The last year has been bad, all those things they promised would never happen have happened. It started off pretty badly with the election rubbish and from there things spiralled out of control. Senators eager to make a name for themselves competed with each other to push through the most extreme laws. Then came the big one, they tried to abolish guns. Middle America didn't like that at all. Here on the west coast we were too out of it on drugs and self-loathing to see it coming. The first we knew about it was when they shot that poor sod dead. Can't remember his name right now, not that it matters anymore. They moved the troops in after that, martial law. That was even worse, twenty thousand apes in khaki looking for an excuse. What chance did a rich kid like me stand? I saw them beat Kelvin to death, there was no TV cameras to see that. Not that anyone would care, we were all just glad it wasn't us.

The streets, not the safest place to be even in the old days were a no go area now. They don't pretend to ask questions first, it's shoot on sight and leave the bodies to rot. The provisional government are calling for calm on CNN while calling for action on ABC, and NBC tells us they want us all dead. It's a laugh, a circus show, and a pantomime. Bloated bodies with bloated egos, manipulating the crowds like they were seals begging for a fish.

To get about the city you gotta risk sneaking through the streets. It's the only way if you want to keep your sanity. Sitting at home ain't exactly good for you all the time; you know what I'm saying? You have to get out and meet people, even if it could cost you your life. There's gunfire over to the right, about four or five blocks down. We've all lost too many friends this past year.

Still life goes on, it has to, don't know if it means anything anymore though. A bleak existence living in fear, hiding in shadows and always afraid. Wondering if it's today they finally catch up with me. Will today be my turn to die? Along the next block I creep, slowly, steadily mustn't make a noise.

More gunfire now, it's getting closer. Go away, just please go away. Closer and closer it's creeping over here. I can hear distant shouts now. Damn, better get undercover. Just 'coz they're chasing someone don't mean they won't shoot me. I can hear distinct voices now, man and woman arguing. Something's never change? Probably blaming each other for this.

They almost run past me. "Get under cover," I almost shout to them as they push past me, down the steps, into the basement I was using for cover. "Be quiet," I whisper to them.

I look at these two, the fat man is dressed like a clown, all bright colours, red and yellow and a blue cravat. The skinny woman with the large chest is dressed pretty much the same in a bright pink blouse with tight white jeans, with lime green patches on the knees, and an orange bandana placed on her head to cover most of her dark hair. We wait in silence as the storm troopers go past. We hardly dare to breathe never mind talk; the least noise would mean our certain deaths. Finally they left the area, we heard gunfire a few minutes after that, so they must have found another poor sod to victimise.

"How do you do?" the fat guy asked me. "I am known as the Doctor." He pointed to the woman. "This is Peri. The reason why those gung-ho chaps were chasing us."

"You insulted them Doctor." Peri explained things as she saw them. "All I said was who were those guys and you called them Neo-Nazi fascists."

The Doctor scratched his blond head. "Yes well they may have taken exception to the truth a little. However I'm not the one who blew them a kiss."

"It was only a bit of harmless fun Doctor. I thought it would calm things down." She looked at me. "He's not usually this grumpy."

"I am not grumpy!" the Doctor shouted before remembering to keep quiet. "I'm just on edge at the moment Peri, I can regenerate if need be but I'd never forgive myself if I let anything happened to you." He stared at me; his eyes seemed to bore into my soul. "I think you should tell me what's been happening, don't you?"

I explained things and he really got mad, shouting, waving his arms, at one point I thought he was really going to explode. However his anger gave way to an eerie calm that made my skin itch.

"Well," he broke the silence at last, "we'll just have to sort this mess out, won't we?"

We followed him down the streets, trying to talk him out of it. Peri was quite smart for someone dressed the way she was. Most of the dumb airheads got wasted in the first week. Many of them just stood there as they were shot at.

I couldn't believe it when he actually shouted at a couple of soldiers, demanding that they help him. One of them told him where he could go but the other walked over.

"Ah good. My friends and I would like you to lead us to your commanding officer. We are United Nations observers."

Somehow this had an effect on the soldier. He actually looked worried. "You'd better come with us."

We were taken to a squat metal and concrete bunker, put right in the crossroads where Hollywood and Vine fed into each other. Once it had been THE place to be, then it became the haunt of junkies and ho, now it's a military command post. Only in L.A. huh?

I tried to find somewhere to hide when a senior officer accosted this Doctor guy. The noise he made, screaming and shouting. Even Peri got in on it, claiming this and that. At one point I was sure she was going to hit him or something. It worked however and he took us to see the General.

"Good evening, Doctor." The General smiled at the Doctor as if he knew him. Shifty looking bloke he was, even if he did look okay for someone so old. He was slightly above average height with an almost bald head and a carefully trimmed grey beard and moustache.

"I might have known it was you." The Doctor stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets.

"Who is it Doctor?" Peri asked.

"I'd like to know too," I added my voice to hers.

"Don't you recognise him Peri? No there's no reason why you should. I thought you'd used up all your lives anyway."

"Life finds a way Doctor," the General almost sneered. "I know you of course Miss Brown but your other friend is quite new to me. Still it's an improvement on some of the other ones in your future."

I introduced myself but no one seemed to notice, not even Peri, which made my heart sink a bit as if I didn't matter. Well the Doctor introduced him as the Master, which seemed a rather insecure title for someone who seemed in charge. "Do you know him?" I whispered to Peri.

"Yeah, he's the Doctor's mortal enemy. They really hate each other." She didn't seem to like him much either, even though he seemed the type of older guy women were attracted to these days.

For a while they postured, they argued this and that until finally we all ended up thrown into a cell together.

"This is an outrage," the Doctor shouted.

"Hey keep the noise down," Peri shouted back just as loudly.

"Will you be quiet?" the Doctor snapped at her. "I'm trying to think."

She tutted and started to talk to me. "He gets all moody when we're in these sorts of situations." She looked at me. "Hey are you, okay?"

"Not really," I replied. "Just wondering when it is and if it'll be quick or not."

"Thinking like that will get you nowhere," the Doctor lectured me. "You should always look on the bright side, even the darkest hour has its dawn."

"Yeah, well you haven't lived in fear every day for the last year." I was scared; it's true. But somehow what the Doctor said made me feel just a little bit better.

"We should escape," Peri encouraged the Doctor. "Any ideas yet Doctor?" She looked at him; I could see the fear in her eyes. It was the same fear we all had for the last year. She was beginning to realise just what it was we had all been feeling for so long now.

"Don't give up hope." The Doctor poured a green liquid on the door lock. "This should see to the locked door. Now there's only the armed guard to worry about. Luckily I am an expert in a number of martial arts."

He looked more like someone who had never done a days exercise in his life than a Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan, but as he said, hope was what we needed.

Somehow he disarmed the guard, his hands moved so fast they blurred. However instead of using the gun he took the firing pin out of it. "What the hell are you doing?" I shouted. "We need that gun."

"We need weapons," the Doctor intoned. "Guns we do not need. I shall employ far older and more effective weapons. Intelligence and wisdom shall be our tools and if that doesn't work I'll beat them into submission with my charm."

Peri laughed and I almost cried, we were sure to get killed. The guy was a mental patient, that was it. I'd been helping an escaped lunatic all this time. Maybe she was one too? All I cared about now was getting the hell out of this place. I ducked away from them the first chance I got and made it outside. There were hardly any soldiers about and I made my way slowly through the streets. The sun was beginning to set now and the lengthening shadows made it easier for me. Finally I made it back to my place and found it had been turned over. Most of my stuff was gone but it meant that they wouldn't be back for a while. I counted my blessings; somehow I'd survived today's events.

I'd almost forgotten about the two crazies when one day the guns fell silent and it was announced that the corrupt military junta had been overthrown. A provisional government had formed and the bill of rights had been reintroduced. No one could quite believe it but we were all so grateful. We went out onto the streets and partied the night away, meeting old friends and making new ones. Somehow I kind of hoped I'd meet the Doctor and Peri again but I was sure they had been killed. I kind of felt bad about not being able to help them but what could I have done about it anyway? All I could do now was try and enjoy myself tonight and tell my kids about them one day.