Out now is a brand new free short-story from DWC’s very own Philip Bates, with The Doctor Who Project!

The Doctor Who Project publishes free short stories for the first seven Doctors and the continued adventures of the Project’s specially-created Eleventh with his new companions, Maggie Weiltz and Kaylaar. The stories are available to downloads as PDFs sporting covers from some of Doctor Who‘s most talented graphic designers.

Split into Seasons from 27 to 44 (so far!) as well as series of stories entitled Brief Encounters, there is a wealth of original Doctor Who fiction to explore and the good news is that anyone who can craft an excellent story can contribute!

In this case, Philip Bates has written Homecoming, a story featuring the Sixth Doctor and Peri and is set in Paris. The blurb reads:

Paris is a city of miracles, and at its heart is the Seine. This glittering scar through the streets sums up the enigmatic majesty of the French capital. Perhaps that’s why so many are drawn into it: the suicides, the murders, even the accidents, when people get just a little too close to the edge.

But you don’t need to worry any longer.

Tonight, the Seine is giving up its dead. They line the banks of the river, bringing people in. Yes, everyone’s welcome: the adults, the children, the natives, the tourists, and even Time Lords.

Come see the Seine. Dip your head under the surface.

It’s like coming home, one last time.

Homecoming features an interesting look at grief and the darker side of the river Seine. Even in a short story, the Not Quite Dead are gloriously creepy and the sort of creature that might feature in the show properly one day. His handling of the Doctor and Peri is spot on and features some rather amusing looks at Peri, and the often revealing costumes she wore!

But it was the character of Matthew that will hook you into the story and how he is handling the recent death of his brother Luc. Philip fills the story with some grown up imagery, something that you could only get away with in prose and probably not on screen, from the army of the dead on the bank of the Seine, to drowning in a bathtub; it’s an adult story, but one that fits perfectly into the Doctor Who format.

[And I didn’t tell Jordan to say that, honestly! — Ed.]

To download or read Homecoming for free, just click here!

The Doctor Who Project has more information on how to submit short stories to them to be featured in their seasons and Brief Encounters. And if you’ve got an idea for a story to submit then check out their submissions page, as well as the wealth of original and free fiction to enjoy!

Now to get some of my ideas down…

(Thank you to Bob Furnell.)