ODDITY ⇆ DOCTOR WHO

0.41 | F.O.P

〖 THE FIRES OF POMPEII 〗

EVELINA LOOKED ON THE VERGE of death itself. She was pale, sweating and weak. Her mother seemed less than bothered. After her collapse in the main room Donna and Valarie had volunteered to help Metella carry her to her room. Her room was oddly shady, and cool in temperature. Donna stood back with Metella who watched her sleeping daughter.

"She didn't mean to be rude." Metella sighed, referencing the little show of announcing who the trio really were back in the main room. The encounter left them unsettled, to say the least. "She's ever the sweetest girl, but when the gods speak through her-."

"What is this?" Valarie asked, who had been standing over Evelina next to her bed. She lifted her left arm, showing a peculiar rash on it. "What's wrong with her arm?" She looked to Metella, not thinking highly of her parenting skills at the moment.

"An irritation of the skin. She never complains, gods bless her. We bath in olive oil every night." Donna approached looking at her arm. It looked cracked and grey in the rash.

"What is it?" Donna asked Valarie in a hushed voice. Valarie ran her fingers over the spot, feeling nothing but cold, hard, rock. She looked up slowly and then at Dona.

"It's stone."

__

When the girl woke, she seemed to be better. Donna was modeling a purple shawl, enticing a laugh from Evelina. Donna raised an eyebrow at her.

"You aren't supposed to laugh, thanks. But Val, what do you think?" She asked, noticing Valaire's distant gaze out of her window. "The Goddess Venus?" Donna smiled. Valarie shook her head, chuckling and looking back out. "Oi, don't you laugh at me either. I'm sure those overalls aren't exactly in roman fashion." Donna said, making Evelina laugh again. Poor girl probably never heard the word overalls before.

The cool night air brushed against her exposed skin. She closed her eyes for a second, letting it push the short and baby hairs that had escaped her pony tail to move freely. It was weird. The cold air was like that Valarie had felt at home in her childhood during summer nights. How odd that Pompeii was so calm before it would be smothered in molten rock, ash, and unimaginable death.

"Evelina, what do you see happening tomorrow?" She overhead Donna asking. She partially turned her head, arms still crossed.

"The sun will rise, and the sun will set. Nothing happens." Evelina replied after thinking.

"Look, don't tell the Doctor because he will kill me but, I got a prophecy of my own." Valarie knew part of that was more directed at her. Evelina lifted her hands to cover her eyes in an odd fashion.

"You've got to hear me out. Evelina, are you listening?" Donna pleaded.

"There is only one true prophecy." Evelina seemed to be falling back into her soothsayer mindset. Valarie turned to face them, just now seeing the eyes painted on the back of Evelina's hands.

"Evelina, please." She butted in. She would be a liar if she said she didn't share in the same guilt Donna did. She wanted to warn them, at least. She approached the girl. "Evelina, after tomorrow Pompeii won't exist. It'll be a relic of destruction. That mountain is going to explode." She pointed out the window. Evelina shook her head, hands still covering her eyes.

"This is false prophecy. You are a false prophet."

"She is telling the truth." Donna added. "It sounds strange but please, just leave town with your family for us." Donna pleaded more. Valarie shook her head, resting a hand on Donna's shoulder.