The Adventure of the Sentient Snow

by Drake Brecht

A year after Sherlock Holmes' death at the Reichenbach Falls, Watson becomes involved in a most unusual case, involving the death of a governess at a mansion pond. The death is in-fact linked with an invasion of sentient ice, which 'The Doctor' is investigating. Soon, the two become involved with a full-scale snow invasion. But beneath it all, an old enemy is re-emerging...

4. An Unexpected Development

Chapter IV: "An Unexpected Development"

The following morning, as I was intending to follow-up the strange case that had befallen me of late, Inspector Lestrade called me with a matter of some urgency. It was believed the governess I had mentioned earlier had in-fact drowned in the pond by the house she had been serving. The Montague mansion - which I refer to by the name of its replacement governess - was clearly my next stage to uncovering the mystery. But little did I know that the two cases that had creeped-up on me were inextricably linked. It was because of this that Inspector Lestrade would be disappointed to learn that I was in-fact retiring from my occupation as a police surgeon. The reasons for this were of great simplicity, and one which I cannot claim to have been less complicated.

I have already mentioned that the previous governess had died in the pond of the mansion. Well, it so happened that this pond was now frozen-over. Completely. I had examined it that same day with Lestrade. My hand had touched it, and the ice began to grow. Only this time, I was able to recognise the feeling of it feeding from my thoughts. It was at this moment that my detective's instincts had been confirmed: these two adventures were now blending together. I had surprised myself with how well I'd been able to apply Mr. Holmes' methods. He would be proud. Plus, I was gleeful at the devastating coincidence of the Snow being unfortunate have given me prior knowledge of them. And to a detective, too. It may have been impulsive, but I just felt I had to do it. I couldn't stop myself. Retrospectively, I think I'd realised that Scotland Yard were dealing with something nobody understood. That, and the way the Snow had brought me into 'the Doctor''s life. Without doubt, my destiny lay with him, not with Earth. And so I resigned. Right there.

It's as though I understood everything. The Doctor. The travelling man. Miserable and disconnected. But I'd crossed his path. On that lonely night. Upon that cloud. Think of the stories that I could have told.