New Fiction: Dylan Thomas visits the Doctor Who exhibition in Cardiff before it closes

Today's microfiction is a glorious piece of fake reportage that uses Dylan Thomas's Under Milkwood style to tell the story. Craig Cormick is an Australian author of over 25 books of fiction and non-fiction. His most recent works are the Shadow Master series, published in the UK and USA by Angry Robot Books. www.craigcormick.com
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Dylan Thomas visits the Doctor Who exhibition in Cardiff before it closes

by Craig Cormick


To begin at the beginning.

It is an autumn, cloudy afternoon in the sea-side, bayside, country-side small city of Cardiff.

Hush. The Pilgrims are coming. The geeks, the fans, the fanatics and the devoted. Filled with expectation and Time Lord happiness. Queuing with the space-time patience of the true believers.

Listen. You can hear the awe in their whispers and the Shadow Proclamation-solemness as they come face-to-something-like-a-face with K-9, Cybermen, Zygons, Silurians, the Ood, Weeping Angels and the Daleks. Always the Daleks.

Listen. The hushed arguments over which companion was the best. Leela or Ace or Cedric or Jamie or Sarah-Jane or Peri or Ace or Amy or Martha or Clara or Bill or Rose. Always Rose.

Listen. As they argue over who was, or will be, the best Doctor. David Tennant, John Pertwee, Christopher Eccleston, Peter Capaldi, Paul McGann, Matt Smith, that new actress what’s-her-name-again, Patrick Troughton, Tom Baker. Never Colin Baker.

Come closer now.

Refuse to see the costume seams and scuffs on the body prosthetics and aliens, as unseen as the Lost moon of Poosh.

Listen. To the soft-foot stepping, slow-shuffle of those in costume. Awandering through the exhibits as if they have found themselves and come home. If at least for a clock-slowing moment. For time always passes.

Until it is night time. Dark and black.

Time pocket black. Deep-space black. Silence-black. And the curators finally call, ‘Time folks.’

Time to depart. Time to close one last time. Time to remember.

All the wild time-travelling, time-unravelling, timey-wimey, universe-saving adventures had.
Time passes. Listen. Time passes.