No one could argue that he was dangerous. His very essence seeped something untouchable and carefully hidden. He operated with ludicrous disorganization, flowing from one place in time to another. There was never a set agenda, never a decided goal. He was just wondering throughout time and space, forever running from some unavoidable fate.
He found me in the same state of mind, lost and running. It was almost as though the TARDIS sought me out and knew I would be the one to make him stop. However timid I was something happened in our time together, something that changed him.
1. The Mad Man and His Box
It was a cold December morning. The snow fell on top of my head and left a fine dust upon all the surfaces around me. The atmosphere was bright and happy as children played in their gardens. I watched as couples walked along the paths, their gazes lost in its blissful meanderings. Some of them would have darling children running ahead of pushing an old fashioned sled, hoping to stumble across some giant hill side to satisfy their undying urge to slide down it. My throat clenched at such a happy scene and I forced myself to look away.
It had been six months two weeks and three days since he had – died, Richard, my little brother. It had been my fault and the anger and anguish I felt never left me. It shadowed me like some unseen beast preparing to feast on my flesh. The only escape I found was when I slept and even that was difficult to achieve. I felt as though I had been shunned, that life no longer held any purpose for me. The hateful stares I received from my mother haunted me in the darkest part of my mind. She claimed that I didn't hold the blame in her mind, but those looks said something else entirely. She was angry at me, just as she should be.
I chose to push the thoughts out of my mind, focusing on other things like the patterns created in the snow the tires made in the road. The crunching of snow beneath my feet also served as a worthy distraction.
There were only a few blocks before I reached my house. I hadn't been there in over two weeks, choosing to spend most of my time with friends who understood my plight and offered their sofas. That's all I needed. I was nineteen and there was nothing my parents could do to keep me home. I planned to gather the rest of my things and depart, never to return.
Walking into that house was like hitting a wall head on. The guilt was overwhelming. Pictures of Richard stared back at me, his innocent big blue eyes staring back at me full of happiness. I could remember each specific even when those pictures were taken, back when things were happier.
"Celia, is that you?" My mom's voice made me flinch instinctively away. I fought the urge to turn and walk right out of that house. I cleared my throat and willed words to form.
"It's me." I managed to croak piteously.
Her surprised face turned around the corner in the next few seconds. Her face shocked. My mother's face began to quiver and she reached for me. I backed away from her touch before I could stop myself. She desperately fought to hide her hurt expression, but it was useless. I knew her face and every expression. I always knew when she was upset; a talent that I now wished didn't exist. It was hard to see her in such a state of worry and sadness, yet another reason why I wanted nothing more than to leave this house.
"You're just in time, sweetie," She smiled a wavering smile. "I just put the kettle on."
I wanted to refuse her offer. This whole visit was meant to be quick and as painless as possible, like the ripping off of a band-aid. She wanted to make this a long drawn out ordeal, but I couldn't refuse her the right to have tea with me. I nodded unconvincingly, doing my best to hide my displeasure.
I followed her into the kitchen and sat myself at my usual seat at the kitchen table. I forced myself to study the wood's grains, ignoring the mess of piled dishes that had collected in the sink. Normally it would have been my job to see that they were properly washed but – since my departure it was inevitable that the ghastly chore would remain undone.
"How have you been?" Mum asked sitting across from me. She grabbed my hands in hers and, despite my displeasure, I allowed her that freedom.
"I've been -." I allowed my voice to trail off, finding no suitable words to describe my current state. I wasn't fine, saying that would be a lie and I most certainly didn't want to worry her by divulging my true state of mind.
Luckily the kettle began to wail. I was glad for the opportunity to have my hands back. Mum rose to fetch it and I quickly stuffed them in my lap, wanting to prevent such a display of emotion. She placed a steaming cup of tea in front of me and I just stared at the perfectly prepared cup. She knew how I like my tea and, as appetizing at it sounded, I couldn't bring myself to drink it.
"It's not your fault, you know?" She said, surprising me out of my thoughts. I looked up at her, this time to see her avoiding my eyes. "What happened with Richard was God's plan. Nothing you could have done would change that."
A bitter taste formed in my mouth. This was a new development. On normal circumstances Mum would have avoided this topic, knowing the violent effect it had on me. She looked me straight in the eyes and I flinched away, biting my tongue to keep from saying a nasty retort.
"I've been chatting with Pastor Bryant," She spoke as if that should comfort me. "Maybe you should go up and speak with him as well. He's been lots of help for me."
"I have been to see him." I snapped, losing all control. "I don't need advice right now; I just came to get my things."
"You're leaving?" She whimpered.
I returned my gaze to my untouched tea. "It's for the best."
Rather than argue with me, Mum rose from her seat and moved to the sink. I watched from the corner of my eye and she turned on the tap and began to clean the dishes. I watched her for a few seconds wrestling with my guilty-conscious. I had to leave, that was the only solution.
It only took me a couple of hours to gather everything I would need into my backpack. I had to leave a few unnecessary items and it was hard to pick amongst my belongings. Eventually I was able to decide and left the house. My mum remained elusive, avoiding me with every fiber of her being. I understood that she was upset, but I also hoped that she would grow in understanding.
I walked down the path, heading in no particular direction. I knew where I was going and was also aware that I was heading in the wrong direction. I couldn't fight the pull, the need to go back to that place.
I traveled down the same road that I had six months two weeks and three days ago, only this time I was alone, and rightly so. It took me mere minutes to retrace my steps. And, sooner than I would have liked, I stood right where his small body had lain dying. I felt emotion trace itself into every fiber of my being until, eventually, I felt about to crack.
Before I could release a single tear an odd thrumming of an engine interrupted the stillness of the moment. The loud vwoorrrp, vwoorrp, vwoorrp filled the air around me making it harder to concentrate on my purpose for being in this spot.
I spun around trying to locate the source of the sound, but found nothing. I was completely alone in this small, dank alley and yet the noise still managed to overwhelm me. A slight blue shimmer caught my eye. I realized with sudden surprised that the shimmering was a tall blue figure beginning to form. I could hardly believe my eyes as an antique police box materialized out of thin air. The noise slowly subsided as the Police Box grew in concrete form. Eventually it appeared to have been built there, only I knew that wasn't so.
I pressed myself against the wall, hoping to seem invisible as my mind tried to wrap itself around what I just saw. The door to the police box flung open revealing a man wearing a blue suite covered by a long brown coat. I jumped back and released a pitiful squeal of surprise. He turned his eyes on me and smiled widely.
"Hello there!"
My heart seemed to stop and, before I could stop myself, my knees buckled and I fell to the ground unconscious.
"Easy there," A male voice said as I slowly came to. I felt groggy and unsure, not to mention the fact that my legs ached. The scene around me was blurred and unfamiliar, everything was a pulsing orange hue and the ground was hard and made out of some sort of metal mesh.
"Where am I?" I asked the stranger. I sat up and rubbed my eyes.
"You're inside the TARDIS." I realized with a start that the voice belonged to the man in the blue suit. He wasn't wearing his coat but I recognized his wild brown hair and white sneakers.
"The what?" I asked not sure if I misunderstood what he had said. I'd never heard of anything called the TARDIS.
"The TARDIS," He said a second time moving to the center console. "It stands for time and relative dimensions in space, basically your average time machine."
"You're a complete nutter!" I exclaimed. "A time machine? Do you seriously expect me to believe this is a time machine?"
He turned to face me, his brows were furrowed and he looked completely serious, a talented liar to be sure. I didn't trust him and wanted out of this – TARDIS.
"Why would I lie about a time machine?" He asked completely shocked by such a notion.
I snorted, full of sarcasm. He was joking, he had to be. I stood up and fought against the sudden attack of vertigo. I grabbed onto one of the center pillars trying to steady myself. Once my vision returned I straightened myself.
"Whatever game you're trying to play I'm not interested." I told him, "I could charge you with kidnapping!"
"Do what you'd like." He waved, his countenance grew suddenly dark. I gulped and backed away to what I suspect was the door.
Before he had the chance to stop me I turned around and lifted the old fashioned lock, pushing the door open. I stumbled onto the snow, nearly losing my balance. I regained myself and turned to look at this supposed time machine. Much to my surprise I now faced the blue police box.
"How is that even possible?" I asked myself. I also noticed that we had moved from the alley into an open field. We had moved! The strange man exited the police box revealing the large space I had been in only moments before.
"I-its -." I couldn't find the words. The man turned around and examined the police box, TARDIS or whatever it was.
"Bigger on the inside?" He suggested as though he had heard the comment a hundred times before.
"Who are you?" I demanded, not willing to give him the satisfaction by confirming his suggestion.
"I'm the Doctor," He turned towards me and smiled widely.
"Doctor who?" I asked.
"That's right," 'Doctor' nodded. I gaped, his name was The Doctor? What a horrid thing for a mother to call her child. Either that or he was hiding his true identity, an act that was sketchy at the least.
"You're the Doctor and that is the TARDIS?" I stammered trying to put my thoughts together.
"Now you're getting it!" He congratulated.
I moved towards the blue box and examined it from every angle. There were no tricks involved; it was just a simple wooden box! The sides weren't default or fake, it was perfectly sound. Doctor watched as I moved to the door and pushed it open. Inside the space was much more than it should be. I explored every corner of the console room and found no falsities in its design. There was even a corridor that seemed to go on forever. I stumbled towards the door and exited to find the Doctor in the same position as when I had left him.
His face was indignant and completely unreadable. I couldn't tell if he was pleased by my investigation or violated. His arms were crossed and his posture perfectly relaxed, yet his expression revealed nothing. I stood in the threshold gaping.
"Prove it." I finally said.
Doctor burst into a giant grin, as if nothing would give him more pleasure. I backed away, allowing him entrance and he immediately bounded over to his console. I stood behind him and watched as he pressed and pulled all different sorts of weird contraptions and knobs. It was nothing one would expect to see inside a time machine. Doctor turned towards me, a giant grin spread across his face. I flinched away instinctively, jumping just out of his reach. He didn't seem to notice, or care as his face remained perfectly full of glee.
"I'd thought you'd never ask!" He exclaimed then motioned towards the railing surrounding the raised up console. "I suggest you hang on tight."
No sooner than I complied did the TARDIS start making that same noise as before, only this time I was inside and it seemed even louder. As the noise intensified the TARDIS began to shake violently, almost as though it was tumbling about. I heard the Doctor let out an excited whoop and I glanced over at him.
He was grasping tightly onto the console but didn't seem at all concerned about its movement or the unhealthy screeching. He just continued with his ridiculous grin. It suddenly dawned on me I had climbed onto this – this TARDIS with an unknown man who, so far, was proving to be nothing more than a mad man with a box.
