Doctor Who
In
The Tale of Melanie
By KKDW
Chapter 1: Remembrance
Snow billowed through the air and settled on the ground, for some of it the settling was only temporary. Some of the snow blew into a cave where it settled on the body of a sleeping girl. She'd been there for many years, and many had come looking for her. Those that had found the cave had either been killed or forgotten it. She stayed there, and she stayed sleeping. And she would probably stay like that for ever.
"Now some of the worst evil creatures in history are thankfully non-existent," the Doctor explained to Rose who was listening intently, "I mean imagine stepping out of those doors only to come face to face with Darth Vader or George W Bush, oh no he's real."
Rose laughed slightly at this.
"Well anyway there is a possibility that you could meet one of these fictional villains," the Doctor went on.
"How?" Rose asked.
"Parallel universe," the Doctor replied, "You slip into another universe where Thunderbirds is real and you're not."
"What do you mean 'you're not?" Rose asked.
"Well, one time I ended up meeting the Tomorrow People…" The Doctor replied.
"Who are the Tomorrow People?" Rose asked.
"Oh year you probably wouldn't have heard of them," the Doctor said, "Well anyway while I was there I found out that all my adventures were just a television show called Doctor Who."
"I like the name," Rose said.
"Yeah and they got a bit of a surprise to find they were a TV show as well," the Doctor chuckled.
"So you're saying that we can open those doors to find Darth Vader standing outside," Rose said.
"Yep, so start learning how to use a light sabre," the Doctor said taking something out of his jacket pocket and throwing it to Rose.
Rose looked at the object a bit confused.
"Doctor this is a black pudding," Rose said.
"Oh, that's in case I meet the Goodies," the Doctor said.
"I'm not even going to ask," Rose said as she had no idea who the Goodies were.
The villagers assembled themselves in front of the stage that had been set up. They all wore fur clothing because of the cold that they were used to experiencing. Snow fell and settled around them as it always had done. The stood in front of the stage, waiting. Then a man and a young girl came onto the stage. The man was tall and his fur clothing made him look a lot bulkier than he really was, one of his most prominent features was his black moustache which he only kept to keep his top lip warm, he was known in the village as a man of great courage and so had been elected to be the Bearer of the village, their leader. The girl was his daughter, she was also respected in the village partly because of her father's status but mostly because of she was known to have a beautiful singing voice, and she was waiting to use it now as her father approached the front of the stage. He raised his right had to the people before him and they did the same in recognition.
"Welcome my fellow villagers, my friends," the Bearer said, "We all know why we are gathered here today, gathered in remembrance of perhaps the only major event in this villages history that didn't involve beings from another world. I have known this day each year for a long time. For nearly fifty years I've experienced it once a year, even though for the first few years I wasn't aware of it. And since I was elected as Bearer of the village, given the responsibility of standing here and speaking to you all I have realised what this event really means. So let us experience this meaning together," he finished and the villagers applauded.
The Bearer stepped back to stand beside his daughter and whispered "It's your turn now Laria."
She nodded and stepped to the front of the stage, the audience applauded again then went into a awed silence, waiting for her to begin singing the one song that they all knew.
"She was only young when she was taken,
In an event not of her making.
When the bandits came to strike,
And all around, they took flight.
They robbed us of our possessions,
Because for them it was an obsession.
Then they left, their robbing done,
Then we realised that one of us had gone.
She was taken to a cave when short shelter,
And she thought that no one could help her.
Then the witch came and struck many of them down,
And left her sleeping upon the ground.
Men went out and searched far and wide,
Very few returned alive.
Then one of the bandits came and told his tale,
And that any search for her would fail.
So once a year we stand and hear,
Of the one we thought so dear.
Remember sweet Melanie,
Who sleeps for eternity."
The song finished and the villages applauded Laria as she stepped back to stand by her father. Then she spotted a stranger approaching the village.
The TARDIS materialised a short distance from the village. When the door was opened a flurry of snow came in, the Doctor brushed it aside as he disembarked with Rose behind him.
"Blimey it's cold here," she said pulling her coat tightly around herself.
"Yep, colder than Tony Blair on a bad day," the Doctor said.
"What?" Rose said in confusion having been thrown slightly by the Doctor's comment.
"Well shall we explore?" the Doctor asked.
"Ok why not," Rose said, "There's a village over there," she added pointing in the direction of the village.
"Well it looks like there's something big going on over there," the Doctor said and he set off across the snow covered ground towards the village. As he got closer he could just make out singing. The words became clearer the closer he got. He was standing at the back of the crowd when the song finished.
"That was beautiful," he said to himself quietly.
Then the bearer came to the front of the stage again. Wiping a small tear from under his left eye.
"Well, as always that was very moving," he said, "No matter who sings it. But my friends, I see we have a stranger amongst us," he added looking towards the back of the crowd, and then every one turned towards the Doctor.