School's Out
Part two in the Prelude story by Mark Simpson
and part of the 1st Doctor Fiction collection

August 1963

The old man carefully locked the doors of the TARDIS behind him. His granddaughter had gone off earlier in the day to explore the local shops. His mission was to discover what he could about their resting place.

Must get used to calling her Susan, he thought to himself as he crossed the junkyard. When it appeared that their journeys would take them to Earth or human occupied space quite often, the two of them had decided that they would need names, as humans seemed to attach great importance to them.

Finding an index of Earth names in the TARDIS library, they had spent a while choosing their new identities. Eventually she had settled on Susan, a name she said was easy on the ears. He had decided a title might work best. He had considered Professor, but thought it a little too grand. Doctor was a good substitute. Any other name he needed to go with the title he would choose as the situation demanded.

So they had become the Doctor and Susan whenever they landed on Earth. So the Doctor and Susan they would become again.

The Doctor pulled open the large gate of the yard just enough to slip out into the street and closed it behind him. He turned to find himself nose to nose with a large horse.

"Good grief!" he exclaimed in surprise. Sitting on the cart behind the horse was a little old man, who had been startled by the Doctor's outburst. He had been sat with his eyes closed, head bowed in respect. Now, he flinched at the Doctor's exclamation.

"Gawd almighty, you gave me a start!" he cried.

The horse snorted at the Doctor, who took a step backwards. "I'm sorry," he replied. "I was surprised by your horse."

The scrawny man grinned, revealing yellow stained teeth. "Old 'Ercules wouldn't hurt a fly," he said. Then a thought struck him. " 'Ere, what you doin' in old Isaac's yard?"

"Isaac?" the Doctor asked, turning slightly. On the gates behind him, in bold letters, was the sign 'I.M.Foreman Scrap Merchants.'

"Yeah, I was just payin' me respects when you appeared," said the man on the cart.

The Doctor caught on quickly. "Yes, poor Isaac. Was it sudden?"

The man nodded. " 'Eart attack, last Sunday on the way to church. Funeral tomorrow, at Saint Michaels."

"And the yard?" the Doctor asked.

"Well, Elsie died years ago and they never 'ad kids, so I suppose it'll go to his brother Jonathan, if they can track 'im down, that is. Last I 'eard, 'e was in Canada."

The Doctor took all this in. The owner of the yard was dead, there was no immediate claim, but there was a long lost brother. This definitely warranted further investigation.

"Now," said the scruffy little man on the cart, "you never did say what you was doin' in there."

The Doctor smiled at him. "I was paying my respects too. I'm an old family friend."

"Really? I don't recognise ya."

"I've been away, travelling."

This seemed to satisfy the man. "Well, I'd best be orf. Nice talkin' to ya."

"You too," the Doctor said. "You've been most helpful, Mister..?"

"Steptoe," the man called back over his shoulder as the horse clopped away down the street. "Albert Steptoe."

***

Susan found things to fascinate her everywhere. From the crumbling brickwork of a garden wall to the patterns of play of the children in the park, she found interesting spectacle in all.

There were not many shops in the immediate area of their landing, but as she ventured further, she found a few more. There was a bakery, a fish and chip shop, a sub post office, a second hand bookshop and a small record shop. Outside the record shop were a group of girls.

They were in their teens and there were four of them. They were talking as a group, laughing out loud in the summer sunshine. Then they saw Susan.

Immediately, conversation stopped. She felt their hostile glares. She was an outsider, someone to be feared. But she was used to the feeling. Braving their hostility, she walked up to them.

"Hello, I'm new around here. What do you do for fun?"

"We hang around and talk about Elvis," said the tallest, a blonde girl and obviously the leader. She was chewing gum, which she blew into a large bubble and popped loudly.

"We love Elvis, don't we Karen?" said a smaller brunette, addressing both Susan and the leader. "Do you?"

Susan wasn't sure who Elvis was, but she thought it was a good idea to go along with these girls for now. She could find out more if they thought she was one of them, rather than disagreeing with them.

"I do," she said. "He's wicked."

The girls looked at her like she had grown an extra head. "Wicked?" repeated Karen, giving her a filthy look.

Susan backpedalled quickly. "It's an expression from my own town," she told them. "It means he's really great."

The girls looked doubtful for a few moments but Susan's earnest expression must have convinced them. She couldn't tell them she had heard the expression twenty-five years into their future.

Karen grinned and introduced herself and the others. The shorter brunette who had challenged Susan was called Mary, while the other brunette was her twin, Margaret. The final member of the group was Kerry, a red head.

"How old are you?" asked Mary after Susan had told them her name.

Like their names, Susan and her Grandfather had a stock answer for this question as well. They had found that Susan looked like a teenager and they had decided it was a good idea if she was under the age of legal responsibility, just in case.

"Fifteen," she answered automatically.

"You living round here now?" Kerry inquired.

Susan nodded. "For a while at least."

"Suppose you'll be going to Coal Hill after the summer," Karen said.

Susan was mystified. "What's Coal Hill?"

The girls laughed at what was obviously a local joke. Margaret was the one who told her.

"It's the local school. We go back in three weeks."

Susan had never even considered school, but she found the notion strangely appealing. It would be an interesting experience to see how humans educated their young. She smiled slightly at the prospect.

"We have only just arrived, but I suppose I will. Do you all go there?"

"For our sins," Karen commented.

Susan smile broadened. "Then I will see you there!"

***

The evening was warm and clear. The Doctor and Susan once again sat watching the stars come out in the darkening sky. After some minutes of silence Susan broached the subject that had been on her mind since the afternoon.

"Grandfather, I think I should go to school here."

For a moment the Doctor was silent. Susan wondered if he had heard what she had said. Then he cleared his throat.

"What's brought this on, my dear?"

"Well," explained Susan, "I was talking to some of the local girls today. I told them I was fifteen, like we always do, and they assumed I would be going to school in a few weeks. They are on a summer break at the moment."

The Doctor laced his fingers together as he thought. He extended the index fingers and tapped them to his lips. Eventually he spoke.

"There is much to do in the Ship, with repairs. We also need some supplies. It will take quite a while, months in fact. I suppose it would seem strange if you were around, but not at this human school. It might draw attention to us and we don't want that."

"So, you agree? I can go?"

The Doctor frowned. "It's a risk, Susan. You must be careful not to let slip any knowledge of our true nature, or of the futures you have seen. Humans are a fickle race. You most probably wouldn't be believed if you did tell, but we cannot take those risks. If you agree to be careful, I don't see any reason why you cannot go to this school."

"Thank you, Grandfather," she said, reaching across and grasping his hand. He squeezed hers in return. "I'll be able to learn about humans from a whole new perspective."

He smiled warmly. Her enthusiasm made him proud. She had the adventurers' spirit that burned so brightly in his soul too. She would grow into a fine young woman.

***

The following day, the Doctor attended the funeral of Isaac Foreman. He wore his usual black jacket and checked trousers, but also took his black cape, despite the heat.

There were a lot of people at the graveside. Foreman had had many friends. A lot of totters carts were drawn up outside the churchyard.

The Doctor caught the eye of the man he had met the day before, Mister Steptoe. They exchanged sad smiles and nods. The little old man was with another man, half his age with black hair, whom the Doctor assumed was his son.

After the funeral, the Doctor went to the local library. He spent the next three days finding out as much as he could about the local area, Shoreditch, and about the local council and what was needed to enrol a pupil at school. He also found out as much as he could about Isaac Foreman and his family.

On the fourth day after the funeral, the Doctor arrived at the offices of Davidson, Reid and Redhead (Solicitors) and presented himself as Doctor Jonathan James Foreman, brother of Isaac Maurice Foreman and sole heir to the premises of 76 Totters Lane, Shoreditch. After checking the Doctor's credentials (carefully forged in the TARDIS) they seemed satisfied that he was the new owner of I.M.Foreman Scrap Merchants.

Later, the Doctor saw the necessary authorities about enrolling Susan Foreman at Coal Hill School. He claimed they were newly arrived from Canada and unfamiliar with the ways of England. Everything was swiftly sorted out and the Doctor was on his way.

Satisfied with the days work, he headed back to the Ship, where he told Susan the news. She was delighted that she was going to the school. She had been talking to her friends, Karen and Mary, about the school and it sounded fun.

That night, as they watched a meteorite shower, they toasted the future with fine Prydonian wine from the TARDIS wine cellar.

***

"And last, but by no means least, this is Ian Chesterton, our Science master. Ian, this is Barbara Wright, our new History teacher."

The two teachers shook hands under the watchful gaze of the Headmaster. He had decided it would be a good idea to hold a getting to know you session for the new teachers, a few days before term began. Give them a chance to talk to the veterans of Coal Hill.

"A pleasure to meet you, Barbara," Ian said. "How did you like your tour of the school?"

"Thank you. I enjoyed it, it has given me an idea of the working environment."

Ian smiled. "Our classrooms are next door to each other. I apologise in advance for any strange smells that drift through."

Barbara returned his smile. "Just so long as none of your pupils blow a hole in the connecting wall!"

They all laughed at that, the Headmaster included. He took Barbara by the arm.

"Now, my dear, I would like a word in private, before I let you mingle."

Barbara raised her hand in farewell to Ian, who returned the gesture.

What a pleasant young woman, Ian thought, as he sipped his white wine.

***

Susan looked about herself in wonder. The sounds, the smells. The sights of so many children walking, running and standing still. It was awesome.

She turned and walked straight into someone!

The woman sprawled on the floor of the corridor. Susan dropped her books and bent down to help the woman to her feet.

"I'm terribly sorry, Miss," she said. "I really am most terribly sorry."

The woman brushed herself down. Her hair was now dishevelled and her clothing was askew. She looked down at the apologetic pupil.

"That's alright. Just watch where you're going next time."

"I will," Susan promised, picking up her books again. "I will," she repeated, setting off down the corridor.

***

"Welcome back to all the pupils who were here last spring. Good luck in your studies for the coming school year. For those of you new to Coal Hill School, and I know that includes a couple of teachers as well as the first year pupils and a few in other years, welcome. Those of us who are old hands will try and keep you all on the straight and narrow. Now, we will all sing hymn number seventeen..."

***

After assembly, Susan met Karen and Mary and they went together to their first lesson of the day.

They settled into their seats. They were talking loudly until the door opened and the teacher walked in. To Susan's embarrassment, it was the same one she had knocked over in the corridor.

"Good morning children. I'm your new History teacher, Miss Wright."

***

"So, my dear, how did the first day go?" the Doctor asked as Susan entered the console room.

Susan grinned. "It went very well, Grandfather," she said. "Apart from knocking my History teacher over as soon as I arrived."

The Doctor rolled the sleeves of his shirt down, buttoning the cuffs. "That can't have gone down too well."

"That's what I thought," Susan said breathlessly, "especially when we had her for the first lesson. But she didn't mention it. She was marvellous!"

"I'm very pleased to hear that," he replied, slipping on his jacket and packing away his toolbox. "Are you ready to eat?"

Susan nodded. "I'm starving!"

They went through to the food machine, which was located in a rest area just outside the main console room.

"What would you like, my dear?" asked the Doctor.

Susan didn't need to think. "Roast beef, please. All the trimmings."

The Doctor smiled. "An excellent choice. I think I'll have the same." He pushed some buttons and two bars dropped into a collection tray. They sat and ate the bars in silence, then the Doctor got two glasses of water from the machine.

"Did you meet many other teachers today? Ones you didn't knock over?"

"Oh, yes. There was Mister Moore, the Geography teacher, Mister Hunt, the English teacher and Mister Chesterton, the Science teacher."

"My, you have had a full day. Well, I have too. I've been to the solicitors, and the yard is mine!"

Susan looked amazed. "They believed you? Oh, that's wonderful, Grandfather." She got up and hugged him.

He beamed at her. "Well, it means we're safe from prying eyes while we're here. We can come and go as we please."

Susan smiled. "I think we're going to enjoy our time on Earth."

"You know, my dear, you might just be right. Yes, you might be right."

