So Far, Yet So Close...

Chapter 15

18th September 2014 (again)

Clara sat nervously in the police station, biting her nails and hoping that John would come out soon. It had been quite a while now, although Clara had lost track of time.
A door opened and and a different policeman to the one who had arrested John entered the waiting room.
"I take it you are Clara Oswald?" he said.
Clara nodded.
"Can you come with me, miss? You're not in trouble, we just need to discuss some things."
Clara stood up slowly and followed the policeman to what looked like an interregation room. He offered for her to take a seat in front of him, and she sat silently while stacked some paper.
"Okay, so your friend, Mr Smith has described the events of yesterday evening to us but since you were a witness, you'll have to write a statement," the policeman said.
"Uh, well I was passed out for most of it..." Clara mumbled.
"We are aware. We just need you tell us what happened so we can fit the pieces together."
"Okay. Well, I remember Brett handing me a drink and inviting me to join him and his friends. It's all a bit of a blur after that. I remember him carrying me up the stairs. Why, I'm not sure. And my mum sang me a lullaby..." Clara recalled.
"Was your mum there?" The policeman asked.
"No. My mum died six months ago," Clara stated.
The policeman nodded at his notes. "Well, from what your saying it's clear that you were drugged. However, we're going to have to do some tests to determine which drug was used on you. But before that, there is something else."
Clara gulped, looking down at the bag which was lying in her lap.
"Mr Smith told us that Brett raped you," the policeman said. Clara could feel the policeman's eyes on her, and she couldn't look up.
"Miss Oswald, is this true?"
Clara coughed. "Yes, I think so. I'm not entirely sure, but that's what John told me and I would trust him with my life," she said, finally looking up but not meeting the policeman's eye.
He nodded once. "Alright. Well, we will have to examine you, just to make sure. I know this can't be easy for you at all. But are you aware that Mr Smith assaulted Brett Collins?"
"Yes. John told me. What happened to Brett?" Clara asked, scared about the answer.
"We haven't had any results from the hospital, but he was in a pretty bad state when his friends found him. Mr Smith is lucky he didn't go down for murder," the policeman informed Clara.
Clara sighed in relief. John wasn't a murderer at least. But she still couldn't say that was happening was good.
"Right, well. Thank you, Miss Oswald. Now, if you'd like to come with me. An officer will escort you to the hospital so you can have a check up."
"Thank you..." Clara let that linger so she could know the officer's name.
"PC Fraser, miss. I'm just doing my job," he said, giving her a friendly smile.
They walked in silence, passing a glass window which revealed another room behind it. In there was a table and John was sitting in front of it, his head in his handcuffed hands.
When he caught sight of Clara, he stood up.
"Are you okay?" She saw him mouth, although she couldn't hear anything.
She nodded, giving him a smile, before she was ushered forward by PC Fraser.
When they reached the lobby, there were a few people sitting in there, two of them she recognised as Brett's friends.
"Can I just do something, before we go? I need to ask someone something," Clara said, not waiting for an answer from PC Fraser before she stormed over to the two guys.
"Did you know what he had planned?" She threw at them, taking them both by surprise.
"Of course we didn't, we had nothing to do with this," one of them said defensively.
"So you were too stupid to realise I was completely out of it conveniently after he handed me a drink?" Clara asked suspiciously.
"He said you were drunk!" The other guy said.
"Oh, I was a bit more than drunk thanks to your dickhead of a friend!" Clara raised her voice.
PC Fraser was behind her now, taking her arm.
"Now's not the time, Miss Oswald. The car is waiting for you outside so I'd suggest you calm down," he said.
Clara gave the two boys one last glare, before turning away and exiting the building.

***

John had fallen asleep waiting for something to happen in that interrogation room. He'd been left alone for at least an hour after he recounted the events of the night before, and the only thing that had happened was Clara walking past.
What took them so long? Couldn't they just tell him what the hell was going on so he wouldn't seem so clueless?
He scratched his head and looked around the room. There was nothing. Just walls, floor and ceiling. The table in front of him was the only unique thing, and even that was super dull. This was turning out to be a really rubbish day.
T

he door swung open, and PC George, the policeman who had questioned him stepped in, before taking a seat.
"We have to thank you for your cooperation, Mr Smith. Most people of your age don't make our job very easy. However, as the case may be, I am charging you with common assault and battery and am sentencing you to six months community service," he said.
John nodded, accepting his punishment and feeling grateful that it hadn't come to anything worse.
"I'm sorry about your girlfriend, lad. No girl should ever have to go through what she did," PC George sighed.
"Oh, um. She's not my girlfriend. She's my best friend," John corrected quickly.
"Pardon me. It's just... Never mind. You are free to go as soon as you have completed your paperwork at reception."
John stood up, relief washing over him. "Thank you, sir. I honestly appreciate what you do for our community," he said.
"I've charged you. You can stop being nice now," PC George smiled.
"Right," John chuckled, before turning left before shortly realising that reception was on the right. What an awkward bugger he was.