73 Yards

[Welsh coast]

(The TARDIS materialises on a cliff top.)

DOCTOR: Oh, yes! We are in Wales. Spectacular!
RUBY: How can you tell?
DOCTOR: Oh... That smell. That green. That coastline, Ruby. Oh, the rocks and the water, it never ends. The war between the land and the sea.
RUBY: Oh, you know, I've been to Wales twice. I went to see Shygirl...
DOCTOR: Oh.
RUBY: ..in Cardiff. And then I went to the Mumbles when I was about 16, 'cos of a boy. I think I broke his heart, but there you go.
DOCTOR: Oh, bless him. Mind you, Roger ap Gwilliam. That's a bad example of the Welsh. Terrifying.
RUBY: Oh, yeah?
DOCTOR: The most dangerous Prime Minister in history. He led the world to the brink of nuclear... Wait, what year are you from?
RUBY: 2024.
DOCTOR: Oh. Yikes. Sorry, he was 2046. Sorry, spoilers. Forget I said anything.
RUBY: No, no, no, tell me what happened.

(The Doctor treads on a thread forming a pattern on the grass.)

DOCTOR: No, no, no, no, no. What is this? Oh, it's a circle. Someone made this. I'm sorry, man. I am sorry.
RUBY: Oh, it looks like something made by children, doesn't it? Lucky charms and bird skulls. Hey, there's little messages, look. "I miss you." That's all it says. "Rest in peace, Mad Jack." Oh, poor old Mad Jack. Bless him, eh? It looks like some sort of memorial.

(The Doctor isn't there.)

RUBY: All right, don't be doing that to me.

(She cannot open the TARDIS door. Her key does not work.)

RUBY: It's locked. You've locked it from the inside. Doctor? I hope you're not having a pee round the back.

(She sees a figure some distance away.)

RUBY: Hiya. Er... Have you seen my friend? He was here. He's just, er... Can you just wait there?

(As she walks then runs forward, the figure is the same distance away.)

RUBY: Okay. Okay. Okay, very clever. Very clever. Are you a part of this? What... what... what have you done? Did you do this? Where's the Doctor? Where is he? What have you done to him?

(Ruby follows the coastline. Looking back, the mystery figure is now by the TARDIS, then back along the cliff. She goes down a slope, and the figure is on the clifftop ahead. Ruby finds the coast path and is heading to a village when it starts snowing. The figure is still a distance away. A walker using poles and properly dressed for the weather approaches. Played by Susan Twist.)

HIKER: Hello, there.
RUBY: Oh.
HIKER: You must be mad. Is that all you're wearing?
RUBY: Yeah, I got kind of caught. Er... the car broke down.
HIKER: Oh, no. Oh, you poor thing.
RUBY: I know. What a day. Er, where is that, down there? What is it?
HIKER: Oh, that's Glyngatwg, if you'll forgive my pronunciation. Which they don't.

RUBY: Er... I haven't met you before, have I?
HIKER: Oh, I don't think so. Have you?
RUBY: No. That was a different... Sorry. Could you help me? That, er, woman over there. Do you see her?
HIKER: Of course I can. Who is she?
RUBY: Er... this is going to sound a bit mad, but she's following me. I think I may have trespassed, or something, I don't know, but could you just tell her I'm sorry?
HIKER: Sorry for what?
RUBY: I don't know.
HIKER: Have I walked into something?
RUBY: No, no, no, no. Sorry. It's... you're just going that way, so, could you just tell her that I'm fine, and she can go home?
HIKER: I'm intrigued now. And it's no skin off my nose. But once that's done, get in the warm, both of you, whatever little game this is.
RUBY: Oh, could you ask her if she knows the Doctor?
HIKER: Do you need a doctor?
RUBY: No, but can you just ask?
HIKER: I'll try.

(The Hiker approaches the woman. Then she screams and runs off. Ruby runs for the village.)

[Y Pren Marlu]

(Village pub - The Dead Wood. Snow has settled on the ground. The woman figure is still at a distance behind Ruby.)

LOWRI: State on you. Who goes out in this without a coat?
RUBY: No, I've... lost my things. Sorry, it's kind of a long story.
LOWRI: Is it?
RUBY: Er... I... I don't suppose... I'm a bit stuck. Have you got a room for the night?
LOWRI: I have. 65 quid. I haven't got anything in for breakfast, but I can do yoghurt and toast.
JOSH: Don't let her cook, for God's sake.
LOWRI: Shut it.
JOSH: Don't let her cook.
RUBY: No, that's fine. I haven't got any cash on me. Can I pay with my phone?
LOWRI: Can you what?
RUBY: Can I pay with my phone?
LOWRI: Pay with your phone?
RUBY: Yeah.
LOWRI: How do you pay with your phone?
RUBY: Oh, well, it's sort of like online banking, but the phone can transfer money from my account into...

(Puts the card reader on the counter.)

LOWRI: Yes, you can pay with your phone.

RUBY: Oh. Sorry. Thank you.
ENID: We're not quite the Dark Ages, young lady, despite what they say.

JOSH: Apparently, next week, we're getting Christianity.
IFOR: Throw 'em to the lions. Throw 'em to the lions, and watch them getting eaten alive, with great big teeth and blood and things.
LOWRI: Drink?
RUBY: Yeah. I'll... I'll have er... No, I'll just have a Coke.
LOWRI: Last of the big spenders.
RUBY: Hey, do you mind if I ask? That woman out there. Can you see her?
JOSH: She must be bloody freezing, mun.
RUBY: Do you know who she is?
JOSH: No, I've never seen her. Why, who is she?
RUBY: I don't know.
ENID: I rather think, in this sort of weather, you should try asking her in.
RUBY: Oh, no, no. She's... she's not with me. She's just... following me.
ENID: What for?
RUBY: I don't know.
ENID: But she's definitely following you?
RUBY: Well, yeah, I think so, yeah.
LOWRI: Five quid.
RUBY: How much?
LOWRI: Five quid.
ENID: Pardon me for stating the obvious, but if there's a woman following you, have you tried asking her why?
RUBY: No.
LUCY: Oh, my God.
JOSH: I'll ask her now. I'm off home for my tea. I'll send her in for a pie and a pint. You can pay on your magic phone. Night, girls.
LOWRI: Night, then, Josh.
ENID: Safely home.
RUBY: Er... could you ask her... There was a friend of mine in a yellow duffel coat. Could you just ask her if she's seen him? Black guy, 5'10"?
JOSH: I'll give it a go Cheerio, then.
LOWRI: See you tomorrow, Josh
RUBY: Following's the wrong word, because she doesn't approach. She comes so far and... it's like she stays away, and never comes any closer.
ENID: I can't think of a synonym for keeping your distance. I suppose, to coin a new word, in Latin, it would be semper distans. Always distant. She's semper distans to you.

(Josh speaks to the woman, screams and runs.)

IFOR: Oh, my God, Josh is running.
LOWRI: That's his wife shouting, that is.
IFOR: Really, though, he's running. He saw that woman and he ran away. He ran away like the Devil was on his bum. What'd she say to him?
RUBY: I don't know.
IFOR: Who is she?
RUBY: I don't know!
ENID: It seems that Josh is semper distans.
RUBY: I wonder... I thought... See, I was with my friend, and we walked into this thing up on the clifftops. Like, a circle of cotton. Little toy things, like charms, and skulls of birds. Just like a witchcraft sort of thing.
LOWRI: What do you mean, cotton?
RUBY: Like strands, with these things.
ENID: Witchcraft is a very strong word.
RUBY: No, no, no. I did not mean witchcraft. I just meant it's like...
LOWRI: Where was it?
RUBY: Up on the cliff, a couple of miles that way.
ENID: It's what they call a fairy circle.
LUCY: (pointing to Ifor) You can ask him about that.
IFOR: Shut your face.
ENID: When you say you walked into it, did you break it?
RUBY: Well... yeah. No, but it was by mistake. I mean, it's not magic, is it?
ENID: Is it not? The clifftops are a boundary between the land and the sea. A liminal space, neither here nor there, where rules are suspended.
LOWRI: And then there's the blood.
RUBY: What... what blood?
ENID: Do you know why Wales has so many picturesque little castles?
RUBY: No.
ENID: They were torture centres set up by the English to rule with fear.
LOWRI: Steeped in blood, we are.
IFOR: Tons of blood.
ENID: This land is a powerful place. It's said that he walks through the gaps, The Spiteful One.
RUBY: No, but it was by accident. My friend... He would never disrespect the circle or do anything like that. And I walked away as soon as it said rest in peace.
LOWRI: What did?
RUBY: The messages. The little scrolls.
LOWRI: You read them?
RUBY: Just a couple.
LOWRI: You opened them and read them?
ENID: Why did you do that?
RUBY: Because, well, they were there.
ENID: I think whatever spell was cast in this circle is now broken.
LOWRI: What else did they say?
RUBY: It was just...
LOWRI: What else did they say?
RUBY: One said rest in peace. Rest in peace, Mad Jack.

(Gasps, peal of thunder.)

IFOR: Oh, my God.
ENID: I think perhaps that wasn't wise.
RUBY: No, I just thought it was someone's dog, or something.
LOWRI: Oh, say that to Mad Jack's face.
RUBY: Why, who was he?
LOWRI: He was insane.
IFOR: And he's dead!
LOWRI: But now she's broken the circle.
RUBY: Yeah, but what does that mean?
ENID: The charm was very clear. Binding his soul to rest in peace. Semper distans. To keep him away. But now, you've broken it. And if that woman outside is his herald, that means Mad Jack is unbound.

(Knocking on door.)

LOWRI: Oh, don't.
IFOR: He'd kill me. He would kill me. I'm the one he'd kill first, and you know why, don't you?
LOWRI: What the hell have you done?
RUBY: No, that's just someone at the door.
IFOR: No, no, no. But he'd go home. He wouldn't come here. He'd go home.
LOWRI: There's no home to go to, you idiot, not any more.
ENID: He drank in this pub.
LOWRI: He called this place home.
RUBY: That is not Mad Jack out there.
LOWRI: Then answer the door. It's him. It's him. Oh, my God, it's him.

(Ruby opens the door.)

EDDIE: Hurry up, I've got my hands full. You've got enough pasties here to last two weeks. Get 'em in the freezer. Fast.

(The locals are laughing.)

EDDIE: What's so funny?
LOWRI: Her face. Oh, my God, her face.
IFOR: Best one yet, that was. His herald. I loved that bit.
ENID: It's racist, my dear, to be blunt. People come from outside, they think we're all witches and druids. For God's sake, child, you walked into a piece of string. Can I stand you a pint, Eddie?
EDDIE: Don't mind if I do.

(Ruby looks out down the lane at the woman. Next morning, she is still there. Ruby stirs some jam into her breakfast yoghurt. The landlady brings her clothes.)

LOWRI: Got those spare. I'll have 'em back, mind.

(Ruby sets up a chair on the cliff to sit and watch the TARDIS, and the woman. Back in the pub...)

LOWRI: I said to Josh, I said, "We haven't seen you." He said, "I'm never coming back." I said, "Why?" And he said, "Ask her." So I'm asking you. Why?
RUBY: I think he meant, "Ask her." (pointing to the mysterious woman outside)
LOWRI: Well, I made it very clear to Josh. You will be packing and going, and we won't see you again, as of today. Is that understood?

[Welsh Coast]

RUBY: (Talking to the TARDIS) Look, maybe I should just go home. I haven't even known you for that long anyway, but, you know, maybe this is what you do. But if you come back... I would love to see you again. I'd just absolutely love it. Okay. Bye, bye. (to the woman) I'm going now. Okay? You win.

[Railway carriage]

TANNOY: This is the Great Western Railway Service to London Paddington.

(Ruby sees the woman again and again, in a street, in fields, all along the journey.)

[Ruby's home]

CARLA: Here she is, here she is, here she is, all safe and sound. She's back!
CHERRY: (in bed) I told her that man was no good, with his box of magic tricks. Some kind of guzum.
CARLA: Maybe the Doctor went inside his box and... That's what men do. They go into their sheds and they potter. They have train sets and hobbies and things women should never know about. I mean, I don't know. I've never had a garden, never had a shed. I've never had a man. But that's what they say. And your intergalactic nutcase, he's doing it on a cosmic scale. But he's still, essentially, inside his shed. Pottering. He must be.
RUBY: Look, I didn't tell you everything. There's this woman.

[Street]

CARLA: This is what we'll do. If I can approach her, then I'll phone you, I'll walk up to her like this. Hello?

(Ruby answers her phone.)

RUBY: Hi.
CARLA: Then I can talk to her, and you can hear what she's got to say.
RUBY: I know, but I've told you, everyone she talks to, they just run away.
CARLA: Yes, but Welsh people. Trust me, darling, it's a plan.
RUBY: All right. Well, just be careful, okay?
MRS FLOOD: Having a nice time?
RUBY: Yeah, I'm just speaking to...
MRS FLOOD: You're standing in the street on the phone to your own mother?
RUBY: Yeah.
MRS FLOOD: Nothing to do with me.

(Carla has reached the woman.)

RUBY: Mum, what does she look like?
CARLA [OC]: She looks like what she looks like.
RUBY: What does that mean?
CARLA [OC]: She looks like what she is.
RUBY: Mum, what's she saying? I can't quite hear. What's she saying? Mum? Mum, whatever she's saying, just don't... No, Mum. Mum, don't listen to her. Please don't do this to me.

(Carla looks back at Ruby, then runs away. Ruby gives chase.)

RUBY: Mum! Don't do this to me, Mum. Mum! Mum, please, just stop. Mum!

(Carla drives past in the back of black cab (LL12 EEH), staring at Ruby.)

RUBY: Mum! Mum, please!

[Ruby's home]

CHERRY: She run away? What did you say to her?
RUBY: It wasn't me, it was the woman. Mum, phone me back. Just... just tell me what she said. Just talk to me, okay? Just, please, phone me back.

[Street]

RUBY: Look, I don't care if you're on answerphone. I will keep calling 100 times a day. And you've got to come home. Come on, Mum. Gran is calling you everything.

[Stairwell]

RUBY: And if you do come home, I'll make that shepherd's pie, yeah? The one we saw on Saturday Kitchen, with the cheese, and we can sit down and just pretend that... Hang on. Oh, no, you did not. Mum! Mum, can you hear me? Gran! Gran, are you in there? Come on, you can't change the locks on me. Come on. Mum!
CARLA [OC]: I won't ask you again, Ruby. Please stop calling and go away.
RUBY: But I'm your daughter.

[Ruby's home]

CARLA: Well, except you're not, are you? Even your real mother didn't want you.

[Pavement cafe]

(Ruby is sitting in the cafe, and Kate joins her)

KATE: I take it that's the woman, behind me, is that right?
RUBY: Yes.
KATE: Good. Well, just look at me instead. I'm Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, and I think I can help.

(Later, as coffees are brought.)

RUBY: Yeah, and that was over a year ago. She's put an injunction out against me, my own mother. I thought about going back to Manchester, but I don't want to leave, you know, just in case. And I've got this rubbish job at Kleinermann's to make ends meet.
KATE: Well, I think we can help with that. We have a tradition of helping the Doctor's former companions, once they return to a... normal life.
RUBY: I was... I was hardly with him, really.
KATE: But it felt like a lifetime?
RUBY: Yeah.
KATE: Well, we're the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, created to investigate the extraterrestrial and, more and more, the supernatural. Things seem to be turning that way these days.
RUBY: And you worked with the Doctor?
KATE: With him. Despite him. Against him, sometimes. And I adore him. I can only say that now he's not here.
RUBY: Oh, no, I won't say a word.
KATE: But I wish you'd got in touch with us sooner. We thought the Doctor was... was silent.
RUBY: Oh, I know. I keep wondering how the world survives without him.
KATE: Well, that's classified. I think I can say, skin of our teeth. Although, I think this timeline might be suspended along your event. I'm glad we found you.
RUBY: Oh, so am I.
KATE: And you can take us to the TARDIS?
RUBY: Yeah, it's just sitting there. I'm actually surprised no one's reported it, really.
KATE: It has a perception filter. People notice it, but... sort of... sort of don't. I wonder if it's connected, if landing a perception filter on top of that circle has affected things.
RUBY: Huh. Well, maybe, 'cos she has a perception thing.
KATE: Huh.
RUBY: Like, no one at work has complained about the old woman stood outside every day. It's like they see her, but they don't notice her. I once positioned her right in front of a police car, and they just drove right around her.
KATE: And if you sit in a room with no windows?
RUBY: No, I can't see her, but I know she's there. 73 yards. I have measured it 100 times. I've measured it a thousand times. It's 73 yards.
KATE: But if you went on a plane?
RUBY: Or a boat. Yeah, no, I know. But I don't, 'cos I keep thinking, of I cut her off, I might die. Or... she might die. I don't know. Does that sound mad?
KATE: It sounds wise. That's what we do, all of us. We see something inexplicable and invent the rules to make it work. Mankind saw the sunrise and created God. Or we saw the arrival of a Sontaran, one or the other. And I can confirm, our scan says 73 yards exactly. I hope you don't mind. I didn't come alone. Don't worry, you're quite safe. No, no, that's... that's... that's great. That's fine.
KATE: We've photographed her, but this is the only image we can get.

(Out of focus.)

RUBY: Oh, I know. I bought the most expensive camera, and I still couldn't zoom in on her face.
KATE: Our equipment is a bit more sophisticated, and yet she only registers from the point of view of an average person's 20/20 eyesight from 73 yards, 219 feet...
BOTH: 66.7 metres.
KATE: But it proves you're not going mad.
RUBY: Ha. Thank you.
KATE: Well, there's only one more option. Let's bring her in.
RUBY: Oh, but she won't. If you talk to her, she... I don't know, she does something.
KATE: My staff have full psychic training. We have telepathic dampeners, mesmeric shielding and necklaces of silver and salt in case of witchcraft. Don't worry, you're with experts now.
RUBY: Phew.
KATE: Go, go, go.

(The sniper on the rooftop has the woman in their sights.)

SOLDIER [OC]: All units, initiate target approach.

(Two Land Rovers and van converge.)

KATE: Do not talk to her, do not look her in the eyes, do not engage with her in any way, just bring her in. I said, do not engage!
RUBY: No, Kate. No, Kate. What's she saying? Kate, don't listen to her. Kate...
KATE: Disengage.
RUBY: Kate. No, Kate, you can't leave. Kate. Kate, please don't go. Kate. Kate, wait. Kate. All right. All right, all right, all right.

(As UNIT drive off, Ruby throws a cup onto the ground.)

CUSTOMER: Oi. Do you mind?
RUBY: Yeah, I said all right.

[Park]

(Ruby's hair is a lot longer now she's 30.)

FRANK: You know what? I'm not complaining. But I say, let's go away, let's go to New York. And you say no. So I keep thinking... I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I've got to ask. Is there someone else?

(The woman is still there.)

[Cafe bar]

SANJAY: It's just sometimes I get the impression you're not really listening, like you're drifting off, thinking of something else. Well, like now, to be honest.

(40th birthday passes.)

RUFUS: Thing is, I know you've had a tough time. That whole thing with your mother is weird, okay? But it's hard for me, sometimes, you know? And sometimes...
AMOL RAJAN (TV): Thank you. And what's your take on this, Roger ap Gwilliam?
ROGER (TV): Well, no public school for me. I've done hard work. I started off as a pizza delivery boy. I worked on a fruit stall in Swansea Market. Hospital porter. The steel mills. Security guard. I was a jack of all trades. Mad Jack, they used to call me.
ENID (memory): Mad Jack.
DOCTOR (memory): Roger ap Gwilliam. That's a bad example of the Welsh. Terrifying. The most dangerous Prime Minister in history.
RUFUS: Even in bed, it's like you're always a distance away.
RUBY: Semper distans is the word. Look, you were sweet, and this was... oh, this was nice, yeah? But you were right, it was never going to work, and that is my fault, except for the bed thing, cos that... that really was you. But it's taken me all this time to realise what I'm here to do.
RUFUS: Which is what?
RUBY: I'm going to save the world. See ya. (to woman) Come on. We've got work to do.

[Campaign HQ]

RUBY: Hi, there. I would like to offer my services. I thought I'd volunteer.
DANNY: Okay, good news. What for, exactly?
RUBY: Oh, anything. Anything at all. I just think Roger ap Gwilliam is amazing and I want to help the cause. I have £1,000 in my savings, which I can donate, right now. I'll do leaflets, answering the phones. Just tell me what to do, and I'll do anything. Ey, I'll even carry the coats.

[TV Studio - Election46]

AMOL RAJAN: Yes, but the government says...

(Ruby is watching from behind the cameras, holding the coats while Roger is being interviewed.)

ROGER: What government? The government has collapsed in shame. In absolute shame, Amol. Now's the time to vote, you know? For Britain to find its voice, to find its pride, its future.
AMOL RAJAN: Yes, but the point is that, if people are worried about anything, it's the cost of living. It's inflation. It's a price cap at £15,000. And you want to spend billions. Indeed, you committed to spending £65 billion, on nuclear weapons.
ROGER: Amol, I'm a Welshman. I was born in Wales. That's what the "ap" in my name means. It's not one of those apps that you used to have on your phones in the old days. It means "son of". I am a son of Wales. And the Welsh know what it's like to be oppressed. And that has taught me to say "no more". And that's what I'm saying. No more. I want Great Britain to say "no more". So, yes. I have pledged to defend our borders, and set us up on high as one of the greatest nations in the world.
AMOL RAJAN: But we're members of NATO.
ROGER: And when did NATO ever, you know, fire a nuclear missile? Ever? 2031, the Great Russian War, not a single rocket.
AMOL RAJAN: Excuse me, I'm sorry. Are you saying that you actually want to fire a nuclear missile?
ROGER: We'll cut that bit out, right?
CREW: Er, okay. Everyone, let's take ten.
ROGER: Danny, speak to comms about next week.
DANNY: Yeah.
ROGER: Immediately.
DANNY: Yes, sir.
ROGER: Craig, get the car.
CRAIG: Yes, sir.

(They take their coats from Ruby's arms.)

ROGER: Are you with us?
RUBY: Yes. My name's Ruby.
ROGER: Tell me, er... what about her? Girl over there. Is she one of ours?
RUBY: She's on Danny's team. She's a volunteer.
ROGER: What's her name?
RUBY: Marti Bridges.
ROGER: Marti. Boy's name. Hmm. Marti?
MARTI: Yeah. Yes, hi.

[Campaign Headquarters]

ANNOUNCER (TV): I declare that Roger ap Gwilliam is duly elected as Member of Parliament for the constituency...

(Landslide victory for Albion Party. Majority of 92 predicted. Roger ap Gwilliam declared Prime Minister.)

ROGER (TV): Yeah! Come on! I will go to His Majesty... and prepare for government.
SUPPORTERS: Roger. Roger. Roger. Roger.

(The woman is still outside. Ruby sits near Marti.)

RUBY: Good news. Between you and me, I know he's brilliant... but sometimes... I don't know, I think he gives me the shivers.
MARTI: Oh, he is a monster.
DANNY: Roger!
ROGER: Yes. Yes, thank you.

[Cardiff City Football Stadium]

(Walking out onto the pitch.)

DANNY: We're here to help, okay? If you see anything suspect, talk to security. And back at the hotel, eyes and ears open. We have a busy three days, so stay alert. If you could all be checked for clearance - again. You know Roger. He arouses strong opinions. And let me tell you, rule number one. Do not step on the grass.
AKHIM: Well, I don't see why. Come Saturday, there's going to be 10,000 people on there.
DANNY: And until then, keep off the grass. This place has a capacity of 30,000, plus 10,000 on the pitch. It's going to be amazing. Cardiff City, he's brought it home. This place will broadcast Roger ap Gwilliam all over the world.
MARTI: Here he is.
AKHIM: Look at him. He still says hello to every single person. I'd love to meet him face-to-face.
DANNY: Well, he's Prime Minister now. We don't get access any more. Our job's on the sidelines. Except for you, Marti. Roger said there's room for you at the party, Saturday night. He asked for you by name. They're saying it's going to be wild. Now, we need to help branding on the Grandstand, rows 11 to 61...
RUBY: They won't be watching, though, the whole world. Who cares about the British Prime Minister making a speech in Cardiff?
DANNY: That's the point. They'll listen, if he's got something to say.
RUBY: What do you mean?
DANNY: Hmm? There are rumours. They say Saturday is when control transfers.
RUBY: What...? For what?
DANNY: We're purchasing the nuclear arsenal from Pakistan, and on Saturday Roger will declare us independent from NATO. Saturday, Roger ap Gwilliam gets the codes.
MARTI: Saturday? He'll launch.
DANNY: Don't be stupid, Marti. It's symbolic. The moment's completely symbolic.
RUBY: I'm sorry I took so long, because I think I'll only get one chance and I had to make sure I was right. But I wish I could have helped you. I'm so sorry.
DANNY: Get us a coffee while you're there. Ruby, I said keep off the grass. Hey, get off the pitch, love. Ruby, what are you doing?
ROGER: What's she doing?

(Ruby stops and takes out her phone.)

OFFICIAL: Hey. There are no unofficial photos, thank you.
PHONE: 55 yards.
OFFICIAL: Put that down! Get off the pitch!

(Ruby walks backwards.)

PHONE: 56 yards.
DANNY: Ruby, just stop that and get back here. Ruby!
SECURITY: Excuse me. Hey. Could you get off the grass?
DANNY: I said, get off the pitch.
PHONE: 61 yards.
GROUNDSMAN: Are you listening?
PHONE: 62 yards.
GROUNDSMAN: Get off the pitch.
DANNY: Ruby. What are you doing?
SECURITY: I'll have to ask you to put down that device down immediately.
PHONE: 67 yards.
DANNY: Ruby, stop it! Ruby!

(The police are pointing their guns at her.)

POLICEMAN: Stay where you are, that's an order.
PHONE: 69 yards.
POLICEMAN: I said stay where you are.
PHONE: 70 yards.
POLICEMAN: I said, stay where you are!
PHONE: 72 yards.
POLICEMAN: Final warning! Stay where you are!
PHONE: 73 yards.
RUBY: That's exactly what I'm going to do.

(Because the woman is now standing next to Roger ap Gwilliam. Suddenly he turns and runs. Ruby laughs as his officals chase after him.)

OFFICIALS: Sir. Prime Minister.

(Marti joins in the laughter.)

[Ruby's flat]

NEWSREADER (TV): And 50 minutes later, Roger ap Gwilliam resigned from the office of Prime Minister, refusing to give any reasons for his actions.
REPORTER [OC]: Roger, why did you resign?
ROGER (TV): Ask her. Ask her. Ask her!
NEWSREADER (TV): The Deputy Prime Minister, Iris Cabriola, has stepped forward to take control and has already promised what she calls "a more lenient and listening government."

(The woman is still standing outside.)

RUBY: Is that it? Is that what you were for? Can you leave me alone now?

[40 years later - Welsh Coast]

ELIZABETH: I'm sorry, Ruby, I can't drive any closer. I can't get a signal for the engine this far out.
OLD RUBY: No. It's fine. I haven't been here in such a long time. What a beautiful view.

(Both the TARDIS and the woman are still there. Elizabeth Campbell places a bouquet by the TARDIS, joining a pile of others.)

ELIZABETH: Why do people put flowers here?
OLD RUBY: I don't think they know. I presume she must be gone, my mother. No one ever told me. And I didn't find my birth mother. It never snowed again. But I keep thinking I know why. The woman. And I've been thinking about it my whole life. Why's she here? And I think, at the end, I have hope. Because that's very you, isn't it? My old friend. I dare to hope.

[Nursing home]

NURSE: I've set the light, Ruby. If you wake up in the night, you say "light" out loud, and it comes on.
OLD RUBY: Yes, I know. That's not new. We had that when I was young.
NURSE: Anything else you need?
OLD RUBY: I could make it snow once upon a time.
NURSE: That's nice. If you need me, I'm just down the hall, so you won't be on your own.
OLD RUBY: Don't worry. Everyone has abandoned me my whole life. But I haven't been alone for 65 years.
NURSE: Night, then, Ruby. Light off.

(Door closes.)

OLD RUBY: Light.

(The woman is at the foot of her bed. The lights flash on and off, and she gets closer and closer, but with her back towards Ruby. Ruby reaches out her arms to embrace her.)

[Welsh Coast]

(Now Old Ruby is watching young Ruby and the Doctor coming out of the TARDIS.)

OLD RUBY: I'm sorry I took so long. And I tried so hard. What else could I do? It took all these years, all these long years. And look at me, I was so young.
DOCTOR: Spectacular! We are in Wales.
RUBY: What? How can you tell?
DOCTOR: Oh, that smell. That green. That coastline, Ruby. The rock and the water, it never ends. The war between the land and the sea.
RUBY: Ey, you know what? I've been to Wales three times now. I went to see Shygirl in Cardiff.
DOCTOR: Oh, yeah? Yeah?
RUBY: And then I went to the Mumbles, 'cos of a boy. I think I broke his heart, but there you go.
DOCTOR: Oh, bless him. Mind you, Roger ap Gwilliam, that's a bad example of the Welsh. Terrifying. The most dangerous Prime Minister in history.
RUBY: Who's she?
OLD RUBY [OC]: Don't step.
DOCTOR: Who?
RUBY: Over there.
OLD RUBY [OC]: Don't step.
DOCTOR: Where?
OLD RUBY [OC]: Don't step.
RUBY: There was a woman.
DOCTOR: Well, she's not there any more.
RUBY: But there was. There was a woman. She was just standing there. Maybe she was looking for someone?
DOCTOR: All right, Ruby, all right.
RUBY: Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Don't step.
DOCTOR: Oh... I almost broke that. Careful. Oh, honey, what a beautiful thing.
RUBY: What is it?
DOCTOR: It's a... it's a fairy circle. Man, that is so delicate. Just charms and spells and hope and dreams. Just here at the end of the land.
RUBY: What do they say?
DOCTOR: No, no, no. Better not. Let's give them their respect, Ruby. Let them rest in peace, like your mysterious woman.
RUBY: Oh, she was there.
DOCTOR: And we... are here. Oh. So, what was the third time that you've been to Wales? You said you'd been three times. What was the other one?
RUBY: Oh, er... No, I don't know. When was it? I can't think. I suppose... it must've been... now.

Transcript originally provided by Chrissie. Adapted by TARDIS.guide. The transcripts are for educational and entertainment purposes only. All other copyrights property of their respective holders.

Back to top