VTV Series Episode 12: Distant Memory

Katie swam to the surface of the water, gasping for air. The plane was in chunks around her. There was fire, screaming, death. She attempted to stay afloat, but she was tired, and very cold. She swam to a chunk of the plane, and grabbed hold of it. Her lifejacket was keeping her afloat, and without it, Katie knew she’d already be dead.

“Derek! Derek!” Sandra cried.
“Sandra, where are you?” Derek called from a few meters away.
“I’m by the plane!” Sandra sobbed.

Derek swam over to Sandra, and held her.

“I’m so relieved you’re alive,” he sighed. “I love you.”
“What about Katie? And John?” Sandra asked fearfully.
“I can’t see them,” Derek said. “Let’s just concentrate of staying afloat. The authorities will come soon.”
“I hope so,” Sandra replied, before falling silent.

Steph Hoyland held onto her daughter Summer. Her husband was next to her, holding her hand. They were trapped under a large section of the plane, and the only way out was to swim underneath it.

“Max, what are we going to do?” Steph asked.
“Deflate your lifejacket,” Max ordered. “Summer, you too.”
“Yes dad,” Summer said, deflating her lifejacket.
“We’re going to swim under,” Max said. “We can do it, I know we can.”

Steph let the last of the air escape from her lifejacket, and she hugged Max. Summer looked at her parents, took a deep breath, and swam under the water. Steph and Max quickly followed. There was a cracking, and several chunks fell from the section of the plane. Summer swam under the section of the plane and to the surface. Steph was right behind her, and as she reached the surface the section of plane sunk.

“Where’s dad?” Summer screamed.
“Max!” Steph yelled. “Oh God, Max!”

She began sobbing uncontrollably. Summer hugged her, begging her to calm down. Suddenly a light appeared in front of her, and she heard a whirring of an engine. A gloved hand reached out to her, and she took it. She was pulled onto the deck of a boat, and her mother Steph was right behind her.

“There we go,” Mary Poppins soothed. “Let’s find everyone else, and take them to safety. Get inside, into the warm. Don’t mind the cages, they’re very comfortable…”

Sky Johnson woke up, and screamed. She was floating next to the body of her boyfriend Dylan Fry. His face was burned, as if he had died instantly when the plane crashed. Sky pushed Dylan away, and swam to a chunk of the plane.

“Help!” she cried. “Anybody, help!”
“Hello?!” a voice yelled.
“Izzy?” Sky shouted. “Is that you?”
“Yeah, where are you?” Izzy Robinson asked. “I can’t find Paul or Elle.”
“What about my mum and dad? David and Lillian? Or Serena, my sister?” Sky replied.

Izzy swam to Sky, and held onto the chunk of plane. She looked Sky in the eyes solemnly.

“I’m really sorry,” Izzy said. “But I saw David and Lillian earlier… They’re dead.”
“Oh God,” Sky sobbed. “And Serena?”
“I’m not sure,” Izzy replied. “But we’ll find her.”

They heard the whir of an engine, and Mary Poppins appeared, smiling down at them.

“That’s it, come to me,” she said. “Sky, Izzy, climb aboard, get yourselves warm.”
“Have you seen my sister?” Sky asked as she climbed aboard the boat.
“Serena?” Mary Poppins replied.
“Yeah,” Sky said.
“I have,” Mary Poppins said. “But I’m afraid she’s dead. Now, get on board.”
“Who else have you rescued?” Izzy asked as Sky headed inside, crying.
“Karl and Lyn Kennedy,” Mary Poppins said. “I’m afraid Lou Bishop died. I’ve got Alice and Tanya Daniels inside too, and Steph Hoyland and her daughter.”
“What about Irina?” Izzy asked.
“She didn’t make it,” Mary Poppins replied.
“And Paul, and Elle?” Izzy asked.
“We’ll find them, together,” Mary Poppins promised.

Izzy nodded and stepped inside the ship. Mary Poppins sneered as she heard Izzy scream and the cage door lock.

“Sandra, keep your head above the water,” Derek said. “Stay with me. I can hear the boat now.”
“Is that the light I can see?” Sandra asked.
“Yes,” Derek said. “Let’s climb aboard. Hello?”
“Hello dears,” Mary Poppins said, extending a hand out to Derek. “That’s it, get on.”

Sandra and Derek lay on the floor of the boat, exhausted. They had a few seconds rest, when they felt a pair of hands grab them. Sandra screamed as she was pulled further into the boat, and towards a cage. She was thrown inside, and Derek hit the floor next to her soon after. She turned as Mary Poppins stood over her.

“Bring Elle and Paul Robinson in,” she ordered the men helping her.

Katie took a deep breath as she sank under the surface. She was incredibly tired and slowly losing consciousness. The Doctor saw her and swam closer. He was cold, but still had his strength. He took a deep breath and swam under, clasping Katie to his chest. She opened her eyes and gasped for air.

“Katie you’re fine,” the Doctor said quickly. “I was trying to find you, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said, still gasping for air. “You found me now. Have you seen my mum and dad?”
“No, sorry,” the Doctor said. “But we’ll find them. Katie, look at me, we’ll find them.”

He clasped her hands in his. Her pulse was slowing and the Doctor realised she couldn’t stay in the water much longer. He’d have to get her out soon or she’d die. He heard the boat coming towards him, and he turned around in the water. Katie was unconscious in his arms as he swam towards the boat and climbed aboard it.

“Please,” he said to the man who helped him on. “I need to get her warm.”
“Right this way,” the man said.
“Thank you Herrick,” Mary Poppins said, stepping out from the shadows. “That’s everyone.”
“You!” the Doctor said. “What are you doing here?”
“Helping of course,” Mary Poppins replied. “I came to apologise, and I saw the plane crash, so I hired a boat to rescue you all.”

The Doctor didn’t believe a word she said, but Katie needed warmth, so he nodded, and followed her inside. Directly inside was a large black screen, hiding the cages from the Doctor’s view. They passed a control room, and the Doctor realised that this wasn’t a boat, but her slim, blue ship, redressed and disguised. Mary Poppins finally stopped at a room, and pointed inside.

“Here’s where you need to go,” she said.
“I think I’ll leave Katie here,” the Doctor said, placing her down on the floor.
“Very well,” Mary Poppins nodded as the Doctor stepped into the room. “Herrick!”

Herrick stepped over Katie and grabbed the Doctor, sedating him. Mary Poppins smiled.

“Strap him to the bed,” she ordered. “And I want Katie on the other one.”

Derek kicked the door of the cage, which sprung open. He grabbed Sandra, and together they ran through the boat. Herrick dived at them as they passed him, but he missed and hit the floor. Sandra burst into the room where Mary Poppins stood and screamed. The Doctor and Katie were strapped to a bed each, unconscious. Herrick appeared behind Sandra and dragged her off.

“No!” she screamed. “You lied to us! Katie!”
“Sandra?” the Doctor asked croakily, waking up.
“John!” Sandra cried, her voice becoming faint as she was dragged back to the cage.

The Doctor turned his head to face Mary Poppins.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked. “Katie, Sandra, they aren’t part of this. Whatever your problem is with me, they have nothing to do with it. Let them go.”
“Oh, but they have everything to do with what’s happening,” Mary Poppins said.

The Doctor frowned. He was confused. He looked once more at Katie, who was still unconscious on the bed.

“Have you never asked yourself why she seems so perfect?” Mary Poppins asked him.
“What do you mean?” the Doctor said.
“She’s smart, funny, blonde, and a little bit like Rose Tyler,” Mary Poppins continued. “You don’t honestly think you’d meet someone so perfect for you?”
“What are you trying to say?” the Doctor asked.
“She’s an invention,” Mary Poppins revealed. “All this is an invention of your mind.”
“No…” the Doctor said. “I’d know.”
“I think you do know,” Mary Poppins said. “There are little things, like Katie continually saying STARDIS and mum instead of mom, which are clues. This whole world is a lie. When you chased me through time, before you met Katie, I escaped. That’s not how it happened. Katie Parker is nothing but a distant memory.”

To be continued…