Traveling through the subway tunnel, Theodore and Lila surveyed the damages inflicted on the walls.
Steep cracks in areas of the walls, large gaping holes with liquid running off the side, leaking broken pipes, and the only sound coming from their footsteps as they walk along the train tracks.
The soft light moved as Lila held her torch while Theodore stayed ahead of her, as they walked along the uneven train tracks.
The railings, in areas of the track moved with their feet, the nails holding them down missing.
Rubble and trash littered the area as Lila walked slowly, keeping the soft light leveled while watching where she stepped, as they found holes in the ground.
"Up here," Theodore pointed as he sees a platform up ahead.
He trudged along the train tracks, glass, and grim crunching under his heels, as he stood in front of the platform while Lila approached him.
Pointing the torch up, Lila couldn't see much, and watched as Theodore jumped up, grabbing the platform before he lifted himself up onto the top.
Above, there's darkness at this subway station and Theodore's icy blue eyes moved as they searched for any signs of hostile s, when he didn't see any, he called down to Lila.
Extended his long arms with his hands outreached, Theodore helped Lila as she jumped up, gently pulling her up onto the platform.
With her torch, she lit up the area, there's a minor jolt from her light catching sight of an advert with a woman adjacent of them, but on closer inspection, it's damaged with a long crack along the woman's face, covering her eyes in a deep gap.
The advert's severely damaged, they can't read anything on it, and with the marred woman on the advert, it wasn't helping them, much.
Moving on, they looked towards the staircase above ground, seeing that it's completely collapsed with a large gaping hole in the centre, leading into the darkness below.
"Well, we're not getting topside through here," Lila crossed her arms as she sees they're unable to reach topside through this subway station.
His icy blue eyes moving, Theodore concluded that Lila's right, and he turned around facing the subway tunnel before plunging back in the darkness.
He called up to Lila and she briefly shoved the flashlight into her pocket as she jumped down after, caught in his long arms.
They continued up the tunnel, looking for another platform to grab, and while looking around, they started seeing signs they're not alone in the tunnels.
Theodore's the first one noticing claw marks deeply embedded in the ground as they walked along the train tracks.
Long, deep, whatever made them's heavy, about as heavy as the two combined, and the description alone's enough for Lila to shudder at the thought of coming across the animal that made the claw marks.
Worse's the thought of what animal made those claw marks!
As their feet pattered against the ground of rubble and glass, Theodore and Lila went along the train track, looking for the next platform, seeing nothing but cracks in the mosaic walls.
"I really wished Al brought us somewhere a little closer to where we're supposed to be," Lila bemoaned that the TARDIS should've done this better, because she didn't like them so far from it, especially in an abandoned subway line that hadn't seen a soul in who knows how long.
As he walked beside her, Theodore agreed, but the TARDIS brought them there for a reason, and even if it can't tell them outwardly, it wouldn't bring them somewhere without a way back to it, bad form otherwise.
"Even he's afraid of my brother," Theodore reasoned that the TARDIS wouldn't put them in harm's way so easily without a way for them to escape, even it's afraid of Hammond's bountiful wrath.
Sighing, Lila shakes her head, on her mind, she doesn't have anything to say about this, only that the TARDIS better be where they parked it, because if Al thinks Hammond's terrifying, he hadn't seen the extent of Lila's temper.
Walking further through the subway tunnel, they see another platform ahead, but upon reaching it, the entire subway station collapsed inward, forcing them away from the platform, and further up the subway tunnel.
"I don't get it, what the hell happened here?" Lila's baffled while they traveled through the tunnel, seeing nothing but remnants of time before, and no one else except them.
The TARDIS in its infinite ways didn't exactly tell them what they're getting into when it landed here, and usually by now, they'd see something that would've pointed them in the right direction.
Maybe guns pointed at them, Daleks' screeching, Cybermen shouting, something to that effect, but no, it's only them and the empty subway line that they're not even sure where it's leading them towards.
The only signs of something going on's the large claw marks in the ground, that weren't helping, especially when some were near the gaping holes on the sides of the mosaic walls.
Really don't wanna know what's in those holes and Lila really wants to avoid knowing what made them, either.
Theodore agreed with her as he kept them away from the gaping holes that seemed to increase in frequency.
Studying one as they cautiously passed it, Theodore sees that the holes weren't made by machine or a person, burrows, that's what they really are, and from his estimate, they're looking at rodent burrows.
Wonderful, rodents, never liked them much, but then again, if Theodore had to choose his poison, he'd rather deal with rodents than insects.
Never liked insects, not since his mum told him the story of her and his father's adventure with an alien insect species.
They injected humans with their eggs via the sharp proboscis they carry. The eggs then mature and feed off their hosts, until hatching after a period of a day, and well, if anyone needed to know how that ended, look no further than the famous scene from 'Alien.'
Well, with one alteration, the top half of the humans wouldn't be in one piece, but their lower abdomens and legs would be intact, allowing nightmares to fuel for eons at the sight.
It didn't help that his mum was pregnant at the time with Hammond, the fear of getting injected with eggs on top of that, no wonder his father checked her top to bottom for any signs of implantation after that nightmare of an adventure finally ended.
Drove him to ground her from further adventuring with him while she's pregnant, forced her to remain in the safety of Hamon.
Hence, Hammond's birth on Gallifrey.
Besides the point, Theodore doesn't like insects, and gladly sic his ferrets on them if they intruded in his flat. Extra protein.
In regards, rodents, Theodore rather deal with them, at least they don't reproduce via exploding out of bodies.
"I see another platform," Lila called out, snapping Theodore from his thoughts as she flashed light towards another platform ahead of them, looking unimpeded by debris.
Nodding, Theodore walked ahead of Lila as he ventured towards the platform.
Jumping up and grabbing the side, he lifted himself up, seeing the subway station somewhat intact compared to the other one they passed, and he turned around to call down to Lila.
He lifted her up from the ground and helped her finding her footing on the topside.
Glancing around, the two see a faded blue light coming from the staircase leading up to the topside, showing that it's not impeded by rubble.
"So, what do you think, do we go up or keep going down?" Lila asks Theodore's opinion what direction they should take from here.
Seeing the increase in holes and signs of presumably large, feral possibly, rodents in the subway tunnel, Theodore opted for them to try their luck topside.
Nodding, Lila followed Theodore as he led them towards the staircase, carefully going up the stone stairs as they're covered in a blue hue.
Turning off her flashlight, Lila shoved it into her pocket as she followed Theodore up the staircase.
Soft blue light covered them as they slowly ascended the staircase towards the topside, where they felt a sudden rush of cold air hitting them in their chests as they reached the top of the staircase.
Surrounding them, collapsed buildings with various damages done to them, vehicles frozen in place, abandoned to time, large holes in the streets, leading to unknown parts of the underground.
The skies above an icy white colour, no sun at all, and the air hurting their throats as they walked as the cold air slammed into them.
Searching around, Theodore and Lila attempted to look for a map, something to tell them where exactly they're at, only finding rubble and areas picked clean by scavengers.
"What the hell happened here?" Lila wondered as she glanced at the destroyed buildings, the roads broken up like accordions, and a river running underneath the cracks.
As he walked with her, Theodore's icy blue eyes moved around the area as he tried to come up with an answer, but nothing came to mind, and they continued their search throughout the area, trying to find their footing.
Not a person around, not an animal around, just them and the cold air blasting them periodically.
Using their hands, they shield their eyes from the cold air as it hit them, watching their steps as they see the street, it's on crumbling in areas.
This continued for well over an hour, by the time they stopped to get their bearings, the streets become even worse, some sections completely obliterated, and sunk into the raging water below.
The buildings near them completely gone except the one at the end of the street that Theodore identified as a parliament building.
With nowhere else for them to explore, it's as good as any, and he ushered Lila to follow him as they continued their path towards the parliament building.
Theodore thinks there's a good chance it'll help them figure out where they are and where they should go from here, at least they wouldn't be exposed in the streets, because he doesn't feel comfortable walking outside like this.
Glancing around, seeing nothing but the broken street they're on, Lila's unsure what he's thinking about, but remembering the giant holes in the subway tunnel's enough for her to agree with him.
They're exposed and if her dad told her anything, nothing ever good comes from standing out in the open like this, even in the calmest waters, emptiest fields, can have a deadly surprise waiting.
Rubbles like this, anyone can easily make quick work of her and Theodore if they have the right scope and mental fortitude.
Of course, if these were Daleks or other, then they wouldn't be subtle about it.
Traversing over the rubble, coming closer towards the parliament building, they see it clearly. The name's worn from age, but exterior wise, the building's in far better shape than anything they've seen while walking.
Walking up the cobbled steps, Theodore checked the large doors, finding they're not opening. He attempted to use his Sonic Screwdriver in hopes of opening it, but despite his attempts, it wouldn't open.
The lock on the large doors looks pristine, not broken, or stuck, should've opened just fine, but it didn't.
Despite their attempts, the doors wouldn't open before Theodore suggested they try another way and went with Lila around the side of the building, looking for a way inside.
Despite the windows looking pristine themselves, they wouldn't open, even Theodore's heavy punch didn't do anything.
It's impressive, really, and he would've tried it again, but Lila wouldn't let him.
Couldn't have bruises on his hand without Hammond flipping his lid.
With his large hands shoved into his deep pockets, Theodore walked with Lila around the building, seeing there's an area behind the parliament building.
An empty field, could've been a park, there's evenly spaced spruces carefully planted around it, and looked virtually untouched.
"Okay, I'm no expert, but this is... weird... and I'm supposed to be accustomed to weirdness," Lila couldn't help but notice the strangeness in the pristine shape of the parliament building and the area behind it.
His icy blue eyes narrowing, Theodore agrees with her, there's something strange about two areas seemingly untouched compared to the rest.
It didn't make any sense to him and he continued with Lila, trying to get inside the parliament building.
Doesn't seem like that's going to happen any time soon, because they found the back door into the building, still impossible to open, and they're stuck as they stood in front of the doors with their arms crossed.
"Okay, usually we'd get somewhere once you start punching," Lila couldn't understand why they're unable to enter the parliament building.
Scratching the side of his head, Theodore replied he's sure that his Sonic Screwdriver would've done wonders, but it simply couldn't.
The locks should've been easily picked, but they're not, not broken, still pristine, still couldn't pick them.
"And the windows, too, who designed this place?" Lila rubbed her eyes as she's baffled that they're stumped by doors and windows, two of the easiest ways they've broken inside places, and here they are foiled by both.
Just didn't make any sense to them that they can't enter and Lila ended up going up to one of the windows, peeking inside.
Her chestnut eyes narrowed as she tried to see inside the building, it's dark inside, so she tried using her flashlight and see clearly.
There's untouched pristine furniture, looked almost like from the 40s, portraits of people she didn't recognize, not even a dust particle, gave more questions than answers.
The whole scene's bizarre that Lila called to Theodore to see for himself and he did, seeing the pristine furniture left untouched, but no dust, nothing.
Turning away, Theodore crossed his arms as he pondered while Lila continued looking through the window.
She didn't see anyone, not even a corgi, nothing to suggest there was anyone inside at all, and would've turned away when she swore seeing movement towards the hallway near the staircase up.
It was subtle, she almost didn't notice until she flashed light near the staircase, catching sight of a shadow.
"Hey, I think I see someone inside," Lila turned her head towards Theodore as she called him over.
He returned to her side as he searched with her, trying to see the supposed person Lila swore seeing, but there wasn't any movement.
They continued searching until finally Lila gave up and turned off her flashlight, frustrated.
"I'm not going crazy, I saw something," Lila scratched the side of her head as she's trying to reason what she saw through the window.
Theodore comforted her as he responded that he believes her, she saw something, and whatever she saw's gone, nothing can be done about it.
"Thanks, Theo," Lila weakly sighs as she turned around from the window with Theodore patting her on the back as they discussed what to do from here since they're unable to get inside the parliament building.
"There must be somewhere we're missing," Theodore rubbed his chin as he pondered their options.
Nothing but ruined buildings, perfectly fine parliament building and field behind it, nothing usable, and from his estimate, it'll be dark in a couple of hours.
Don't need a horror movie to tell him what a bad idea it is for them standing out in the middle of a darkened ruined city, that much's apparent.
Finding a safe place for them to stay's a different matter, because as far as he's able to see, there isn't anywhere for them to procure an area for the night unless they move forward and hope for the best.
"Well, what're we waiting for?" Lila sighs as she's about to walk with Theodore when she started hearing taping noises.
... Behind her.