Doctor Who: Series B [UPDATES SUNDAYS]

Episode 2: The Sun Over Egypt

The beating sun did nothing to dissipate the eager throngs of citizens and slaves congregating along the edge of the river. They were, to their knowledge, all witnesses to a miracle of the most divine.

Their eyes - some tired, some pampered, all wide with excitement and wonder - were collectively trained on the priest wading into the river. The body, bandaged tightly, was floated out to him by two muscular volunteers, their faces stone-like despite the ritual they were partaking in. 

Slowly, as if to keep the crowd further on edge, the priest reached out a haggard hand from inside his soaked robes. The sun glinted off his bald head, the light shifting as he closed his eyes and turned upwards to face the sky. His hand came to rest on the body as his volunteers unwound the bandages from the body's face. Their hands dipped underwater as they circled the back of the deceased's head, the sun catching the drips of water that danced as they emerged once again, only to repeat. Eventually, the face - ghoulish and dry - was exposed to the sun.

The priest muttered something and silence fell across the bank and the river itself; not even a wave stirred. Like a pulse, the silence was disturbed by the gasp of the corpse returning to life. The observers on the bank mirrored his gasps and descended into chatter and shouts of excitement. The man thrashed, hands and legs still bound, as he crashed back into the world of the living, his skin becoming plump where it had wrinkled, his cheeks flushing where they had turned grey. 

When the priest opened his eyes and looked down, he recoiled his hand, using it to grab onto one of the volunteers to steady himself. He smiled at the crowd and waved, bathing in their adoration while desperately resisting the urge to look down at the newly resurrected man's empty eye sockets as he screamed in blindness.

***

"Ancient Rome? It's naff, you know. Lots of pottery, lots of nudity."

"I could go for some nudity to be honest, Doctor. Somewhere hot, ancient, and different, y'know? I feel like I could really do with something different."

Jade's smile had returned. The Doctor caught glimpses of it when she sat on the console, swinging her legs as if she were a teen on a kitchen counter. He only allowed it because of the secret guilt, but seeing her happy also made it worth it. Besides, she didn't know that when he was alone at night, the Doctor wiped the console and checked she hadn't nudged any of the more sensitive dials.

"How about Ancient Egypt? Now that is interesting. So many gods, so much drama. You'll love it."

"Done. I'm in. Let's go!"

The Doctor spun levers and flicked switches, only to pause.

"What is it?" Jade asked, her legs stationary and crossed at the ankle, peering down at the Doctor from her perch.

"Is everything OK?" he asked, turning to meet her gaze. "I mean...really? Are you OK?"

"Yeah! Why wouldn't I be?"

The Doctor straightened himself up and cleared his throat, trying to pick his words carefully. This incarnation often found itself tongue-tied at the worst moments, he had found.

"On Solace. And it's been eighteen months. And Callum. All that grief," he rambled, trying to articulate with his hands and getting nowhere. Jade slid off the console and held his wrists tightly, smiling gently.

"It's all good. Honestly. Solace made me realise a lot of things."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. We don't need to hurry to get rid of grief."

"Okay..."

The TARDIS hummed and whirred as it materialised, and the light from the Egyptian sun illuminated the panes of glass sitting in the blue door. They had arrived, but before Jade took another step toward the door, she paused.