The Doctor and His Queen

Prelude

It wasn't there before.

The crowds of Cardiff Bay hadn't noticed it. Most of them had somewhere to be, somewhere to go, something to be doing. Some were just taking in the summer sun. No one paid attention to the big blue box slap bang in the middle of town. But she did. Because she had nothing to do.

The droning from her boring teachers were driving her insane, as well as the endless chatting of and so she wandered away from her class to the town centre. Just for the peace and quiet. So she searched for a nearby bench and started eating her lunch. And then she saw it.

It wasn't there before. she thought, remembering when they had arrived at the town the day before. The coach trundled through the rain, but no one really noticed the rain, for they were all asleep. Apart from her. She stared at the nearby window, watching the cars and the people and the buildings whizz past. And she went past the Wales Millennium Centre, where there was no blue box. So how was it here now?

She slowly rose from the seat, drawn towards the somewhat abstract object. She treaded slowly towards the box, arm extended outwards to feel towards the wood. Towards the handle. Her hand gripped the dull gold, turning her knuckles white. But then something weird happened.

The door opened on its own.

Its slow movement was coupled with a loud creak, as if the door was ancient. The girl was at first taken aback, but her curiosity was only filled by this, not diminished. She slowly continued into the box, expecting a space as big as her.

Instead she found something...bigger.

The bright sunlight that once beamed down was now replaced with a bright blue glow that enveloped the otherwise grey room. And what a room! The blue column at the centre of the room was surrounded by a six-piece console, each piece with unique buttons and levers, each different colours and sizes. And in the background were numerous staircases leading to unknown places. Wait- there's MORE? Instantly the girl ran towards the stairs nearest he exit. But as soon as she reached the lower floor, she heard them.

Footsteps.

She crouched behind the stairwell quickly and silently, afraid of what being might be up there. Is he an alien? Is he dangerous? Does he have two heads, or three hands, or one leg? Meanwhile, the footsteps continued at the centre of the room, almost as if they were dancing around the console. A few clicks later, and a magical, chaotic rasping echoed on the walls. The girl cowered away, keeping as quiet as humanly possible at her hiding place, even though the sounds calmed her slightly. Soon though the room was emptied of noise, except for the footsteps racing towards the door. Two sharp creeks left the girl pondering... Where am I?

But before she could imagine any further, the room was filled with noise again...and the walls began to fade. The blue glow was replaced with a yellow sky, and she was now resting on a bright green pasture, surrounded by cows with...three heads?

By he time she had the courage to shout for help, the box had gone, leaving her behind on a distant planet, sobbing silently.