The Time of Change

Dawn

I slowly climb the narrow stairs up to the top of the tower, where another small fire is burning under the clock. My cane is loud against the creaky wood, and my foot catches on the edge of a stair. Clara's hand shoots out and touches my back, steadying me. I smile but I know she can't see me. For a moment I'm transported in time, because the thinness of this staircase is so compact and the steps so steep that it reminds me of another house, on another planet, oh so many centuries ago. Three hundred and forty two years ago, to be exact. I try to convince myself that I don't count the days but I do. And I remember how I was where Clara is, steadying someone else as we climbed to see something equally beautiful and saddening. And my hearts ache but I take a breath and start talking.

"Well, it's a standoff," I say. I know Clara will want to know what's happening here. "They can't attack in case I unleash the Timelords, and I can't run away, because they'll burn this planet to stop the Timelords." We reach the top of the stairs, and I walk, slowly but surely, toward the chairs I have set up. I usually have two, one for me and one for Handles, but today, Clara will fill the second one. The fire crackles and pops as we approach. The lights in the evergreens twinkle in the predawn darkness. It looks beautiful, as it typically does. I sit with a huff in the chair, any exertion tiring on my bones. I hate feeling old. I am old, but I've never felt it.

"But hey," I say as Clara seats herself opposite me, "after all these years, I've finally found somewhere that needs me to stick around. A town called Christmas... Could've been worse." Clara smiles sadly at me. I gently remove Handles from under my arm, take a pillow from behind my back, and puff it up and set it on a rickety table nearby. Now I place him on it. "Right, there you go, buddy," I sigh. "Comfy?"

"Comfort is irrelevant," he replies. I chuckle to myself and shift him a bit so that he's somewhat lying down on the pillow. "How is that? Is that better?" I inquire, smirking at him. Almost in a sigh, he says, "Affirmative." There's emotion in his voice for one of the first times. I blink and sit back. "You just take it easy buddy." I look at Clara and add softly, "He's getting old. I do my best for him, but I just can't get the parts, you know? Hey, I know the feeling." A wry grin appears on my face. Clara's eyes sparkle with something that I can't quite place.

I lean over and reach under my chair for a bag, and pull out a marshmallow. I impale it with one of the thin metal skewers sitting next to me. My hand shaking just a little, I put it over the fire and watch as it steadily browns and roasts. "Where'd you get those?" she inquires.

"I have a supplier," I say vaguely. "The pink ones are the best." I hand her the marshmallow, smiling. She takes it but keeps her eyes on me, looking at me different than she usually does. Did. As I reach over to search for a pink marshmallow, Handles makes an odd sort of electrical buzzing sound. I look at him. "I have developed a fault," he monotones. I sit up straighter, my stomach going a bit cold. "Hey, don't you worry, Handles," I reply quietly, putting my hand on his metal forehead. The lightbulb somewhere behind his eyes is flickering. "You're just dreaming. The sun's coming up soon. Just hang on in there."

"I have developed a fault," he says again. "I -- I have developed a fault."

Now my full attention is on the tiny robot's disembodied head. Some snow drips onto him and I wipe it away quickly. A spark of electricity jolts me as I brush his head. My hand vibrates with the voltage and I stare, confused. Worried. "Hey Handles," I whisper. "Come on... come on, buddy. One more dawn, you can do it. You've got it in you. Come on, please hang in there. Don't go yet." My hands are still shaking, but not because of my weakening bones.

"Attention. Emergency. Attention." He sounds urgent. I lean toward him. "Handles, what is it?" I ask. "What's wrong?"

"Urgent action required. You must patch the telephone device back through the console unit."