Holmes Apocalypse
Several years after the closing of the Case of Hosmer Angel:
The pitter-patter of gunfire can be heard raging just beyond the boarded windows of Sherlock's Baker Street apartment. Holmes is lounging about pondering the universe from his usual old comfortable chair. Seconds turn into minutes, which seem like hours, the pulsating gunshots become a steady rhythm of noise, the heartbeat of a ravaged London. Suddenly a horribly loud knocking arose at the door to the room. Holmes calmly stalked across the space, dagger in hand, and opened the violently shaking door. There stood Watson, reliable as always, even during an apocalyptic time he never missed a day meeting with Holmes. "Hello Watson so nice of you to drop by" Sherlock casually says as he strolls back to the chair.
"I have something peculiar for you, I found it sticking in the doorway downstairs with your name on it." His words were airy and difficultly spoken seeing as he had just run from his home with his wife. In an outstretched hand he held a small, torn piece of paper with nothing but Sherlock Holmes on one side in swirled, neat handwriting. The other side bore a significant tale from a woman they had seen many years ago in concerns of her lost lover. "Read it aloud will you? I didn't have quite enough time to gaze upon her message while racing up those horrid stairs."
"Ahem,
Dear Mr. Holmes,
My name is Mary Sutherland and as you may recall from your astounding memory I came to you a number of years ago concerning my missing fiancé Hosmer Angel. I have written to inform you that in this time of great need as I had predicted he has resurfaced to wed me. Though I only wish that my mother had lived long enough to experience my wedding day she had succumbed to the illness several weeks ago much to the dismay of both father and I. Soon after her death my young widower of a father also abandoned me.
Surprisingly, days after my father disappeared leaving me alone in our home defenseless against everything beyond the walls, Hosmer appeared at my doorstep. In between his ragged breaths he explained that he had been kidnapped by the government all those years back in order to attempt to prevent this catastrophe from hitting. Although I'm not sure why it was necessary for them to take him of all people but he also informed me it was a top secret project so he could not write me to tell me where he was or why he disappeared. After the world took a turn for the worst he made it his mission to find me and protect me.
So in short Mr. Holmes you were horribly wrong about the whole situation and I'm glad I never gave up hope in him. We are now married by ourselves seeing as proper wedding would be ludicrous at the moment considering nearly everyone has succumb to the virus. If you are still alive I wish you well sir but if you have also left us then God rest your soul.
Warmest Regards,
Mary Sutherland-Angel"
"Well old chap I would have to say that that may be one of the weirdest letters you have received from an ex-client, or perhaps even the only one." Watson said partially to Holmes but partially to himself. Holmes stared in wonder at this letter, which had come to him in the most mysterious way at such a baffling time. Slowly the time crept by although immeasurable because every clock in London had stopped months ago seeing as there was no way to keep them going. Through the slats along the windowpanes there was just enough space to see the sun setting in a rather fast way signaling the pure black shroud about to cover the entire city. Before long the light was completely gone forcing Watson to take up a space on the sofa as his own bed. Holmes still stared intently at the piece of paper blowing to and fro in his hands as a slight breeze strode through the room. Without a word he stood and sulked over to one of the many gas lamps within the study. There he began to burn the worn paper starting in the left corner. He held it directly in front of his face as he watched it turn to ash in a matter of a minute.
"I hope you are comfortable John, it is time to turn out the lights, I will take first watch then wake you up in several hours." With that each light was extinguished in an orderly fashion. Outside yelling and gunshots could be heard for only a little while longer, then an eerie silence washed over them. "Goodnight John."
"Goodnight Holmes." Watson yawned as he pulled the old, raggedy blanket up over his head trying to drown out thoughts of his poor frantic wife pacing the dining room at home wondering where he was. After several of these scenarios disturbing his hopeful mind it was too much. They had to try to get back to his home only two blocks away. This plan was quickly thwarted away by a screeching noise and frantic beating of the apartment door. Both men raced to open it, weapons in hand expecting a horde of the dead behind whoever was trying to get in. With a swift turn of the knob the stranger was now in the room and there were no living dead to be seen. Quickly slamming the door shut behind them Holmes and Watson swiveled to face the stranger. In a flash there was light in one of the lamps on the far side of the room. Holmes stood, smoldering match in one hand, the arm of their new guest in the other. Thrusting the face towards the light there was instant recognition of one Mary Sutherland.
"Miss Sutherland what brings you back into my services" Holmes said coyly as she looked up at him with huge eyes deep in a tear stained face.
"Sir as impossible as it may seem my Hosmer returned days ago and has disappeared again. I have traveled so far and for so long in order to beg you for your help yet again in this matter." She stuttered through chattering teeth accompanied by woeful sobbing.
"I regret to inform you ma'am but I highly doubt I can help you in this situation seeing as I received a letter addressed to me on your behalf telling the opposite." Holmes' stoic features revealed not a single shred of sympathy for this poor girl gathering herself on the floor about his feet. "Although I suppose I could listen to your tale and see if I could assist you in this futile search for your husband."
"Thank you ever so much Mr. Holmes. At the beginning of all this mother father and I were all in our house having tea. I got word that there was a tragedy befalling our city and ran right out to begin to gather our assets, my money in the bank and father's gun in the safe. Upon returning I discovered that mother had fallen ill, I watched her draw her last breath. Soon after her death we removed the body then father took off leaving me with nothing but my money and the house."
Interrupting her tale Holmes questioned "So your father just left with no other word to you but left your money there?"
"Well yes sir but soon after his departure Hosmer showed up at the doorstep saying something about the government kidnapping him and his now being ready for marriage. Naturally I obliged and we had an unofficial ceremony joining us in marriage. Only a few days later he disappeared along with all of my money from the bank and all the food I had hidden away when it all began. My only hope of surviving was making my way to you with the crazy idea of you helping me to locate this man who stole everything from me." Drawing in a quick breath she seemed content with this request following her insane story. For a long moment she gazed hopefully at Holmes and Watson waiting for an answer. Doubtfully they stared into each other's eyes seemingly thinking the same thing.
"Listen ma'am, there is absolutely no hope in looking for this man. Even if he has taken everything from you there is nothing we can do for you. He has probably disappeared and even if we did find him we have no power any longer. This steal to live world is one we all live in now. We have descended into a complete anarchy since the disease hit killing most everyone out there except those few who managed to escape it's wrath." This came from Watson who spoke softly and steadily whilst shaking his head, rubbing his eyes with his forefinger and thumb.
"There must be something…anything. I need answers!" Proclaiming this loudly she whirled around to face Holmes with panicky wild eyes begging for answers. Quickly she stalked over to where he stood by the boarded windows and spun him around with a shove of the shoulders so that she could look at his face. "Mr. Holmes, please, this could be my last day alive and I can tell that you know something. If I leave here and I die tonight I want to die knowing where Hosmer is. It's the only thing I want. You're my only hope for answers." Her voice began to shake and she collapsed into a fit of tears before both of the tired men.
"Miss Sutherland, I will tell you what I know about Mr. Angel but I can promise you that you will never see him again. If you can handle that then I can tell you, but if you are not willing to accept this simple fact then I fear you will not be able to handle the truth about your husband." Holmes was very stern as he stated these stipulations to Miss Sutherland.
"Alright Mr. Holmes I suppose under the circumstances I will be able to accept these conditions even though I wish I would be able to see my Hosmer again." She spoke dejectedly with a glimmer of hope about what was about to be revealed to her after all this time.
Slowly Holmes sank into his cozy old chair and motioned for Mary to take a seat on the couch adjacent to where he lounged with an exhausted expression on his face. "What I am about to tell you is a secret which I have known for many years, originally I chose not to tell you for fear that you would not understand or believe what I say. Hosmer Angel is not a real person I fear. Indeed he is your stepfather in a very clever disguise. He and your mother plotted to keep you in their power forever by forcing you to pledge yourself to a mysterious man whom you quickly fell in love with. They then planned his disappearance so that you would wait for him forever so that they would then be able to use your one hundred pound income monthly as their own. " Mary's face said it all, the shock and awe of what had just come to light hit her so hard it shattered her reality into a million little pieces. "Then it would seem that after your mother recently died from the mysterious disease your step father felt it necessary to become Hosmer again in order to obtain your money through means of marriage."
Miss Sutherland's face shifted from shock to despise as soon as Holmes finished what he said. "There is no possible way that my Hosmer and my step father are the same person. That is entirely impossible and I am disgusted at your sense of humor sir. If you hadn't noticed I am in a great deal of agony over this situation and will not stay here and be made a mockery of. Good day!" With that she marched over to the door and ripped it open revealing thousands upon thousands of the undead snarling throughout the house. Quickly she shut the door and whipped around to face Holmes and Watson already prepared to battle for their lives. With a friendly wink at one another they ordered her to open the door and were swarmed by the decomposing bodies of the undead.