it's been a while...
Where on earth had this man come from? He'd only introduced himself as "The Doctor". No elaborations; no explanations. Not the most polite thing to do, and definitely not top on the social etiquette, although personally I've never acquainted myself with manners.
Manners have always gotten in the way of the things I wished to accomplish. For example, when I was seven, I wanted to talk to the girls on the street who were throwing stones into the river below and competing for who could make the biggest ripple. It looked a lot of fun, and, of course, I wanted to join in. However, my mother said that social etiquette dictated that I left them well alone. At some point around that age, I stopped listening to her and tried to make something else of myself. It was the beginning of my self-discovery.
But this mysterious man had stopped my sensible thoughts and rekindled my halted dreams by revealing himself as the man of many faces; The Doctor. He could be anyone, and that was an exhilarating possibility.
At first I thought he was another beggar with wild hallucinations and dreams, one that had gotten lost in the maze of the streets as many had done before him. But there was something about him that kindled my fascination and awakened my senses - it was danger. Danger was the scent I longed for and never received, but this was such a tempting offer; how could I resist?
But this man with his staircase in the clouds and his mysterious glances was nothing compared to the iced men that he'd introduced me to. That was a whole other world, and it intrigued me. Imagination had created these things, and I knew that it was something new; something special.
However, as much as I longed for the sharp shot of danger, I knew I had the children to think of. Their story was far more haunting than I'd ever like to admit, and I knew there was every reason for me not to leave them. I would protect them until my dying day.
How much did I actually fear death? Not as much as I would have liked, that's for sure. Any sign of danger and I'm onto it like a shot; it's the spice that makes me appreciate what I live for.
The Doctor; thousands of opportunities, hundreds of options. None, however, that conveniently fit into my life.
When I followed him, I'm not sure what I was expecting. It certainly wasn't what I got.
The Doctor changed my life. And I, Clara Oswin Oswald, am eternally grateful for it.
