the day that time stood still (thasmin)

chapter 17

(unknown character pov)

The two strange women, neither of this time, walked back out of the home of the strange detective couple. They went, side by side, familiar like husband and wife, towards the blue box which no-one realises wasn't there a few hours ago, no-one but me. Trying not to be seen by the pair, I follow. It is difficult to be sly when the floor beneath you clicks under the weight of your foot. I am fortunate, as they are too engrossed in their own conversation to be aware of my presence. Although their voices were once quiet, the volume they are now speaking at is more than audible, even over the bustle of machinery, and carriages drawn by horses.

"doctor, we need to talk." Is all I can catch from the darker skinned woman, but her voice holds solemn and angry tones. This doctor character does very little in response, and their voices hush back down, meaning eavesdropping is far more difficult, although I do catch the unnamed woman's name. "yaz". It is a peculiar name, one that is not of this place, nor time, yet it rings around my head as if it is triggering some form of memory. But alas, nothing comes from this temporary lapse of my mentality. As that strange pair return into the box, blue as the thames, small as a cupboard, I retreat, taking the long route back to the public house my father owns.

Taking the routes I travel everyday, I feel an air of something that is wrong, like the two women earlier today. The same wrongness they carried with them. Its followed them throughout London. Taking left after right, after left, weaving through the constricted alleys and roads I have grown up on, I feel as though something is following me, taking the same steps I am, yet when I turn around I see nothing. Paranoia creeps up within me, and I realise my pace has increased significantly so that I am almost running. From behind me, around a corner I have just taken, a fierce thrashing sound fills my ears, the woman's voice from earlier follows, saying utter nonsense you would only hear in a dickens novel.

"doc, its got away again."

"don't worry yaz, we'll get it, its only a Gergastran, they can't run very fast, great at hide and seek."

The two confusing women continue discussing the strange thing they appear to be chasing, and I can't help but feel as though I could be of some help. From their arguing about which way to go I can gather that, as I had guessed earlier, they aren't from around here. Their footsteps come up behind me and I slow myself down.

"excuse me miss, do you need some help?"

"huh?" The blonde haired one says, turning to me, walking backwards.

"you look lost. Do you need help getting around?"

"uh, yeah, that would be nice, great help, thanks." The other woman continues to search around the bins and cluttered road we are on. "this is Yaz, I'm the doctor."

"alright, sorry, I can't help myself, but I heard your conversation earlier. What exactly are we looking for."

"now that's difficult to explain. Its like an invisible cat, blends in with its surroundings perfectly."

"doctor! I heard something" yaz shouts next to us, the doctor symboling for us to be quiet, and to follow her. She pints out where to stand, surrounding the pile of rubbish that was probably left here by the shopkeep. I don't know quite why I am following, just instinct I guess. But the two are awfully strange, and not the type of people you would expect to find around here, not the strangest though. Its does seem that, over the past few years, more and more peculiar occurrences have been popping up. My mother told me about the story her mother told her about, the great freeze and the creature under the ice, and how there was a dinosaur in the thames. All stories of nonsense, or so I thought. It all seems to be more realistic, as myself and two strangers chase down an invisible cat. Anyone in their right mind would assume their meths drinkers, out of their mind, but this sure does beat sitting around, pulling pints and clearing tables at the inn.

We, us three women, close in on the pile that is rattling around in front of us. suddenly, what appears to be a tabby cat appear to us, and the doctor starts speaking to it. Not in English, or any language I have heard from the boats that dock here. Its so baffling that I am left in awe at the two women. They pick up the cat, apologising to it for some reason.

"well, nice meeting you." The doctor says, nodding towards me, "and thank you for the help."

"you should probably not talk about this too much, just in case, yeah?" Yaz says, as if she is warning me.

"of course, miss, don't want not be sent to the crazy-house. I know what you are saying."

"what was your name, I didn't quite catch it?" She says, a as the doctor stands just behind her, holding the weird cat creature in her arms.

"clara, ,miss Clara Oswald."