Doctor Who: Timeless Tales

Buried Feelings (Part 4)
Timeless Tales
The First Doctor
The Second Doctor
The Third Doctor
The Fourth Doctor
The Fifth Doctor
The Sixth Doctor
The Seventh Doctor
The Eighth Doctor
The Ninth Doctor
The Tenth Doctor
The Eleventh Doctor

Part 4 of 4...

SCENE ONE

 

Opening Theme Music

 

DOCTOR

John, Adam, get back here.

 

JOHN

What?

 

Sounds of stones falling

 

DOCTOR

The props are giving way, they’ll be trapped between two falls.

 

ADAM

(Shouts)

John, Robert, hurry back!

 

Sounds of a section of roof falling in

 

DOCTOR

It’s too late, they’re trapped.

 

ADAM

We have to dig them out, before they run out of air.

 

DOCTOR

I’ll shift these rocks, you go back to the far end and you bang on those rocks as hard as you can.  Make them hear you, do this Adam, it’s what you need to do.  Take your frustrations out on those rocks.

 

ADAM

Fine.

 

Footsteps as Adam runs off.

 

 

 

SCENE TWO

 

ADAM

Ok rocks, it’s you and me and just between the two of us it’s your turn to lose.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Yeah?  You like that, well do you?

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Who’s the Daddy?

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Tell me.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

I’m your Daddy.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Tell me who your Daddy is.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

You gonna talk yet?

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Tell me who your Daddy is.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Not gonna talk huh?

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Don’t matter to me.  I’m here, you’re there and I’m not going anywhere and neither are you.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

So tell me who the Daddy is.

 

 

SCENE THREE

 

JOHN
Fresh air, I can smell it.

 

ROBERT

I smell it too lad.  It’s as sweet as your lady friend’s perfume I reckon.

 

JOHN

Sweeter, don’t tell her I said that though.

 

ROBERT

I may be uneducated but I’m not an idiot.

 

Sounds of stones falling

 

DOCTOR

Is this a private rescue attempt or will either of you two think about joining in?

 

JOHN

Doctor!

 

ROBERT

A welcome sight indeed.

 

DOCTOR

Well once I make a big enough hole in here I can help you in uncovering the TARDIS.

 

JOHN

What about the air?

 

Scrambling sounds, falling rocks and manful hugging

 

DOCTOR

(letting out a satisfied grunt)

The stale air will build up in this pocket, but just stick your head through that hole if you get dizzy.

 

ROBERT

What about Adam?

 

 

DOCTOR

I sent him back down to the other end, its too cramped in here for four people and as much as I value our friendship I think he still has a lot of issues to resolve on his own.

 

 

SCENE FOUR

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Making some noise now.  Yeah.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Sing it to me.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

We’re in here.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Come and rescue us.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

We’re waiting for you.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

One for the Doctor

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Two for me

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Three for Robert

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Four for John

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

We’re in here waiting.

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

Come and get us.

 

 

SCENE FIVE

 

Rocks being shifted

 

DOCTOR

Don’t fight it John, get some fresh air, you too Robert

 

JOHN

Just a bit tired really

 

DOCTOR

That’s the first sign.

 

ROBERT

Come on lad, get some fresh air.

 

Sounds of scrambling up semi-loose rocks.

 

JOHN

That’s better, the fog’s clearing in my head.

 

 

ROBERT

We’ll have some story to tell the others.

 

JOHN

Rescued in some sort of magic cabinet.  Queen Vic herself won’t believe a word of it.

 

ROBERT

I doubt it’d travel that far.

 

JOHN

Miracle rescue in mining disaster?  It’ll make all the headlines.

 

ROBERT

Do you think they’d really believe that?

 

JOHN

Why not?  We’d be celebrities.

 

ROBERT

Lets just get out of here first

 

Sounds of scrambling back the rocks

 

DOCTOR

Come on you two, I can feel a corner of the old girl

 

JOHN

How can you be sure Doctor?

 

DOCTOR

I know that feeling anywhere in the cosmos.  Give me your hand.

 

ROBERT

That tingles, it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

 

JOHN

I feel it too, it’s incredible.

 

DOCTOR

We only have to uncover the keyhole, there should be enough space in the console room for a few rocks.

 

 

JOHN

Maybe we should sing a work song?

 

DOCTOR

As long as it’s not Hi Ho.

 

 

SCENE SIX

 

Sounds of a metal torch banging against the rocks.

 

ADAM

(yawns)

Hard work beating rocks.

 

Sounds of tap-tapping return

 

ADAM

About time too.  We’re in here and now I think I’m having a seizure…

 

 

SCENE SEVEN

 

DOCTOR

There we are, if I can just get the key (beat) the key!  Adam has the key.

 

JOHN

I’ll go and get him, I could do with clearing my head again anyway

 

DOCTOR

Be careful

 

ROBERT

Take your time lad.

 

Scuffling sounds of climbing and falling shale.

 

DOCTOR

Well this almost it.  Just a few more minutes and we’ll be out of here.

 

ROBERT

I can’t say I won’t miss this place.

 

DOCTOR

I understand.

 

ROBERT

Maybe I’ll try my hand at something else?

 

DOCTOR

It’s never too late to start over Robert.  You’re good with explosives, have you ever thought about demolition work?

 

ROBERT

If I was that good at demolition I’d have had those beams strengthened.  Never saw any cracks through.  I always make a thorough examination when I’m blasting, never wanted to lose a crew like this.

 

DOCTOR

I understand.

 

 

SCENE EIGHT

 

Quiet drip, drip of water.

 

ADAM

(having fun)

Tappy tap tappy tap tap.

 

Footsteps as John approaches.

 

JOHN

Adam, we’ve uncovered that contraption of the Doctor’s.  He says you have the key.

 

ADAM

I didn’t pick it up.

 

Jingling sound of a key on a metal chain.

 

JOHN

Is that it?

 

ADAM

Yeah, but I never put it in my pocket.  It must have been the Doctor, but when?

 

JOHN

You were not in a very good state before.  It seemed as if you were quite made with grief.

 

ADAM

Perhaps I was, but I’ve got a really good therapist and he doesn’t charge by the hour like the last three did.

 

JOHN

We should get back, the Doctor seemed quite impatient to leave.

 

Footsteps as John and Adam start walking

 

ADAM

Yet, he gets uptight, but usually he’s a great sort of guy to be around.

 

JOHN

You are strange sometimes Adam, all I look forward to is marrying the girl that I love and settling down with her and raising a family.

 

ADAM

Well finding someone is half the battle I guess, don’t let her go though, but don’t force her to stay either.

 

JOHN

I will be Master of my own household.

 

ADAM

For all we have in common, our cultures are so far apart.  Listen, you’re a straight up sort of guy John, just be yourself and she’ll want to stay with you.  That’s the best kind of relationship you can have.  Trust me, I’ve screwed up plenty of times in the past.

 

 

SCENE NINE

 

DOCTOR

So the Delvian said to the Luxan that’s my spore bud not a milk gland.

(starts laughing)

Do you get it?

 

ROBERT

I don’t get it.

 

DOCTOR

I’ll tell it to you again.

 

Sound of approaching footsteps

 

ROBERT

Thankfully that’s John and Adam

 

Scrambling sounds as John and Adam climb over the rubble pile

 

ADAM

Here’s your torch Doctor.

 

DOCTOR

(mock seriousness)

The warranty expired last week.

 

ADAM

(worried)

I’ll get you a new one

 

DOCTOR

(lightens up)

No need, I have a spare one somewhere.

 

ADAM

Here’s the TARDIS key.  I could have sworn you never lent it to me.  I must be going crazy at my young age.

 

Quiet drip, drip of water.

 

ROBERT

I hate to interrupt, but shouldn’t we be getting out of here?

 

DOCTOR

Ah yes.

 

The key is put in the TARDIS lock and the outer doors unlocked.

 

Sound of rocks collapsing into the TARDIS

 

ADAM

It’ll be me who clears that lot up, mark my words.

 

DOCTOR

I’m sure Robert and John will be only to happy (beat) to supervise you.

 

They scramble into the TARDIS over the remaining rocks

 

 

SCENE TEN

 

That old TARDIS hum

 

DOCTOR

Just set these controls, input the course.  Do get a hurry on Adam.

 

ADAM

Do you want to clean Kitty’s litter tray for the whole month?

 

DOCTOR

In your own time.

 

A rock rolls across the floor

 

ADAM

There, try the doors now.

 

The inner doors close

 

JOHN

What happens now?

 

ADAM

Now we cross our fingers and hope we don’t end up at the bottom of the ocean.

 

DOCTOR

Here we go.

 

 

SCENE ELEVEN

 

Drip, dripping in the mine shaft

 

The TARDIS dematerialises

 

RESCUER 1

(gasps in shock)

Did you see that?

 

RESCUER 2

(fearful)

No, and neither did you.  (beat) Let’s get out of here

 

Closing Theme Music

 

I wanted to write several kinds of stories here, firstly it’s a claustrophobic story, the Doctor and co are trapped underground with only themselves to rely on and one by one they start to feel the pressure.  I have tried to make it feel as close and tense as possible.  Secondly it’s more back story for Adam, a tragic event from his past is revealed and we see him succumb to his fears and later vent his frustrations in a positive manner.  Thirdly it’s a pure historical drama, no aliens, no sci-fi, except for the TARDIS and only then at the start and finish of the story.  Lastly, it’s almost all written in real time, with very minute time jumps in parts one and four as the focus shifts to where the action is.

I got the idea to do this kind of story when I remembered a visit to the National Coal Mining Museum last summer.  It was a very memorable trip especially when going down the mine shaft.  I’m six four in my sock and the shaft was a generous five and a half feet tall plus my battery powered lamp was dubious and kept cutting out, usually when I needed to see where I was stepping.  I’ve also been caving, once, as part of my Prince’s Trust course.  I do not like caving, I hate caving, caving is unnatural and so I drew on my experiences a little when it came to remembering the little details like the constant drip, dripping of water.  Believe me it does get on your nerves after a while.

original fan fiction by kg redhead