Episode 3: Fun at the Fair Part 1

Mitchell pulled his hands out of the fortune teller’s grasp, and leapt up from his seat. The fortune teller sank further into her seat, her speech rattling.

“I see death! You will die, tonight!” Sybil, the fortune teller, said, choking.
“What? How can I die? I’m on 30 years old! I’ve got a whole life ahead of me!” Mitchell cried, stepping away from the fortune teller. “I haven’t even seen the clown show yet!”
“The fair is closed,” Sybil said, gasping for breath. “Leave now!”

Mitchell didn’t need telling twice. He ran from the tent, and didn’t stop until he was home. He unlocked the front door, and entered the dark hallway. Christina was probably still out clubbing; she didn’t understand his fascination with clowns, nobody did. He traipsed upstairs, and went to the bathroom.

“Stupid fortune teller,” Mitchell muttered. “What was she on about? I’m not gonna die tonight!”

He left the bathroom, and walked into his room. Something stepped out into the light. Mitchell grinned as a clown greeted him with open arms.

“Christina! You did this for me! How long have you been planning this then?” Mitchell asked.

The clown didn’t reply. It leered at him, and grinned a grin that for the first time made Mitchell scared of clowns. The clown stepped forward, and raised its arms.

“Thank you and goodnight!” the clown smiled, bringing his hands down on Mitchell.

Mitchell screamed, and he knew, if he lived, which he wouldn’t, he would never talk to a clown again; ever again.

Title Sequence

“Hello TARDIS!” Conner grinned. “It’s good to see you again!”
“Conner, you’re talking to a spaceship…” Georgia said.
“She can hear you,” the Doctor said.
“What?” Georgia asked. “Is it alive?”
“How do you think we always land during trouble?” the Doctor asked.
“I thought it was your bad luck,” Georgia said, grinning.
“Apart from that,” the Doctor said, grinning back.

The TARDIS hummed as Conner ran his fingers along the console. He was glad to be back. The TARDIS seemed to be glad that he was back as well. Conner turned to the Doctor.

“Where are we going first?” Conner asked.
“Well I thought you could have a shower and a hair cut, and then we could take you home,” the Doctor said.
“Oh, ok. I’m sorry; I just thought we’d carry on like before. I guess I was wrong. Was it something I did? Cos I don’t wanna think you just don’t want me,” Conner said, biting his lip, trying not to show he was upset.
“I meant you need to tell Zac you’re ok,” the Doctor said.
“You just meant for a visit, didn’t you?” Conner asked, feeling stupid.
“Yeah,” the Doctor said. “There’s a shower in the TARDIS. Take the first left, go past the bins, hop over the hole, take a right then a left then a diagonal left, then past the swimming pool, don’t look at the gold door as you walk down the corridor, take a left, then another left then a right then go straight on…”
“Then the shower’s there?” Conner asked.
“No, that’ll lead you to the map, which will tell you where the shower is. It’s quite far from the map so you might want to take it with you,” the Doctor said.

Conner left the console room, grinning. Zac Pemberton was eating cereal. His mum walked into the room where he was having breakfast, and handed him a leaflet.

“Here you go,” Jane Pemberton said, pointing to the leaflet.
“Where did you get this?” Zac asked.
“They were handing them out by the shops,” Jane replied. “I went to get some more milk. I think the old one’s a bit sour.”

Zac spat out his cereal, causing Jane to fold her arms.

“Mum! I’ve got that milk on my cocoa pops!” Zac said, wiping milk off his face.
“Well tomorrow you’ll be able to have sour-free milk,” Jane said, turning around to do some washing up. “Now you’ve got to take your sister to school today, your dad’s at work and I’m busy.”
“Can’t she go herself?” Zac moaned.
“You know she’s not old enough,” Jane said crossly. “Besides, your school isn’t far away. And I think it looks cool if you help your little sister.”
“Mum! Don’t use the word cool! And it isn’t cool to be Zac: Baby Sitter,” Zac said.
“We used the word cool in our day,” Jane said, washing up a wine glass.
“But it isn’t your day anymore!” Zac said, putting his cereal bowl on the side for his mum to wash up.

Rachel Pemberton, Zac’s sister entered the room. She sat at the table next to Zac, and poured her cereal into a bowl. She grabbed the new milk, and covered her cocoa pops with it. She spotted the leaflet Jane had given to Zac.

“Come to the fair at Helich Way! Ooh can we go mum?” Rachel asked.
“I’m sorry Rachel, but I’m really busy with work,” Jane said, now washing up Zac’s cereal bowl.
“Is that creep Martin still bugging you?” Zac asked, trying not to grin.
“Not in front of your sister!” Jane said quickly. “But yes, he is.”
“You should tell him to fu –” Zac began.
“Do you think dad will take me to the fair?” Rachel interrupted.
“Daddy’s very busy too, sweetie. He’s trying to pass his test, as you both know. He’s under a lot of stress at the moment,” Jane said, reminding them for the hundredth time. “Why don’t you get Zac to take you?”
“Awww but mum!” Zac complained.

Suddenly the phone rang. Jane went to answer it. She nodded and said yes several times, before putting the phone down. She went over to the side and switched the television on.

“What is it?” Zac asked.
“Your dad’s on the news!” Jane said excitedly.

The phone rang again, and Rachel answered it.

“Mum! Aunty Debbie says dad’s on the news!”
“I know Rachel, we’re watching it now!” Jane replied.
“Aunty Debbie said she rang Nanny, Granddad Porter and Cousin Joe! Everyone’s watching it!” Rachel said.
“Mum shouldn’t we record it for when Uncle Frank gets back from Australia?” Zac asked, pressing the record button.
“Of course! Good thinking Zac! I can’t wait to tell my brother that my so-called-useless husband is on the news!” Jane said, smiling to herself.
“Is that why you don’t talk anymore?” Rachel asked.
“Yeah,” Zac laughed. “After she called him a bas –”
“Zac!” Jane said. “Be quiet! Your dad’s on next!”

“And now, in other news, a body was found in the south London area today,” the male newsreader said.

Jane, Zac and Rachel all cheered.

“The body has been identified as Mitchell West, who lived with his girlfriend Christina Harrow in south London. The person who found the body was one Steve Pemberton, and we can go to him now,” the male newsreader continued.

The TV changed to Steve Pemberton, who looked very proud. Jane and Zac cheered again.

“I was on business when I found him,” Steve said. “He was covered in face paint. I called the police and that was that.”

The male newsreader came back on. Jane and Zac stopped cheering abruptly.

“What was that?” Jane asked.
“Was that it?” Zac asked.

The phone rang again. Rachel answered it.

“Mummy, Auntie Debbie’s swearing about the news! She says it’s a load of old –” Rachel said.
“Don’t use language like that!” Jane said, before Rachel could finish. “Hand me the phone.”
“Face paint…” Zac muttered.

He looked down at the leaflet advertising the fair. Pictured was a clown, with red face paint. Zac decided he would tell Kaylie about this.

“Come on then,” Zac said to Rachel. “Let’s get you to school.”

“Oi! Where’s my hair straighteners?” Kaylie shouted up the stairs.

Silence followed. Kaylie began walking up the stairs.

“Amy? You’d better not have them! I’ve got school soon!” Kaylie shouted.
“No I haven’t!” Amy shouted back. “Ask Andrea!”
“She’s got her own!” Kaylie shouted back. “If I find you’ve got them I’ll kill you!”
“Andrea’s have broken!” Amy shouted from her room.
“Andrea!” Kaylie shouted, standing on the hallway. “Have you got my straighteners?”
“Why don’t you ask mum?” Andrea said, poking her head round the door.

Her hair was black, but wasn’t straight. Kaylie walked into her mum’s room. She saw her straighteners on the floor. Her mum was slumped on the bed, snoring. Kaylie walked over to her, and shook her.

“Mum! Wake up! How long were you out last night? You stink of alcohol mum! Were you hanging around with that loser again? Amy had better not find out, she knocked him out last time!” Kaylie asked her mum, shaking her harder. “Come on! Wake up you dozy bit –”

Beth walked out of her house and waved at Catherine who was stood beside Beth’s door. Catherine looked towards Beth’s house, but Beth raised her eyebrows and shut her door.

“Is your dad in?” Catherine asked casually.
“Stop it!” Beth said.
“But he’s so lush!” Catherine replied, sighing.
“Shut up,” Beth said, walking down the road.

Conner stepped out of the TARDIS. His hair was now considerably shorter, and back to its old style. He was washed and clothed, and smelled of deodorant. He smiled and breathed in the familiar air of south London. The TARDIS had landed beside the gates of Conner’s school. Georgia stepped out beside Conner, and patted his arm.

“It’ll be alright. They’ll probably freak and die, but it’ll be ok,” she said.
“At least it’ll be funny,” the Doctor said, emerging behind them. “So, are you gonna do it then?”
“I dunno. I think it might be easier if I just become a hermit and never speak to them again,” Conner said.

Beth and Catherine caught up with Zac and Kaylie as they walked down the road. As they turned the corner into the street with the school at the end of it, Beth stopped, and the others looked at her.

“There’s that blue box!” Beth cried.
“Isn’t that the Spidership?” Catherine asked.
“NO!” Zac and Kaylie said firmly. “It’s the TARDIS!”

Zac began to run, and Kaylie followed.

“What’s the TARDIS?” Beth asked, running after them.
“It means the Doctor!” Kaylie shouted back.
“Wait for me!” Beth said, legging it to catch up with Kaylie.
“Doctor!” Zac shouted.

Conner looked up as he heard the Doctor’s name being shouted.

“It’s Zac!” Conner gasped. “What am I gonna say to him?”
“That you’re a ghost who’s come to haunt him?” Georgia laughed.
“I think he might take that the wrong way,” Conner said, laughing as well.
“Do you think he’ll believe you were imprisoned on a spaceship that had been kidnapping humans to ease the population increase which hasn’t actually started yet?” the Doctor mused.
“I think that might be worse,” Conner said.

Zac, Kaylie and Beth were close to the TARDIS now. Catherine was stood alone at the end of the street. Conner stepped out from behind the TARDIS, making Kaylie scream. Zac, Kaylie and Beth stopped dead.

“What are you doing here?” Zac asked.
“Err – I’m a ghost come to haunt you?” Conner asked.

Zac and Conner burst out laughing, as Kaylie fainted.

“Typical,” Conner muttered.

To be continued…