10. Salvation

BBC SOUNDS STING

1 PODCAST FLASHBACK

CLEO, ABBY and SHAWNA are cracking up. Happier times.

SHAWNA

So basically I heard that all the chemtrails that are in the sky, they have to keep the record on the blue box!

 

CLEO & ABBY

Oh what!

 

SHAWNA

There’s something to do with the colour! Otherwise they can’t track em, that’s it! Because -

 

ABBY

Shawna, you are deranged! Don’t ever change, I love you, but you’re massive weirdo!

 

SHAWNA

Aw, thanks!

 

ABBY

What about you Cleo?

 

CLEO

What about me?

 

ABBY

Who do you think’s in the Blue Box?

 

Cleo thinks a moment.

 

CLEO

Don’t make fun of me, OK? I like the idea that there’s someone out there, up in the sky, looking after us. It makes me feel safe, I dunno.

 

FX – Slow, happy music reflecting friendship plays.

 

CREDITS: DR WHO REDACTED - EPISODE TEN, BY JUNO DAWSON.

 

2 INT. VASTRA’S DEN.

We pick-up from Ep 9.

 

FX – Dripping water from the sewer.

 

CLEO

I’m gone. Am I dead?

 

FX – THE FLOATER breathes raspily.

 

FLOATER

You live, Earthling.

 

CLEO

Oh my god, I’ve never been so glad to hear a talking alien baby in my life. I don’t get it, everyone’s gone.

 

FLOATER

They have gone to the Other Place.

 

FX – Ghostly voices whisper in the background.

 

CLEO

What does that mean?

 

FLOATER

You are the last one left.

The horror of that sinks in.

 

CLEO

What? Even Vastra? No.

 

FX - quiet redacted effect.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

I see them. Is that my friends?

(Beat)
No! They can’t be gone...

(Beat)

They’re ghosts...

 

FLOATER

Beware their touch. They are drawn

to you. You reek of home.

 

FX - the spectre FX.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

Don’t touch me!

 

FX – spectre FX continues.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

Abby, Shawna, please...

 

FLOATER

You are your people’s final hope, earthling.

 

CLEO

What?

 

FLOATER

Run, child, run.

 

FX - Cleo footsteps pounding through the wet sewers and her panting breath. Pounding electronic music suddenly erupts as

CLEO runs away.

 

CLEO

Oh god, I have got to join a gym.

 

FX - she gasps for breath as she reaches the ladders. We hear the metallic clang of her climbing.

 

EXT. LONDON STREET.

FX - London is now a ghost town. We hear the quiet redacted sound.

 

CLEO

Hello? Where is everyone?

 

FX - more footsteps. We gradually hear the siren that the UNIT vehicles were sounding to attract the ghosts.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

(Calls)

Soldier people?

(To self) What the hell? Where’ve they gone? I can’t be the only one left, that’s insane. I don’t get it.

 

FX – the siren stops.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

I don’t think I want to attract any more ghosts, thanks. (Beat)

Keys in the ignition, rookie mistake. Thanks fellas.

 

FX - engine starts and Cleo moves the van out.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

Now let’s get the hell out of...hell.

EXT. LONDON.

FX - car driving.

 

CLEO

(To self)

Man, this is so weird. 28 Days Later much.

 

VASTRA (FLASHBACK)

The Doctor is attracted to catastrophe like a moth to the flame.

 

Soft piano music plays as CLEO thinks of her friends.

 

CLEO

Alright. What would Abby do? She’d think of something heroic and selfless and Buffy. Shawna would do the thing the rest of us were scared to do. What would I do? I’d get the first train out of town like a normal person. But what if it’s not just London? What if it’s north of Watford too?

 

FX – car stops.  

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

I’m gonna be so bored. Nah as if. I’ll go mad. Right. OK then. Do the right thing.

 

FX – engine starts again. CLEO drives off.

 

EXT. POWELL ESTATE. DAY
CLEO brings the UNIT truck to a halt.

 

CLEO

God, I hope this works...

 

FX - the siren starts again.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

Come get your ghost ice-cream!

 

Cleo slams the door shut and runs.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

That better buy me some time.

 

Distantly, we hear the TARDIS materialize.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

Oh god what now..?

EXT. POWELL ESTATE.
FX - The TARDIS materializes - more loudly this time. The door

creaks open.

 

DOCTOR

Powell Estate, we meet again. It’s been a while. She takes in this eerie new ghost-town.

 

DOCTOR (CONT’D)

Oh dear. Well that’s unfortunate. It’s worse than I thought...

FX - we hear a bat being struck against a metal post.

 

CLEO

Oi! You the Doctor?

 

DOCTOR

Here we go. Welcoming committee...

 

CLEO

(At a distance)

Um, put your hands up.

(Beat)

You mug.

FX - Cleo’s footsteps coming closer.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

I mean it. Don’t move.

 

DOCTOR

Well that’s even more unfortunate isn’t it? The last person left in London wants to kill me. Figures. Where on earth did you get that bat? This is Peckham, not Pittsburgh!

 

CLEO

My mum keeps it under her bed for burglars. And I think we had a rounders match with it once. But that’s not the point.

 

DOCTOR

Come on, put the bat down please. I’m here to help, not fight.

 

FX – spectre sound effect.

 

Pause.

 

CLEO

Help? Sure, Jan. Do you see them terrifying ghost people? That was you. This is all your fault. I know all about you...

 

DOCTOR

Yeah, I’ve heard your podcast...

 

CLEO

Babe maybe you think you help. But it seems to me that when you rock up somewhere you leave behind a bunch of bodies. No offense, but you have very chaotic energy.

 

DOCTOR

Er I didn’t plan this, I swear!

(Beat)
Cleo, you have to believe me. I want to help. That’s what I do.

 

CLEO

I met Rani Chandra. She said you

were contagious. What did you do?

 

DOCTOR

I made a terrible mistake.

 

CLEO

You think?

(Beat)
Look. All I know is the weird alien baby said if you died, this all goes away.

 

DOCTOR

We don’t know that...

 

Soft piano music plays as CLEO and the DOCTOR try to understand one another.

 

CLEO

It’s the best chance we got.

 

DOCTOR

Go on then. Take you best shot.

 

CLEO

What?

DOCTOR

I thought you of all people might

be different, but no. Reach for a

weapon; end everything in bloodshed. Such a let down. Never meet your heroes. The two face off.

 

A pause.

 

DOCTOR (CONT’D)

At least let me explain. Just FYI, if you did clobber me, I’d only get back up again. Possibly several times, who can say?

 

DOCTOR (CONT’D)

Come on. I’ve faced off against

many an armed lunatic and I’m not

getting that vibe from you.

(beat)
Please, put down the bat.

 

Another pause.

 

CLEO sighs as she changes her mind about the DOCTOR.

 

CLEO

Ugh! I want chocolate.

 

DOCTOR

What?

 

CLEO

This way come on. I’m keeping the bat though. I dunno if I can bop a ghost but I’ll give it go.

 

FX – they walk to the café.

 

INT. CAFE. DAY
FX - the siren continues as the Doctor and Cleo enter the

cafe.

 

DOCTOR

That’s a transdimensional beacon. Did you do that?

 

CLEO

Nope. That UNIT lot.

 

DOCTOR

Ah. I see.

 

CLEO

The oat milk hasn’t gone off.

 

FX – chairs scraping as Cleo joins the Doctor table.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

Alright then, question 1 - where is everyone?

 

DOCTOR

It’s hard to explain.

 

CLEO

It’s hard to experience babes, so you

better try.

 

The Doctor sighs deeply.

 

DOCTOR

I’ll start at the beginning: My

friends and I took a little trip to the Unmarked Purlieus.

 

CLEO

The what now?

 

DOCTOR

An uncharted star system at the very edge of reality. I’d heard rumours of life there, of the most extraordinary singing sunsets...well anyway it was lovely, little bit overrated maybe, you know it’s never as good as the hype is it? But something seems to have followed me back...

 

CLEO

The virus?

 

DOCTOR

A psychic virus. There was life out there, and it infected me, got into my psyche. It doesn’t spread through touch or air...it spreads through thought. Anyone I’ve ever known...gone.

(Beat)
And I couldn’t do a thing to stop it.

 

Mournful piano tune plays into the background as the DOCTOR tells CLEO her story.

 

DOCTOR (CONT'D)

It’s funny, you know. I’ve faced monsters and madmen and tyrants and robots, but then along comes this teeny-tiny little thing...and I can’t fight it; I can’t reason with it; I can’t talk my way out of it. It just carries on. It grows and spreads because that’s all it does.

(Beat)
I’m powerless. But you have to know, Cleo. I won’t stop until I put this right. There has to be a way to fix this.

 

 

CLEO

A psychic virus.

(She sighs and laughs)

For real?

 

DOCTOR

Look at this.

 

She rummages in her pocket.

 

DOCTOR (CONT’D)

What does that say?

 

CLEO

It says “This paper is psychic”.

(Beat)
What does that even prove?

 

DOCTOR

I’m not a hundred percent certain, myself. Psychic paper though! Are you not impressed?

 

CLEO

But where is everyone though? And why is here so bad? Why the Powell estate?

 

DOCTOR

I had a friend here once. I’ve spent a lot of time on your planet. It makes sense that here would be affected first and worst.

CLEO

You go to other planets?

 

DOCTOR

Cleo. I think you know I do. I’ve heard your transmissions. I went to Scotland and left Abby a note...but she forgot I sent it.

 

CLEO

Wait. Abby was right? About everything?

 

DOCTOR

Oh yes. I’m here to save you! I don’t know why I adore humans so much, but you’re my absolute faves, you really are.

(Beat)
Cleo Proctor: Last of the Londoners.

 

CLEO

What’s that about? Out of everyone there was only me and Rani who remembered you. Why?

 

DOCTOR

Rani’s gone too. They all have.

 

CLEO

What? So why me?

 

DOCTOR

I don’t know. I can understand why

the virus would affect me differently, but not you.

(Beat)
You grew up on the Powell Estate?

 

CLEO

Yeah.

 

DOCTOR

Do you mind? Can I get a little look inside.

 

CLEO

Get your fingers off my face man, nasty!

 

DOCTOR

I need to look through your memories to see if there’s some reason why you haven’t been affected.

 

CLEO

Babe you do not want to go looking

through my mind, trust me.

 

DOCTOR

Very well. How about this? You look

through my mind. I haven’t always looked like this...

 

CLEO

Girl, same.

 

DOCTOR

You might recognize a familiar face...

 

CLEO

OK....

 

FX - we hear a mash-up of Doctor’s past, soundbites of all of them, all layered over each other in a chaotic jumble.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

They’re all you?

 

DOCTOR

And then some.

 

FX - a snippet of the Tenth Doctor.

 

CLEO

You!

 

TENTH DOCTOR

Nice to meet you.

 

DOCTOR

There!

 

TENTH DOCTOR

I think I just invented the banana daiquiri a couple of centuries early.

 

CLEO

You were a man!

 

DOCTOR

Well, technically...actually we really don’t have time to get into all that now.

 

CLEO

Well I’m not really one to talk am I babe?

DOCTOR

Did we meet?

 

CLEO

I don’t know...

 

DOCTOR

Let me see...go deeper...

(Beat)
You grew up here?

 

CLEO

My whole life.

 

FX - music suggests falling backwards through time, like Cleo’s in a trance state, regressing.

 

FX – children playing on the estate.

 

DOCTOR

Rose.

CLEO

Rose Tyler?

 

DOCTOR

Yes. How do you know Rose?

 

CLEO

She was our babysitter. When we was

little, before she done a runner.

 

DOCTOR

 

Ah right.

(Pause)
Yes, I knew Rose.

(Beat) Go on.

(Beat)
What happened here, Cleo?

 

CLEO

I don’t remember.

(Beat)

Nah I can’t.

 

DOCTOR

Let me look inside...

 

A pause. She decides to trust her.

 

CLEO

OK...

 

DOCTOR

There’s...a psychic barrier in your

mind. Why?

(Beat)

Cleo. There’s something in your past you’ve blocked out. I need you to see. We need to understand.

 

FX - distant, childlike laughter. Footsteps crunching through the undergrowth.

 

CLEO

 

No...

 

DOCTOR

You’re safe, Cleo. I’ve got you.

 

FX - the footsteps get louder.

 

CLEO

OK. We had a den. On the common. We used to play there in the holidays. We had a rope swing and an old settee. It was sick.

(Beat)
It was so good. One day...one day I took my dad. I wanted to show him the den. And that’s when we found it...

 

DOCTOR

Found what?

 

CLEO

We found an egg. This huge, red egg. We thought...we thought it was the best thing ever...

(Beat)

Only then...

(Beat)
Only then it started to hatch and...

(beat)
Oh my god...oh my god it was so big...its teeth...

 

DOCTOR

The Red Hatching. The migration.

 

CLEO

It was so fast...and the noise.

 

SFX - distantly, a terrible bird call. Bloodthirsty. A man screaming.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

Oh my...Dad. Dad tried to protect me, but...but...

 

DOCTOR

Cleo...

 

CLEO

And then you were there...

 

FX – Sounds of arrows flying from the TENTH DOCTOR’s bow as they save CLEO. The Red Hatching screams then falls.

 

DOCTOR

You. You were the child I saved.

 

CLEO

You saved my life.

 

8 INT. CAFE. DAY

Back to the DOCTOR and CLEO in the present. The time tunnel

music stops.

 

DOCTOR

(Tender)

I’m so sorry, Cleo. Your father; I was too late. I’m so, so sorry. I tried. I did everything I could, but sometimes...sometimes it’s not enough.

(And then, sadly)

It’s never enough.

 

Cleo takes a second.

 

CLEO

It’s OK. It’s not your fault. And

without you, I’d...

(Beat)

Why don’t I remember that?

 

DOCTOR

(Kindly)

You were only, what? Six? Seven?

 

CLEO

I remember everything now. That

day...that thing. My dad. Aliens are real.

(Beat)
How the hell did I forget that? My own dad!

 

DOCTOR

Cleo, the human mind is a powerful

and complex thing. What you experienced that day would traumatize anyone, never mind a little girl.

 

Comforting piano music plays.

 

DOCTOR

Here’s my hypothesis: Your mind protected itself from the grief, the loss. It built up walls. You blocked me out so effectively you were psychically immune to the virus.

 

CLEO

That’s what Vastra said. That our mind could make a shield.

 

DOCTOR

Exactly. You were trying to protect yourself. And it worked.

 

CLEO

OK. At least now I know the truth. That’s something.

(Beat)
What are we gonna do about everyone else?

 

DOCTOR

I’m brewing a plan. A plan is like a teabag, sometimes you need to be in hot water before the magic happens.

 

CLEO

Could you brew faster please?

 

DOCTOR

Yes. Let’s get them home. There must be a way.

(Beat)

Come with me!

 

Piano gets louder and more purposeful then fades into the next scene:

 

9 EXT. POWELL ESTATE.

FX - spectre sound effect.

 

DOCTOR

Stay behind me.
(Beat)

 

FX - Sonic screwdriver.

 

DOCTOR (CONT’D)

I can only deter them for so long.

 

FX - Cleo runs to match the Doctor’s stride.

 

CLEO

Where are we going?

 

DOCTOR

It’s transmitting to the ghost dimension, right? I think I can use that. I think my chums at UNIT were almost onto something.

 

CLEO

Stop! You know what? I’m gonna lay

on the floor and scream unless you tell me what’s going on.

 

DOCTOR

(Sigh)

I need something from my TARDIS, I’ve no time for explanations.

 

CLEO

Er excuse me?

 

DOCTOR

Wait here a sec.

 

FX - TARDIS door creaks open and the Doctor ducks in. Cleo surveys the TARDIS.

 

CLEO

(To self)

Wow. Blue Box. We finally meet.

(Beat)

Cannot lie; this is pretty cool.

 

FX - The Doctor crashes out of the TARDIS.

 

DOCTOR

Got it!

 

CLEO

You have got to be kidding. What is that?

 

FX – low tech alien beeping noises

 

DOCTOR

Part of a Delta Wave Augmenter: a psychic interface. I’m going to talk to the nice ghosts. I can’t reason with a

virus, but I can chat to them. Come on!

 

Purposeful music as CLEO and the DOCTOR head towards the ghosts.

 

FX - the spectre noise

 

CLEO

Watch out. Don’t let them touch you.

 

The Doctor and Cleo reach the UNIT van. The doors open and the Doctor climbs in.

 

DOCTOR

OK. This frequency transmits to the alternate dimension. Our patients can hear it.

 

CLEO

I guess...

 

DOCTOR

And the patients all forgot me?

 

CLEO

Yeah.

 

DOCTOR

So let’s remind them! Maybe I can reach them, I’ll be like a giant, walking, talking vaccine: override the virus in their minds.

CLEO

And that’ll bring them back?

 

DOCTOR

I don’t know. But a little bit of faith goes a long way I’ve found.

 

FX - spectre noise grows louder.

 

CLEO

Doctor, they’re coming. There’s hundreds of them.

 

DOCTOR

If I do this...

 

FX - sonic screwdriver.

 

DOCTOR (CONT’D)

I can transit on the same frequency. Hospital radio!

 

CLEO

Quickly!

 

The siren stops. Instead, the Doctor’s voice is now amplified, like she’s speaking through a loudspeaker.

 

DOCTOR

My name is the Doctor. I mean you no harm. Come to me. I want to help you back over the wall...

 

The Doctor gets out of the UNIT truck.

 

Inspiring music starts as the DOCTOR talks directly to the ghosts.

 

DOCTOR (CONT’D)

I need you to remember me. Some of you knew me, some of you know my legend. This place...is a home from home to me. Now come home too.

 

The Doctor cries out in pain. The spectre noise intensifies.

 

CLEO

What’s happening?

 

DOCTOR

 

(In pain)

I don’t know. They’re attacking me.

 

Music intensifies as the DOCTOR cries out in pain.

 

CLEO

Why aren’t you vanishing?

 

DOCTOR

It’s like they’re trying to use me as a portal back to this reality...

She howls in pain. We hear ghostly whispers from the other dimension.

CLEO

Oh my god! What do I do?

 

DOCTOR

Not sure there’s anything you can...they’re pulling me apart...

 

CLEO

(Frantic)

Tell me what to do!

 

CLEO (CONT'D)

(Beat)

Doctor?

 

DOCTOR

No good...I can’t...you have to...

(Beat)
Make them remember.

 

The Doctor collapses.

 

CLEO

Doctor...Doctor! What do I do?

 

Cleo grabs the Delta Wave Augmenter from the Doctor. She runs back to the UNIT truck. The door slams.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

Oh god, oh my god. Oh my days.

 

Cleo fumbles with the tech.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

Oh god, how does this thing even work?

(Beat)
Make them remember. Shawna? Abby? Can you hear me? OK, OK, OK. This better work. Take this.

 

We now hear an old version of the Blue Box Files podcast, echoing out through the loudspeaker -

 

ABBY (podcast)

Hello there and welcome to this week’s Blue Box Files.

 

CLEO (podcast)

As regular listeners know, if a random public police box rocks up in your town, you are in for a whole lot of trouble.

 

ABBY (podcast)

No-one really believes the Royal

Hope landed on the surface of the moon but...

We get a megamix of highlights...

 

CLEO (to self)

(Quiet)

What are they doing? Can they hear this? What are they doing?

 

SHAWNA (podcast)

And this was all, of course,

connected to Harriet Jones – I mean who else are we expecting?

 

ABBY (podcast)

I think the Doctor figure is symbolic of timeless heroism, a cultural need we have for -

 

CLEO (To self)

It’s not working...they’re coming for me.

(To ghosts)

No! Stop! Please!

(Beat)

NO!

 

The redaction FX reaches fever pitch and then everything goes very quiet.

 

 

10 EXT. THE OTHER PLACE. NIGHT

 

FX - A cold wind howls.

 

CLEO

Where on earth..?

(Beat)

Hello?

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

It’s so cold...what the hell is this place?

(Beat)

I guess it finally got me too.

(Beat)

Doctor? Doctor, where are you? Doctor?

 

Through the wind, we hear a voice calling her.

 

MONICA

Cleo!

They run to meet in the middle.

 

Pause.

 

CLEO

Oh my god, Mum! Are you OK?

 

MONICA

I’ve been better.

 

CLEO

Where are we?

 

MONICA

It’s the Powell Estate but it’s...dead. Everything’s dead. Nothing can live here, not for long...

 

MONICA (CONT’D)

Quick. Come inside the flat. It’s

yer brother.

 

CLEO

Jordan? You found him.

 

MONICA

I did, but he ain’t doin’ so good.

Love, I need your help.

 

CLEO

Mum wait! I gotta find the Doctor.

 

MONICA

We can’t wait for no doctor! It’s

like he’s freezing to death.

(Beat)

I can’t lose him. I can’t lose my baby.

(Beat)
I already lost you.

 

MONICA (CONT'D)

(Beat)

Look, love, I’ve been meaning to say -

 

Long piano notes intercut Monica’s speech as she tries to apologise to CLEO.

 

CLEO

Now isn’t the time.

(Beat)
Please take me to Jordan.

 

MONICA

Cleo, this might be all the time we

got. Let me say my piece.

 

CLEO

Mum we do not have (time) -

 

MONICA

I’m sorry. You know what Proctor women are like because you is one. We’re stubborn as mules, but I shoulda known better. I’m meant to be the grown-up.

(Beat)
I was a bad mum. But I wanna do better now.

 

CLEO

Jordan needs us.

 

MONICA

Cleo please! I wanna make things right.

 

Pause.

 

CLEO

You threw me out. I was 16 Mum.  

 

MONICA

I was wrong! I was a mess! Your dad

had gone and I...

(Beat)

I didn’t cope.

 

Another pause.

 

CLEO

I blamed you for him. I shouldn’t have done that. I should have believed you.

(Beat)

So I guess I’m sorry too.

 

MONICA

No. You ain’t got nothing to be

sorry for. I made a mess. If I could do it all again, I’d do a lot different.

(Beat)
Look at you now. You done amazing.

 

FX - footsteps running towards them.

 

ABBY/SHAWNA

Cleo?!

 

CLEO

Thank god, you’re OK!

 

SHAWNA

Yeah we’re fine. For now.

 

ABBY

Where did you go?

 

CLEO

I didn’t go anywhere. I’m immune or at least I was.

 

ABBY

What do you mean?

 

CLEO

(Ignoring her)

It’s a virus. It’s in our heads. A psychic virus.

She pauses.
Oh my god! I’m so stupid!

 

SHAWNA

What?

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

This! It’s all in our heads. It’s a PSYCHIC VIRUS girls. None of this is real. It’s making us see things and think things that don’t really exist. Like the Doctor’s paper! You didn’t go anywhere. You’ve been here the whole time, we just couldn’t see you.

 

ABBY

Cleo, it’s freezing. People are going to freeze to death.

 

CLEO

No! No you’re not. You just think you are. It’s psychosomatic...like the episode we did on mass hysteria. You think you’re freezing, so you are!

 

SHAWNA

Babe. That’s a lot to take in.

 

CLEO

Trust me please. The Doctor can help us.

Abby. Shawna. The Doctor is real and she’s right here...

(Beat)
Somewhere. We just can’t see her.

 

MONICA

Cleo, I’ve got to get back to Jordan...

 

CLEO

Wait. I can figure this out.

 

FX - The podcast continues to play from before -  

 

SHAWNA (voiceover)

I just don’t believe in aliens

because they’d have made contact by now...

 

ABBY

Is that us?

 

CLEO

Focus on that. Listen. Follow it

home. None of this is real girls. What if that’s how we beat this thing? Mind over matter? None of this is real.

 

MONICA

Babes, you’re fading away.

Don’t...don’t go. Not again. I don’t want to lose you again.

 

CLEO

I can’t help it...

(beat)
Just keep listening. Follow the sound...

 

MONICA

You what love? You’re not making

sense.

 

CLEO

(Fading away)

Listen...none of this is real...

 

FX - Her words echo on the breeze.

 

11 EXT. POWELL ESTATE. DAY

 

FX - the distortion sound once more. We can still hear the podcast in the background.

 

CLEO

Doctor! Are you OK?

 

The Doctor groans.

 

DOCTOR

They left me alone. Another minute or two and...But why did they leave me alone?

 

CLEO

I figured it out. The virus was psychic right? They didn’t go anywhere. They just thought they did.

 

DOCTOR

What?! Cleo, you’re a genius!

 

CLEO

Thanks babes.

 

DOCTOR

Of course! They’re in a psychic coma.

(She jumps up)
I think it’s time they woke up.

 

They run back to the van and open the door.

 

DOCTOR (CONT’D)

Is this signal breaking through?

 

CLEO

Yep. They can hear everything.

 

DOCTOR

In that case, let’s TURN IT UP.

 

FX - sonic screwdriver. The podcast dialogue BOOMS across the Powell Estate for a moment and then goes silent.

 

DOCTOR (CONT’D)

It’s only transmitting to them now.

(Beat)
If the virus is creating a psychic manifestation, reality should cut through the illusion.

(Beat)
The truth is always more powerful than a lie.

 

FX – birds tweeting on the estate.

 

CLEO

What now?

 

DOCTOR

We wait. Cross your fingers, toes, tentacles...

FX - the distortion effect.

 

CLEO

Doctor? Can you see them?

 

DOCTOR

I can...it’s working!

 

FX - distortion effect.

 

MONICA

Cleo? Cleo love? Is that you?

 

CLEO

Mum! It worked!

(Pause) Come here!

 

The pair embrace. We hear the distortion again.

 

CLEO

 

Abs! Oh my god!

 

ABBY

Cleo no-one likes hearing their voice

played back, please.

 

We hear Cleo and Abby hug.

 

CLEO

It worked though, didn’t it!

 

ABBY

Oh it did! You can hear it for miles.

(Beat)

Who’s this?

 

CLEO

(Proudly)

Abby MacPhail, meet the Doctor, owner of one blue box.

 

ABBY

(Gasps)

No. Way.

 

DOCTOR

Always nice to meet the fans.

 

FX - the distortion noise and Shawna appears.

 

SHAWNA

Oh wow. My head! That was mad, like...

 

The three girls embrace.

 

DOCTOR

And I take it this is Shawna?

 

ABBY

What, you listen to our podcast?

 

DOCTOR

Oh yes. And right now, we need a special episode. I can use the TARDIS to transmit it all over the world. All over all the worlds.

 

ABBY

What?

 

DOCTOR

A very simple message: wake up. The

biggest alarm clock ever.

 

The Redaction FX again.

 

CLEO

Jordan!

 

JORDAN

(groggily)

Morning, bum face.

 

MONICA

My boy!

 

CLEO

Oh come here! I missed you so much, smelly.

 

CLEO hugs JORDAN tightly.  

 

JORDAN

I’m fine, I’m fine. Get off.

 

MONICA

My babies. I’ll never let you out

of my sight ever again. Come ‘ere!

 

Monica laughs which fades into the next scene:

 

12 INT. TARDIS. LATER

 

We hear the familiar console room backing track of the TARDIS.

 

DOCTOR

And there we go! Message sent, and on loop. Every device in that dimension is guiding them back. The virus seems to be in remission. The spell is broken, the bubble is burst.

(Beat)

Girls? What’s up?

 

SHAWNA

OK. I was wrong. About everything.

There I said it.

 

Cleo and Abby laugh.

 

CLEO

See how easy that was? Three little words Shawna.

 

SHAWNA

I won’t be making it a habit.

 

CLEO

Weird looking spaceship though. I

want the future to be silver. Silver everything.

 

ABBY

Cleo! It’s literally bigger on the inside!

 

DOCTOR

Thank goodness someone said it.

 

ABBY

Can we talk about this on the podcast?

 

DOCTOR

No! Fame is highly overrated. You need big sunglasses, you can’t get the bus. Nightmare.

 

ABBY

Please?

 

CLEO

Oh come on, you heard her. She’s keeping it on the DL. She’s

living stealth. We gotta respect that.

 

DOCTOR

Thank you. To be honest, I don’t know how much of this any of you will remember in the long run…you might still forget certain aspects.

 

ABBY

(Sadly)

OK.

 

DOCTOR

Keep it up though, all of you. Your world, more so than ever, is full of powerful liars. You have work to do. Speak truth to power. Always.

 

SHAWNA

 

We will. I promise.

 

SFX - TARDIS alert.

 

DOCTOR

(To self)

Uh. Ravulox freighter spotted on edge of Andromeda galaxy. I’d better go have a word.

 

Comforting music starts as CLEO asks the DOCTOR a question.

 

CLEO

Can, can I come with you?

(Beat)
I’ve only got to give the theatre two week’s notice and Jordan gets his sofa back.

 

SHAWNA

Cleo?

 

There’s a poignant silence.

 

DOCTOR

Cleo. I have work to do. First I need to make sure my friends are OK, and I can’t put you in danger. A lot of very bad people - and things - took advantage of the situation.

 

CLEO

Like that Ravioli thing that attacked Rani? That was not cute.

 

DOCTOR

It’s not just them. My friends have been protecting your planet for decades, and they all vanished. Earth was vulnerable.

(Beat)
Moreover, that virus exists everywhere I’ve ever been so...

 

CLEO

I won’t get in the way. I can help.

 

ABBY

But what about the podcast?

 

DOCTOR

Cleo, I think there’s some people here who are looking for you. You can’t outrun your past. Take it from someone who knows...

 

Thoughtful music builds as the DOCTOR’s words sink in. Then it fades into:

 

13 INT. PUB. NIGHT

 

FX - Ambient pub noise - glasses, chatter etc.

 

MONICA

Well I told her, didn’t I? If you don’t know where you’ve been for two days, Val, how am I supposed to know? What am I, your keeper?

 

JORDAN

I think there’s something going round, like flu or something? I feel like I’ve been hallucinating, it’s mad. Like I’ve been on one for a few days or something like that.

 

MONICA

You know what I think it is? 5G. Messin’ with our brains and that. Eh, that can be one for your podcast Cleo.

 

CLEO

Yeah alright, Mum.

 

MONICA

Ain’t this nice? Been time since we had a family dinner all together.

 

CLEO

Well whose fault’s that?

 

There’s an awkward silence.

 

JORDAN

Oh my god, the two of you, you always make it so awkward.

 

MONICA

She’s right, Jordan. She’s right.

(Beat)
You gotta understand, Cleo. You didn’t come with a manual. There weren’t nothing about trans kids on the telly when you was little. I just didn’t know what to do love.

(Beat)
And when your dad vanished, I weren’t in a good place. I’m sorry.

 

CLEO

I just wish we’d been able to have this conversation back then Mum.

 

MONICA

I don’t want to lose you again. You’re my girl. Simple as that. Sod what anyone else says. Just sod ‘em.

 

Poignant pause.

CLEO

Mum. That’s all I ever needed to hear.

 

Music builds into the next scene:

 

14 EXT. TRAIN STATION. DAY

 

We hear a distant train announcement and a train pulling out.

 

ABBY

It’s starting to go. What it was like in the cold world. It was so real, but now it feels like a nightmare...they’re forgotten by mid-morning.

 

SHAWNA

Me too. It’s like we were drunk or

something...

(Beat)

Is this your train?

 

FX – Train pulls into the station.

 

ABBY

Aye. I’d better get on, go find my seat.

 

SHAWNA

Well. It’s been fun having you in Sheffield though. Will you come again?

 

ABBY

Maybe...

(Laughs)
Yeah of course I will! Come here –

They hug warmly.

 

SHAWNA

Oh you’re not going back to UNIT are you?

 

ABBY

Oh god no. They want to keep everything secret. I want to do what the Doctor said. I want to reveal the secrets, not keep them.

 

SHAWNA

Can I kiss you?

 

ABBY

What?

 

Romantic music begins to play as they finally admit their more than friends.

 

SHAWNA

Like just to make sure we’re not still

in that crazy psychic nightmare world?

 

ABBY

Shawna. You don’t need to make up an excuse to kiss me. You never did.

 

SHAWNA

What about Craig?

 

ABBY

I am not the girl that goes out

with Craig anymore. She was somebody else.

It’s time for me to be a new woman and,

well, she’s presently single.

(Beat)

I spoke to him while you were in the shower last night. It was the right thing to do.

 

SHAWNA

 

For real?

 

ABBY

Yeah. So where’s this kiss then?

 

Romantic music builds then fades suddenly into -

 

15 PODCAST RECORDING – The Blue Box Files

Catchy and content music plays as the girls record the show.

 

ABBY

Hello, hello and welcome back to Blue Box

Files. Your one-stop-shop for all things relating to the global Blue Box conspiracy. I’m Abby MacPhail, author of the forthcoming Thinking Outside the Box the definitive text on the history of the theory.

 

SHAWNA

I’m Shawna Thompson, still cynical, still gay, still the only woman in the IT department.

 

CLEO

And I’m Cleo Proctor, trans activist and actress.

 

SHAWNA/ABBY

Actress!

 

SHAWNA

Yas! When do you start your course?

 

CLEO

Next Monday. She’s going back to

school! Stage school!

 

ABBY

Oh pal, I always said you belonged on the

stage! I’m so excited for you!

 

SHAWNA

Yeah!

 

CLEO

Aw, thanks guys. I hope I can finish school this time.

 

They all laugh.

CLEO (CONT’D)

Anyway, what are we all talking about today?

 

ABBY

As ever, we’re discussing the Guardian Rationale. The ideology of a covert global protector.

 

CLEO

Girl, speak English! If you’re a new listener, it’s the idea that there’s someone out there looking after us. Someone in a blue box.

 

SHAWNA

Told you! It’s bonkers...

 

ABBY

Shawna...

 

CLEO

Come on, doesn’t it ever feel like there’s someone watching over us? Someone looking out for us? Even when you’re all alone, it’s that feeling inside; like you got a friend out there somewhere.

 

SHAWNA

Er, no.

 

CLEO

Well, a little faith goes a long way.

 

The music reflects new beginnings, getting louder then fading into -

CREDITS

               Doctor Who Redacted: Episode Ten,

               By Juno Dawson.

 Starring: Charlie Craggs, Lois Chimimba, Holly Quin-Ankrah, Jodie Whittaker, Sarah Thom, Jacob Hawley and Alasdair  Beckett-King.

           Directed and produced by Ella Watts.

Sound design by David Thomas and Arlie Adlington. Original composition by David Devereux.

 

The music fades into -

 

16 INT. CLEO’S FLAT. DAY. POST CREDITS.

 

Cleo enters the living room. JORDAN is present.

 

CLEO

Er Jordan, why does this flat always smell of your feet?

 

JORDAN

That’s definitely your feet.

 

CLEO

Excuse me?

 

JORDAN

You gonna tell me what ordering then? I thought you were boycotting Amazon?

 

CLEO

I am. That’s not mine!

 

JORDAN

It’s literally got your name on it.

 

CLEO

Wait, what? It’s huge.

 

JORDAN

(laughs)

Oi oi!

 

CLEO

Ok shut up, you’re disgusting.

    

JORDAN

(still laughing)

You gonna open it or what?

 

CLEO

OK...

 

We hear tape being pulled off.

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

There’s a card...

 

FX – Cleo opens the card -

 

CLEO (CONT’D)

“Dearest Cleo, I suspect you fearless girls won’t stop looking for the truth, and won’t stop heading into trouble, so here’s something that’ll help...look after him. Love, Madame Vastra.”

 

Joyful yet playful music begins to build -

 

JORDAN

Madame Who? What is that another drag queen or something?

 

CLEO

Pretty much. If you saw her makeup, you’d gag.

 

JORDAN

Go on then, open the box.

 

CLEO

OK.

 

More tape being pulled off, cardboard box being opened.

 

CLEO

Oh. My. God.

 

We hear a familiar rasping.

 

FLOATER

Greetings, Earthlings.

 

Jordan falls over the sofa.

 

JORDAN

Woah! You bloody what? What the hell is

that?

 

CLEO

Jordan. We’ve got a new housemate babe...

 

END OF SERIES.

 

The joyful music rises -

 

CREDITS:
A BBC STUDIOS PRODUCTION.

 

-   then stops abruptly with a sharp glitch which ends with a beep.