Clara didn't speak to Danny at all the next day! She even got up early to get to work so she wouldn't have to face him! Danny did try to talk to her, trying to explain how last night couldn't be helped but Clara didn't want to hear it. She was tired of the excuses and broken promises. She even arranged to stay with her father that night just to teach him a lesson! But first she had to make a stop at Henrick's Department Store.
She still had to return the dress, though she loved it, there was no reason in keeping it besides it was kind of expensive and at the time she thought had a good reason for buying it but that was just proven pointless!
That evening Clara barley made it just in time! She had twenty minutes to get this thing to returns before the store closed. Clara quickly maneuvered through the crowd, but something was off. What should've taken five minutes seemed longer, the store's layout seem different. It was slightly larger, and she swore she saw mannequins wearing outfits that weren't there before in fact the dummies themselves seemed weird, they were now pale white instead of yellow but then it had been a long day so maybe it was nothing and besides, it wasn't unusual for stores to constantly change their inventory, right?
Clara brushed it off and kept walking clutching the shopping bag in her hand when somehow she took a wrong turn, and she ended up in the back of store. She stood there puzzled and lost. Clara had never seen this part of the store before, it was eerily dim and filled with discarded racks and mannequins with blank faces just staring at her.
Where was she, Clara wondered.
"Hello?" She called out hoping a worker would hear her but nothing.
"Hello, can someone help me?" She tried again but all she got was silence.
Clara was now feeling slightly scared, she glanced at her watch, it was nearly closing time, she realized panicking. She had to get out of there but how? She didn't even know how she got here!
Suddenly, she heard a noise, a creaking sound. Maybe a worker, she hoped.
"H-hello?" She stuttered nervously.
Then she heard a crash, startling her! Clara had to get out of there! She started walking quickly as she could, checking behind her to see if she was being followed. Her heart was pounding! Then she stopped, a figure stood in front of her, it didn't look like it was moving.
"Who's there?" She called out but it didn't answer. Clara crept closer but then exhaled when she saw it was just a undressed mannequin!
She then felt stupid for being scared of a shop dummy!
"Just get it together, you'll be fine." She told herself.
Clara continued around the place hoping to find an exit but then something caught her eye.
It looked like the head of the dummy had moved slightly but that wasn't possible! It was plastic, right? Clara just kept looking when the mannequin's arm appeared to shift. She froze in place, her eyes now locking with the figure. She tried not to show fear.
"Think you're funny, huh?" She shouted hoping it was a just a prankster.
Suddenly, it stiffened and darted towards her!
Clara immediately backed away as the mannequin started walking robotically at her, slowly at first then faster! Clara started running, not caring if this was prank or not, she just needed to get away! She searched anywhere safe to go! But she had no idea where to go!
She started knocking down boxes hoping to stall the thing, but the menacing dummy just kept going! Finally, she was trapped in a corner, her back against a wall pipe, the creature was now coming closer! There was nothing she could do! It slowly came at her, raising its plastic hard arm ready to strike her!
Terrified, Clara just closed her eyes waiting for the impact when suddenly, she felt something grab her hand! She glanced down at a man's hand before looking up at an actual person, a man with dark hair and a black leather jacket, his piercing blue eyes firmly fixed on her.
"Run!" He ordered.
Clara didn't hesitate and just ran along a side the stranger who had just saved her. She could hear hissing behind her indicating whatever that thing was it had obviously struck where she had just stood seconds before!
But she didn't have time to look back because that thing was still after them! She kept running as the man kept pulling her along with him as they dodged boxes and fallen merchandise before finally reaching an elevator and getting inside, the door literally closing on the thing's arm! Clara just stood there stunned as it still moved, frantically trying to grab them but the stranger fought the invasive plastic arm before slamming the doors on it leaving the arm in man's possession!
Clara could not believe this was happening, but the man seemed rather calm almost pleased.
He smiled at her.
"No worries," He said examining the arm. "Just plastic, see!?" The man added showing her. "Well, dead plastic, anyway." He shrugged. "Here, souvenir!" He grinned tossing the object at her.
Clara caught it making a face.
"Thanks." She commented still catching her breath.
He then looked at her, curious as she held the plastic arm like it was nothing. He was waiting for her to freak out or at least ask questions.
She noticed him staring.
"What?" She said.
The man shrugged.
"Well, we've just been attacked by moving plastic person, so logic says this where you ask me what was that?" He commented.
Clara rolled her eyes.
"I think it's safe to say that was alien." She replied.
He looked at her slightly surprised.
"Wow, didn't expect that from a human." He muttered. "How do you figure that?" The man questioned.
Clara gave him a look.
"I've seen some things, trust me." She replied.
The man leaned against the wall, folding his arms.
"Well, not saying it wasn't but logic says it could've been students, yeah?" He suggested.
Clara glanced at him.
"Do you really think that what it was?" She asked.
The man studied her.
"Do you?" He replied.
She shook head.
He then scoffed.
"Me neither," He remarked. "Definitely, from another world just need to figure out where." The man concluded. He then smiled at her. "Quite, smart of you to notice that, first actually!" The man rambled aiming a metal stick at the doors. "Mind your eyes, by the way!" He warned.
Clara turned away and there was a loud zapping sound, and the doors suddenly opened but before she could ask anything more, he hurried her out.
"Well, off you go," He said quickly. "Enjoy your tea or whatever it is you humans do, yeah?" The man rambled attempting to close the elevator doors, again, but Clara wasn't ready to let him go!
"Hang on!" She frowned.
He paused leaning against the door.
"Problem?" He sighed.
"Yes, you're not seriously going back in there." She questioned.
The man shrugged.
"Why not, somebody's got to stop them and there is probably more," He added. "And that somebody is me." The man boasted.
Clara rolled her eyes.
"No ego, then, huh?" She remarked.
He smirked.
"Why, did you want to join?" He questioned.
Normally, Clara would've said no, she should've said no but for some reason, she didn't want to. It was weird but there was a connection there that she couldn't explain. It was like she always knew him and that she trusted him, with her life. Plus, she couldn't let him face that thing, alone!
Finally, Clara nodded.
"Yes!" Clara replied confidently.
The man seemed impressed but then shook his head.
"No, it's too dangerous." He replied.
Clara just shrugged.
"So, everything's dangerous," She simply remarked folding her arms. "Ever tried crossing downtown London after 9:00 P.M?" Clara added scoffing.
The man slightly smiled but still seemed reluctant.
Clara finally sighed.
"Look, you might as well let me, join you," She said. "We've gotten this far!" Clara pointed out. "Besides I'm not leaving you to fight whatever that is, alone!" She added firmly.
He smirked.
"What, my little guardian angel, then? He said.
Clara shrugged.
"Well, my name is actually Clara Oswald but sure, why not?" She replied.
Realizing, he wasn't going to sway her, he relented.
"Sure, why, not," He muttered. "But just this one time and back home, you understand?" He told her.
Clara quickly nodded before joining him, inside. As the doors slowly closed, she wondered if she was being really brave or just plain crazy, right now! Either way, there was no turning back!