Testing: Clara Oswald

Chapter Nine

          Sorry it took so long to update but my computer is really screwed up right now and would only let me post the chapter to fanfiction.net. I'll try to update soon. Thanks again. Enjoy. 

Chapter Nine

Clara had that uneasy feeling that you get when you're sitting in hospital room chairs, when you're taking a test, or ordering food at a restaurant. She hated it. She never liked ordering food, she felt like they were always judging her, making her self confidence go way down. It was silly, but true. They just wanted her money and they'd be off back to their own world as soon as she was done.

"Ready?" The Doctor asked her, breaking into her thoughts, bringing her back to reality. She didn't look at him but she could feel him looking at her, studying her, judging her, because she didn't answer right away.

He eventually took her silence to heart. It wasn't a yes but it wasn't a no. He pulled himself together with pity as he stepped into the forest bounds. One foot at a time.

The barrier was evident. On one side there was sand and a warm sun, on the other there was a cold forest dripping of water. As soon as he crossed the edge he felt himself shiver, going up and then down his spine. He raised his cupped hands to his mouth where he breathed warm air into them, in an attempt to warm them up. It only helped slightly, only for a quick second. The changes were unbelievable.

He didn't think that Clara would follow him but soon enough, as he was standing there, he heard footsteps behind him and then the crunch of leaves beneath her feet. He smiled to himself.

"This, this is different." He heard her say quietly. The Timelord was busy taking in his surroundings but he managed a nod of agreement.

He looked at the ground to see small water droplets on leaves. Then he looked up with curiosity to watch as raindrops slid off of the trees and down the forest floor. He couldn't help but smile. It was refreshing. Literally.

The change of scenery shook Clara up a bit. I mean, she got it, she always has, with the aliens and stuff and foreign planets, anything can happen. That's just always how it's been. But this surprise seemed too drastic for her liking. It left her scared and nervous, even when she was putting her best foot forward, bracing herself for whatever was going to happen next.

"It's beautiful." The Doctor mumbled just loud enough that Clara could hear him. She kept walking towards him, who was standing ready to go a few feet away. "But, everything that is beautiful has a dangerous side." Clara's breath hitched a bit when he said that. She realised that the forest was a bit too quiet, abnormal.

"What do you thinks wrong with this place?" She asked him. He turned to her but instead of answering he raised a finger to his lips, motioning for her to be quiet. Her eyes widened as he then lowered his hand. "When you see them don't take your eyes off of them." He told her. She slowly shook her head. "What are you talking about?" You could practically taste the nerves in her voice. "Clara, I need you to listen to me carefully, alright?" She nodded quickly. How was he being so calm given the situation? And he knew the worst bit too. He could sense it from a mile away. "Don't blink."

As if on cue about a dozen weeping angels came into view, surrounding the travelers. Clara let out a nervous scream as the Doctor grabbed hold of her arm, steadying his companion. "Keep your eyes on them! Keep your eyes on them!" He yelled. He was trying his best to keep calm and collected but his breaths were getting quicker and quicker, his heartbeat getting faster and faster. His eyes moved back and forth between all of the statues, trying to keep track of them all. It proved to be difficult.

Clara's mind was racing at a hundred miles per hour, her brain working overtime. Her eyes were trained on the weeping angels in front of her but they were drying quickly. She had never been good at staring competitions.

With his hand on his companions arm he slowly started to move out of his position, bringing her with him. Clara looked down at her feet when she realised what he was doing. With that, three angels moved closer to her and the Doctor. "I told you to keep your eyes on them!" The Doctor yelled at her without loosing eye contact with the angels. "I'm sorry, I'm trying!" She yelled back in a panicked voice. The Doctor instantly felt quilt and shame from yelling at her. She was scared and he wasn't helping.

"It's alright, just keep trying, Clara." He told her as he kept moving forward, bringing her with him.

Maybe his plan wasn't thought out completely but he didn't know what else to do. He could only think of this one option. They would have to make it out of the forest. They would have to outrun the angels within a dark, dark place.

With his mind made up and his grip on his companion tight and secure, he ran through the forest. In order for the Timelord to be able to move like he had to he broke eye contact with the angels. Instead he studied the ground as he ran. He made sure he didn't fall over any stumps or branches. Making sure that the path was clear for Clara as well.

In his ear he could hear the faint swooshes of the angels moving around him, trying to catch him and Clara. But he just kept running, as fast and swiftly as he could.

The forest was big as we mentioned, there was no end in sight. This was what was running through Clara's mind. Sure, maybe they could outrun them but for how long? How long would it take?

Clara was holding the Doctor back now, he had to let go. He turned his head a bit, trying to make eye contact with her before he let go. As soon as her eyes fell upon his he loosened his grasp on her wrist, letting her go. She was on her own now.