Time Boy

Dear Santa

Amelia and I kneel beside our bed, eyes closed, hands in prayer. We decided to finally ask someone for help about the crack in the wall. For as long as I can remember, I've heard whispers from the wall. They tell me about the Atraxi, the Sisters of the Water and a man named Vincent just to name a few. I try to talk back but nothing works. It wasn't an issue until Amelia started to hear them. Aunt Sharon wouldn't listen, she never listens. So, we turned to the only other person we trust.

"Dear Santa, thank you for the dolls, the pencils and the fish. It's Easter now, so I hope I didn't wake you. But honest, it is an emergency."

She looks over to me with kind eyes, I softly stutter "Its about the crack in our wall". "Aunt Sharon says it's just an ordinary crack, but we know it's not, because, at night, there's voices." I always wrote down everything I heard into my diary. I wasn't planning on ever showing Amelia my writings, but she looked utterly terrified when she first heard 'Prisoner Zero has escaped'. I needed to let her know she wasn't alone. "So please, please could you send someone to fix it? Or a policeman? Or..." She trails off. We could both hear a distant whirring and whooshing and, finally, a crash. We look to each other in surprise, maybe it worked? "Back in a moment". We run to the window looking out onto the backyard and that's when I saw it. That beautiful big blue box. Our hearts swell. "Thank you, Santa" we say in sync. Amelia and run to our gumboots, hers red, mine blue and a flashlight each. Hand-in-hand, we run to the treasure that's fallen from the sky.

We stand near the glowing box now. As I stand there, I feel the box's pain and excitement. I slowly approach the blue treasure and gently place my palm against its side. I feel it hum as my body fills with warmth. This peacefulness was soon interrupted as its doors swing open. I run back to A and hide behind her arm, peaking around her. A grappling hook comes flying out of the box and landing beside me. We didn't have time to be confused about that however, as two hands soon appeared grasping to the edge of the box. And soon, those hands were replaced by a face.

"Can I have an apple?"

He stares at us, an indescribable emotion within his eyes. His hair is drenched, he's covered in sweat, and he's crawling out of a magic box. Who are you?

"All I can think about – apples. I love apples. Maybe I'm having a craving. That's new – never had cravings before."

He rambles. I can't stop looking into his green eyes. They look old and tired yet fiery and eager. I feel safe. I only ever feel safe with A, but I think this magic man might actually be able to help us. Amelia and I stand strong together, both strangely comfortable. He lifts himself so that he looks down into the box.

"Woah! Look at that!" My sister and I stand confused. What could he be looking at? That box would barely fit him. "Are you OK?" We both ask. He giggles, "Just had a fall. All the way down there, right to the library. Hell of a climb back up." I hear the whispers again. "TARDIS", I repeat. He looks at me, perplexed, "What did you say?" Amelia breaks his thought, "You're soaking wet." "I was in the swimming pool" he replies. "You said you were in the library". "So was the swimming pool". Swimming pool? Library? All in this TARDIS? "Are you policeman?" I ask, uncharacteristically loudly. He leans forward, concerned, "Why? Did you call a policeman?" "Did you come about the crack in our wall" I respond. "What craaa?"

He twitches and squirms, falling off the box in pain, landing in the dirt. I run over to him, my small hands slowly hold his face. "Are you alright Doctor?". Who is this little girl? He thought as he took in her galactic eyes. "Yes, little one, I'm ok". I walk back to A as the she asks, "Who are you?". He lifts his hands and holds them in from of his eyes. His hands glow as gold little fairies dance around his fingers. It's the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. "I don't know yet, still cooking. Does it scare you?" He asks us. Amelia responds defiantly, "No, it just looks a bit weird." He laughs, "No, no, no. The crack in your wall." His tone serious now, "Does it scare you?". We pause, Amelia and I look to each other, interlock our hands. "Yes".