"Ok, and-pull the lever, the big one." He said.
I pulled it and the place lurched, making that beautiful wheezing, groaning sound again. I held on as tightly as I could until it stopped.
I went to the door. That was really fun! Maybe next time I'll hold on more tightly. I reached for the door handle.
BANG! The door opened and hit me in the face. I stumbled and put my face to my nose, which started to bleed.
"Hey!" I yelled. "Watch it!"
"I'm so sorry, Tiffany." He said genuinely. He gently put his arm around me. "Here, let me help you." I let him sit me down on a chair and he handed me a handkerchief. "Use this."
I took the handkerchief and nodded my gratitude. I held it to my nose.
"Well, that's a bad way to introduce yourself to someone." I said in a muffled voice. "What's your name, anyway? I told you mine."
The bow tie man laughed. "Well, you introduced yourself by hijacking my ship." He chuckled.
I gave him a hurt look. "It was an accident." I said. "And what is your name?"
"I'm the Doctor." He said. "I'm a Time Lord from Gallifrey. The planet's gone now, though, and I've spent more of my life in the TARDIS than in my home planet. Oh, and TARDIS stands for 'Time And Relative Dimensions In Space'."
I took that all in. "So the TARDIS travels in time and space; anywhere and . . . any-when? I guess?" I smile to myself. "Anywhen! That should be a thing." Well, that explains why he didn't know me.
The Doctor grinned. "Yes, it's a full-fledged time machine. And I guess, Tiffany Orchid Land, that you earned yourself a trip in the TARDIS! Where and when to?"
I looked up. "What?" I exclaimed, surprised. "I trespassed your ship, played around with the engine, accidentally flew it somewhere, hung up on you, freaked out on you, and now you're going to take me somewhere?!"
"Yes."
I stared at him. "You're an alien." I said. It was not a question, just a statement.
"I am." He agreed.
"So I am an alien to you." I said.
"That is true." The Doctor replied.
"You still trust me? I'm an alien to you and a stranger, and you still trust me?" I spluttered.
"Yes."
"I'm fifteen! I'm a teenager! I have parents and no driver's license! And you're about to take me on a trek through time and space, why?"
"Because I think you'd like it." He said. "You have already proven yourself as a worthy companion."
"I had a panic attack!" I yelled.
"Not when you were driving." The Doctor pointed out.
"But-" I stammered. "But I-"
"Do you want to come or not?" He said, but not impatiently, for some reason. "That's the only reason I wouldn't take you on a trip. Do you understand? You deserve more than your boring, day-to-day life. You want something exciting, dangerous, and fun? I'm right at you doorstep! Tiffany, will you come with me? I can show you things you've never even dreamed of. I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses; I can tell you how to brew glory, bottle fame, and even stopper . . . wait a second, that's Harry Potter. Professor Snape said that. I love Snape's speech, don't you?"
I nod.
"What's in it for you?" I blurt out. It had to be said.
"Well, I've been alone for some time now, and you seem like a fun person to be around. Will you come?" He looked into my eyes. They were hazel. "Please?"
I looked at him curiously. I was always a good girl and never spoke to strangers. There was a reason for the rules, so I followed them. Will this man hurt me? He didn't look like he would. He will have to earn my trust, prove himself.
But I said, "Okay."
What was I thinking? It was reckless and dangerous, but what did I have to lose? I was planning on committing goddamn suicide if I didn't meet him. And for the record, I kind of trusted the guy.
"Where do you want to go? To the past? To the future? Earth? A different planet? A space ship? The sky's not even the limit here!"
I tried to think. All of my favorite time periods buzzed through my head. "The past, I want to go to the past." I said. "I don't care when or where on earth. Surprise me."
The Doctor grinned and started running around, pulling levers, switching switches, and just playing around with the many unrelated toy-like things on the consol. I watched him. He was like a child playing with his brand new toy. The gleam of delight in his eyes was unmissable. He reminded me of one little boy I babysat named Andrew.
Andrew was a really poor boy. Not poor as in his family had little money; his family was actually pretty wealthy. What I mean is, his parents never got him any toys or let him have any candy. When his parents were home, he literally just sat down on a stool (they didn't believe in giving him more comfort than he needed) and stare at the wall.
The first time I babysat he was about five years old. He was sitting on his stool and staring at the wall. I went up to him.
"Hi, Andrew," I said nervously. I was twelve and I never babysat before. The pay here was good and I didn't want to screw it up. "I'm Tiffany."
Andrew turned around and looked at me. "Hello, Miss." He said automatically. "My name is Andrew Miller, and I am very pleased to meet you."
I gaped at him. "It's just Tiffany." I said. "Do you want to play a game? I brought some magic markers and colorful paper just for you!"
Andrew frowned. "Magic markers?" He said with wonder. "Do they make the pictures come to life? Marcus has markers like that. He drew himself a dog and a cat and a goldfish with legs."
Imaginary friends. I thought. "Oh, these are not like Marcus's markers. They're so much better! Come here and I'll show you."
I showed Andrew how the markers could change colors with the help of the special white marker. His eyes shone and he sat down, coloring, for about twenty minutes straight. He came out with a very impressive drawing of a very pretty girl with brown hair and what looked like a wand.
"That's you, with your special magic marker that makes all the kids in Andrewland happy forever." He said shyly.
I smiled. "Do you have any friends, Andrew? Friends that your parents can see?" I asked him.
Andrew shook his head. "Mummy and Daddy say that other children are un-hi-gen-ic. It means that they smell."
I was shocked. "What about nursery school? And school?" I cried.
"Mummy will teach me at home." He said.
Poor kid! See what I mean? I babysat him for a while afterwards, and brought him a toy or a game each time.
He was a really happy little boy with me, until his parents came home early and caught me playing Guess Who with him. They freaked out on me, saying that I've ruined their only chance at making the perfect boy.
"He'll get rebellious! Next thing you know, he'll be taking drugs, drinking alcohol, and raping girls here and there! He'll end up in jail all because of you!" His father screamed.
"He'll never become a famous professor in Harvard! Or a famous doctor, or scientist! What have you done?!"
I ran from there as fast as I could, the coward I was back then, but I know that one day I'll have the guts to go back and talk some sense into them. Maybe even call the police about it.
"We're here!" The Doctor cried.
I jump up and run to the door. "Where are we?" I ask.
The Doctor grins. "Close your eyes." He says. I roll them instead and open the door.
