Doctor Who: Twelve Doctors of Christmas

382 Pages·2016·20.64 MB·English

by  Rayner Jacqueline

Contents
1. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS
Written by Jacqueline Rayner
Illustrated by Nick Harris
2. A COMEDY OF TERRORS
Written by Colin Brake
Illustrated by Melissa Castrillón
3. THE CHRISTMAS INVERSION
Written by Jacqueline Rayner
Illustrated by Sara Gianassi
4. THREE WISE MEN
Written by Richard Dungworth
Illustrated by Rob Biddulph
5. SONTAR’S LITTLE HELPERS
Written by Mike Tucker
Illustrated by Staffan Gnosspelius
6. FAIRY TALE OF NEW NEW YORK
Written by Gary Russell
Illustrated by Stewart Easton
7. THE GROTTO
Written by Mike Tucker
Illustrated by Charlie Sutcliffe
8. GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
Written by Scott Handcock
Illustrated by Jennifer Skemp
9. THE RED BICYCLE
Written by Gary Russell
Illustrated by Rohan Eason
10. LOOSE WIRE
Written by Richard Dungworth
Illustrated by Captain Kris
11. THE GIFT
Written by Scott Handcock
Illustrated by Ashling Lindsay
12. THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY
Written by Colin Brake
Illustrated by Tom Duxbury

They followed their footsteps back to the
TARDIS. Here and there, little paw prints
belonging to some unknown animal crossed their
path, but otherwise the snow was untouched. No
humans, or even near-humans, lived in this land.
Their visit had been a short one – a search for the
minerals needed to power a machine that the
Doctor was working on, that was all. A success,
for once, with no danger to complicate matters.
‘Pine needles and crisp, clean air. It smells of
Christmas!’ Ian said wistfully.
Barbara didn’t look at Ian as he spoke. Her eyes
were focused on something that wasn’t there,
some sort of distant memory. ‘Do you remember
the smell of Stir-up Sunday? Warm spices and
brandy.’
‘Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord,’ said Ian, and
the two schoolteachers smiled, but their smiles had
sadness underneath.
The young girl walking between them turned
from one to the other, frowning. ‘I don’t
understand,’ she said.
Of course it was Barbara who answered. She
could never resist a chance to educate. ‘A custom
of our time, Vicki,’ she said. ‘When you heard
those words in the prayer for the day at church,
you knew it was time to make the Christmas
pudding.’
‘Oh,’ said Vicki. ‘I see.’ Then she paused for a
second and added, almost casually, ‘What’s a
Christmas pudding?’
‘Vicki!’ both Barbara and Ian cried out in
astonishment.
‘Oh, I’ve heard of Christmas,’ the girl said,
oblivious to their horror. ‘But I’m not quite sure
what a pudding is.’
So Barbara told her, with Ian joining in. The
making of the Christmas pudding: nutmeg and
cinnamon and sugar, orange zest and candied peel,
almonds and suet and breadcrumbs, all mixed
together with a good dollop of brandy.
‘You’d put in a sixpence too,’ said Ian. ‘Then
everyone would stir the mixture and make a wish.’