Bad Wolf (Book One of the Doctor's Daughter)

Bad Wolf

Dad lands inside a small cupboard before he feels like it's spinning on him. He stands up and stumbles out of it, landing inside a bright decorated house on the carpet with a groan. "What is it? What's happening?"

"Oh, my God!" A young woman rushes to his side. "I don't believe it! Why'd they put you in there? They never said you were coming!"

He tries to pull himself up. "What happened? I was..."

She tries to help him up. "Careful now. Oh!" Dad's legs give away. "Oh, mind yourself! Oh, that's the transmat. It scrambles your head. I was sick for days." He tries to push himself up with her help. "All right?" He groans in response, managing to stay standing up. "So, what's your name then, sweetheart?"

"The Doctor, I think." He answers, shaking his head to clear it. "I was, er. I don't know, what happened? How..." He looks at her with confusion.

"You got chosen." She explains.

"Chosen for what?"

"You're a housemate. You're in the house!" She beams. "Isn't that brilliant?"

"That's not fair!" Another man complains from the couch, sitting next to a black woman. "We've got eviction in five minutes! I've been here for all nine weeks, I've followed the rules, I haven't had a single warning, and then he comes swanning in."

"If they keep changing the rules, I'm going to protest, I am." The woman next to him says. "You watch me, I'm going to paint the walls."

"Would the Doctor please come to the Diary Room?" A robotic voice announces.

Dad turns around after looking up at the ceiling to see a silver door swing open. He slowly walks over and sits down on the red chair.

"You are live on channel 44,000. Please do not swear."

Dad huffs. "You have got to be kidding."

*****

Rose wakes up on a studio floor. "What happened?"

A black man crouches in front of her. "It's all right. It's the transmat." He reassures her. "Does your head in. Get a bit of amnesia. What's your name?"

"Rose." She blinks, looking around. "But where's the Doctor?"

"Just remember do what the android says. Don't provoke it. The android's word is law."

"What do you mean, android?" She looks at him. "Like a robot?"

"Positions, everyone! A woman calls out. "Thank you!"

"Come on, hurry up." He helps Rose to her feet. "Steady, steady."

She grabs onto him as her head spins. "I was travelling, with the Doctor, my sister, Angel, and a man called Captain Jack. They wouldn't just leave me."

"That's enough chat!" A woman calls. "Positions! Final call! Good luck!"

"But I'm not supposed to be here." Rose mutters.

"It says Rose on the podium." He remarks, nodding at it. "Come on." He walks over to his podium, standing behind it.

"Hold on, I must be going mad." Rose says, going over to her podium. "It can't be. This looks like the..."

"Android activated!" A woman shouts.

"Oh, my God, the android." Rose breathes, staring at it. "The Anne droid."

"Welcome to The Weakest Link!" The droid replies.

*****

Jack slowly wakes up in a white room with two blurry faces of droids staring at him. One purple, the other blue.