The Master's Game (Doctor Who)

Blink

"You're nuts..." The Master muttered, running a hand through his hair and looking utterly confused at Roka. Then he got louder. "I let you go, stupid human! You are free! Run!" He grabbed her collar and rudely pushed her away from the TARDIS.

Roka stumbled a few steps, caught herself and turned back around.

"I've been running all my life." She trod back, boldly staring at him.

He grabbed her shoulders. "Have I still not harmed you enough?!"

"So... you can't?" Roka just replied sternly, not averting her gaze. "Not so all mighty after all, hm?" She crossed her arms.

"No, I can't." He let go and stared at her with puckered brows. "Or rather, I won't. You just make things complicated. Get away!" Again he pushed her a step back. "You're basically immortal. There is a whole stupid planet under your feet. Screw the rest!"

But Roka didn't move. She had made up her mind.

The Master seemed to decide to just ignore her and went back to the TARDIS, but then froze mid-step, his face twitched suddenly and he shook his head. "Ugh, not... now, dammit!" He shook his head again. "Quiet... quiet..." His eyes pinched and flickered and he mumbled something about the drums. What was going on? Roka rushed to him, but he pushed her. "Don't you dare touching me!"

A deep anger was in his eyes. They pinched again as if in pain and he buried his head under his arms, while sinking down at the TARDIS.

Never before had she seen him like that, only vaguely after she had been poisoned. And she had no idea what to do. But whatever was going on, there was no way she would just leave him like that!

The thought surprised Roka for a moment, but no... no way. So she crouched down in front of him.

"What's... wrong?" she asked carefully.

When the Master looked up his eye's gaze was foggy and they flickered from time to time as if he didn't have full control over them anymore. "Go away," he muttered.

"Certainly not! Don't be so stubborn and let me help."

"Then make them stop." He giggled faintly and buried his head under his arms again, but then he said slowly, as if it was hard to speak, "Just...keep talking."

"Uhm... alright... I totally can do that." Roka slumped down next to him, pondering.

"Hmm... since you were so interested in my past... You missed quite an interesting bit. I met the Grim Reaper once, when I still was a child." She smiled at that memory. "He just stood there, leaned against a tree, huge and clad in a black coat with a wide hood. He had no scythe or lantern though. And since I was convinced to be a ghost, I thought he must have come to get me. I asked about it but got the strangest of answers." It was hard to recall the conversation, but she tried to put it together as good as her memory allowed. "He said something like... 'I could take your soul now, and you would be free, but then we will never meet.'" Roka paused for a few seconds. "I... could see his eyes for a moment. They were old and gentle... and sad." Of all things this was the clearest image in her head. "So I told him to go away then. Cause he really was a fascinating creature and by no means would I want to miss meeting him again.... mhm... can't remember anything after that though."

"You just made that up, right?" The Master mumbled next to her, a slightly amused tone in his voice. He raised his head a little, but didn't look at her. "That sounds so stupid, it can't be true."

Roka chuckled. "But it is. Although I'm not entirely sure it wasn't a dream. A very weird and... strangely vivid one though."

He threw an indefinable glance at her and slowly got up again, still looking as if it wasn't completely over yet. Roka didn't dare to ask, but it probably was obvious, since he said, "Happens sometimes. Just get unbearably loud. Don't know what triggers it..."