[Creative Muses] Response
005.What was your safe place as a child?
She couldn’t find him and it worried her. With Maria visiting her mum this weekend and Clyde away on a family camping trip, Sarah Jane couldn’t possibly think of any place where Luke may have wandered off to. The boy was one of the most conscientious individuals she knew. He’d even leave a note when running across the street to the Jacksons’. At the very least, there’d be a text waiting on her mobile.
Right now, though, Sarah couldn’t find any such note. Her mobile was completely silent. Even Mr Smith was unaware of Luke’s present location. As she stood in the living room, looking around for some sign of her son, Sarah Jane ran her hands through her hair. She felt frantic, almost panicked. While it wasn’t an unusual feeling for her, typically life-threatening, world-ending reasons were involved. Never before had she felt a worry like this on a pleasant Sunday evening over Luke’s failure to show to supper.
There had been reports of Slitheens filtering through the UNIT radio waves again. It almost seemed that since their initial invasion of Downing Street, the green farting aliens couldn’t stay away from the planet. Given their own recent dealings with the family from Raxacoricofalipetorius - and the fact that Sarah had found Luke’s mobile lying on his bed - a possible abduction continually crossed her mind. Mr Smith’s scan of the house had registered no other life forms present.
“Oh, Luke,” she murmured, sighing as she collapsed on the couch. “Where are you?”
She considered calling Maria and Clyde to see if either had heard from their friend. But calling would mean admitting defeat. It would mean that she had failed as a mum, unable to keep track of her own son. This whole experience made Sarah Jane realise what it must have been like for her aunt when she was Luke’s age, always wandering away from the Bannerman Road house without as much as a shout goodbye. No wonder Aunt Lavinia was relieved when she had finally gone off to uni.
Sarah Jane could only stay seated for so long. With another sigh, she stood from the couch. She glanced at her watch and pocketed both phones. After a long look about the room, she started to walk towards the back door. Maybe some fresh air would do her some good. Maybe she would recall something that Luke had said last time she had seen him, this morning in his room working on his coursework.
The flowers were in full bloom. As the sun set, small lamps flickered to life. The lights in Mrs McKenzie’s home also illuminated the garden. For a few moments, Sarah felt at ease. She let herself remember another time, when this house wasn’t hers but her aunt’s and a young Sarah found wonder in every summer night. That was long before she became a journalist, long before ever meeting the Doctor.
The garden had been her safe place back then. There had been a willow tree all those years ago, and Sarah would hide underneath its branches. Whenever she had a row with her aunt, she’d grab a book and run outside. It was the spot she chose to spend every anniversary of her parents ‘death. After she lost Andrea, Sarah barely budged from beneath the tree.
She smiled softly, kneeling at the spot where the tree used to reside. She ran a hand over the stump - all that remained. The willow had been chopped down sometime after Sarah Jane had moved out. She remembered being saddened the first time she had returned to Ealing, for Christmas during her first year at university.
“I could certainly use you now,” she told the stump. Sarah laughed dryly. “Someplace to hide as I accept my failure at this motherhood business. I can’t find him, you know. Luke’s completely disappeared on me, even skipped his favourite meal. And I have no idea what to-”
“Mum?”
The voice sounded sleepy and confused but to Sarah Jane, it was the loveliest voice she had ever heard. She stood quickly and turned around. A bright smile appeared on her face when her eyes fell on Luke, standing there with leaves in his hair, a book (The Three Musketeers) in one hand as the other rubbed at an eye.
“Oh, Luke,” she exclaimed joyfully, rushing over and pulling her son into a tight hug. She wanted to scold him, to tell him never to wander off again. It would do nothing though. Sarah Jane knew better: he and Clyde would still wander off on misadventures. Besides, it appeared as if he hadn’t meant to disappear at all. “Oh, wherever have you been?”
“Over there,” Luke answered, pointing to a corner of the garden where a small hammock had been set up. “Clyde ‘n I found it the other week and I’ve been going out here since. That is alright, isn’t it? Or have I made another social miscalculation in setting it up without your permission?”
Something told Sarah that it was Clyde who probably set it up rather than Luke. She laughed and shook her head. “It’s more than alright. In fact, it looks quite lovely. Perfectly matches my swing.”
Sarah Jane beamed up at him and brushed the leaves out of her hair. Unlike any other thirteen year old boy, Luke just smiled and didn’t fuss at her action. His brown eyes were still so very sleepy. For all her worry and fright, she didn’t even have to forgive him. She wasn’t angry at all.
“I love it,” she continued. “Every young person your age needs their own place to hide away from the world. Did I ever tell you about the willow tree, then? It used to be right here and was the pride and joy of Aunt Lavinia’s garden.”
He shook his head, stifling another yawn. Luke’s stomach rumbled. “I think I fell asleep. Is it time for dinner yet?”
“Yes, Luke.” Sarah laughed happily, the last of her fear dissipating into the night sky. Perhaps she didn’t fail at motherhood after all. A part of her still remained skeptical, but Luke was safe. There had been no Slitheen kidnappings, no other alien visitations of any kind. Just a hammock and a nap someplace that Luke now called safe. Her life was dangerous, yes, but right now she had been defeated by the completely mundane. “Yes it is.”
“Brilliant,” he muttered as she wrapped an arm around him to go back inside. “I’m sorry I frightened you, Sarah Ja- mum. I don’t think you’re a failure. I quite like having you as my parent.”
“Me too, Luke,” she whispered. “Oh, me too.”
She couldn’t find him and it worried her. With Maria visiting her mum this weekend and Clyde away on a family camping trip, Sarah Jane couldn’t possibly think of any place where Luke may have wandered off to. The boy was one of the most conscientious individuals she knew. He’d even leave a note when running across the street to the Jacksons’. At the very least, there’d be a text waiting on her mobile.
Right now, though, Sarah couldn’t find any such note. Her mobile was completely silent. Even Mr Smith was unaware of Luke’s present location. As she stood in the living room, looking around for some sign of her son, Sarah Jane ran her hands through her hair. She felt frantic, almost panicked. While it wasn’t an unusual feeling for her, typically life-threatening, world-ending reasons were involved. Never before had she felt a worry like this on a pleasant Sunday evening over Luke’s failure to show to supper.
There had been reports of Slitheens filtering through the UNIT radio waves again. It almost seemed that since their initial invasion of Downing Street, the green farting aliens couldn’t stay away from the planet. Given their own recent dealings with the family from Raxacoricofalipetorius - and the fact that Sarah had found Luke’s mobile lying on his bed - a possible abduction continually crossed her mind. Mr Smith’s scan of the house had registered no other life forms present.
“Oh, Luke,” she murmured, sighing as she collapsed on the couch. “Where are you?”
She considered calling Maria and Clyde to see if either had heard from their friend. But calling would mean admitting defeat. It would mean that she had failed as a mum, unable to keep track of her own son. This whole experience made Sarah Jane realise what it must have been like for her aunt when she was Luke’s age, always wandering away from the Bannerman Road house without as much as a shout goodbye. No wonder Aunt Lavinia was relieved when she had finally gone off to uni.
Sarah Jane could only stay seated for so long. With another sigh, she stood from the couch. She glanced at her watch and pocketed both phones. After a long look about the room, she started to walk towards the back door. Maybe some fresh air would do her some good. Maybe she would recall something that Luke had said last time she had seen him, this morning in his room working on his coursework.
The flowers were in full bloom. As the sun set, small lamps flickered to life. The lights in Mrs McKenzie’s home also illuminated the garden. For a few moments, Sarah felt at ease. She let herself remember another time, when this house wasn’t hers but her aunt’s and a young Sarah found wonder in every summer night. That was long before she became a journalist, long before ever meeting the Doctor.
The garden had been her safe place back then. There had been a willow tree all those years ago, and Sarah would hide underneath its branches. Whenever she had a row with her aunt, she’d grab a book and run outside. It was the spot she chose to spend every anniversary of her parents ‘death. After she lost Andrea, Sarah barely budged from beneath the tree.
She smiled softly, kneeling at the spot where the tree used to reside. She ran a hand over the stump - all that remained. The willow had been chopped down sometime after Sarah Jane had moved out. She remembered being saddened the first time she had returned to Ealing, for Christmas during her first year at university.
“I could certainly use you now,” she told the stump. Sarah laughed dryly. “Someplace to hide as I accept my failure at this motherhood business. I can’t find him, you know. Luke’s completely disappeared on me, even skipped his favourite meal. And I have no idea what to-”
“Mum?”
The voice sounded sleepy and confused but to Sarah Jane, it was the loveliest voice she had ever heard. She stood quickly and turned around. A bright smile appeared on her face when her eyes fell on Luke, standing there with leaves in his hair, a book (The Three Musketeers) in one hand as the other rubbed at an eye.
“Oh, Luke,” she exclaimed joyfully, rushing over and pulling her son into a tight hug. She wanted to scold him, to tell him never to wander off again. It would do nothing though. Sarah Jane knew better: he and Clyde would still wander off on misadventures. Besides, it appeared as if he hadn’t meant to disappear at all. “Oh, wherever have you been?”
“Over there,” Luke answered, pointing to a corner of the garden where a small hammock had been set up. “Clyde ‘n I found it the other week and I’ve been going out here since. That is alright, isn’t it? Or have I made another social miscalculation in setting it up without your permission?”
Something told Sarah that it was Clyde who probably set it up rather than Luke. She laughed and shook her head. “It’s more than alright. In fact, it looks quite lovely. Perfectly matches my swing.”
Sarah Jane beamed up at him and brushed the leaves out of her hair. Unlike any other thirteen year old boy, Luke just smiled and didn’t fuss at her action. His brown eyes were still so very sleepy. For all her worry and fright, she didn’t even have to forgive him. She wasn’t angry at all.
“I love it,” she continued. “Every young person your age needs their own place to hide away from the world. Did I ever tell you about the willow tree, then? It used to be right here and was the pride and joy of Aunt Lavinia’s garden.”
He shook his head, stifling another yawn. Luke’s stomach rumbled. “I think I fell asleep. Is it time for dinner yet?”
“Yes, Luke.” Sarah laughed happily, the last of her fear dissipating into the night sky. Perhaps she didn’t fail at motherhood after all. A part of her still remained skeptical, but Luke was safe. There had been no Slitheen kidnappings, no other alien visitations of any kind. Just a hammock and a nap someplace that Luke now called safe. Her life was dangerous, yes, but right now she had been defeated by the completely mundane. “Yes it is.”
“Brilliant,” he muttered as she wrapped an arm around him to go back inside. “I’m sorry I frightened you, Sarah Ja- mum. I don’t think you’re a failure. I quite like having you as my parent.”
“Me too, Luke,” she whispered. “Oh, me too.”