A Madman in a Box

I was sitting at a table in a mostly empty cafe, enjoying a mid-afternoon espresso when it happened. I had barely put my cup down when I heard the noise. A hard, grinding, breathing, almost like what a bulldozer would sound like if it inhaled then exhaled. The next thing that I noticed was the wind starting to kick up. I covered my eyes to keep them protected as I looked around at what could possibly be causing this disturbance.

That’s when I saw it. It was faint at first. Almost like it was fading in and out of existence. As the noise got louder, the wind kicked up even more, and the box became more material. Then, with what seemed like a giant exhale and a loud clump, the noise faded away along with the wind, and the box was solid. The light on top of it, which was blinking only moments ago, was now out.

In the next moment, the door to the blue box opened up and out stuck the head of what could only be described as an escaped mental patient. He looked around erratically, as if looking for something valuable that he had lost. Then his eyes stopped on me and a smile lit across his face. A smile that made me feel more nervous then safe. I suppressed the urge to immediately get up and run, as curiosity about this suddenly appearing blue police box overrode my incredible flight desire.

The door then opened fully and out he stepped. His hair was a mess, but in a strangely orderly fashion. He wore a brown pinstriped suit, buttoned up, with a matching brown tie. A double winchester, as I remember. He also wore a derby brown colored trenchcoat, which I found ostensibly odd, as it was in the middle of summer, and definitely not the right weather to be wearing such attire. Then, there were his shoes. So mismatched from the rest of his look, I had to double take to make sure that, I in fact spotted, he was wearing very beaten up white high top sneakers.

I sat dumbfounded, unable to move, as this man, that just came out of a box that had just materialized out of nowhere, walked over toward me. As he reached into his trenchcoat pocket, I started to get the understanding that staying here might be a bad idea. I started to move my feet underneath me as to make for a speedy retreat, but before I could move, he pulled out a very husky looking pen with a glowing blue orb on the top of it and pointed it at me. The pen emitted a very high frequency, very annoying sound, which further cemented in my mind that I needed to leave.

I started to get up, pushing back on my chair as I tried desperately to get away from this situation. He flicked the pen back toward himself, then said, “Molto Bene!” very excitedly. I stood to my feet, back peddled a few steps, knocking into the table behind me, falling over onto the floor. The noise I made crashing to the ground drew his attention to me, and once again, I saw that very unnerving smile.

I started scooting backwards on the ground away from him as he closed the gap. Reaching me, I covered my face and head with one arm and said, “I don’t have anything, I don’t know what you want, just.. don’t.. kill me.” in the most pleading voice I could muster.

After several seconds of nothing happening, I lowered my arm and there he was, staring at me with a most curious look on his face. “I’ve been looking for you. Why would I hurt you?” Then his expression changed, almost to one of urgency. “Quickly, you have to come with me, there is no time.” He reached his hand down toward me, offering his assistance to help me up.

Staring into his face, something peaceful came over me, and for reasons that I still don’t understand, I reached up and accepted his help. Once on my feet, he looked me over. “No injuries, all in one piece? Good, now, no time to waste.” Then he turned and started heading back to the blue police box.

I stared for a second longer, the compulsion to follow him increasing as he neared the box. “But, who are you?” I asked, my final defense a desperate cry for some explanation to the last minute of my life.

He stopped in the doorway of the police box and looked back at me. Then in a voice that seemed as if his words held all the answer I would ever need, he simply stated, “I’m the Doctor.”

Confused by his answer, yet curiosity having taken hold, I began to follow after him into the open door, and as I stepped inside, and my mind exploded with the sheer complexity of the size inside, I remember hearing over the din of the heavy, grating breathing, the Doctor exclaim…

“ALONS-Y!”

 

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