Chapter One: Cry for Help

X X X

Cecilia eased into the flow of the tour as time moved by. She had stopped looking over her shoulder for the Doctor after she had ducked into a public-school tour of Whitney Museum of American Art. Art museums weren't her thing, but she blended in easily among the fifty-plus group of high school students learning about American film. Her heart was still beating quickly in her chest, how had he found her so quickly?

One second she was wandering around a library - she hadn't been in school in weeks. She turned the corner to 200 - RELIGION and there he was. Leaning against a bookshelf and leafing through a book in a foreign language, he looked like a attractive college professor.

She had nearly screamed. She did drop her books on her foot, and it had hurt like a bitch.

"You should really be more observant."

She told him to go do something and go somewhere as she picked her books off the ground.

"That's unnecessary considering I'm trying to help you."

"And I have told you that I don't need your help. And to leave me alone. Neither of which you have done so far." Cecilia snapped back.

The Doctor shut the book and slid it back onto the shelf before leaning down to help her, which made her hate him even more. When she had wished to never be alone again after the death of her mother this was not what she wanted. He grabbed a copy off the ground and handed it over to her, and she took it before standing and turning away.

"Do you really think I'm going to leave someone with as much power as you unwatched. Your grief-"

"You don't know one goddamn thing about my grief. So shut up!"

The anger she had been feeling for the past few weeks made its appearance at the worst times. The library patrons went quiet, and a few had turned in their seats to see what was happening. Taking several deep breaths she focused on crushing the flames that had begun to appear in her fists. The Doctor was watching her with increased wariness. She was going to place her books on a random shelf. She just needed to get out of the library and away from her newfound stalker.

"Cecilia," he had grabbed her arm in order to keep her from stepping out of the confines of the theology aisle.

Looking to him and the floor she noticed she had succeeded in burning the books she had been holding into a pile of ashes on the floor. Panic had hit her like a brick wall. The small hints of flames started to grow in her palms, she could feel it growing hotter. Spreading.

"Cecilia," his hands were holding both of her arms now. "I need you to breathe. I need you to try and allow it to dissipate."

"Hey, stay with the group!"

Cecilia nearly jumped out of her skin. A harassed looking volunteer was giving her the stink eye. The class had moved on to the next exhibit.

"Coming," she said, moving quickly in order to lag in the back of the group. She allowed herself to become lost in her thoughts, and they mostly stemmed from the same three questions?

Who is the Doctor? How does he keep finding me? Who am I?

As she continued the tour she spotted a few security guards eyeing the group of teenagers warily. Worried that any moment some spotty kid would decide to touch a painting or knock over one of the small couches. They made her nervous. All it would take was one parent to check a list and see she wasn't on it and she would be in the back of a squad car.

She tightened her grip on her bag, she couldn't afford to get caught. That would be problematic for a growing number of reasons. The least of which she was ditching. She decided that she would go to the bathroom and not return to the group. The guards continued to watch the group as they moved from room to room.

The Doctor would probably stop looking for her tonight, she would go back to her hotel and try and sleep. She would of course fail, and then spend all night trying to read or wandering the many floors of the Marriott. Try not to set anything aflame.

That was getting harder to do.

"Excuse me."

Cecilia turned to see an elderly looking woman standing close behind her. She stepped back to allow some space - the woman was way too close.

"Yes ma'am?" Cecilia's voice quivered. Her stomach was clenching. Every instinct was screaming telling her to run run run now.

"Honey, I was wondering if you could walk me to the ladies room?" The voice was smooth yet motherly. Looking at her directly made Cecilia's eyes hurt, it was like looking at a mirage or direct sunlight.

It reminded her of her mother saying, 'It's easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar.'

"I-I'm sorry ma'am. I have to stay with the group of students." Cecilia motioned behind her to indicate the group of students.

"What students, honey?"

Cecilia turned around to see that the group had left. All that was left was two security guards standing beside the entrance to the next exhibit. The elderly woman guarding the way Cecilia had come.

She wanted to vomit. But figured that wouldn't help her all that much.

"Oh, no." Cecilia said, faking a smile. It was too shaky to fool anyone. "I must have gotten left behind again, I should go find them."

"You won't. They're already dead." The elderly woman smiled, and Cecilia was feeling sicker by the second. Her eyes were streaming trying to keep the woman in focus. The form kept shifting back and forth, between an elderly woman and something. "I'm wondering how you managed to not get pulled in, though, its almost impossible for mortals to not become entranced by us."

Cecilia didn't need to turn around to know the guards were closing in on her. She reached her hand into her purse and charged the taser. She didn't know if it would work. She didn't know if she was having a full-blown schizophrenic breakdown and that she had finally cracked entirely.

The school counselor had just given her some breathing techniques for anxiety.

Going towards the guards for an exit wasn't an option, she didn't want to go and have whatever happened to the students happen to her. The only option was to go back the way she came and - something.

She heard the end of the buzz and acted. She jumped at the elderly woman and tackled it, delivering the taser to her chest. She screamed in pain, but it wasn't a woman's scream. It was like a group of children all screaming at once. Like high school students. Her hesitation at the implications gave one of the guards the opportunity he needed to grab her arm and throw her off.

The pain was fast-acting, and had her screaming the second she hit the ground. Laying on her back she turned her head to see all three of them approaching her, their smiles stretching far past their eyes. Eyes turning black.

She felt the tears on her face and knew she was going to die. Painfully, given the sharpness of the teeth she could see. Her vision became blurred as more tears began falling. She tried to rise to her feet but her shoulder was pounding.

She didn't want to die.

Her hands felt hot. Hotter than when she burned up the books in the library. Hotter than when she had scarlet fever. Hotter than when her mother died.

"What?" Cecilia looked at her hands, the fire was blue with heat, and it was spreading up her arms. Turning to her attackers, she saw them stop and stare at her, waiting. Filled with a new sense of power she rushed at them, grabbing one of the guards by the arms.

The smell of burning flesh and dumpster filled the air as the guard screamed. She was losing feeling in her arms and all she could think of was the fire. She wanted to burn them to a crisp and the feeling of strength only increased her grip as the guard burned. Turning to the other two she released him, dropping him and watching the fire begin to burn the floors.

"You are not human." The woman hissed. "No human can burn us. No human can summon those flames."

"Cecilia!"

She recognized the voice quickly. The Doctor!

"Mister Doctor!" Cecilia turned her head, searching for him. The window beside a video projector shattered as the Doctor appeared. He was impressive, decked in clothing that would fit an occultist combined with a deep red cloak that was billowing without the wind. But what made her shake was the look on his face. Raw anger.

He wasn't looking at her. His eyes were on the two creatures, now in their natural form, hissing and spitting at him. Their legs were made up of tentacles, both had human torsos that looked crudely stitched to the heads of spiders. The floor was crackling with heat, flames were erupting across the room and the smoke alarms had finally kicked in.

Cecilia tried to control her flames, tried to dissipate them. She couldn't. She was too angry. Too scared. She tried to breathe but it came out ragged. Smoke was filling the room as the Doctor bound the two attackers with ease, completely immobilizing them with a long red ribbon. Exhaustion was creeping up on her, the flames covering her flickered and began to die. She stumbled before falling to her knees, throwing up breakfast and dinner from the night before.

Then the floor began to crack. Pieces began falling down to the next floor. The alarm was still wailing. She heard the sickening sound of flesh bursting before she felt herself slide and before she knew it she was falling.

The last thing she felt was her shoulder pop when someone managed to grab onto her.

X X X

Author's Note:

*raises leg*

Hello children, its been awhile. In a fit of anger (and embarrassment at my middle-school self) I deleted my old stories. I am back though after I fell down the Doctor Strange rabbit hole. This is a story I have been sitting on for awhile and I just needed to get the prologue down. I hope that I can make an OC something more.

Read and review!

Enjoy!