The Monk's Altar

Chapter 14

Rose had a feeling that teleportation was probably the most uncomfortable thing she had ever experienced.  It felt like she was being taken apart and put back together, and she felt more than heard herself cry out.  The dress whipped around her legs and she clenched her hands before gritting her teeth.

Her arms tingled, and for one freeing moment, it felt like Kelickte's men weren't gripping her.  It was almost as though she was free, floating in space.  Even if that were true, she was afraid to move, just in case the teleportation was touchy and would pull her into one thousand pieces if she moved even a little bit.  

She heard someone screaming in the distance and realized it must be her, out of pain and fear.  She tried to stop it but found that the sensation was too overwhelming and she couldn't turn it off.  It was painful and she could feel her heart slamming against her ribs.  It felt as though it would never stop.

Finally, she felt something other than pain.  A familiar sort of cold set in and she opened her eyes again, looking out around the garden that was so familiar yet now gave her a feeling akin to horror.  This sort of cold was usually chased away by being held by the Doctor, and now... She swallowed hard before gulping in cold night air, the feeling of it like icicles against her exposed and barely covered skin.  

She looked before her and saw the Doctor.  Her heart jumped at the sight of him and on instinct she tried to run to him, but Kelickte's men held her back.  She groaned in frustration as the Doctor jumped to his feet.  His tie was loose and his oxford rumpled, his eyes looking oddly tired.  He clenched his fists at his sides and stared at her, as though he could draw her closer with his mind alone. 

"Ah, you fool," Kelickte laughed, walking around his posse to the front of Rose, brandishing a long butcher knife.  Rose felt fear strike her and she stumbled backwards.  The men cackled and the Doctor's eyes hardened, snapping to Kelickte.  

"I think that's enough," the Doctor said lowly, "You let her go."

Kelickte gasped in faux shock.  "The Doctor, was it?  Ah, yes. We've not met before, but I'm afraid you think yourself higher than I?"  He scoffed.  "You are incorrect."

"I don't think myself better than anyone, but I know that Rose Tyler is not to die yet," the Doctor said, chancing a tense step forward. "I am not anticipating her funeral and I won't watch her die."

"Stick around, Doctor, you just might."

The men were too strong for Rose as their grips tightened on her.  She kicked her feet as they lifted her up, trying to fight them, twisting her arms in ways that would have thrown off human men.  These aliens had grips of steel and she had a feeling that she was not going to be escaping so easily.  She was proved correct as her back slammed onto the marble of the altar.  She cried out at the cold of the table and the force of the impact. 

"Rose!"

She could only see the blackness of the sky as the men pressed their hands over her wrists and ankles.  She flailed about, confused and frantic, and when they lifted their hands, she still couldn't move. 

"Invisible bondage?" The Doctor's voice was raising in his anger.  "That's inhumane!" 

He was about to shout again, she could tell, but Kelickte pulled out a little futuristic looking remote and leveled him with a smug stare.  "You don't want to know what this is for."

"I know what it's for," the Doctor said lowly, "I have been to places and seen things, done things that you would never imagine.  Let her go."

Kelickte laughed and pressed a button on the remote.  Rose shouted as she felt slicing across her ankle.  The Doctor let out a strangled cry as well, as though he felt it as well.  She whimpered and thrashed in her bonds, blindly hoping that she might be able to twist just the right way to get out.