SCENE ONE

That old TARDIS hum

ADAM

(sounding hurt)

Aren’t you going to say something Doctor?  No lecture, no list of complaints about my behaviour?

DOCTOR

We’ve arrived

ADAM

Is that all you can say to me?  You saved my life, again.  Ok, I shouldn’t have upset them like I did but there was no reason for them to try and execute me in a gas chamber.

DOCTOR

I’ll check to see what’s outside.

ADAM

I can’t see anything.  Did you forget to get that thing fixed again?

DOCTOR

The scanner is working fine

ADAM

So where are we?  Deep space?

DOCTOR

This is Earth, your planet of origin.

ADAM

Why have we come back here?

DOCTOR

I’ve brought you back home.

ADAM

What for?  You’re sick of me, aren’t you?

DOCTOR

Well now that you mention it.

ADAM

Who’s going to look after Kitty?

DOCTOR

Probably someone a lot more responsible than you.

ADAM

Hey, that cat loves me, she needs me.  You can’t just get rid of me without getting her opinion.

DOCTOR

She’s just a cat, she’ll get over you.

ADAM

(in a mood)

I’m not leaving, you can’t make me.

DOCTOR

Please Adam, you’re making this hard enough as it is.

ADAM

Fine, if that’s the way you feel, I’ll leave right now.

Sounds of the door button being pressed and the inner doors opening.

DOCTOR

What about your belongings.

ADAM

(Angry and emotional)

Stuff them and stuff you too.

DOCTOR

Adam, wait.

SCENE TWO

ROBERT

Clear!

ADAM

Leave me alone Doctor.  What is this place?  There’s barely enough room to stand.  I can’t see my hand.

DOCTOR

Some sort of mining works, this is obviously a coal shaft.  Let’s shed some light on our situation.

Click of a battery powered torch being turned on

ADAM

That’s better.  I can hardly breathe though.

DOCTOR

Coal dust suspended in the air, cover you nose and mouth.

A loud explosion echoes along the shaft.

ADAM

What the hell was that?

DOCTOR

Blasting powder?  That’s not right.  Modern mining techniques use industrial bores.  Oh dear.

ADAM

What do you mean?

DOCTOR

Don’t panic Adam, let’s just get back in the TARDIS…

ADAM

I think you made it clear you don’t want me around anymore.

Creaking of wooden supports

Small pebbles start falling down

 DOCTOR

Run Adam, get out of this section (beat) now

Larger rocks fall down

ADAM

What’s going on?

DOCTOR

It’s a cave in!  Aargh!

Heavy slump of a large section of tunnel falling down

ADAM

Are you ok Doctor?

DOCTOR

My arm, something caught it.  I think the bone’s broken

ADAM

Here?

DOCTOR

No

ADAM

Here?

DOCTOR

Yes, please stop that now.

ADAM

You’ll need a sling.

DOCTOR

(through the pain)

Possibly

 SCENE THREE

ROBERT

Unstable strata, I told the boss, said it wouldn’t take a charge.  It’s my job to know these things.  Wouldn’t listen to me, insisted, threatened to fire me and evict me from the cottage.

JOHN

How long will it be?

ROBERT

Half a day, maybe.  Last cave in took three days and none of the lads were alive.  That was five years ago, faulty shaft prop gave way.

JOHN

I don’t want to die.

ROBERT

No one saying we will.  Did you see anyone else?

JOHN

They were all behind the blasting nook, in the main shaft.

ROBERT

That’s where you should have been.

JOHN

How can I keep a look out if I can’t see?

ROBERT

Saved your life I reckon.  Pity I didn’t put someone on the other side.

JOHN

It’s a blind end, no need to have a man there.

ROBERT

(sadly)

I know, I know.

Sound of footsteps

DOCTOR

Hello…

 JOHN

Who’s that?

DOCTOR

I’m the Doctor, this is my young friend, Adam.  Say hello Adam.

ADAM

(Casually)

Hello

DOCTOR

No need for this now.

Click of the torch being turned off

ROBERT

How did you get down there?  That’s a blind end.

ADAM

It’s a buried blind end is that it is.  What’s a blind end anyway?

JOHN

The seam stopped so we have to cut a shaft sideways to try and pick it up again.

ADAM

Oh, right.

ROBERT

Is that arm hurt bad?

DOCTOR

The pain is unpleasant.  I guess I won’t be playing with my yoyo anytime soon.

JOHN

How much air do we have?

ROBERT

A day, maybe.

DOCTOR

Given this area I’d say about an hour

JOHN

An hour?

ROBERT

How do you figure on an hour?

DOCTOR

Those lamps are burning our oxygen away by the second

ROBERT

Damn!

Sounds of a Davy lamp been taken apart and the light blown out

ADAM

I hate the dark can’t we keep one of them on?

DOCTOR

I still have thebattery powered torch in my pocket.  Use it only when it gets too much for you.

Sounds of the second lamp being dealt with

We hear them sit down and get as comfortable as they can in a mine shaft

JOHN

Shouldn’t we try to dig ourselves out?

ROBERT

Best just to lie still, don’t talk, conserve air

ADAM

What about digging the TARDIS out?

DOCTOR

Too risky Adam, might dislodge more loose material.

There is a short pause in talking.  We hear the slow drip, drip of water and the sounds of breathing

ADAM

We can’t do nothing, I’m going to try

Torch clicks on

Sounds of Adam standing up

ROBERT

Sit down, save the air

JOHN

How did you two get in here anyway?

DOCTOR

That’s a much longer story than you might expect

ADAM

I can’t believe you’d just give up Doctor.

(sits down again)

This floor is wet

Torch clicks off

DOCTOR

Not all rocks are impermeable to water Adam.

JOHN

We’re not going anywhere, a story might just help to pass the time until we’re rescued.

Again we hear the slow drip, drip of water and the sounds of four people breathing.

DOCTOR

My ship, well I call it a ship, although it’s nothing like the Queen Mary.  Well it landed down there a few minutes ago.  It doesn’t move like a ship, although it can be said to sail through the eddies and currents of the vortex.  Have you read any Jules Verne?

JOHN

(laughs)

I can’t even read my own name.

ROBERT

We’re miners, not rich folks, even though I can read I can’t afford luxuries like books.

DOCTOR

Shame, I’ve got the Invisible Man on the go at the moment.  Anyway, my ship can move forwards and backwards through time.

ADAM

When it feels like it.

DOCTOR

Please don’t interrupt Adam.

Torch clicks back on

ADAM

Right (beat) That’s it

(he stands up with a scuffle)

I’m getting out of here right now.

DOCTOR

You’ll only hurt yourself

ADAM

I’d rather risk my life than spend another moment listening to you going on like a cross between Mystic Meg and Nostradamus.

DOCTOR

It’s the voice of reason and experience.

ADAM

No, no it’s not.  You’re giving up.  I can’t believe you’d give up.  You’re all about fighting on to the bitter end.  You never give up, that’s (beat) what’s the point of talking to a quitter?

Footsteps as Adam walks off

DOCTOR

He really is a very nice young man, once you get to know him.

Another short pause in talking.  We hear the slow drip, drip of water and the sounds of breathing

JOHN

Maybe, can’t say I blame him.  I’m not exactly holding it together myself.

ROBERT

We just have to relax.

JOHN

It’s hard to relax, knowing this could be our tomb.

DOCTOR

Now that we’ve put those lights out there’s more than enough air to last us.  As long as we don’t waste it.

JOHN

Keep talking, I feel safer when you’re both talking.

Again  the slow drip, drip of water and the sounds of breathing

 SCENE FOUR

Heavy rocks scraping as moved then landing with a thud.

ADAM

(grunts with exertion)

I’ll show them, I’ll show him.  Can’t get out of here?  Ha.  At least I’m trying to do something.  I’m not gonna die down here, no way.  Not me.  Not gonna die.

A small shower of pebbles and shale fall down from the ceiling

ADAM (continued)

Takes more than that I’m afraid.  You don’t scare me.  I’m not dumb, went caving once didn’t I?  The rock above is more stable than the rocks that fall.  All I have to do is move another ton of rock by hand and we’ll have all the air we need.  Got to keep focused, I’m getting out of here.

(shouts)

Do you hear that?  I’m getting out of here.

(clams down)

Got to make a commitment to survive, you said.  Make the choice now, I will live because I refuse to do nothing and die.

Another shower of pebbles and shale falls down from the ceiling

ADAM (continued)

Don’t complain now, too late to vote.  Who asked you anyway?  I’m getting out of here.  I’m not dying, no sir.  Make a commitment, pro living, pro me, anti dying, anti nothing.

(grunts again)

Move the rocks, keep taking as I work, not again, no, never again.  Won’t be left in here, not again, no way.  We’re getting out of here Becky.  I promise.

Thud as a large rock hits the floor

ADAM (continued)

This is the way we save our lives, save our lives.  We’re just school kids Becky, they’ll be back.  Just stay here and we’ll be fine.  We weren’t fine though, were we?  Left us, just school kids.

(shouts)

You left me!

(starts crying)

You left me alone, I was just a kid and you left me.

More shale and pebbles fall from the ceiling

ADAM (continued)

(shouts)

I don’t need your sympathy!  I’m getting out of here, I’m not dying here.  Made a commitment about it.  Made a choice.  I’m going to live, I’m not dying here.  You’re not getting another chance.  I’m going to live.

Footsteps getting louder as someone approaches

DOCTOR

Adam, you need to rest

ADAM

Keep back Doctor.  I’m going to live.  Made a commitment to survive.  I’m getting out of here.

DOCTOR

What is it Adam?  Tell me, please.

ADAM

(crying again)

Don’t leave me Becky, please don’t leave me.

DOCTOR

Its ok Adam, I’m here.  I’m not going anywhere.

ADAM

(sounding younger and scared)

You left me alone.

DOCTOR

I’m here now.

ADAM

(terrified)

No, you’re a ghost.  You don’t exist.  Stop haunting me.  Gotta get out of here.

DOCTOR

Why do you have to get out?

ADAM

(calms down)

Got to live, promised myself I would.  Never die like this.  If I stay here I’ll die.

DOCTOR

You have to calm down, you’re getting hysterical.

ADAM

(angry)

Don’t tell me what to do.  You left me alone.

DOCTOR

You’re not alone now.

ADAM

(upset again)

You abandoned me and now you’re haunting me.

DOCTOR

Tell me what happened?

ADAM

(breaks down again and cries)

You know what happened.  I killed you.

Closing theme music