We had been lost for a long time. We knew we were somewhere just not exactly where. Holmes said he knew the way, and had lead me purposefully and directly in exactly the right direction to the middle of nowhere. Now, we stood at the top of the tallest hill in the vicinity, looking for a geographical clue of where we were, and to see if we could recognise where we had been. Holmes stood, straight-backed despite my clinging to his arm the last couple of steps because now, my leg was playing up.
"We are definitely lost," said Holmes after a while, with conviction.
"Excellent observation, Holmes. How do we get found?" Holmes looked at me irritably, but his eyes softened as I rubbed my sore leg.
"We'll go to that house, over there, and ask for assistance. Fellow man is our last hope, as terrifying or as pleasant as that experience may be."
Then we started back down the hill towards what appeared to me to be the horizon. Luckily, it didn't take too long, though it was dusk when we approached the lonely cottage and climbed the worn steps up to the door.
I knocked. We waited, and then Holmes knocked a quick ra-ta-ta-tap again, his rap sounding better than mine. More efficient. Louder.
There was still no answer, so Holmes darted around the house, despite my protests, checking the ground-floor windows. He came back on the other side, and I was still looking the way he had left, and he appeared behind me as if out of nowhere.
I turned abruptly and we knocked into one another.
"Well?"
"There's no-one in." He started to force the door.
"Holmes! It was the height of rudeness to snoop as you did around a person's home, but to break in-!"
"There's no-one in because it's deserted. There's some furniture in there under sheets, but I don't think anyone's lived in there for years. It smells old. It's safe to say we won't be disturbed, and you need some rest anyway. You don't suppose we go out again, in the dark, and take our chances in an area we don't know and certainly couldn't recognise at night?"
"No, but-"
"Well, then. This will have to be our camp. Do you see any other accommodation in the environs?"
I watched Holmes' face, and didn't answer. He looked at me, half-smiling with his eyes. Then, with a dramatic twirl, he spun around, gesturing me to join him with a wave of an arm, and we pushed against the door one last time.
It gave way, and we collapsed onto the floor in a heap. We quickly located some old candlesticks and Holmes bundled some sheets together for us to lie on, and we slept, fully clothed and cold, until morning.
Please R&R. Please.