Beyond The Void || doctor who

Chapter Thirteen: Confessions of a Grumpy Tree

Run. Just run. That's all you can do for now. Get as far away from here as you can. Don't speak, don't stop. Just GO!

Smoke. Flames. A burning hot sensation sent Jess into convulsions. The hotness spread through her body like a disease.

Sweat beaded on her forehead and ran down the side of her face. She tried to take a gulp of air, but her lungs seemed to be malfunctioning. Flames spit from her mouth. If she didn't know any better, she'd think she was the cause for the surrounding catastrophe.

She needed to get away from the heart of the fire. Then, and only then, could she clear her thoughts and think of a way to get out.

"Doctor!" she croaked. Her throat felt like sandpaper. "Elaine! Someone? Please!"

"Not here, my child," something answered back. It sounded as if it were submerged in water. Jess jumped, her heart could be heard from a galaxy away. "This is up to you. You must be the one to escape your own peril." The voice that echoed through her head seemed to belong to no one, as if it'd been there since the very beginning of time.

"Help me," she pleaded. Jess could barely hear her own voice, but she knew that whoever was talking to her knew what she was thinking, let alone saying.

"There will come a time where I cannot guide you to safety, and the only way I can prepare you is in your mind."

Jess wiped the blistering tears from her eyes. "Stop giving me riddles! What the hell are you preparing me for?" The smoke reached a thickness to the extent that Jess couldn't even see her own hands.

"Always such a stubborn girl," the voice replied with something that sounded like a chuckle.

Just then, a pathway formed within the blackness, and Jess took the opportunity to run for her life. She didn't know where she was running from, or where she was going, until she saw two white doors: the inside of the TARDIS.

"JESSICA - SOMETHING - BENNETT," a shrill voice screamed. Although she'd usually be distraught at being woken up, the booming call was reassurance that she wouldn't remain victim to her dreams that night.

She shifted in her comfortable bed and rubbed her eyes, her hair - although not rustled as much as it would be if she got a full night's sleep - was a jumbled mess atop her head.

The door slammed open, her bed shaking - mostly because of the slamming but also because of the fact that she fell off of it.

"Elaine," she mumbled from the floor, calmly but impatiently, running a hand through her hair. "It's like, nine. What the hell are you doing?"

"Oh, sweetie, you're such a lightweight," she said - cooed would probably be a better word - diving into her mattress. "But anyway, I met some people that are throwing a huge party at this underage club, and you should come with me." 

"'Underage' as in 'legal'? Since when do you do anything legal? Wait – don't answer that question. Anyway, it's Christmas. Goodnight." Jess retorted, crawling back into her bed.

"Then think of it as a Christmas party. You don't even need to bring anyone presents. Just have fun." Elaine grabbed Jess's hand and pulled her up. She attempted to drag her out of her bed, but Jess refused, creating a cocoon around herself with blankets.

"Leave me alone, it's Christmas." 

"It's still only Christmas Eve for another two hours, silly." Elaine picked up Jess's sonic screwdriver and buzzed it at her face, illuminating her groggy features in a blue haze.

"I hate you. I hope you know that," Jess mumbled sarcastically, throwing her blankets to the floor.

"I promise you I'll make it up to you, just come with me." Elaine got on her knees and clasped her hands out to her friend, and Jess hit her in the shoulder. She grumbled an 'ouch' and dragged her best friend into the wardrobe.