The First Doctor was alone in his cabin, watching the stars flash across the screen. He had just left his home planet, Gallifrey, after stealing a TARDIS, a time and space machine. He had fled the war raging between the Time Lords and the Daleks, merciless metallic creatures. He didn't know where he was going, or what he was going to find. He only wanted to discover the universe, to experience adventures, to meet different beings.
He pressed a random button, and the TARDIS began to shake. He heard a female voice come from the loudspeaker:
- Destination reached. Earth. Period: 21st century. Coordinates: 43.4567° N, 1.5678° E.
The Doctor smiled. Earth, he had heard of it. A blue planet, populated by humans, a curious species full of contradictions. He decided to get out of the TARDIS, which had taken the form of a blue telephone box, to blend into the background. He opened the door, and was greeted by a ray of sunshine. He breathed in the fresh air, and admired the landscape. He was in a small village, surrounded by fields and hills. He saw houses, a church, a bakery, a school. He saw people walking, smiling, greeting each other. He suddenly felt happy and full of enthusiasm. He told himself that he would make friends, and maybe even traveling companions.
He headed towards the center of the village, where there was a market. He saw fruit, vegetable, cheese and flower stalls. He lives animals, dogs, cats, chickens. He saw children running, laughing, playing. He approached a book stand, and was attracted by a title: "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes". He took the book and leafed through it. He recognized the name of the author, Arthur Conan Doyle, a writer he had read before. He said to himself that he liked detective stories, and that he could take inspiration from Sherlock Holmes to solve mysteries.
He looked up, and met the gaze of the salesman, a man in his forties, with glasses and a mustache. The seller smiled at him and said:
- Hello Sir. Do you like books?
The Doctor smiled back and replied:
- Good morning. Yes, I love books. Especially the ones that talk about adventures.
- Then you made the right choice. Sherlock Holmes is the best detective in the world. There isn't a mystery he can't solve.
- It's true. But you know, there are mysteries that are beyond human understanding. Mysteries that come from elsewhere. Other worlds, other times.
The seller looked at him curiously and asked:
- Are you a writer, too?
The Doctor hesitated. He thought he could pretend to be a writer, and invent stories based on his own experiences. He figured it would be a good way to make friends, and maybe even traveling companions. He thought he might call his book The Adventures of Doctor Who. He thought it would be a catchy and mysterious title. He said to himself that he would start by recounting his first adventure on Earth, and how he had met the book seller, who would become his first companion. He said to himself that this would be the start of a long and beautiful friendship.
He made up his mind, and replied to the seller:
- Yes, I am a writer. And you, do you want to be my friend?
YOU ARE READING
The Doctor who
FanfictionThe Doctor is a time and space traveler, who explores the universe aboard his TARDIS, a machine capable of changing appearance. He is the last survivor of an ancient and mysterious race, the Time Lords. He has the particularity of regenerating when...
