Not a Creature was Stirring

"Does Chalstone Manor have any ghosts?"

Writer: Steve Cole

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2023

Printed in: Ten Days of Christmas 03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

Return to the incredible days of Ten this Christmas...

For the Tenth Doctor, the festive season always brought adventure.

In fact, he's saved Christmas across space and time more times than we ever knew...

Join the Doctor (and Donna and Martha and Rose, and other friends old and new) for incredible tales of daring and danger. From Daleks plotting to save humanity to Sycorax working to exploit it... from star-narwhals massing on the Moon to a toy factory in space.

Because even in the jolliest of seasons there's a world or two to save.

Verdict

Not a Creature was Stirring was another great story to continue my way through the Ten Days of Christmas collection! These short stories have started pretty well and after some solo outings for both the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors, it was nice to have Donna join as a companion here. I liked that for her it was somewhere early in her run as a companion, presumably right after The Doctor’s Daughter given the way things flow in those first five stories of Series 4? I can’t think of where there would be room to have it otherwise as I doubt this would come before her first visit to an alien world in the shape of the Ood Sphere. I could be wrong though! I liked how it was Christmas quite clearly from the decorations on show at Chalstone Manor, and the way Donna deduced that it was a National Trust building was very humorous. Even the chairs and what have you had tinsel decorated across them meaning you couldn’t even sit down. That was a severe level of protection. I thought the manor made for a strong setting and I must admit I thought the assumed rodent was going to be a Cyberman at first. Especially with the grey description and knowing what we do about the little metallic mites! Sadly, that didn’t turn out to be the case but the actual answer of the separated Surveyor and Jarcon was absolutely fine. I really enjoyed the Doctor’s reaction to Surveyor announcing its name because he too had a title. He liked that and it was a fine example of good writing for the Tenth Doctor. This certainly felt of the era which is a big compliment in my eyes. Celia was a good character as the head of the manor and the psychic paper revealing the Doctor as pest control was fun, but he wasn’t going to turn down the opportunity to be assumed as a person wanted and of power! He’d certainly have some unique methods of pest control with the sonic screwdriver, but this was no ordinary pest. I think the shift to have Donna go back in time was terrific and the humour that came from her being accused of a witch was tremendous. She was less than impressed as you might expect and didn’t hold back about her comments despite the sensitivity of the time. The legend of the ghost was intriguing and with it talking of the Skinny Man the Doctor soon had a good idea of where and when Donna had gotten to! The Doctor ending up back at the first sitting in 1340 was good stuff and that far back is not a time we often visit so I appreciated that even if it was a fleeting visit. Donna being a quarter of a millennium in the future was perfect for her and the way the Doctor saved her from her ducking was nicely done. Molto bene indeed! The reunion between Surveyor and Jarcon was simple and a neat way to tidy that element up, and I did like that Celia was able to get a glimpse of the TARDIS dematerialising. I think the highlight of the story for me though was Donna’s memories of Christmas and recalling how Wilf wore his cracker paper hat for the entire Christmas holidays and played silly games. Of course, she now had different memories thanks to The Runaway Bride, but that original memory for her was lovely to read. Overall, a fine story!

Rating: 8/10