Fic: Water in the forest (Doctor Who)

[flowsoffire]

Title: Water in the forest
Author: flowsoffire
Fandom: Doctor Who
Pairing/characters: Amelia Pond, mentions of Melody Pond (a lot) and Rory Williams
Genre: Family/Drama
Rating: K+
Word count: c. 550 words (narrowly under the round's limit!)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summary: When her life is left to its linear path again, Amelia Pond goes trekking. Character piece, set after The God Complex.
Author's note: Here’s a little drabble for the prompt "River" on who_contest. 546 words, just under the 550-word limit. Enjoy! :)



After the hotel, she goes trekking.

The wanderlust is still itching beneath her skin, and she needs to be alone. Rory understands. She tells him last-minute, because she doesn’t want to see the look in his eyes as he helps her prepare; he opens his mouth for a second, then closes it, and nods.

She kisses him, hard. Her long fingers are clinging to his shoulders, she finds, her body leaning into his like he’s an anchor. He cannot anchor her; not yet. Next, she lets go, cracks a joke and tosses her hair like everything is fine. He gives her a small smile, quite small.

She remembers that smile as she treads the forest. Then the thought slips her mind like all others.

For a while, she just walks. The air is cool underneath the arching canopy, sunlight slipping through to dapple the path that winds ahead of her. The ground is uneven and rough, branches snapping underfoot or slapping her arms, her face as she passes. Welcoming the challenge, she pushes onwards. At first she is calm, simply purposeful. Then she is shoving trees and the trail twists and mocks her anyhow, so she leaves it. She climbs over roots and jumps past fallen logs, fists tight, braced to kick out.

It grows darker with the density of those woods, pressing down on her from all sides. For a while she appears to progress into deeper and deeper obscurity, until she stumbles out into a clearing, unforeseen. There the sun is showing its face again, the trees less intent to tangle and obscure the light. Silver-pale and gurgling, a river wanders a few feet ahead, amongst some rocks.

She trudges nearer, and kneels. The water touches her hand like a cool, murmuring presence. It flows past as her fingers curl into elusive current, offering but passing relief. It is clear, and beautiful, and rushing off to sea—to lands unknown to her, through paths she can’t picture.

The low, secretive song of it makes her want to scream.

I bore her in me. I called her Melody.

Amy sheds her clothes. Shaking and white in the half-light, she steps into the current warily. The cool stream nips her ankles, swallows her legs and rises all the way to her belly. She dives, already airless and light-headed.

When she bursts again through the surface, water is running down her cheeks and her hair sticking to her head. Desperately, she gulps for oxygen, squeezes her eyes shut against the pounding of emptiness in lungs, temples and bones.

Her fingers are yearning to reach, to cling—her mind whirls in circles. Time is linear again, normal. Scattered across its flow, she has a daughter, never born in her time, never carried, never held. A dream.

She could drown; she struggles her way back to the rocks, instead. Old stone feels soothing as a constant thing, polished by the water’s touch. It scratches her bare skin as she carelessly pushes upwards.

Standing again, she spins aimlessly. Overhead, the sky turns. The moment has her, moving fixedly forward, its course unchangeable. The help she needs no imaginary friend can provide.

This is real. This is now. This is her.

The river runs, and Amelia Pond rubs away her tears.

Comments

[thisbluespirit]

Oh, this is gorgeous, and very immediate and almost tangible in the style.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D I'm really glad you liked it, and that the style worked for you ♥

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

I could almost feel the chill of the water.

Intense, and very Amy, to go off alone like that.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

:D I'm so glad it felt so intense to you! Thanks a lot, dear ♥

[eve11]

Touching, true to character and so very sad.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm very glad you enjoyed it ♥

[paynesgrey.livejournal.com]

Wow, a very touching piece. You really get into Amy's head with her feelings of ache and longing, and the loss she feels. Wonderful job.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Thanks a lot, dear! I'm so happy you liked this :)

[jay-vingt-six.livejournal.com]

This is so lovely!! We didn't get to see much of Amy's pain at losing Melody onscreen, and you have done justice to it beautifully!

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed this :D

[gallif-migrant.livejournal.com]

I like how you showed us Amy's emotions without saying "she felt this or that." You just showed us her pain, because that was enough.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm very glad you appreciated the subtlety, I tried to really go for that and make it kind of raw… It's great to hear you appreciated it :)

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Oh, honey...this is just as gorgeous (NO...MORE SO) than the first time I read it. The ache, the suddenness (even as it is a dwindling and older pain) of her hurt is palpable. No distractions, no adventures...and her mind goes to that pain and this seems both freeing and a ritual that MUST be done. Perfect, honey. Heartbreaking, wild and subdued all at once...

*hugs you hard*

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

:D :D :D You SHUT UP with the blahblahblahsqueak comments. Your feedback is wonderful and with all the intense words to tell me how it made you feel and thank youuuuu I love you ♥♥♥

*hugsss*

[radiolaires]

I hate you a tremendous amount after reading this. It's written with painful simplicity and gorgeousness and oh so real. I love that Amy's desire to see the world and travel naturally translates into trekking, except she's on her own, bearing herself, being dragged, taking her time, having the benefit of the loss. I love that Rory is tender and present but so very careful of her fresh wounds still. He won't lie either about knowing their seriousness and giving her time to heal. I love how it shows they are indeed very grown up in this second part of series six. How we didn't see that much of them between TGC and Pond Life but that they had changed so much from series 5 Amy and Rory. I love how real and physical the forest feels around Amy (you know how I love forests and environment reflecting internal conflicts), how it becomes the monsters she couldn't find and tear her daughter away from, the things she thought were stopping her from advancing. And she stumbles upon a fairy-tale clearing, or almost. And she turns to the river as if in prayer, her own Wailing Wall, that would take her prayer and carry it away to the sea. Her words... One day the thought of River and family will stop hurting but not today. And the almost sacrificial bathing (?) or a baptism. It's so vivid an imagery, whispering symbolism. And the whole balance between being still and running, spinning and being linear, dream and reality. *gasps and widens eyes* I really hate you and I should probably analyse it with more attention because it well deserves that much attention besides mindless flailing. The last line is a source of profuse envy directed towards you.

Favourite line: The cool stream nips her ankles, swallows her legs and rises all the way to her belly. She dives, already airless and light-headed. I admire the rhythm, I bow before the crude almost voodoo-doll-like symbolism and envy the Waterhouse painting.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

*giggles* It's always a privilege to be hated by you ♥ Thank you so much for this, as always. You're always so eloquent and seeing all the things. ♥ I love how you get everything and beautifully evoke and develop everything and catch everything that was important for me to convey and more.

It's written with painful simplicity and gorgeousness and oh so real.
I wanted the matter-of-fact and kind of detached writing, but I seem to do that a lot lately. I've always been very descriptive anyway.

I love that Amy's desire to see the world and travel naturally translates into trekking, except she's on her own, bearing herself, being dragged, taking her time, having the benefit of the loss.
Her feelings are projected onto everything and she hates that… ♥

I love that Rory is tender and present but so very careful of her fresh wounds still. He won't lie either about knowing their seriousness and giving her time to heal.
Rory ♥

I love how it shows they are indeed very grown up in this second part of series six. How we didn't see that much of them between TGC and Pond Life but that they had changed so much from series 5 Amy and Rory.
Yeah, I love them best more mature—more pained, too, but that's no surprise to anyone.

I love how real and physical the forest feels around Amy (you know how I love forests and environment reflecting internal conflicts), how it becomes the monsters she couldn't find and tear her daughter away from, the things she thought were stopping her from advancing.
:D Yessss, so glad that effect worked the way I wanted it to.

And she stumbles upon a fairy-tale clearing, or almost. And she turns to the river as if in prayer, her own Wailing Wall, that would take her prayer and carry it away to the sea. Her words... One day the thought of River and family will stop hurting but not today. And the almost sacrificial bathing (?) or a baptism. It's so vivid an imagery, whispering symbolism.
Almost sacred, yes—the way water themes are used by Florence + The Machine pretty much. I run to the river and dive straight in, I pray that the water will drown out the din. (Your icon is so amazing btw.)

And the whole balance between being still and running, spinning and being linear, dream and reality.
*squees*

I should probably analyse it with more attention because it well deserves that much attention besides mindless flailing.
Silly, you always dive SO DEEP already. This is not an essay. You made my day as it was :D

Favourite line: The cool stream nips her ankles, swallows her legs and rises all the way to her belly. She dives, already airless and light-headed. I admire the rhythm, I bow before the crude almost voodoo-doll-like symbolism and envy the Waterhouse painting.
:D Yay, favourite lines, always so interesting to know! I'm glad you liked that one :D

*hugs you breathless* ♥♥♥

[swan-secrets.livejournal.com]

This is beautiful. The descriptions and the way everything all flows together is wonderful. Great use of emotion and atmosphere

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it :)