All of Space and Time

Creatures of Mud

I followed behind the Doctor and Yaz as we made our way into town. "Willa?" Yaz called as we saw her walk out of her house. Yaz then took the lead and introduced us. "My name's Yaz. This is the Doctor, and this is.." Yaz looked to me questioningly.

"I'm a Mandolerian, I have no title." I said and she seemed to buy it.

"Where are you going?" Yaz asked.

"As far away from here as I can." She replied.

"Don't  blame you. But before you do, can we talk to you first?" The Doctor asked. "We're not Witchfinders, we just want to find out exactly what's going on here and maybe we can fix things."

"Can you help us, Willa? Because we want to help you." Yaz said. She nodded and let us into her home before closing and locking the door.

"Wow! Are these all yours?" The Doctor asked bent over examining everything on the table.

"There my grandmother's." Willa said. Yaz sat down and I moved over to stand behind the Doctor. "She made medicines to help the people. She wasn't a witch. Everyone knows that."

"So why did Becka Savage target her?" Yaz asked.

"Maybe she was ashamed of the woman who brought her up." Willa said simply.

"Wait! You and Becka are family?" The Doctor asked.

"Cousins. We were all close, until Becka married up. Left us all behind." She said moving around the Doctor and by me. She bent down in the fireplace to feed the small fire. "Still, thought it'd be safe when the witch-hunt started. And then it just got worse and worse, everyone turned on each other. Granny said it was only a matter of time before they turned on us." She stopped and looked at us sadly, regretfully. "I didn't believe her." She then got up and started to make a tea. "Here, granny's special tea. It soothes the soul." She said offering it out. "Unless you think I'm a witch."

The Doctor took the cup as did Yaz. She moved to get me one but I declined. "Are you not having any?" The Doctor asked Willa as she put the cup she offered me down.

"I feel to sick." She said.

"Do you mind if I check you over?" The Doctor asked as she searched for her sonic screwdriver. "Don't worry, I am a Doctor."

"What's that?" Willa asked as the Doctor began to scan her over.

"Er, specialist equipment."

"That movement in the mud, it was Satan, wasn't it?"

The Doctor read the readings on the screwdriver. "Doubt it. Not a big believer in Satan."

"My granny used to say there was enough wonder in nature without making things up."

"Your grandmother was right." I said from the back. "We've met real witches before, the Doctor and I. Let me tell you something." I said taking a step up to her. "There aren't any here, this is just the fear and panic of everyone building into a paranoia." That seemed to ease her mind somewhat.

"I like your granny." The Doctor said reading the screwdriver again. "Completely normal. No magic, and no signs of any sickness."

"Your wrong." Willa said.

"I think I know what it is making you sick." Yaz spoke up. "I had it at my school where I'm from. When Izzy Flint turned the whole class against me everyday I'd wake up feeling this..."

"Dread." I said and the others looked to me. "Fear, and this continued everyday."

"How did you two get rid of it?" She asked hopeful.