I don't own anything but the original characters and the storyline, the rest of the brilliant is down to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

…

Nothing.

"Get her a blanket!"

"I will have you!" A horribly familiar voice called. I didn't even bother to look. His voice should make my blood run cold, make me shiver in fear anything. But nothing, no reaction. "You will be counted, 24!"

"Get him out of here!" A deep voice called. There was some shuffling, lots of movement around me. Blue flashing lights lit up the dark night sky.

"I want you to see if you can find any link to any of the other cases." Another voice. "Dawson, get a perimeter set up, I want the entire forest patrolled, no one in or out without my clearance." There was a pause, one which took a lifetime and a second all at once. "Smith, you're in charge of the press, no one sees Wells or that son of a bitch. No interviews, no photo's and absolutely no one get's her name, you got it?"

"Yes, Sarge." Another voice.

"Miss Wells?"

I could feel nothing.

"Miss Wells, can you hear me?"

Why couldn't I feel? I could see but everything was just blurs. Like fast motion cars. I could hear but it was just white noise. Like background sounds in a movie. Whispers from the room next door.

"Miss Wells?"

There were so many people.

"The bleeding's not slowing, I need more bandages!"

"Call ahead, we're gonna need an emergency transplant, type 'O'."

Were they talking about me? I feel pressure all over my body. My neck, my wrist, my leg. What was happening. Everything was a smudgy blur. Like observing the world through thick frosted glass. Suddenly a light was shining brightly into my eyes. I felt like I should have reacted, at least flinched. But I couldn't, my body was heavy and numb all at once. I tried to follow the light with my eyes, but a pain twitched at the back of my head when I did.

"She's losing too much blood!"

"We have to move her."

"No! She doesn't die like this!" A voice shouted angrily from a short distance. That voice again, it won't go away. It' been tormenting me for hours. Terrifying me, torturing me. "I haven't finished!"

"Get in the car."

"She's number 24, I am her end!" That cold voice again.

"Get in the car, you sick fuck!" Another voice said.

"She's going into cardia…"

My hearing went, either that or the world around me suddenly silenced. But I could see people taking, see the lights and their sirens, the rain. I was pushed down, forced to lay on my back while very official looking people leaned over me, their eyes wide with adrenaline or fear. Their lips moving, they were talking, but I couldn't hear, I couldn't hear anything. Were they paramedics? My eyes started blurring. I felt blank. Empty, as if I was totally hollow. Just a shell.

I watched carefully through my restricted vision as one of the people mouthed the word 'Clear' or 'Hear'. I couldn't tell until my body jerked involuntarily. I felt that! I felt it, something, anything was welcome right about now. My vision increased slightly, but just a fraction. Just enough to see the same person mouth the same word again. Followed again by my body jerking. The sensation brought back my ability to feel. I felt my fingers, my arms everything. I felt the fear, this fear that had been choking me for a long time. Why was I afraid? What was I afraid of? The unflinching silence was scaring me more than anything. That and the fear stricken faces of the people around me. My body jerked for a third time, sending an itchy electric pulse through my body.

"Miss Wells, can you hear me?" That's my name, Miss Wells! Adrienne Wells.

At her question I must have replied, her eyes calmed visually and she spoke again.

"We're taking you to the Community Hospital in Weymouth. Try to stay awake on the journey." She said calmly, having used that same line over and over no doubt. "You're safe Miss Wells, you're completely safe now."

…From what?

I'm not sure whether I responded aloud or not. Why was I here? What was happening? Everything seemed like it was happening in front of me, but I wasn't involved. Just watching like the world was a huge movie. Everything happened slowly, but at the same time it was is if I'd pressed fast forward; In the ambulance, through the corridors, to a room. Surrounded by more people. Doctors. They treated me, worked over me but I couldn't feel it. My body numb and unflinching as they did whatever they were doing. People came in. I was asked questions, told things. I went through the motions, nodded and shook my head when what was working in my mind told me to. But their faces. None of them seemed contented with my reactions. Each of them shared the same sympathetic glance. Like that look a stranger gives you when they find out your Mum's died. That rehearsed look that has no really care behind the eyes. Why though? What had happened to me?!

It wasn't until a middle aged Doctor came in that I pulled myself to the present. His face already sat in a natural frown, spreading across his wrinkled face.

"Miss Wells." He started strongly. His voice wasn't like the others, there was no pity, no sadness. I looked up and his face wasn't contorted into a well practised pitiful look. His face was as stern as his posture.

"…Yes?" Was that my voice? That croaky whisper couldn't have been me.

"You've gone into shock from the recent events that have transpired."

"What happened?" That was me. What had happened to me? I sounded so totally spent, so used up and warn out, I almost sounded dead.

"What I'm about to tell you may trigger your memory, but you have absolutely nothing to fear." He comforted. For some reason his almost emotionless severity was more comforting than the fussing nurses. "Miss Wells, you were the most recent target and victim of a serial killer known as 'The Butcher'…."

He'd continued talking but his words had seemed to trigger something. My memory of the last few hours hit me like a train. The street, the house, the bloodied floor, the jars of body parts, the rusty blades, the knife, his words, that voice, his face. His face! It flashed into my head and my heart started beating wildly. My entire body numbed again, everything but my chest. It constricted and I felt like I was choking and drowning. A sudden fast beeping was all could hear. All I could focus on was that face, that face that I'm sure was burnt into my brain. I'd never forget that face. The cruel smirk, the soulless eyes.

"Miss Wells, calm down!" Was shouted from somewhere, but it was mainly blocked out by the cruel, callous voice in my head: 'You will be counted, 24.'

I hope you like it! I'm really excited about this one.

I know it's only the Prologue, but I'd love to know what you think.

Thanks for reading!