Episode 10: Hide and Seek Part 2

It was 12:00. Korena began to stir, her eyelashes fluttering. The Doctor called Georgia and Conner, who watched her begin to wake up.

“We should leave her,” the Doctor said. “We don’t want to scare her.”
“Imagine if she woke up to our faces,” Georgia laughed.
“Speak for yourself,” Conner muttered.

Suddenly the Sonic Screwdriver bleeped. The Doctor jumped up, pulling it from his pocket. He shook it, before holding it to his ear.

“What’s wrong?” Georgia asked.
“The TARDIS is alerting me, someone’s in danger,” the Doctor said.
“Who?” Conner asked.
“I dunno, let’s find out,” the Doctor grinned, running from the trailer.

Georgia and Conner looked at each other, before leaping up and running after him. Korena groaned, and turned over in her bed. She sat up as she saw her trailer door swing shut. She ran to the window – had someone been with her?

“No one there,” she muttered, brushing the curtains apart.

She saw the blue box on the corner fade away. With a gasp, she quickly threw the curtains together and hid under the window.

Naoki Noran stomped onto the set, followed by his assistant, Takashi. He was in a bad mood, as Takashi had forgotten to make him a coffee. He was too worried about his friend Shiori, Korena’s assistant who had vanished.

“What are we filming today?” Naoki asked.
“You’ve got a few scenes on your own, and Korena will be here in a minute to film some together scenes,” Akio said.
“Let’s get this over a done with,” Naoki said. “Where do you want me?”

Akio pointed over to a stone walkway, and Naoki took his position. The black creature previously used in the film ran out. Naoki screamed as he saw it, and began to run. The creature leapt onto his back, and began to eat him. Naoki collapsed to the floor, dead.

“And cut!” Akio cried.

Naoki sat up, and the creature fell off his back, lifeless once more. He sighed as he saw Korena walking along the walkway towards him.

“Ahh, Korena!” Akio smiled gratefully. “Are you two ready?”
“Sure,” Korena smiled. “Let’s go.”

She climbed onto the concrete walkway, and Naoki jumped up beside her.

“Thank you for returning for me,” Korena said. “You did so well.”
“That creature had to be stopped,” Naoki said bravely.
“You saved me!” Korena said. “I… I love you.”
“Kiss me,” Naoki replied.

Korena leaned forwards, and kissed Naoki on the lips. He returned the kiss, but the black creature leapt down at them.

“Run!” Naoki cried, as Korena leapt from the concrete walkway.

She ran back to the nearby building, and one camera followed her. A second camera followed Naoki, as he ran down the stone walkway and the creature killed him. Korena ran through the door of the building and onto the fire escape. The thing was getting closer. She burst down the steps as it shot through the door.

“Oh my God!” Korena screamed.

The thing leaped on her back, and began to rip at her flesh. She slipped, and fell from the fire escape with a crash. She hit the floor below, and moved no more.

“Cut!” Akio cried once more. “Brilliant death scenes, both of you! That’s a rap on the end of the movie! We’ve got lots of the beginning of the movie to shoot though!”

Naoki headed over to Takashi, who was stood at the edge of the set, worrying about Shiori.

“Get me a coffee, or you’re fired,” Naoki growled.
“Yes sir,” Takashi said, hurrying off.

He took one last look back at Naoki. He wished he had been given Korena to look after instead, according to Shiori, she was much nicer. He headed round the back of Korena’s trailer, and opened the door to Naoki’s trailer.

“Time to make that idiot some coffee,” Takashi grumbled.

He stepped into the trailer, shutting the door behind him. The small black creature the killed Shiori crept up to the trailer door, and eased it open. The door shut behind it, but nothing could be heard over Takashi’s screams.

“Right everyone! Go to your lunch break!” Akio said. “I want you back here at one o’clock!”

Naoki hurried off the set, and Korena walked to her trailer. It was sunny here, one of the quieter parts of Japan. She waved at Haruna who was heading back to the makeup tent. She pulled open the door to her trailer, and sat on the small sofa, placing a cup of tea on the table in front of her.

“This is nice,” she said, leaning back, relaxing.

Suddenly her phone rang. They didn’t normally use phones anymore, just for short distance communications. It must be Akio or someone.

“Hello?” she said.
“Hello Miss Hashimoto,” Petr replied.
“Who are you?” Korena asked.
“My name’s Petr Costravalos,” Petr said. “I have a job for you.”
“I’ve already got three films coming up,” Korena lied quickly. “I’m busy.”
“This isn’t a film,” Petr said. “I want you to get close to the Doctor.”
“Who?” Korena asked. “I don’t know any doctors.”
“Stop lying,” Petr ordered. “Look under the table.”

Korena looked around her trailer wearily. How could this Petr man know she was sat in front of a table? Nervously, she felt under the table. There was nothing there. She moved her hand up and touched the underside of the table, where she felt an object sellotaped to it. She tore off the sellotape, and lifted the object up. It was a gun.

“I want you to put a bullet in the Doctor,” Petr said.
“I really don’t know a doctor,” Korena said quietly.

She put down the phone, and threw the gun aside. Running from the trailer, she wondered if Petr could see her. She ran down the stone steps and into the deserted pathway to the gardens.

“I’ve got to get away,” she said, beginning to run again.

The small black creature that killed Takashi and Shiori followed her from her trailer. It ran down the steps, sniffing the air for Korena’s scent. Just under 100 yards away, in a bush, Petr watched the creature through a pair of automatic binoculars. Pippa lay next to him, with a gun under her arm. The crosshairs were seeking out the creature, but every time Pippa got close, it would scamper a few feet away.

“Shoot it already,” Petr said.
“I can’t get the aim right,” Pippa replied. “The bugger keeps moving. Ring Hashimoto again.”

Korena’s phone rang again, and she pulled it out of her pocket.

“Leave me alone,” she cried.
“Wait!” Petr said. “Something’s following you. It’s by the steps. You’ve got to move.”
“What is it?” Korena asked quietly.
“Run!” Petr cried. “RUN!”

Korena turned and ran, screaming. The creature leapt towards her, pounding along the floor. Petr leapt from the bush, but Pippa grabbed him, holding him back.

“Leave it!” she said.

Korena ran around the corner, to a dead end. She slumped against the wall, exhausted, and took off her shoes. Her feet hurt, she’d never run so fast in her life. The creature pounded round the corner, and looked up at her. It sniffed, and pounced at her.

“No!” she screamed as it leapt.

As it flew through the air, she picked up one of her shoes, and swung it, smashing the heel into the creature. It groaned in pain, and hit the floor. Korena ran past it, still terrified. The creature picked itself up off the floor, and ran after her. Korena stumbled, trying to escape.

“Help!” she screamed. “Anyone!”

The creature hesitated, as it heard the TARDIS materialise in front of it. Korena scrambled along the floor behind the blue box. She heard the doors open, and Georgia and Conner step out of it.

“Go after it,” the Doctor said. “Find that creature!”

Georgia and Conner ran along the path, chasing the creature. The Doctor slipped round the side of the TARDIS, and looked down at Korena.

“Hello,” he said. “You look like you could do with some help. I’m the Doctor by the way.”

The Doctor – the man Petr had wanted her to kill. He seemed so nice, and he had just saved her. She picked herself up off the floor, and ran. She didn’t want to get near the Doctor; he seemed too nice to kill.

“Oh, the gratitude!” the Doctor called.

Korena stopped, and turned around.

“What did you say?” she asked.
“I said oh, the gratitude!” the Doctor repeated. “We just saved you from that creature. You didn’t even say thanks.”
“Thanks,” Korena said, a little too late. “Maybe you could come to a party of mine. Tonight, at 6 – 10pm. Then we start again at 12!”
“Sounds great,” the Doctor grinned. “Can I bring my friends? Only two of them, they’re well behaved.”
“Okay,” Korena said. “See you later.”
“What’s your name?” the Doctor asked quickly.
“Korena Hashimoto,” Korena smiled. “Though I expect you already knew that!”

She turned away, leaving the Doctor watching her thoughtfully. She ran along the corner, and flew straight into Naoki. She hit the floor, landing in the dust. Naoki brushed himself off, not even lending Korena a hand.

“Naoki, what are you doing here?” Korena asked as she stood up.
“I thought I saw a creature,” Naoki said.
“You did,” Korena explained. “It was chasing me, but some people caught it.”
“What? When?” Naoki asked hurriedly. “Are they identifying it?”
“What do you mean?” Korena asked, confused.
“Will they find out where it came from?” Naoki said.
“I’m not sure,” Korena said. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to get back to my trailer.”

She turned and walked away, leaving Naoki stood alone on the path. As she walked up the steps to her trailer, she heard the TARDIS fade away. Entering her trailer, she looked at the gun lying on the floor.

“One bullet,” she muttered. “In the Doctor’s head. It would be so easy.”

To be continued…