72
Stepping out from the safety of the storage room the two looked around. Phil lifted the torch up and flashed it around. The store looked very much like it did when they first entered. Empty and dark. There were no angels lurking near them, yet Phil stick clutched onto the mirror as if it were a shield.
The Doctor looked at the key and frowned, he'd lowered the mirror he had and looked around. He was trying to determine which direction to go in. Lifting his arm up he smiled faintly, the higher the key was to the ceiling the more it glowed.
"You mean to say if we went up there to begin with, we could have not encountered them?"
"Apparently."
"Oh this is karma for something isn't it?"
"It may possibly be."
"That's mean."
"That's karma." Doctor smiled and squinted in the darkness. "Where are the stairs?"
"I have no clue."
"Thanks for that Phil."
"You're welcome."
Reaching out and holding onto her spare hand The Doctor flashed the torch around. He was trying to find the doorway from where they were standing. He knew he wouldn't be able to see it, they'd obviously need to move.
"Phil in your work place...places, where was the employee part located?"
"Working in cafés is a lot different than working in a garden centre."
"I know that! But I merely want to know."
"Usually in a corner." Doctor looked at her weirdly. "What? The door is in the corner usually, which leads to the staff room."
"You just answered; in a corner. I just have the mental image of you as well as your fellow workers crowded around in a corner drinking tea and sharing civil – but boring – mundane conversation."
"My conversations are never boring, or mundane."
"I know, you hold a conversation very well Phil. Your work colleagues on the other hand I highly doubt. They in fact looked incredibly boring. And angry, more of the angry than the boring." He slowly took off walking while holding onto Phils hand still. They were moving at a slow pace, if given the chance The Doctor knew full well that Phil would run as fast as she could. Running was a rather unwise idea, especially considering their foe at the moment was far quicker than either of them. Running or not, they'd get got.
Sighing and looking around The Doctor frowned at the door in front of them, "Fire escape."
"We have to go back."
"Phil?"
"Yes?"
"Do you have those moments when the hairs go up on the back of your neck?"
"I do."
"You know that usually represents being watched, it's your sixth sense kicking in. Are you having one right now?"
"Yup. You?"
"Indeed I am."
"Doctor?"
"Yes?"
"They're behind us aren't they?"
The Doctor lifted the mirror up and quickly turned – while taking Phil with him – and flashed the torch up at the angel in front of them. It instantly froze with a eerily peaceful look on its face and an arm half outstretched towards them. Its hand was partially open and it looked like it was just reaching towards them as casually as anything.
"I think to answer your question; yes."
"What do we do?"
"Well we can blink because I just did."
"What? What if the mirror idea failed?"
"Calm thoughts Phil."
"Sorry," taking a breath she sighed slowly. Opening her eyes she looked at the angel. "I'm never looking at angels the same way again."
"Move slowly Phil, keep your eyes on it." The Doctor slowly edged around the statue while tugging Phil with him. "I need you to do something."
"I'm not going to like this am I?"
"No, sorry."
"Come on then."
"Walk backwards while keeping an eye on it."
"Oh good god...I hate you right now you know that right?" Phil said sourly, the two of them were away from the angel and were both facing it. The Doctor turned and looked the other way.
"You don't hate me, you're just scared. That's fear talking."
"True."
"You couldn't hate me."
"Maybe we should have this conversation another time? But you're right, I couldn't. Can we go now? I need to blink."
"Blink quickly Phil and then we'll go." The Doctor kept his eyes on the statue, Phil blinked several times and nodded. "Lets go then." He walked briskly while keeping a tight grip on her hand still. The two of them were silent both concentrating in their separate roles. The Doctor was in charge of guiding her and for looking for the door upstairs. Phils job was to keep an eye on the angel which she still had barely in her sights.
"When I can't see it anymore can I turn around?"
"Phil there's a problem with that."
"What's that?"
"Once you can't see it, it'll move."
"I'm a lookout!" She exclaimed terrified. The Doctor winced slightly but gave a nod, he suddenly realized she couldn't see this gesture and answered a quiet; yes. "What's the likelihood of there being loads upstairs?"
"There was four, if there were more we'd see them. I have to say Phil your skill of walking backwards is amazing."
"Ah well...skill I never knew I had." She smiled, her smile dropped though when she lost sight of the angel. Holding up the mirror she blinked a few times and lowered it. Letting out a small scream and jumping, she breathed heavily. Standing a few paces away was the angel, although it's placid disposition had gone and all that remained now was a bared teeth clawed statue.
The Doctor didn't even need to ask what had happened, he picked up his pace which caused Phil to stumble slightly but she still managed to walk backwards as best as she could. "Almost there Phil!" He cheered happily when he saw a door with; Authorized Access. Staff Only, stuck in big bold writing on it. He pulled out the screwdriver with his spare hand and managed to unlock it. Pulling Phil inside he gave the angel a dodgy look before shutting the door.
Phil let out a heavy sigh and leaned against her knees, she had leant the mirror against the wall near her. "Oh god...that was...horrible."
"Sorry Phil."
"It's alright." She held a hand up at him and waved it casually. "I may have said some things in the heat of the moment."
"Apology accepted."
"Good! I am sorry for saying I hate you though."
The Doctor gave a small smile and a nod, looking at the stairs near them he pulled out the TARDIS key. It shone so brightly that they could have just used it as a torch instead of the actual torch Phil was still gripping onto.
"Well she's close!" The Doctor beamed and ran excitedly up the stairs, Phil plucked up the mirror and ran after him. She bumped into him however when he'd stopped abruptly at the top. Peering over his shoulder she groaned. The last three were up here. One had its hands over her face, Phil thought that was a little ironic, it was really playing up to the weeping part of its name. The second stood idly looking into space, and the third one had an arm draped over its face, its other arm was slightly bent across its stomach.
"Three against two! Ha! What great odds are these?"
"What?"
"Oh come on Phil." He gave her a grin, she frowned confused by his sudden happiness. Standing in between the angels however was the blue police box they'd been searching for. The angels were standing in an almost triangle, if there was just one person it'd be near impossible to get past them.
"I think most people call this the home stretch."
"Or so close yet so far."
"Ever the optimist aren't you?"
"Sorry," Phil shuddered slightly. "It's just...them..."
"I know, lets go. Keep your mirror aimed at one...and well you get the picture."
"Are we really going to just leave them? Un-quantum locked?"
"We don't have a choice."
"Ok."
"Ready?"
"Sure." Phil gave a nod and the next thing she knew she was being tugged towards the TARDIS quickly. She barely had time to let out a yelp when one moved, she didn't have time to do anything else before she got pushed into the TARDIS. The Doctor gave a triumphant grin and slammed the door shut again.
Running up to the console he quickly flicked dials and pushed buttons, Phil had only a fraction of a second to grip onto something as the TARDIS kicked into life.