Rose and Tate went to Magpie's shop. "Oh, I'm sorry Sir and Madam" Magpie said as he looked up at them. "I'm afraid you're too late. I was just about to lock the door"
"Yeah?" Rose quirked. "Well, we want to buy a telly"
"Come back tomorrow, please"
"Won't you be closed tomorrow?" Tate asked.
"What?"
"For the big day?" Rose added. "The coronation?"
"Yes, yes, of course" Magpie answered. "The big day. I'm sure you'll both find somewhere to watch it. Please go"
Rose and Tate approached Magpie's desk. Rose continued with the interrogation. "Seems to me half of London's got a television, since you're practically giving them away"
"I have my reasons"
"And what are they?" A woman's face suddenly appeared on one of the television sets.
"Hungry. Hungry" the woman chanted.
"What is that?" Tate questioned Magpie.
"It's just a television. One of these modern programmes" Magpie explained. Rose and Tate gave each a look. Neither of them were buying that explanation. "Now, I really do think you should leave. Right now!" Magpie walked over to the door.
"Not until you've answered our questions" Rose stated. "How come your televisions are so cheap?"
"It's just my patriotic duty" Rose put her hands on her hips, and Tate leaned against the desk as Magpie droned on. "Seems only right that as many folk as possible get to watch the coronation. We may be losing the Empire but we can still be proud. Twenty million people they reckon'll be watching. Imagine that. And twenty million people can't be wrong, eh, so why don't you get yourself back home and get up, bright and early, for the big day" Magpie opened the door and urged them to leave the store.
"Nah" Rose shook her head. "We're not leaving till we've seen everything"
"I need to close"
"Mister Magpie, something's happening out there. Ordinary people are being struck down and changed, and the only new thing in the house is a television"
"Your television to be exact" Tate added, pointing an accusing finger at Magpie. "What's going on?"
"I knew this would happen" Magpie said. He closed the door. "I knew I'd be found out" He then locked the door.
"All right then" Rose said, her eyes darting nervously. Magpie was staring her down. Tate hovered around Rose, prepared to grab her incase Magpie tried anything. "It's just us three. You going to come clean, then? What's really in it for you?"
"For me? Perhaps some peace"
"From what exactly?" Tate asked.
"From her" Magpie glanced at the television with the woman on the screen.
Rose looked at the television. She was standing right next to it. "That's just a woman on the telly. That's just a programme"
Tate furrowed his eyebrows, sensing that something was wrong. "Rose, you might want to step away from the television set"
"What a pretty little girl" the woman said.
"Oh my god," Rose gasped. She stared right at the television. "Are you talking to me?"
"Yes I'm talking to you, little one. Unseasonably chilly for the time of year, don't you think?"
"What are you?"
KAMU SEDANG MEMBACA
The Doctor and The Nightingale {1}
Fiksi PenggemarThe Doctor and the Nightingale. They both thought that they were the last of their kind. That is until they both meet on New Earth. As they travel through space and time together, along with their fellow companions, they realize that they need each...
