh, I'm sorry." I sympathized. "Thank you, miss. But I'll be with them again, one day, sitting with them in paradise. I shall be so blessed. They're waiting for me. Maybe your dad's up there waiting for you too, miss. And your family." She told us. The thing about Rose's father and my family shook me.

"Maybe. Er, who told you he was dead?" Rose stumbled. "And about my family. How did you know?" I stammered. "I don't know. Must have been the Doctor." She lied. "My father died years back." Rose sadly said. "And I lost my family in- the time- war..." I stuttered. "But you've been thinking about them lately more than ever." Gwyneth corrected. "I suppose so. How do you know all this?" Rose asked.

"Mister Sneed says I think too much. I'm all alone down here. I bet you've got dozens of servants, haven't you, miss?" Gwyneth sighed so "No, no servants where I'm from." Rose told her. "And you've come such a long way." Gwyneth declared.

"What makes you think so?" I joined in.

"You. The girl with a hidden name. From a whole different world. Fire, burning, pain and loss. They make up you. You've seen world end, worlds been, you've saved people and let them die. The red grass. Those magnificent cites. All those people, gone.

And the other. You're from London. I've seen London in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing about half naked, for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky, no, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People are flying. And you, you've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. The darkness, the big bad wolf. The bad wolf is inside both of you! I'm sorry. I'm sorry, misses." Gwyneth cried.

"It's all right." I patted her shoulder and hugged her lightly.

"I can't help it. Ever since I was a little girl, my mam said I had the sight. She told me to hide it." Gwyneth burst out. "But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?" The Doctor appeared out of no where and we all turned to him. "All the time, sir. Every night, voices in my head." Gwyneth admitted. "You grew up on top of the rift. You're part of it. You're the key." The Doctor told her."I've tried to make sense of it, sir. Consulted with spiritualists, table rappers, all sorts." Gwyneth breathed. "Well, that should help. You can show us what to do." I said, putting my arm around her shoulder. "What to do where, sir? Ma'm?" She asked. "We're going to have a séance." The Doctor said.