Running Through the Stars (Book One of the Bad Wolf Chronicles)

Chapter Two: The End of the World

"Right then, Jessie Nightshade," the Doctor said as they bounded into the console room. "Tell me, where do you want to go: backwards or forwards in time? What's it gonna be?"

"Forwards," she replied, grinning.

"How far?"

Jessie looked at him in disbelief, and was greeted by a smug smirk. "Try 100 years?"

He started flipping switches, and the engines shuddered to a stop. "There we go! Step outside those doors, it's the 22nd century."

Jessie began laughing. "OK, that's incredible."

"Bit boring, though. D'you want to go further?"

"Fine by me!"

The Doctor started doing even more stuff, then poked his head up over the console when the TARDIS stopped again. "Ten thousand years in the future. Step outside, it's the year 12005!" he announced with a pleased look. "The New Roman Empire."

Jessie began cracking up. "You think you're so impressive!"

"Oi!" he complained. "I am so impressive!"

Jessie wondered just how far she could take this. He was apparently rubbing off on her. "You wish."

He raised an eyebrow, accepting the challenge. "Alright then, you asked for it! I know exactly where to go." She grinned as he started the engines up. "Hold on!"

Jessie did, onto one of the coral structures as the ship hurtled through space. The Doctor was grinning like the maniac Jessie currently thought he was. With a ping, the ship stopped, and the Doctor looked at Jessie expectantly. "Where are we? What's out there?" she asked.

The Doctor held a hand out in reply. She walked over and opened the TARDIS door, looking around in awe at the gallery they appeared to be in. The Doctor sidestepped her and walked over towards the shutters on the opposite side. They slid open with a hiss, and Jessie grinned when she saw Earth from above. The Doctor grinned, folding his arms. "You lot . . . you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids, but you never take a moment to imagine the impossible: maybe you survive. This is the year 5.5/apple/26, five billion years in your future. This the day . . . hold on."

He looked at his watch, and as if on cue, something gold and orange bubbled up and began to surround the planet. Jessie's eyes widened. "Is that the sun?" she asked.

"Yep," he replied, folding his arms again. "This is the day that the sun expands." He looked down at her. "Welcome to the end of the world."

"Wow," Jessie whispered, blinking. "That's . . . wow."

He held out a hand. "Come on," he told her. "Let's go."

With any other man, Jessie would've ignored it completely. With the Doctor, she took it without hesitation.

***

"Shuttles Five and Six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation, and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for 15:39, followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite."

"15:39?" Jessie snorted. "Well, ain't that accurate. So by guests . . . "

"Aliens," he said.

"So this thing's a spaceship? Why're we on here?"

"It's not really a spaceship, it's more like an observation deck. The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn."

"What for?"