ROSE'S BLOG

Chapter Thirty Nine

The Doctor and me have visited many places over the years and we have done many strange things but today has to be one of the strangest. We actually found a town that wants you to leave. I know it sounds odd but this is what happened…

Rose was getting ready for the day's adventure when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. She walked over, opened it and stepped back when she noticed the Doctor was brimming with excitement and grinning madly from ear to ear.

"What?" Rose said.

"I found something brillllliant-ah!" the Doctor said to her.

"You found your brain at last?"

The Doctor gave her a withering look while Rose giggled.

"Are you dressed and ready to go?" he said to her as his cheerfullness resumed.

"In a moment, I'm nearly there."

"Well hurry up then, I wanna shoooooow yoooooou!" the Doctor whined.

"Sheesh, you're worse than a child sometimes, Doctor," Rose said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, but you love me," the Doctor said, giving her a sideways hug.

Rose smiled when he kissed her cheek and left the room, telling her not to be long. Rose, now excited by what the Doctor had found. She hurried up and was done in ten minutes. By that time, the Doctor was very impatient and he rushed her towards the front door. He opened it with a flourish and pointed to a shop across the street.

"We're apparently in a town called Storybrooke," he said to Rose as he pointed to a sign above the shop door that said STORYBROOKE BAKERY.

"Okay, is that significant?" Rose said.

"Not by itself. But step outside, take a few steps away from the TARDIS and then tell me if you have any odd feelings. Go on…"

Rose thought his request strange but figured if it was a practical joke, she might as well get it over with so she could get on with her day. She stepped outside the TARDIS while the Doctor stood just inside the doorway and watched her intently. She took five steps before stopping and looking around. Storybrooke looked like a pleasant little town, the kind where people are friendly and everything is pleasant.

"Feel anything?" the Doctor said to her as he stood inside the doorway.

"Um…I feel a bit chilly," Rose said. "It's a bit cold outside if that's what you mean."

"No, do you have any emotions about the place, any gut feelings?" the Doctor said, shaking his head.

Rose was about to say no when a funny feeling suddenly came over her and she suddenly found herself having a panic attack. She tried to stay calm but something inside her was telling her to run back to the TARDIS so she finally turned and bolted back inside. To her astonishment, the panic attack stopped as soon as she went inside and she turned to look at the Doctor, confused.

"Feel it?" he said to her.

"I felt this insane urge to run like this place was bad or forbidden," Rose said.

"Yes, I had the same feeling and I don't often get that. But look at this place…see it? Does it look scary to you?"

"No, not at all. Just the opposite," Rose said.

"I know. Odd, isn't it."

"Wait…"

Rose stepped outside and the Doctor followed her. They stopped at five paces, stood there and then both of them looked at one another when Rose started feeling another panic attack. Both of them hurried back into the box.

"What's going on here?" Rose said. "It's like my instincts are telling me to scarper every time I set foot outside the door."

"Dunno, but it's very peculiar. Perhaps we should look into…"

He trailed off when a car slowed to a crawl and then stopped in front of the TARDIS. Inside was a middle aged woman with black hair that came down to her shoulders and a severe look on her face. Beside her in the passenger seat was a young boy. The woman opened the door and got out while the Doctor stepped outside with Rose and they quickly shut the doors.

"What is this?" the woman demanded while the boy opened his door and got out. "And who are you?"

Rose felt that same swell of panic rising within her but she fought it and she could tell the Doctor was doing the same.

"I am the Doctor and this is Rose," he said to her. "This is my…police box."

"Well…Doctor," the woman said in a snotty voice. "I am the mayor of Storybrooke and this…police box doesn't belong here. You have to move it or I'll call the police. Henry, get back in the car this instant," she said to the boy when he walked up beside her. "Anyway, move it or face jail time. That's all. Henry, come on, let's go," she said as she turned and walked back towards the car. "And don't think I won't check to see it's been removed because I will," she added over her shoulder as she opened the car door. "Henry, come on!"

"You're not from here, are you?" Henry said to them, ignoring his mother.

"Uh…no, we're not," the Doctor said.

"Thought so. But no one comes to Storybrooke. No strangers come here and no one leaves."

"Oh? And why is that?"

Henry was about to answer when the Mayor walked back over, grabbed his arm and turned him towards her.

"I said…let's go…quit telling people that this town is enchanted, alright?" she growled at him.

"It is enchanted," Henry said.

He turned to the Doctor and Rose.

"Strangers can't be here, only people who belong here can live in Storybrooke and…ow!" he said when the Mayor jerked his arm.

"Get that thing off the sidewalk or get arrested, last warning!" the Mayor yelled at them as she pointed at the TARDIS. "Get inside the car now!"

"Alright," Henry said, rolling his eyes as he walked aroudn to the passenger side.

The Doctor and Rose fought off the panic attack until the car had driven off and then they burst through the doors again and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Should we investigate then?" Rose said after the Doctor closed the doors and headed towards the console.

"I would like to but I have to find a way to fight the panic attacks," the Doctor said as Rose walked up to him. "Give me some time and some thought and perhaps I can find a way to beat this enchantment."

"Come on, you don't really think the town is enchanted, do ya?" Rose said.

"Have any other explanation for our panic attacks. Not to mention Henry said that no strangers can stay in Storybrooke."

"Ooo…a mystery then," Rose said with wide eyes.

"Yes. And I intend to solve it. But for now, let's go find somewhere to eat. Feel like breakfast?"

So that was that. I suspect the Doctor is trying to figure out a solution to the not being able to stay in Storybrooke. I really hope he does because an enchanted town sounds like a mystery worth solving.

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