-Sherlock Holmes-

The path of the dead -

It was a cold, bitter winter's evening, the frost consuming and congealing all in it's path. The fog, thick like smoke, the streets silent, a sinister and dark end road, a place where life was once blossoming the smiles of children and their families filled the street the very meaning of happiness. However the old gray hands of time clenched and withered what was once brimming with new life into a black barren stretch of road. On that very night, one that very same road the reaper claimed his tenth victim. He did not massacre or shed blood, nor did he beat his victim to their death. He simply left them standing. Not a scratch to be found in the body, it was almost as if he had reaped their souls and left them to stand sentinel of the Earth for all of eternity as a hollow shell.

"John!? Have you seen carl any where?"

"You mean that spider thing."

"Yes my spider thing... Watson my dear friend, do not move."

"Sherlock, what are you talking about? Have you read today's paper, the reaper left another stander. "

"My dearest of companions, or my only companion to be exact. Our time together may come to a sudden end."

"Sherlock you haven't stuck one too many of those nicotine patches on yourself have you, are you okay?."

"Watson do not panic on your very shoulder, one of the most toxic spider's in the world is currently and inconveniently placed itself there."

"Sherlock... may I ask why this thing is even here?."

"Well if you have to know I was conducting experiments on the most lethal toxins in the world and decided to pull a few a strings here and there."

"By strings you mean Mycroft."

"Yes, I do mean Mycroft. Now do not move."

*Sherlock slowly edges towards Watson's shoulder, and slowly cradles the spider in his gloved hands.*

"Watson this reaper business, when did he first start reaping?"

"If I remember correctly it was around last year on December."

"And he has now successfully killed his tenth, interesting. Get ready Lestrade's here."

"Wait what how do you know?"

"Just now outside 221 baker street, an Audi A6 Saloon pulled over."

"And how did you know that?"

"You see it has produces very distinct humming noise from the V6 diesel engine and the rather large hood. Well obviously I could be wr/."

*Watson interrupting Sherlock.* "I'll go my jacket."

*Sherlock shows small smirk on his face and his eyes now burning with excitement.*

" , we're leaving"

"Oh Sherlock, make sure you don't stay out too long."

*Lestrade is about the knock the door, when Sherlock and Watson suddenly pop out.*

"Hello Inspector, Reaper crime scene. Now maybe?."

"Wait what, how did you know?"

"No time to explain come on you two the crime scene awaits."

*Lestade sighs*

"Can't wait for this one."

*Inspector, Sherlock and Watson arrive at the scene of the crime. Anderson approaches.*

"If it isn't our favourite psychopath."

*Sherlock hastily replies* "Anderson do shut up. We are well aware of the very unmistakeable lack of intelligence in your speech, but yet you seem to posses another potent ability this being that you always flawlessly lower the iq of any life-form around you."

*Lestrade cut's in* "That's enough, Sherlock, Watson with me."

*They walk down the abysmal stretch of road. Sherlock smiles at the sight of the pale, manikin of a corpse standing in front of him.*

"Now the girl is Ruby, Ruby Hannaford. Aged 24/"

*Sherlock interrupts* "Single, employed by salon, two dogs, walks to work, immaculate possibly o.c.d, non smoker, martial artist and guitar player."

"You know what, I'm not even going to ask. Just do your thing and report to me any leads you may have, I have to deal with this damn press."

*Lestrade leaves.*

" Sherlock how did you know all of this that."

"By that you mean the deductions, well let me educate you. Single you can tell as she no ring and the state of her shirt the only one item on her that is not perfectly clean, this shows that she is not trying maintain appearance in order to gain the interest of others romantically. The dogs you can see the gray hairs on her legs, the placement of the hairs in terms of height and quantity, the silver shine I suspect maybe a Sih Tzu, two different dogs as the hair's on the her left leg are slightly dimmer in term of colour in comparison to right. Walking to work, if you observe the top of her shoes you may notice no abrasion however observe the bottom near her toes you can see the abrasion clearly, these marks are only gained through walking on concrete regularly. Immaculate, her nails and general appearance, her nails are also identical in terms of pattern, in fact the precision is to a 0.1 mm margin, her clothes notice how every crease on her clothes are almost symmetrical she ironed them like this. The salon well that's obvious the name tag, it clearly states right there Sally's Salon. Non-smoker, teeth no tar whatsoever, guitarist her fingers on her left-hand her fingertips most of her original print expect from the thumb has been worn off, this is due to guitarists having to press down on strings and as a result over-time her skin peels off leaving tougher skin."

"What about Martial arts?"

"Well I kinda guessed that, her muscle composition. I suspect she practices taekwondo, observe her legs there are distinct muscular build of gastrocnemeius and quadriceps however her upper body shows no distinct build up of muscle only in her abdomen. This is because kicking requires a lot of muscular input from her abdomen. And taekwondo mainly focuses on kicking."

"That was, umm yeah that was good."

"Watson you need not compliment me, examine her."

*Watson walks over, he gently clinches her arms and then legs. He then examines her eyes paying attention to the sclera. He than briefly glances at her ."

"Your evaluation."

"Well the reason she is standing is rigormortis, her skeletal muscles must have contracted some how and left her standing like this, judging by the stiffness of her muscle she's been there for about 12 hours. Her eyes seem to be blood-shot possible due to an allergic reaction or irritation toher eyes. I can't see any visible wounds on her. And I can't further evaluate without sampling her blood."

"Thank you Watson, we need to go somewhere."

"Where exactly?"

"We need to go see Molly."