Genesis Of The Doctor - A Doctor Who Story

09 - Earth

7th December 1989

Eleven year old Emma Wright panted with the effort of climbing as she chased her dog, 'Colin' up Wolstonbury Hill. Emma had left her house in nearby Pyecombe early to take full advantage of the cold but clear and bright sunny morning and knew that the view from the top of the hill would be amazing today.

As they cleared the tree line and forged their way up the steep vertical path Colin bolted into a gorse thicket to their left. He started to whimper pathetically. "What's wrong boy?" Emma called out in bewilderment. Then she heard it herself; the scream of what sounded like jet engines followed by a crack of thunder coming from the cloudless sky above.

A flash of light caught her gaze and she turned to see an approaching violet fireball hurtling over the Sussex Downs. Emma ducked and flattened herself to the ground, never shifting her gaze from the approaching object which, though still moving at high speed now appeared to be slowing. At first she thought it would clear the hill above her but instead it struck with an almighty explosion of soil and chalk, burying itself into the hillside a short distance away.

Emma strained her eyes to peer through the now expanding dust cloud. She thought she could make out two burning figures lying near to a newly excavated crater bitten out of the side of the hill.

Calling out for Colin she ran up towards the two prone forms, approaching the flames with no regard for her own safety. Now that she was closer she could see that they were indeed people; a boy and a girl, clothing on fire, apparently unconscious.

Sacrificing her coat Emma smothered the flames and then, using the steep slope of the hill to her advantage, attempted to drag each person away from the crash site as best she could. They were both badly burned and were likely injured but each appeared to be breathing.

"Keep calm, keep calm," Emma said to herself. She knew that there was little more that she could do herself for these poor souls - they needed immediate medical help and she was their only hope to make that happen. Emma knew that nearby 'Danny House' had there was a telephone and leaving the figures huddled together covered with the charred remains of her coat, she set off back down the hill as fast as she could, shouting for Colin as she ran.

It took Emma ten minutes to reach Danny House and it was testament to her youthful stamina that she still had it in her to push open the heavy doors and to raise the alarm. The housekeeper, Mrs Thomas, knew Emma to be a sensible girl and taking her story at face value called the police to relay her story. After a short conversation she handed the receiver to Emma. "They want to talk to you girl," she said.

"No sir, it didn't look at all like an aeroplane, it was just a blue glow," said Emma into the receiver. "It's smashed to bits now, there's nothing left. Listen sir, please, you need to get somebody out here to help now or they will both die!"

The voice on the other end of the line reassured Emma that help was already on its way and continued to ask her more and more questions. Emma became exasperated. "I'm sorry," she said. "I need to get back there and help." She passed the receiver back to Mrs Thomas and picking Colin up, Emma ran back out of the great house and back towards the hill above.

The steepness of the climb and her fatigue meant it took her almost twenty minutes before she cleared the tree line again. A large stern-faced man appeared in her path barring her way. "Sorry miss but you can't come up here today. Police business."

"I know," answered Emma. "It was me who called the police. I want to help."

"The best help you can be miss is to leave this to us." The man's expression darkened. "Now be on your way or you'll be in a whole heap of trouble miss." He grabbed her shoulder and gently but firmly started to turn her back the way she had come. Looking back over her shoulder Emma could see nothing of the burning remains on the hill. The two figures had gone.