This was a short story I wrote some time ago for a Sherlock short story competition that I thought I would share on here. I don't own Sherlock Holmes the incredible Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the gentleman behind the incredible feat of English literature that is Sherlock Holmes. I could never do it justice, this was just a fun little creative writing exercise for me. It was also restricted to a certain word limit which I hate as usually I prefer to be able to write with more detail but hopefully it flows ok as a short story, there are only three chapters so i will post them pretty quick.

"Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes, please …. Answer me!" Those were my last desperate words to my friend, pleading with him not to die.

1

It was a bitter December morning as I walked back to our rooms at 221B Baker Street. I returned to find my old friend, Mr Sherlock Holmes in the front room, wrapped in an old white bed sheet which was stained with copious amounts of blood. The crimson splatter also covered the sheets on the floor, underneath the suspended pig carcass that was pooling into the tray below. The large hunting knife was still poised in his hand as he proceeded to greet me as if he was displaying the most ordinary mundane behaviour - Which i guess it was for Holmes.

"Good morning Watson! I see you have the good fortune to bring this morning's Times with you after your appointment". Sherlock threw the knife down on the side table as he wiped his hands on the sheet so he could take the paper.

"What are you doing now? It's a wonder Mrs Hudson doesn't ask you to find rooms elsewhere." I looked for a safe route to my usual wing backed armchair.

"No need to be so rash Watson, it will be cleaned in due course, I was just testing my theory on the murder of Mr Callow. With the use of this fresh pig carcass, I have been able to determine that the evidence in this case has been tampered with my dear fellow."

How on earth do you deduce that?" I replied unconvinced as I sat down in relief at having not got covered in blood.

"The shirt that the accused was wearing when he awoke from being unconscious was covered in blood spatter. By stabbing this carcass to emulate the same wound as on the victim, I have deduced that the blood spatter on the accused gentleman's shirt is inconsistent with the blood splatter produced from this particular stab wound, therefore one can conceive that he is entirely innocent and has been framed. The murderer is still at large."

"Well done Holmes!"

"I have already telegrammed for Lestrade, if I am not mistaken; that is his footsteps on the stairs now."

Once Lestrade had been seated Holmes ran through what we knew of the case so far and the new evidence. Pacing before the glow of the fireplace he began. "Mr Callow was an up and coming land owner and developer who owned several properties in the Hertfordshire area and lived between there and here in London. Now usually with this profession there are always a few disgruntled parties with good reason to despise such a man. So, when Mr Callow stumbled home merrily one evening last Saturday someone took the opportunity to vent their hatred in the most destructive manner. On Sunday morning Mr Callow was found at the bottom of his driveway. He had been stabbed in the abdomen causing immediate hemorrhaging and his eventual death. Also, at the scene of the crime a young man called Andrew Smith was found unconscious covered in blood. When questioned; he could not state how he got there or why his shirt and hands were covered in blood. The murder weapon was located a mile away in the local stream. Andrew was subsequently arrested for murder. His mother came to me in person with the case, she believes her son has been a victim of crime he did not commit."

Holmes then demonstrated the blood splatter argument that he explained to me earlier, he also speculated as to why would the murder weapon be located a mile away in a stream when the so-called murderer was still present at the scene? Holmes turned expectantly towards Lestrade.

"Maybe; The lad ditched the weapon but then realised to his dismay that he had left something just as incriminating at the scene of the crime? So, he ran back for it only to stumble in his blind panic and knock himself out? There is evidence to suggest the boy received concussion from blunt force trauma to the head." Lestrade reasoned from the case notes he had flicked through.

"More likely that the murderer was intent on framing the poor boy and in his haste forgot to leave the knife at the scene and so fled with it still in his hand."

"Excellent reasoning Watson!" interjected Holmes "I couldn't have put it better myself. So, you see Lestrade it is still unsolved and I would like to visit the crime scene myself to establish the correct events, will you join us?"

"Very well Holmes; I see this case has sparked your damn curiosity, just don't make the whole of Scotland Yard look like fools!" With that Lestrade stormed out our rooms and down the stairs.

"Well, I take it he won't be accompanying us any time soon." Said Holmes with a wry smile.