While the letter is finished easily, it takes Sherlock a bit longer to order the other things that he's looking for and complete everything that he puts into a package for John, hoping that it gets there in one piece. He even includes a Christmas card just for kicks, though that's surprisingly hard to find in the middle of November. Still, it has a picture of London all decked out in Christmas lights so he thought that was something John would appreciate.
~oOo~
Dear John,
Things are going well for me, thank you. I am completing the program with surprising ease after the first few weeks of.. well, let's call it a transition period. That was rather difficult. But I find that as long as I have something else to stimulate my mind the cravings are easy to ignore. Writing to you has, surprisingly, helped me a great deal. When this was forced on me, I doubted I would get a reply, and I doubted even if I did that it would help.
As for Christmas, we would not be able to meet face to face this year, I have to stay in this facility for a year, minimum. That is what my brother informed me in any case. If, after that, I believe I can return to society without returning to my former drug-using ways, then I will be allowed out. So it seems as if next Christmas would be the first time we would be able to meet face to face anyway. I think by then we will have written enough letters that it would not be considered strange. And, once I get out of this place and if you are able, I could provide you with my phone number if you wish.
I hope you enjoy the presents I have enclosed. Since you don't have family that would be likely to send you presents, and you will not be coming home, I thought I would do my best to send you a little bit of home instead. Hopefully none of it will be confiscated and it will all reach you intact.
You wished to know about my deductive skills. I can tell details about a person from things I observe, from their occupation, to their marital status and other details of their lives. So far from your letters I can tell certain things about you. You were well educated even before you decided to become a doctor, shockingly you have rather good handwriting which means that your school put quite a bit of emphasis on it, but not enough to force you to learn to write with your right hand. I got ahead of myself a little there. You're left-handed, I can tell by the way the words are slightly smudged from your hand going over them after you've written, something you don't usually find with a right-handed person. You don't usually write at a desk, but probably on your legs, judging by the varied angles at which you write. But every page you've sent me has been from the same pad of paper, one that I would guess you use exclusively for writing these letters, judging by the matching wear along the edges and the curling along the bottom of the paper that is visible even after they have spent so much time in envelopes. Not to mention a few matching stains.
I would guess you are a confident person judging by the sharp, precise strokes, you don't hesitate in your writing, you think it over beforehand. I already know you're a doctor which indicates a caring for people in general, as does the fact that you are a soldier. You want to protect people. Maybe because as a child you were unable to protect yourself or someone you love. Given that your sister is an alcoholic, I would guess you could not protect her, probably from your father, who was most likely also an alcoholic. Something else that might motivate you to enter the army, get as far away from that household as possible. A doctor could have done that, which indicates you might also have some problems with anger or perhaps you merely enjoy the adrenaline rush of being a field surgeon. Alcoholism is often found between parents and children. Clearly you disapprove because you know what kind of lifestyle it can lead to.
If I saw you in person I would be able to determine much more. But I'm afraid that's all I can deduce about you from your handwriting. Besides that you are very clean. Since there is no doubt a need to conserve water, when it's not available you use hand sanitizer, the smell is transferred onto the letter. Barely detectable, but the same scent is there on enough of them for me to be able to identify it.
The weather has turned cold, the leaves are off the trees and we had the first snowfall the other night. It didn't stay around long, but it was quite beautiful. You're right, Christmas decorations have started to go up, and I hope you like the card I included with it, to give you a little taste of what I am sure London will look like in another week or two. The other residents here and the employees have started decorating for Christmas, but I have never felt a need for such things.
Like you, the employees here have encouraged me to work on my sketching and since I can do very little else. By now, all of the other residents avoid me. They do not like hearing the truth about themselves, it seems. I hope you enjoy my second attempt at sketches, which I believe is much better than the original ones I sent you.
I hope you have not had any more bad days. I feel that I should reassure you that you know more about me than anyone else of my acquaintance. Except possibly my brother, but he has merely known me longer.
I hope you enjoy the things I've sent you. And Merry Christmas.
Sincerely,
Sherlock
~oOo~
It's nearly Christmas when John gets the package, and he is a little surprised at it, sitting on his cot cross-legged as he looks at the plain brown wrapping, then slowly opens it. He sees the card and the letter, opening those first which makes him even more eager to find out what else is inside. Though the card with the beautiful view of London at Christmas makes him smile, and he pins it up by his cot before he looks at what else is in the box. The first two items he pulls out are by far the most lavish and the ones that surprise him the most. The first is a leather folder that fits a pen and pad inside, smaller than what he's been using, but easier to handle and it provides a solid back to write on. The front is embossed in gold lettering, reading 'Captain John H. Watson, M.D.' Along with it is a Space Pen, which according to the box, will write upside down, underwater or in space, as if he would ever need that. Along with that is a few refills for it, and John shakes his head a little. Below that are two sketches, which are very much better than the first ones, one of the same garden a before but there are leaves on the ground and the trees are clearly changing colors though the sketch is black and white. The second is a sketch of the London skyline, shocking in its detail. It appears to be at night if the stars in the sky are to be believed, and John can even tell which windows are lit up by the type of shading Sherlock used. For a few moments he just stares at it, taking in all the details before he leans back on his cot, still a little shocked. Everything was obviously thoughtful, and it touches John more than anything else he might receive, making him smile as he carefully puts the sketches up next to the others, smiling faintly as he looks at them all.
Hehee.. I hope you all approve, it took me a while to decide what Sherlock might have done for Christmas. :D Thank you again for all the wonderful reviews and the many follows, it's kind of mindblowing. :)
Even though I am farther ahead in writing, thank you for any and all suggestions, it helps me put in little touches to later letters. :)
Enoy! As always, reviews/comments welcome!