Don't own the story or the characters, they belong to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the BBC. Just borrowing for some fun. Enjoy!
The Blog of Doctor John Watson
Ever since I started blogging about the interesting cases that Sherlock and I (I include myself loosely here) have solved, I have faced many difficulties. Mostly from Sherlock himself. If he's not attacking the way I write them, he's banning me from writing some of the cases altogether!
He has this huge aversion to publicity; surprising since he usually loves attention. To his cynical nature, any public recognition annoys him. Nothing "amuses" him more at the end of a successful (but challenging) case than to hand over the actual exposure to some orthodox official, and to listen with a mocking smile when all the praise goes to those in Scotland Yard.
It's this kind of attitude that makes it difficult for me to blog, not because of a lack of interesting material. People might get bored of me writing about Sherlock's daily routines. For one, he doesn't have a routine (I really wish he had-waking up at all hours of the night really affects my work). My participation in his cases has actually been a privilege, though I won't say that to his face. He can read it like everyone else, makes it less embarrassing.
So it was a surprise when Sherlock looked up from his laptop last Tuesday and said:
"Why not write up the 'Cornish horror'? That was…unusual."
That case was nearly a year ago now and I had no idea why he remembered it now; he usually deletes things. The hardest part was the fact I couldn't remember it at first! But I have found that writing notes during and after a case comes in handy every now and again. So before he could change his mind, I went in search of the notes. Then I could truly tell the story.
….
It was in the middle of spring nearly a year ago that Sherlock's strong will (in other words, stubbornness) showed some symptoms of giving way in the face of constant hard work, aggravated perhaps by his weird habits. In March of that year Dr. Moore Agar of Harley Street, whose case was so big that the world's "only" consulting detective lay aside his other cases and surrender himself to complete rest, in order to avoid a mental breakdown. He doesn't really care for his health that much, but after being threatened by Lestrade that he would have no cases for at least a year, Sherlock agreed to go away for a while with me.
So that's how we found ourselves in a small cottage near Poldhu Bay, the furthest extremity of the Cornish Peninsula.
It was a place that bizarrely suited Sherlock's grim humour. From the windows of the little white washed house, which stood high upon a grassy headland, we looked down upon the whole sinister semicircle of Mounts Bay, with its fringe of black cliffs and surge-swept reefs.
On the land, our surroundings were as sombre as the sea. It was a country of rolling moors, lonely and dun-coloured, with an occasional church tower to mark the site of some old-world village, it was a world away compared to London, and I liked it. The glamour and mystery of the place appealed to Sherlock's imagination, and he spent a lot of his time taking long walks across the moor.
He had received a volume of books on philology and was settling down to develop his thesis when suddenly, to his abject delight (and my disappointment), we found ourselves plunged into a problem which was more intense, more engrossing and way more mysterious than we'd ever had in London.
Before this case came to us, while we were there everything was peaceful and simple, a healthy routine violently interrupted. I thought Sherlock was enjoying himself, even though there wasn't much to do. I love being involved in cases and running around London, but I was enjoying just relaxing for once (God, I'm getting old). And then we were in the midst of a series of events which not only gripped Cornwall, but throughout the whole west of England. (And yet, it was never on the news or in the newspapers. I suspect Mycroft had something to do with that.)
Now I will give the true details of this weird affair to the public.
I said…Oh great. Another case. He asks me to write up an interesting case then he tries to push me out of the chair to hurry. I'll finish later.
….
COMMENTS
Ooh, romantic getaway, John. Hope you won't go in to much details :p
Harry
So that's where you went off to during Sherlock's "issues"? I thought that older brother had something to do with it, you know, being in the government and all.
Lestrade
Oh Doctor Watson, don't let this be a weird holiday blog about the freak. I might just vomit hearing you both loved up.
Sally Donovan
John, sounds delightful! Pray, do tell us all. I, especially, am dying to know.
Anonymous
John, mate. Still up for that pint?
Bill Murray
So glad to hear (well watch) you're doing a whole new case, John! I've been involved in a few, you know, with the morgue work. Something new!
Molly Hooper
For the last time, Sherlock and I are not together! And no it wasn't a "romantic getaway", Harry. Bloody hell, it was just a holiday. Lestrade, Sherlock wants you to phone him.
John Watson
Don't be shy, Doctor Watson ;) Let the whole world know about Sherlock's heart.
Anonymous
You know, you don't need to be "anonymous". We all know who you are, JIM!
John Watson.
Lestrade, ignore John. You know to text rather than phone.
And John, how many times do I have to tell you not to be dramatic? What are you doing-advertising Cornwall? Hope you're on commission. Please write about the actual case next time. Oh, and we're out of milk.
Sherlock Holmes
Shut up. And I would have gotten to the case bit had you not dragged me out in the cold!
Oh, and get the milk yourself. SEMI-SKIMMED! Not soya, like last time.
John Watson
Ooh, I do love looking at you having a domestic ;)
Anonymous
Shut up.
John Watson
Shut up.
Sherlock Holmes
….
AN: Reviews would be lovely.