From Rory's Point of View (3)

Sorry about the late timing of this post. The third Rory's View is from The Impossible Astronaut.

I climb down into the hole after River, grimacing as my fingers encounter the trail of fleshy tendrils that winds along the tunnel floor.  River suddenly winces with pain. "You okay?" I ask anxiously. "Yes, yes, just felt a bit sick. It's the prison food, probably. OK, this way. What do you think?" We walk along the tunnels, the cool darkness pressing down on us. "I keep thinking I hear things," River nods. "It's interesting. These tunnels are old. Really old. How can they be really old and no one's noticed them?" We come upon a door, starkly modern-looking. "It's a maintenance hatch," I say. River tries the door. "Locked. Why do people always lock things?" Kneeling by the door, she begins attempting to get it open. "What's through there?" I ask.

"No idea."

"Something bad?"

"Almost definitely."

"You're going to open it, aren't you?"

"It's locked! How can a girl resist!"

Is this sensible?" I ask. 

"God, I hope not." River replies, working on the door. "You and the Doctor. I can kind of picture it."

"Keep a look out," River instructs. 

 "What did you mean," I inquire. "When you said to Amy. There's a worse day coming for you?" River glances up from where she's working on the door. "When I first met the Doctor--a long, long time ago--he knew all about me. Think about that. Impressionable young girl and suddenly this man just drops out of the sky. He's clever and mad and wonderful and...and knows every last thing about her. Imagine what that does to a girl." I step down the tunnel, directing the light into the pockets of shadow. "I don't really have to," I say.

 "Trouble is, it's all back to front. His past is my future. We're traveling in opposite directions. Every time we meet, I know him more, he knows me less. I live for the days when I see him, but I know that every time I do, I'll be one step further away. In the days coming, I'll look into that man's eyes--my Doctor--and he won't have the faintest idea who I am." The door clicks and swings open. "And I think it's going to kill me."

L Bunting