“It’s hard to be the only boy in a girl’s world!”
“Shut up, Dan! I’m trying to watch this!”
“Oh woe is me!”
“Right, that’s it!”
Sarah Jane chuckled as Zoe leapt from her spot on the sofa and chased the retreating Dan down the corridor. Beth remained nonplussed, having been engrossed in the movie they had been watching: Back to the Future.
“This is a travesty!” exclaimed Dan. Even from the living room, Sarah Jane and Beth could hear their footsteps pounding up the staircase.
“So is the fact you keep interrupting the damn movie!”
“It’s not fair he gets a hoverboard and I don’t!”
“And how old are you again?!”
Sarah Jane smiled fondly at the pair’s bickering. Beth sank deeper in her seat, almost as if she was trying to pretend she wasn’t associated with them.
“I can’t believe them sometimes,” Beth sighed, pausing the movie. Heaving herself off the sofa, she ran to join the pair, hoping to diffuse the fight and return to the movie as quickly as possible. Sarah Jane leaned back in her favourite chair, simply listening to the trio argue as they ran all around the house. Luke and his friends had never been quite as lively and argumentative, but it was nice. It helped alleviate the silence that often stagnated in her quaint little home, even with Melody around.
Her thoughts drifted to the small girl. Melody had been under her care for months now, and she was adjusting Earth life wonderfully. She realised she could not hear the running sound of water anymore, and deduced that Melody had left the shower. Placing her book and reading glasses on the coffee table, Sarah Jane stood and walked up the stairs, narrowly avoiding a collision with a speeding Dan. The bathroom door was firmly closed. Melody always preferred to close doors behind her, it made her feel safer. Sarah Jane noticed the attic steps were open.
Gingerly climbing up the steps, she smiled at the little girl seated beside the windowsill. “What are you doing up here by yourself?”
“Stargazing,” Melody stated definitively, turning her attention back to the stars outside, her eyes shimmering in the moonlight. “They’re so pretty.”
“Yes, they are,” Sarah Jane agreed, moving to sit beside her. “They’re even prettier up close.”
“What’s it like?” Melody often asked this question, as did Zoe, Beth and Dan, and even Luke, Maria, Clyde, Rani and-
“Beautiful,” Sarah Jane responded quickly, as she always did. It was their little ritual, dedicated solely to herself and her young friends. “The first step on an alien planet is always the best. The new smells and sights and the starlight above your head and- oh, Melody, it’s absolutely beautiful.”
“I want to travel up there someday,” Melody smiled in wonder, before shifting her gaze from the window to the wise woman next to her. “Up in the starlight. I want to see all sorts of planets.”
“It’s dangerous up there,” Sarah Jane reminded her.
“I can fight it, like you taught me to!” Melody grinned determinedly. Sarah Jane smiled proudly at that.
“Of course you will. You’re very brave, Melody.”
“Sarah Jane!” Dan hollered from the first floor, his voice drifting all the way to the attic. “The girls aren’t sharing any of the pizza!”
“I’d better go tell them to share. Would you like to come? There’s pizza.”
“I want to sit up here,” Melody responded, looking at Sarah Jane shyly. “Will you come read me a bedtime story later?”
“Of course. Would you like me to turn on the light before I go?”
“No, thanks. I want to look at the stars some more.”
Sarah Jane nodded, and left the little girl to her own devices. Melody turned back the window, and continued to stargaze. She imagined dancing in the starlight, the Choosers had said she had it in her soul.
Melody closed her eyes, and imagined the stars. She pictured all the different planets and monsters Sarah Jane told her about and most importantly, she thought of the blue box. It intrigued her, much more than the inhabitant of the box did. Melody was weary about that man, so she often ignored him, and imagined the blue box. Sometimes, if she tried hard enough, she could hear it. A comforting hum that coaxed her to sleep after a bad night where Sarah Jane wasn’t present. It made her feel better.
Today was one of those days.
Melody looked out at the stars again and smiled.
“Shut up, Dan! I’m trying to watch this!”
“Oh woe is me!”
“Right, that’s it!”
Sarah Jane chuckled as Zoe leapt from her spot on the sofa and chased the retreating Dan down the corridor. Beth remained nonplussed, having been engrossed in the movie they had been watching: Back to the Future.
“This is a travesty!” exclaimed Dan. Even from the living room, Sarah Jane and Beth could hear their footsteps pounding up the staircase.
“So is the fact you keep interrupting the damn movie!”
“It’s not fair he gets a hoverboard and I don’t!”
“And how old are you again?!”
Sarah Jane smiled fondly at the pair’s bickering. Beth sank deeper in her seat, almost as if she was trying to pretend she wasn’t associated with them.
“I can’t believe them sometimes,” Beth sighed, pausing the movie. Heaving herself off the sofa, she ran to join the pair, hoping to diffuse the fight and return to the movie as quickly as possible. Sarah Jane leaned back in her favourite chair, simply listening to the trio argue as they ran all around the house. Luke and his friends had never been quite as lively and argumentative, but it was nice. It helped alleviate the silence that often stagnated in her quaint little home, even with Melody around.
Her thoughts drifted to the small girl. Melody had been under her care for months now, and she was adjusting Earth life wonderfully. She realised she could not hear the running sound of water anymore, and deduced that Melody had left the shower. Placing her book and reading glasses on the coffee table, Sarah Jane stood and walked up the stairs, narrowly avoiding a collision with a speeding Dan. The bathroom door was firmly closed. Melody always preferred to close doors behind her, it made her feel safer. Sarah Jane noticed the attic steps were open.
Gingerly climbing up the steps, she smiled at the little girl seated beside the windowsill. “What are you doing up here by yourself?”
“Stargazing,” Melody stated definitively, turning her attention back to the stars outside, her eyes shimmering in the moonlight. “They’re so pretty.”
“Yes, they are,” Sarah Jane agreed, moving to sit beside her. “They’re even prettier up close.”
“What’s it like?” Melody often asked this question, as did Zoe, Beth and Dan, and even Luke, Maria, Clyde, Rani and-
“Beautiful,” Sarah Jane responded quickly, as she always did. It was their little ritual, dedicated solely to herself and her young friends. “The first step on an alien planet is always the best. The new smells and sights and the starlight above your head and- oh, Melody, it’s absolutely beautiful.”
“I want to travel up there someday,” Melody smiled in wonder, before shifting her gaze from the window to the wise woman next to her. “Up in the starlight. I want to see all sorts of planets.”
“It’s dangerous up there,” Sarah Jane reminded her.
“I can fight it, like you taught me to!” Melody grinned determinedly. Sarah Jane smiled proudly at that.
“Of course you will. You’re very brave, Melody.”
“Sarah Jane!” Dan hollered from the first floor, his voice drifting all the way to the attic. “The girls aren’t sharing any of the pizza!”
“I’d better go tell them to share. Would you like to come? There’s pizza.”
“I want to sit up here,” Melody responded, looking at Sarah Jane shyly. “Will you come read me a bedtime story later?”
“Of course. Would you like me to turn on the light before I go?”
“No, thanks. I want to look at the stars some more.”
Sarah Jane nodded, and left the little girl to her own devices. Melody turned back the window, and continued to stargaze. She imagined dancing in the starlight, the Choosers had said she had it in her soul.
Melody closed her eyes, and imagined the stars. She pictured all the different planets and monsters Sarah Jane told her about and most importantly, she thought of the blue box. It intrigued her, much more than the inhabitant of the box did. Melody was weary about that man, so she often ignored him, and imagined the blue box. Sometimes, if she tried hard enough, she could hear it. A comforting hum that coaxed her to sleep after a bad night where Sarah Jane wasn’t present. It made her feel better.
Today was one of those days.
Melody looked out at the stars again and smiled.