The Pale Cage

Chapter 14

The sudden shift through the time vortex disorientated him. Unshielded and unprotected, Raeburn was flung through the untempered schism. All of space and time swirled around him until the dizziness turned to nausea. His skin prickled and itched as the energy of the vortex manipulator dragged him back in time. Then all at once he zapped into place. He gripped onto the first object he saw, a table, and held onto it while he waited for his brain to realize he had made it out of the vortex. Despite the cheap and nasty time travel of the vortex manipulator, Raeburn's hearts pounded with excitement, it made it easy to push his suffering to the back of his mind. He felt like his old self again, a time traveler. It took Raeburn a couple of minutes to collect himself from the violent trip through time. When he was sure the room wouldn't spin, he opened his eyes. His lips parted in surprise, the edge of the table he gripped was identical to the one from the 24th century. He hadn't moved, he was in the exact same place he was before he activated the manipulator.

The Retro Diner The Angel's Kiss no longer seemed retro. Everything looked new, the polished metal shined, the wood was smooth and the paint smelled fresh. Even the scenery outside of the window held a similar snow fall. Raeburn still could not see past the thick curtain of snow, it kept the view beyond it unknown. Raeburn knew the year was 1955 one year after Amy's book was published, also one year after Tolkien published his fantastical tales of The Lord of the Rings. Raeburn thought about visiting his old friend...Maybe get another signed copy from him. Or maybe get a glimpse at the Silmarillion's manuscript. Shaking his head to help him refocus, Raeburn remembered his real purpose for zapping back in time.

Raeburn glanced around the quiet diner, no one noticed him. Apart from Raeburn, the restaurant was devoid of customers. He heard footsteps and clinking from the back kitchen, but he saw no one. He decided it would be best to leave, he did not have a good explanation for his sudden appearance. He moved towards the door, but before he could slip away a familiar face caught his eye.

“River?”

He took a step away from the door. His eyes locked onto her signature curly hair. There were a thousand secrets hidden in those eyes and a tease tugging at the corner of her lips. River Song, mysterious woman who was in prison for a good man's murder. Raeburn had never learned who she killed, but he had a guess. Raeburn stepped closer to the wall and frame that held the black and white photo of River Song. In four hundred and twelve years the photo would be removed. Raeburn had not seen it before...in the future. His finger traced the glass, he wondered how she managed to turn up here. Why would the Doctor abandon Amy and Rory to this time...? Surely River would help them?

“That's Melody Malone.” An unexpected voice answered a question unasked. Raeburn turned back to see a young black woman, she had not been there the moment before. Raeburn cataloged the woman's appearance. The young lady held a no nonsense disposition, Raeburn guessed she was in her early twenties. Her red diner uniform was in perfect order, though her originally white apron held a few stains. Her intelligent black eyes seemed too old for her young face and her hair was pulled back in a tight bun; not a single strand curled out of place. “The original owner named our shop after her agency. There is a long story that goes with that lady. But we made a promise. If she ever turn up, her lunch and tea's on the house.” She continued.

“Do you see her often?”

“No sir. Five years back she turned up out of the blue...not looking a day older than the lady in that photo. Its odd because that was taken in '38. But she's a firecracker, she's bound to turn up when we least expect it.”

“I don't doubt it.”

“And then there's that publisher of hers, she's all fire, that one. She turns up now and again leaving us with unsatisfying spoilers.”