One Last Chance |6| The Ascension

Chapter Thirty-Seven: In The Forest Of The Night

The forest was almost silent but for the rapid footsteps of a scared little girl. Perhaps that was to be expected—how many Earth fairytales involved children abandoned in the deep dark woods? And there were always other things too. Big bad wolves, wicked witches, and an unnerving feeling that you weren't alone. 

This forest was no different, except in technicalities. There was a Bad Wolf—or, more accurately, an Angel—but she wasn't any bigger than your average time-travelling mechanic. There was also a witch, but she was less wicked than mischievous, and her tastes didn't generally run to candy houses or cooked children. And that unnerving feeling of not being alone was more of an annoying one, in the sense that there was a strange man with a Glaswegian accent whose unwillingness to shut up this time came in the form of a lecture about thermodynamics. So it was a relief, really, to the witch and the wolf, when the little girl ran right up to the police box and knocked on the door. 

"I'm lost," she said plaintively when the door opened to reveal three confused individuals. "Please, can you help me?" 

"It's that way," the Doctor told her, pointing over her head, then shut the door. She deflated, but mere seconds later, the door was open again. 

"Wait," said Wanda, frowning. "Are those trees?"

The little girl ignored the question. "I need the Doctor. Are you the Doctor?" 

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, do you have an appointment? You need an appointment to see the Doctor." 

"Please," the girl begged. "Something's chasing me." 

At that, McKenzie shrugged. "Yeah, that'll do." She stepped aside, letting the girl into the TARDIS. "In you pop." 

They closed the doors behind her, smiling as she gasped in delight at the size of the ship. The Doctor went over to her to explain. "When you drink a glass of coke, it's only this big, but it's actually got this much sugar in it," he told her, making the gap between his hands wider. "It works like that."

"What does?" the girl asked. 

Wanda blinked. "The TARDIS. It's bigger on the inside than the outside... or did you not notice?" 

The girl shrugged, watching casually as McKenzie zipped up to the gallery to grab a map from the bookcase. "I just thought it was supposed to be bigger on the inside, so I didn't say anything." 

"Well, of course it's supposed to be bigger," the Doctor said, scoffing. "Most people are confused by that." 

"I find everything confusing, nearly," the girl admitted. "So I don't say anything. That's how come I'm in the woods. I thought Miss Oswald told me to find the Doctor. But it wasn't her. It was just in my head." 

"Miss Oswald?" McKenzie echoed. "Short? Dark hair? Surprisingly large eyes?" 

"Everyone says she's in love with Mr Pink," the girl added.

"The PE teacher," the Doctor said, making a face. 

"What's your name?" Wanda asked her. 

"Maebh," she answered, but her gaze was on the Doctor. "Mr Pink's a maths teacher. I really like him. I was in his group." 

"Mr Pink was looking after you?" McKenzie asked, raising her eyebrows. "Well, well, well, what a surprise." She noticed Wanda giving her a look and shrugged. "I'm not holding any grudges."

"It doesn't surprise you that we know all about your school?" the Doctor checked as he went over to the console, turning on the monitor. 

"Everyone seems to know everything about everything, apart from me," Maebh told him.