A/N: Shedoc- I will try to add more detail to my offering, and I
hope you like it. I have no idea why the print is all on one side of
the page. I just assumed that it must be a quirk of using Interoffice.
Magicdaisy, Literatech, KCS, 3Bee, and FroggyKnight, this is for
you. Enjoy.
Holmes' POV
I opened the door, and was amazed to see the man himself shoved
into my arms. I caught the semi-conscious man just in time to save
him from slithering back down the steps as his legs gave way.
Receding footsteps rang though the night, but my attention was
captivated by the man in my arms.
I quickly got him to the sofa in the front room and turned the gas
up. Dear God in heaven, I never expected to see so much blood!
I yelled to a young boy in the street. When he turned, I recognized
him as an Irregular.
"I need a doctor—now!"
With wide eyes he ran off to fetch one.
A low groan came from the couch. " Holmes......read my back."
He was lying on his stomach, and was naked from the waist up,
which made this much easier. I blinked. Those cuts on his back
WERE letters. My curiosity thoroughly roused, I read with interest
the most gory missive I have read yet.
"Don't take the case
And stay out of my way
Or both of you will live
To rue that day."
I just had time to read this when a young man with ginger colored
hair stepped through the front door, which was still open. He held
out his hand. "Dr. Palmer. Where is the patient?"
I led him to the sofa, where he worked over the form of my friend
quickly and quietly, pausing to murmur a comforting word to him
every now and again. Finally he straightened and addressed me.
"This is what I have done: he's got a shot of morphine under his
belt, so he will feel no pain for a few hours. His back has been
cleaned and bandaged. He has lost a lot of blood, so he will need
more rest and nourishment. Our enemy now is infection, so I will be
back daily to change the bandages, and to clean his back again. I
will also start him on a powerful course of antibiotics. I will also
leave some morphine here in case he needs it. Do you have any
questions?"
"No, I think you have addressed everything."
"Then I shall see you tomorrow. " He made his way to the door,
and stopped, addressing an unasked question. "You may depend
upon my discretion. I know when to keep my mouth firmly closed."
With that assurance, he disappeared into the night.
I turned and gathered my old friend in my arms. He was much
lighter than I thought he would be. I must start to remind him to eat.
Usually it was the other way 'round.
A cross between a sob and a giggle escaped his lips. "Steady on,
old man, you're safe now." Those eyes that had seen so much with
me opened. They rested on my face for a moment before they
fluttered closed again. "Holmes',he sighed. And then he slept.
I covered him up. He would stay in my room and I would make
myself comfortable in on the sofa. It would not be the first time.
I lay down on the couch. Thoughts were chasing each other in
my mind. Who would do this, and why to Watson? To get my
attention, perhaps? Well, he or she certainly succeeded in that.
Since I did not have any cases that I was currently working on, I
supposed that the warning was for a case that was coming my way.
As I could do nothing at the current time, I forced myself to try to
relax. Sometime in the early hours I fell into an uneasy slumber.