Epilogue
Two weeks later, the funeral was held. Erika Catherine Butler was buried where Sherlock once lay. There were very few attendance, with most being doctors who tended to her. It hurt John that so lovely a woman had so few friends. Sherlock stood toward the back, unable to bring himself to look at the casket or her tombstone. As it came to an end the three went home, Mrs Hudson and John on Sherlock's either side.
When they returned to Baker Street, John insisted Sherlock go and shower, assuring him it would make him feel better. When he agreed, the doctor went to make tea before there was a knock at the door. Mrs Hudson's grave face handed him a package addressed to Sherlock before leaving without a word.
Worried about Sherlock's fragile state, he opened the package on his behalf. Inside there was a small box which, he discovered on opening, held a silver, diamond and emerald ring. John recognised it immediately from Sherlock's story and quickly ran to his bedroom as the phone started to ring. He ignored it and put the ring in his locked top drawer, hoping Sherlock would have no need to try and find it.
He went back downstairs, worried about who would send such a thing to him when his questions were answered by the message tone that was being left on their answering machine. The sing-song voice was enough to chill John to the bone.
"I told you I'd burn the heart out of you. Ready to play?"
The beep that ran after the message sent a shiver down John's spine as she hastily deleted the message, resolving never to tell Sherlock of the true horror his story contained.
THE END