The Veil Between the Worlds

Halloween 2006

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

--Arthur C. Clarke, Profiles of the Future: An Inquiry into the Limits of the Possible, 1962

"Rose, what ARE you?!" The Doctor asked, staring at her intently. He leaned on the copper wall of the TARDIS, in the teal light of the controls. He wore a tan, tight, neatly tailored suit.

Rose's stomach dropped. "What d'ya mean, what am I?" she teased, as if she hadn't picked her outfit-costume-in the hope that he'd notice and stare like that. "Isn't it obvious, Doctor? I'm a cat."

She pointed towards the pieces of her costume: a headband with black felt cat ears, a cat nose and whiskers, which she'd drawn on with mascara, a black T-shirt, short skirt, and flat shoes.

"Well, of all the wonderful things you could've been! Why a cat?! That makes me think of those cat-nun-nurse people doing human experimentation."

"Wasn't thinking of that. I think it's cute. And we always buy way too much Halloween candy, so, here you go. Brought you the extra." Of course, she'd just bought all the candy and soft drinks at a convenience store, en route to the TARDIS.

"I'd rather eat plastic than that candy corn tripe," he said, with the confidence of someone speaking from experience.

"We're in a mood! Go on. Take some chocolates and cans of soda."

"I forgot it's Halloween," the Doctor mumbled, eating a mini chocolate bar. "I don't do this holiday."

"Have you ever dressed up for it?"

"I'm dressed up as a human right now, aren't I? That counts. Hey, do you know why people started dressing up for Halloween?"

"No, but I'm sure you're about to tell me."

"In some ancient human cultures, people believed the veil between the worlds opened at the autumnal equinox."

"The veil between the worlds. . ." Rose repeated dreamily.

"Not like that!"

"Not like what? Can you read my mind now?"

"Only if we both wanted me to. I meant it wasn't like that parallel universe we just visited. This was about the veil between the living and the dead. Anyway, some people believed the demons came up from hell, so they dressed as ghouls and demons to confuse them. Blend in with them, I suppose."

"But we know what it really was!"

"What do you think it was, Rose?"

"That's easy. Aliens. It's always aliens."

"Most likely. Where should we go tonight? Some humans believed elves or fairies lived in Elphame, the Elves' Home, or Fairyland. Elphame is a planet, though, not a magic realm."

"Of course it is. Can we go there, for Halloween?"

"Why not?"