Through all this Time (a tenrose fanfic)

Mirror Image

My screams echoed throughout the red pulsing hallways. The thing stared at me, cocked its makeshift head to one side, and shambled a step forward. I flinched, cowering back from the pure terror of its appearance. The screaming got louder. The shrillness of the sound is what finally woke me up from my horror-stricken state, and as before, I clamped one clammy hand over my mouth.

Silence. Pure and sweet, cloying and terrible. The ringing in my ears from now-absent noise almost was enough to stifle the sound of my heart thudding within my chest.

"The Sahsarri aren't a very peaceful race." The tardis had told me.

"There was a war, a long, long time ago. A war so terrible it makes the time war look like a child's game. A war long before there were distinctions between good and evil. There were no villains, no heroes... there were only the Sahsarri. The Sahsarri and the Ventri. They lived in peace for a time. A good long time. But then was born a Sahsarri warrior called Credah."

Curious, I had listened intently as the Tardis spun the tale.

"Credah was unlike his brothers and sisters. He was angry, jealous, and full of rage. He believed the only way to bring glory upon himself was to wipe out the entirety of the Ventri so the Sahsarri could rule eternally supreme over all planets, all dimensions, all worlds. Yet, he did not want to be the one credited with such a genocide. His plan was crafted carefully, and one historic evening he made his move. He crept through the city, moving from house to house. And surely and swiftly, he murdered every single adult Sahsarri male and female."

'He murdered his own people!?' I had asked in horror. 'But why? That doesn't make any sense!'

"Ah, but listen ma fille de soleil, Credah was an intelligent being. He didn't want the Sahsarri to reign supreme only during his own lifetime. He wanted to create within his own race an army of bloodthirsty, malicious beings who would seek vengeance and war upon all other living species. By murdering the adults, he was left with thousands upon thousands of lost children looking for guidance. Blaming the killings on the Ventri and others who might be jealous of the Sahsarri, Credah raised the children as fighters. Warriors who would battle to the death and fight without questioning.

Over time, the species evolved, the strongest fighters and survivors breeding with each other and eventually creating a camouflaged, intelligent, and deadly race of revenge-driven soldiers. They intimidate by changing their appearance, appealing to darkest fears, and stalking their prey."

'Well they sound like wonderful fellas.' I had remarked sarcastically.

And now, with heart thudding in my chest, I could see the tardis had been completely truthful. These creatures would stop at nothing to terrify, intimidate, and defeat their enemies.

My eyes lingered on the thing in front of me. It's charred sort-of-flesh and white splotches of bone glistened slightly in the red glow. The matted, clumped hair fell in ragged chunks—blonde against its filth-smeared facial features. And the face. That horrible, grotesque, oh so familiar face.

I let myself look up into its eyes...

***
I remember once when I was young, mum took me to a festival an hour or so outside of the city. There had been pony rides for the kiddies, and games with tantalizing prizes. Stuffed teddy bears, brightly colored balloons, simple magic tricks. It was heaven for a small child as I'd been. I remember riding the Ferris wheel, pretending I was aboard the Eye, and calling out all the sights I could see to mum standing below. I'd tried my best to get her to ride with me, but afraid as she was of heights back then, she'd refused.