InsaneJournal

Dodging the Metaphorical Bullet (Nine)
The sound that had awoken him had not been a pleasant one. At first Bruce figured it was just part of a dream considering how uneasily he slept in this strange world, in this strange bed. Not that this was the first time he had been swept up into a world not meant for him, but this one was far worse. At least the dinosaur-ridden atmosphere was predictable. Predictability lowered the chance for risk, which also lowered the chance that the Other Guy would sprout out unnecessarily. It was easier to fight something one was familiar with when the fortune pushed the tide that direction. But in this case it was like fighting in the darkness against something you could never truly see. He had fought aliens before, but still...that was not by choice. He had not gotten there until much later after the fighting had started and Bruce had never been one to intentionally throw himself into the line of fire with the first strike. No, he was willing to let a scene play out as far as it could, usually, before he got involved.

But that sound...

At first it sounded like a low humming, some noise that reminded him of a swarm of wasps defending their nest. A constant buzzing sound. Once he was awake and knew for sure he wasn't dreaming, Bruce pushed himself out of bed slowly with his head cocked toward the sound. What was that? The unknown was nagging at him because it was a familiar sound...something he could place, and as refreshing as that was it was far too close. It was inside the resort. Right outside the door.

Bruce tensed instantly. Slipping very quietly out of his bed, he pulled on what shoes he could find and grabbed hold of the tire iron he kept next to the bed on the night stand. It offered him little comfort but it was a better tool than what lay beneath the surface of his skin. And it was a much safer alternative. Not that it would fair against a swarm of insects but it was better than nothing at all.

The door to his room opened slowly and when he stepped out into the hallway he saw nothing. The noise had gone as quickly as it had come. That was funny. And unsettling. Not bothering to close the door as he was too caught up in the moment, Bruce tightened his grip on the metal bar in his hand and crept slowly down the hallway. A turn into the next corridor and there was the source of the noise. Giant bees. Almost as large as a basketball and they hovered in a swarm mid-way down the hallway. His eyes widened and he stopped dead in his tracks.

Suddenly a tire iron seemed not so bad a weapon of he could avoid a stinger or two. But it was risky changing in the resort. Too risky. There were too many people that could be sleeping and he had the potential to tear down the entire building in a matter of carefree moments. No, he couldn't change here. He had to find a place to lay low.

A careful step backward, Bruce tried not to make a sound. But then his foot stepped on shards of a broken urn that lay on the floor and instantly the swarm was turning and heading straight for him. Bruce winced and lifted the metal bar, batting at one of the giant insects as it flew straight at him stinger first. This was not a good day to be a man or a bee. One went to the floor, twitching lifelessly. But that seemed to irritate the swarm even more.

Dropping his weapon, Bruce turned and fled back the way he had come. He bypassed the open door to his own room and raced around fallen debris and through corridors. His heart raced as he ran, and he could already feel he energy surging through him that couldn't be mistaken for adrenaline. He only wished it was that tame. The buzzing was growing closer, he could tell, but he didn't look back. Nor could he stop despite the burn in his lungs.

Just as he turned the corner he saw it. The big, beautiful blue police call box. The TARDIS. It was hanging out there as if it were waiting for him and without a moment to spare Bruce rushed the doors, kicked them open and slammed them shut behind himself. His brown eyes burned with neon green and he pressed himself hard against the door in efforts to keep the bees out as well as to catch his breath.

What a hell of a way to wake up.