Thorn Bush (Doctor Who Story)

Chapter 38: Daleks in Manhattan

A/N: Thank you for your lovely comments.

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Kathy, now one thousand four hundred, approaches Central Park in New York. She feels sombre as she looks out at the sight in front of her.

There are hundreds of tiny houses scattered about or rather shacks made out of whatever a person could find and place together to make a shelter to sleep in. Some are made out of tin scrap while others are nothing more than sticks and cloth strung together. There is a haze of smoke around the area as many have fires going either to help keep the chill of early autumn away or to cook a meal to eat. Hundreds of people milling around the fires or shacks, all wearing tattered clothing that appears to be something they have worn for days on end. Kathy glares up at the Manhattan skyscrapers that loom up above.

"Mrs Davis!" The children cry as they run over. She receives a few gapped tooth smiles.

Kathy beams at the group of children in front of her.

There's Marvin, the oldest of the group at the ripe age of eleven, with a very lanky body, mousy-brown hair that is slick to the side, a small cap on his head, and a dirty boy's suit jacket over his white button up shirt. Next to him is Philip. He is about as tall as Marvin but is younger by a year. He has on a pair of wired round glasses which had tape in the centre from being broken, a large cap on his head with his blonde hair tucked neatly into it and a dirty grey button-up shirt with braces over his shoulders keeping up his brown trousers. Then Charlie, the youngest of the group. He is only six, but rather scrappy in personality. He wears a cap that barely stays above his eyes, his brown hair is about the same always hanging around his eyes, and also a grey buttoned shirt that is always tucked in crookedly into his trousers. And lastly, there's little Alice, small in size at eight years old. Her dark brown curly hair is tucked into the large cap that balances on her head. She wears a brown buttoned shirt, braces over her shoulders and black trousers with matching boots along with a large navy-blue boys jacket that Kathy had gifted her to keep her warm.

They remind her of the Thin Ice crew she met and looked after over a century ago. She feels sad thinking about it.

"Hello! And I told you to call me Kathy!" She admonishes.

"No can do, Mrs Davis." Solomon rebuffs as he approaches them, sporting a warm smile. "We might have lost everything, but we still have manners."

Kathy smiles at him softly. "Of course."

"What do you have this time, Mrs Davis?" Marvin asks eagerly.

"Well, I thought you might enjoy some sandwiches, some of those 'band aids' you to enjoy, Alice," the little girl beams, "and The Story of Dr Dolittle!"

The children cheer and Solomon thanks her.

Kathy waves him off. "It's common decency. Everyone should be helping out."

"Hmm." Solomon glances over at the not-fully-completed Empire State Building. "You tell them that."

They're interrupted by some yelling.

"Another fight." Solomon sighs. "I gotta take care of that." He quickly leaves.

A tug on her arm causes her to look down to see Charlie and Alice gazing up at her, wide-eyed. Marvin and Philip have moved on, sharing out the food Kathy had brought.

"Can you read us a book, Mrs Davis?" Charlie asks.

Kathy's heart practically melts. It's strange to think Carlyle was this small and her lost grandchildren too. Her eyes water as she thinks of them.