I was in the park with a smile on my face, laughing and joking; tears where falling down my cheeks from laughing at the things I could see in front of me, My name is Ashley Shackleton, I am currently ten years old walking through the heavy rain this miserable afternoon, I once met a man who became the closest thing to a father, He became my role model just like a mentor in my life and he made a very a big impression on me, in which I used to follow him all my life until the day he regenerated and suddenly disappeared to be never seen again; the day he defected The Doctor.
Just that very same afternoon I met a stranger who seemed to be drunk, we had a dispute about my bright future at that time, unexpectedly the stranger ended up thrashing me in the face. He seemed to look like a guy who could beat his wife without any remorse over her depression or she felt useless and deviated over things her husband would do when he returns home drunk from a session at the pub but I always been so obedient and would do everything if I was supportive to do that the hot argument about I wanting to go away to a boarding school the following school year to escape the bullies because the year before, I had been hit across the face with a strong open hand causing my body to fall to the floor, feeling pain on the right side of my face and, I woke up on the cold concrete floor, tasting blood in my mouth from my now busted lip.
I was enraged, scared and confused all at once it didn't help with the bullies shouting and calling me names, I staggered up from the floor and decided it was best to make my way home and clean up.
I quickly recovered form my new injuries, I slowly got up from the sofa and wrote a note to my mother telling her that I was going to go for a walk in case the bullies were coming back waiting for me outside of the house, I put my coat on and, took the keys from the keys from the rack placed by the door, I left through the back door and put my under the big old flower pot by the fence.
Not really knowing what to do myself at that point, I sat on the swings in the park and quietly wept to myself, That was the last time I ever cried in my life, I didn't cry at his grandparent's or parent's funerals some years later,. I never felt the need for this emotion again.
I made the decision to go back to my miserable life because I didn't know what else to do. I had always followed the advice from everyone in my life and I didn't know any better as I walked up to the door of my mothers old shop i pulled out the old key from my pocket, as I stepped into the shop, a sudden serge of whooshing and revving sounded through the cold street. I froze in that moment as for the first time in years this unfamiliar sound scared me more than ever.
As the smoke disappeared, a black hearse with a strike of red across the side, I was about to turn around and get back to safety in the shop when, the doors of the box opened, a man through the mist of the smoke, the guy had blond hair and a creepy looking eyes.
He looked around and was startled to see me stood watching him, he suddenly shouted.
" Here lad!, Were I am I? and what year is it?".
I had suddenly lost my voice for a second but was able to quietly mumble out something audible, "In London sir and the year is 2000."
"Good good, what's your name?"
"Ashley Shackleton but my friends call me Ash"
"Ashley Shackleton, ey nice name kid, Ash, I like it"
"Thanks I guess, I didn't get your name?"
"My friends call me the Master back home"
"The Master? That's a strange name people over here would think you're crackers"
I said smiling for the first time in what seemed a long time." Yes I know I'm working on a new one, want to help me Ash?"
"Um, Sure I mean I'm not supposed to talk to strangers but you seem like a nice person but maybe a little odd."
"Great! How about you help me find a place where I can stay?"
"Um you don't have a place to stay? How about that car you strolled in with?"
"Yes well... I'm planning on staying here for a while and I think it would be weird to go in and out of the good old Tardis every day. It might draw attention to it, if you know what I mean"
"Tardis? You're car is called the Tardis?"
"It looks like a car, Where are you from Master?"
"Ah yes I forget that people down here don't know some things, I'll explain later? Ash?".
"Oh of course I'm sorry I don't mean to be nosey, I just….. Thought you were maybe….. You were just passing through or something...Um why don't you stay over at my house?", Said Ash feeling himself smiling at the stranger again.
"Thanks kid, that's very nice of you but are sure you're parents won't make a big fuss out of it?".
"I doubt they will even notice"
"Really?" asked the Master curious as to why.
"Yeah….. It's kind of a long story I'll explain it on the way.
"I normally a very cautious around new people, I usually would never talk to strangers and I would especially have never let anyone I didn't know stay at my house", On the short walk to my house I explained to the Master my complicated relationship with my parents.
Ashley told the Master about his father disappearance and how he would have to basically run it for him because it felt as if it was his fault because his dad had started drinking shortly after he was born, shortly after my mother became the target when he wanted to pick a fight, Soon after my father was hunted down by mother's brother and he was then killed by him.
I had tried to be as perfect as I could by making excellent grades at school, I was a brilliant child and this was never difficult for me. In addition i would try and get jobs I hated at the best of my abilities and tried to make it up to my parents for being born and causing my mother all this misery, but even though all the mothers at my school would of wished to have such a lovely little boy like myself.
As I was telling the Master this I soon realized i was taking my new friend into the gates of hell or home if you like, and I immediately felt bad about it, I tried to apologized for what he would see next and I that could no longer help him out.
The master looked down at the boy who from the first moment he laid eyes on me and saw the hidden potential for mischief and the great power it would bring once he unleashed it to the world.
He decided to take him for a spin in the Tardis to cheer me up. He knew he had just taken the Tardis from the Gallifreyain car show and knew it would take him a while to fix it but he wanted to cheer me up I strangely had grown on him in the short time we had been in each others company.
The Master stopped, grabbed my hand and started to run back to the Tardis.
I was very confused and yelled as we ran.
"Master where are we going?"
"Hold on Ash you'll see!"
"What are you talking about Master? Are you kidnapping me? Because if you are then you are not getting any money for me! All the money we have goes to my mum's savings!"
"Don't be stupid Ash. Of course I'm not; I'm taking you on a HOLIDAY!"
"A HOLIDAY! You can't I need to start my new job tomorrow and I'm in enough trouble all ready for ditching it today and more than likely will pay for it tomorrow!, master stop!, I need to go back now! Stop!"
"Oh shut up Ash you will be alright, I promise nothing bad will happen to you as long as I'm around, all right?"
By this point they had reached the Tardis and The Master was well on his way in to fix it when Ash stopped cold on his trail and took a better look at the magnificent magical Car that stand before him.
"What's the matter Ash? Why did you stop?"
"I don't know I feel strange. A part of me is screaming for me to go with you into you're funny old car and another part of me is trembling with fear because of the punishment my mum would give me if I just didn't show up home tonight"
"Ash this is a time machine. I can get you back in five seconds if I wanted to there is nothing to fear my boy"
"Do you promise Master?"
Once in the Tardis the Master let go of my hand, bend down to his height and said "I promise Ash."
I looked into his protector's eyes and saw that he was sincere and meant what he said.
"Okay Master I trust you" I smiled and gave a big grin
"Fantastic!" The Master exclaimed jumping excitedly.
Ruffling my hair he ran to the console and started pressing buttons and pulling levers just as he pressed a big red button and the box started to shake a little the Master shoot Ash an adventurous smile and yelled as the shaking increased "Hold on tight Ash it's going get bumpy!"