Once upon a time, there was a little army doctor who was not afraid of anything.

One windy October afternoon, the little army doctor left his flat and went for a walk through London, leaning on his cane. He walked so long and so far that it started to get dark. There was only a sliver of moon shining through the night. The little army doctor started to walk home.

Suddenly he stopped!

Right in the middle of the pavement were two big shoes. And the shoes went CLOMP, CLOMP.

"Get out of my way, you two big shoes! I'm not afraid of you," said the little army doctor.

On he walked, down the street. But behind him he could hear…
two shoes go CLOMP, CLOMP.

A little farther on, the little army doctor stumbled into a pair of trousers. And the trousers went WIGGLE, WIGGLE.

"Get out of my way, you pair of trousers. I'm not afraid of you," said the little army doctor.

On he walked, but behind him he could hear…
two shoes go CLOMP, CLOMP,
a pair of trousers go WIGGLE, WIGGLE.

Farther still, the little army doctor bumped into a tight purple shirt. And the shirt went SHIMMY, SHIMMY.

"Get out of my way, you purple shirt! I'm not afraid of you," said the little army doctor.

On he walked, a little bit faster. But but behind him he could hear…
two shoes go CLOMP, CLOMP,
a pair of trousers go WIGGLE, WIGGLE,
a purple shirt go SHIMMY, SHIMMY.

A little way on, the army doctor came upon a deerstalker hat. And the hat went NOD, NOD.

"Get out of my way, you deerstalker hat! I'm not afraid of you!" said the little army doctor.

On he walked, just a little bit faster. But but behind him he could hear…
two shoes go CLOMP, CLOMP,
a pair of trousers go WIGGLE, WIGGLE,
a purple shirt go SHIMMY, SHIMMY,
a deerstalker hat go NOD, NOD.

By now, the little army doctor was walking at quite a fast pace. He was very near his flat when he was startled by two plump cupid's bow lips. And the lips said, "JOHN… JOHN…"

This time the little army doctor did not stop to talk. He did not stop at all. He dropped his cane and he RAN!

The little army doctor did not look back. He ran as fast as he could and didn't catch his breath until he was safe inside his flat with the door locked. He sat in his chair by the fire and he panted and he panted.

It was so quiet in his flat before the KNOCK, KNOCK on the door.

Should he answer it?

Well, he was not afraid of anything. So he went to the door and opened it.

What do you think he saw?

Two shoes go CLOMP, CLOMP,
a pair of trousers go WIGGLE, WIGGLE,
a purple shirt go SHIMMY, SHIMMY,
a deerstalker hat go NOD, NOD,
and two cupid's bow lips say, "JOHN… JOHN…"

"I'm not afraid of you," said the little army doctor. "What do you want, anyway?"

"We've come to kiss you," said the cupid's bow lips.

The little army doctor's heart beat faster, but he was not afraid of anything. So he stood up on his tiptoes and kissed the cupid's bow lips.

And what do you think happened next?

Two shoes went CLOMP, CLOMP,
a pair of trousers went WIGGLE, WIGGLE,
a purple shirt went SHIMMY, SHIMMY,
a deerstalker hat went NOD, NOD,
and two cupid's bow lips said, "JOHN… JOHN…"
as Sherlock tossed all of his clothes in a heap
and took John to bed.

THE END

End Notes: If you enjoyed this spooky — but not too spooky — story, you might also enjoy a dark — but not too dark — tale I wrote a while back. It's called In the Dark, Dark City.

Reviews make me smile. :)