Whirlwind

Five: The Ghost Snake

The Doctor stood in the coma ward, arms raised in victory. He had just beaten Prisoner Zero, there was no one it could turn into and hide as, he had won and saved the Earth, three minutes to spare. "Who da man?" 

Amy and Rory looked at him in confusion while Prisoner Zero just cocked its head. "Oh, I'm never saying that again. Fine." 

Prisoner Zero glanced to the side, seeing the human it had been tormenting for years comatose. The only one it hadn't used. The one with the connection to the Doctor. "Then I shall take a new form." 

Narrowing his eyes, the Doctor instantly wrote it off, "Oh, stop it. You know you can't. It takes months to form that kind of psychic link."

"And I've had years." 

The Doctor whirled around worriedly but was shocked when he found that Amy was still standing and was perfectly fine. It didn't make sense, he thought because the only other person who would have been Lawanda and she was in a coma. 

"Tell me you've seen Lawanda wandering about when she isn't supposed to and took a picture." The Doctor said to Rory, who shook his head. 

Slowly, the Doctor turned around and was shocked when he didn't see Lawanda, but instead a battered man who looked to be in his early twenties. "Well, that's rubbish. Who's that supposed to be?" 

Rory looked over at Prisoner Zero then at Amy, confused as to the question, "It's you." He said as though it was obvious. 

"Me? Is that what I look like?" He asked in shock, appraising himself. No wonder he was called Raggedy Doctor, he looked terrible. 

"You don't know?"

"Busy day. Why me, though? You're linked with her. Why are you copying me?" The Doctor asked, looking around the room and finding the one person that wasn't on the phone. She was pretty and didn't look at all like a Raggedy Doctor, so he was naturally confused as to what just happened. 

"I'm not," A small voice sounded and little Lawanda wandered out from behind the Doctor, keeping one hand wrapped around his leg, "Poor Lawanda Pond. Still such a child inside but with a memory longer than she knows. She dreams of magic lands and the Magic Doctor she believes will come back and save her from the scary Ghost Snake. What a disappointment you've been." 

The Doctor's eyes widened as he realized Prisoner Zero's mistake. Ghost Snake, Lawanda had seen Prisoner Zero that night, she knew what it actually looked like. "No, she's dreaming about me because she can hear me. Lawanda, don't just hear me, listen. Remember the night I came to your house, you were terrified of something, the Ghost Snake. I need you to dream of it, imagine the Ghost Snake, you can do it." 

Nothing was happening for a moment until Amy spoke up, "Wanda? I saw the Ghost Snake, I know its real, but you know what it looks like. You've seen it in your nightmares for twelve years. You can do this, you can save the world. Wanda please, remember the Ghost Snake." 

"No. No. No!" Little Lawanda cried as she transformed into herself. 

Rory was taken aback by the sight, he recognized the creature, he would recognize it anywhere, he had seen it so many times. "Oh my god, her drawings were spot on. They were perfect Amy." He said in shock. 

"Well done, Prisoner Zero. You terrorized a little girl so well that she was able to recall you in scarily accurate detail. A perfect impersonation of yourself." 

The Atraxi locked on to Prisoner Zero, a beam of light surrounding the creature, "Prisoner Zero is located. Prisoner Zero is restrained."

"Silence, Doctor. Silence will fall." Then it was gone, the sun came back into focus and the Ghost Snake was gone for good.