Alfie, Who?

Family Trip

Our story takes place in a universe where Craig Owens, the Lodger that the 11th Doctor saved from his alien neighbor, has in fact had his memories of the Doctor erased by UNIT. But the Doctor's memories that he implanted in Craig's conscience still live there, just under the surface. Craig thinks that they are just dreams, or a slight case of mental that he doesn't like to talk about! Craig and his wife have a son, Alfie, better known as the baby who preferred to call himself Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All. In this story, Alfie has grown to the age of 10. During a trip to visit the Statue of Liberty, he finds out that he is quite special. Later, upon returning to his home in London, he gets his letter from Hogwarts.

When Alfie Owens was ten, his mother and father took him to the US to see the Statue of Liberty. They took the ferry to Liberty Island. As the boat sped along the sound little Alfie could see the New York City skyline with it's towering Freedom Tower where the Twin Towers once stood. His mother saw him staring at it with wonder in his eyes. She rubbed his head, knowing that he was thinking about all of the lives that were lost that historic day. Presently, a helicopter flew past. Alfie's gaze followed it. He staggered across the swaying boat to the other side to keep his eyes on it as it flew off into the distance. They were getting closer and closer to the statue. He could see that there was another helicopter near by. The two seemed to be circling the statue in wide orbits, one always facing her as if she must be watched at all times! Alfie thought that it was strange that this thought would present itself. It seemed to be an odd enough thought but he dismissed it as quickly as he questioned it.

As they got closer Alfie could see the crowds walking around the base of the statue, just under her toes. With his set of binoculars he could just make out the chain at her feet. "Broken chains of tyranny, or something like that!" is what he remembered reading in his guide book.

Alfie believed that perhaps it was the heat, and the way that it bends the light, but he was sure that he saw the slightest twitch in Lady Liberty's big toe. "Mum? Dad? Did you see that?" he inquired of his parents. "See what, honey?" his mother responded. They had not looked up from their guide. "It says here that there is an elevator that takes you most of the way up to the top of the base. Then there are about 16 more steps! Heh! Just to get to the top of the base!" His father didn't seem to even hear him. No one else seemed to notice, either. So Alfie dismissed it as just a trick of the light. He held on to the railings and watched the water as it broke around the boat as they got closer.

The boat had let them out at the end of a long covered pier. They followed the line to the main part of the island. As they got closer to the statue, Alfie could see her head and shoulders and extended arm through a frame of trees. Everyone else seemed amazed, but to Alfie, there was something unsettling about her. Her bronze skin, dull with age and weather, still as a statue. But the folds in her dress seemed to ripple in the breeze. Alfie rubbed his eyes. "Come on now." His father had grabbed his wrist and pulled him along. He had stopped, apparently. He was not sure for how long, but he could see that his mother was quite a distance ahead of him so that his father had to come back to get him. He thought that it had only been a few seconds, but his parents seemed quite distraught. "There are a lot of people on this island. Please try to keep up. Don't leave my side, Alfie, OK?" His father kneeled before him and looked him in the eyes. "OK?" Alfie looked up at his dad.

With an honest look of resolve on his face, he responded "Yes, dad."

His father stood and rubbed the top of Alfie's head and said "Come on. Your mother is waiting." He could see his mother's face change from concern to a big smile as they walked toward her.

Alfie and his parents made their way through the line and into the museum at the bottom of the statue. There they found the original torch. The virtual guide in their headphones told them that the original design of the torch allowed too much rain to get inside and that the new design was more efficient and weather proof. Alfie, wondering at the details missing from the audio recording pulled at his father's shirt sleeve to get his attention. "Dad?" His father removed one side of his headphones and looked at his son. "Yes, Alfie?" Alfie looked from this father's inquisitive face back to the dismounted torch.