CHRYSALIS

SHAKESPEARE CODE

The Doctor turns a wheeled control while Martha holds onto the console to remain steady. I am sitting in one of the chairs watching them.

"But how do you travel in time? What makes it go?"

"Oh, let's take the fun and mystery out of everything. Martha, you don't wanna know. It just does. Hold on tight!" He practically climbs onto the console.

Martha is knocked to the floor and the Doctor falls off the console.

I laugh at both of them, standing up and grabbing the Doctor's coat and Martha's jacket.

"Blimey! Don't you have to pass a test to fly this thing?"

I nod, handing the Doctor his coat, "Yeah, he failed it. Now, make the most of it." I hand Martha her jacket.

"I promised you one trip and one trip only. Outside this door..." The Doctor stops at the door and faces us, "Brave new world."


"Where are we?" She asks.

"Take a look." He opens the door, "After you."

Martha walks outside.

We follow her.

"Oh, you are kidding me. You are so kidding me. Oh, my God! We did it. We traveled in time. Where are we? No, sorry. I gotta get used to this whole new language. When are we?"

I glance up and pull her back, narrowly avoiding the contents of a bucket that a man throws out of a first-floor window.

"Mind the loo!"

"Somewhere before the invention of the toilet. Sorry about that." He apologizes.


"I've seen worse. I've worked the late night shift at A&E."

The Doctor starts to walk off.

"But are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?"


I tilt my head at her, "Of course we can. Why do you ask?"

"It's like in the films. You step on a butterfly; you change the future of the human race." She explains.

"Well, tell you what then, don't step on any butterflies. What have butterflies ever done to you?"

We continue walking.

"What if, I dunno, what if I kill my grandfather?"


"It'd be a bit hard to do that, judging by the clothing, I'd say we're right before the 1600s, and we're in London too." I gesture around us.

The Doctor furrows her brow, "How do you know that?"

"My sister, she's contemplating getting a degree in archival through fashion."

"Hang on, I'm not gonna get carted off as a slave, am I?"

"Why would they do that?" The Doctor asks.

I make a face.

"Not exactly white, in case you haven't noticed." She points out.

"I'm not even human. Just walk about like you own the place. Works for me." He shrugs.

I narrow my eyes at him, "We're gonna talk about that later." I turn to Martha, "Just stay close. And if someone gives you trouble just shout for me and I'll knock 'em out."

"Elizabethan England, not so different from your time. Look over there." He points to a man shoveling manure, "They've got recycling." He motions to a pair of men by a water barrel, "Water cooler moment." We walk past a man packing about the end of the world, "Global warming. Oh, yes, and... entertainment! Popular entertainment for the masses. If I'm right, we're just down the river by Southwark right next to..." The Doctor takes our hands and we run around the corner, "Oh, yes, the Globe Theatre. Brand new. Just opened. Though, strictly speaking, it's not a globe; it's a tetra-decagon, 14 sides, containing the man himself."