"Why must they have such deuced strange names, Watson?"
Holmes paced in front of the fire as I read over On Afghanistan's Plains. The fire crackled and threw long shadows on the walls as I flipped a page.
"I mean, isn't it enough that they pile up the world with absolutely meaningless rubbish regarding us, and go on to absolutely ruin the reputations you and I have worked so hard to put up? No, they have to- I say, are you listening to me?"
A pair of furious grey eyes looked at me and I suddenly found that I was no longer holding the manuscript.
"Holmes!"
Sherlock Holmes ran his eyes over the paper with interest. "What is this?"
"It is one of her stories. Holmes, give it back! I was reading it!"
"On Afghanistan's Plains" Holmes read slowly. "Ah this sounds interesting." He glanced at my flushed face with amusement. "It concerns you, does it not?"
I glowered at him and watched as he continued to flip through the pages idly. Something arrested his attention and he straightened and began to read intently.
I sighed. Clearly he was not going to put that down, so I turned my attention onto its sequel.
A Young British Soldier
I smiled, knowing well what this involved. I was not young anymore, but…. I glanced up to see Holmes looking up with a troubled expression.
"I say, Watson," His voice was low and hesitant "I had no idea-"
I smiled at him and gently pulled the manuscript from his grip.
"Perhaps we should put this one aside." I nodded at his obvious reluctance and painful relief. "Surely, there is happier materiel?"
He assented and, quickly pulling a sheaf of papers, handed it to me, still clearly struggling to wipe the images I had no doubt he encountered while reading of my time in Afghanistan. Holmes imagination is vivid.
More Things That Never Happened To Sherlock Holmes
Both Holmes and I groaned in unison. We both clearly remembered its prequel.
"Well, it can't get any worse, can it?" Holmes's sigh was dismal and I struggled to hide a smile. We both peered into the page.
A few moments later-
"You really would kill Evans if anything happen to me, Holmes? I'm touched."
"Oh, Watson!"
Terribly sorry for the late update. I would have updated sooner but my friend Wao Cheng was killed in the China Earthquakes so I've been in a state of shock for a couple of weeks.
