Doctor Who_ The Taint - Michael Collier [13]
'Oi! You can't order your guests about.'
'Yeah, but you're a girl.'
Sam kicked him lightly in the shins and went over to the switch. A bare light bulb suddenly glowed sleazy red in its socket.
'What are you like!' said Sam, laughing.
'Whoops, that's my... relaxation bulb. Sorry.' As she watched he jumped up, gripped the red bulb and unscrewed it. The light sputtered and went out.
'Watch it! You'll electrocute yourself!' Before she could find the light switch to turn it off, Fitz was grinning at her in the light of a bright white bulb.
'I laugh in the face of danger,' he said. Then he crouched over a funny, old-fashioned record-player diing. The vinyl popped and clicked as the stylus hit it. Sam suddenly had the tiniest flash of how the Doctor must feel when surrounded with primitive technology. No wonder he kept a billion super-gadgets in his coat pockets.
It felt funny to be away from him through her own choice.
Jazz burst out from the little built-in speaker. Sam noticed a number of other singles poised above the one now playing, ready to clunk into poptastic mono action."This thing your... bag, then?' she asked, a little self-consciously.
Fitz shrugged. 'It's everything to me,' he said simply. "There's a pile of forty-fives over there. Take a look yourself.'
Sam turned away from him and crouched down to do so. "They're all broken! They've got great big holes in them!' she announced.
'Er, it's called "ex-jukebox",' said Fitz, looking at her oddly.' You may be able to afford six and eight, but I prefer paying two and eleven at Easy Mick's.'
'I, er, listen to cassettes, mainly,' mumbled Sam. 'You know, tape thingies...'Then she flushed further. That obviously wasn't the right thing to say either by the way Fitz was staring at her. 'Anyway,' she announced, awkwardly. 'Aren't you meant to be taking me out?'
Fitz nodded, slowly. 'You are all right without your doctor, aren't you?'
***
They got off at Tottenham Court Road, and Sam looked around in the mild evening air. How could somewhere so familiar feel so alien? The Dominion was still here, but its sign was different, duller, less ostentatious. The adverts on the hoardings and on the buses talked of 99 Tea and Swallows raincoats (in the summer? Some things didn't change), as well as old faithfuls’ like Wrigley's, Kodak and Gordon's gin. The buildings around all seemed a little less grimy. There was no Virgin Megastore. No Burger King.
Ordinary cars were joining buses and black cabs driving along Oxford Street. Jesus, this was -
'Do you not get out much or something?' Fitz seemed just the tiniest bit fed up, probably because every conversation he'd tried to get up and running since leaving the flat had swiftly tripped up over Sam's one-word replies.
She'd felt unsettled ever since they'd approached the West End, and now, standing here, she couldn't help feeling as if she was standing out like a sore thumb.
She glanced around her again. It was almost like being watched.
'I'm sorry. I'm... I'm a bit nervous.' She thought quickly. 'I haven't been to a really big city before. 'What a lie, Sam Jones. She spared a thought for Shoreditch, home sweet home. Hardly hills-and-vales territory.
'Country girl, eh? Knew it; said Fitz. 'Well, I promise tonight will be a night to remember.' He smiled, and leaned against someone's car. The driver hooted at him, and Fitz raised his trilby at him and stood back up. 'Stuck-up moron!' he said through teeth gritted in a broad grin.
Sam smiled too. She'd remember tonight for his dress sense alone. He was still wearing the raincoat that came down to his knees, but under that he was wearing a pair of maroon slacks with raised seams that clung to his bony hips, scuffed old suede loafers and a shirt striped in red, blue and black. 'In the Italian style,' he had announced vaingloriously in response to her teasing.
'You don't care, do you?' she laughed.
'It's how I was brought up,' he said. 'Not to care.' She wasn't sure if he was joking or