CHAPTER 8. THE ESCAPED PIRATE AT THE LIBRARY
John held his books under his arm, he wanted to return them and check out some new ones on William Braydon maybe a biography. He found the assistant surgeon of the British East Indian Company very interesting. Well he found any thing on the military interesting and it was a way to pass his time, the summer holidays were too long. He dreaded summer Holidays more than anything, at least he had started early on with the reading list. Maybe this would give him an advantage in the coming school year, his stomach growled reminding him he hadn't eaten and it was already past noon.
"No use in complaining, not like we can do anything about it." He hated the empty feeling in his belly and even though it was always present during the summer holidays it was something he could never get used to. He hoped that Harry would bring some chips home again from her job, but doubted it, besides she hadn't be en home in days. Just another thing to worry about, he didn't want to think of the trouble she got up to.
While he cut through the park he heard loud voices, John usually liked to mind his own business, today however he ignored this fact. He followed the familiarly loud curses, wondering what poor animal was being tortured today by the Williams boys.
He spotted the three Williams brothers advancing on a kid not an animal, although he might as well have been the way his eyes scanning the three, sizing them up. Wide gray intelligent eyes, his dark mop of curls unruly, John could see he was searching for a possible escape but they'd cornered him against the fence.
John new these kids, they went to his school and Tommy the oldest of the three played on the rugby team. The smaller dark haired boy he'd never seen before. The kid was skinny and reminded John of one of the porcelain figurines mum used to have on the shelves. Before his father had broken them all. Looking at the fair skinned kid, John guessed he had to be seven maybe eight, and his clothes weren't exactly play clothes. He was on his way to a piano recital or a funeral, maybe. John could hear Tommy Williams swearing drawing his fist back, he sent it into the smaller kids stomach. The blond boy winced, dropping his books, what the hell were they up to? That kid was way to small for them to be pounding on.
"Oi!" John yelled. "What the hell!?"
"Oh, Watson what do you want?"
"Let em loose." John growled, "He's just a kid. I cant believe you lot picking on a toddler."
"I am hardly a toddler." The dark haired boy managed in a hoarse voice. He was attempting to suck in air, ineffectively. John ignored his smart ass comment and continued to stare Tommy down. "I said let em loose!"
"This isn't your business Watson, why don't you run home to your drunkard daddy and whore sister." And that was it, John hadn't intended for it to go that far but one minute he's standing in front of Tommy the next he's punching the other boy in the face, his two friends let the smaller boy go and started in on John. It wasn't a fair fight, and John hadn't eaten in two days, any other time he'd of managed a little better. This time he ended up on his back staring up at the cloudless sky, and pair of inquisitive gray eyes looking intently down at him like a specimen to be studied under a microscope.
"You blacked out." The kid stated casually almost bored.
"Not the first time, or the last I guess." John sat up his left side hurt and he winced, he could taste the blood in his mouth. "You ok?" the dark haired boy pulled a silk handkerchief out of his pocket.
"Of course I'm fine. You however seem to be bleeding." John put a hand to his nose. "So I am. Thanks but it'll stop on its own, besides I don't think your mum will be to happy if I get blood on this." The dark haired kid shrugged "I have more." The blond kid looked over the smaller one, noting the dark haired boys blazer seemed a little dirty but nothing too bad, no bruises on his face.
"It seems after they beat you unconscious they no longer had the energy or urge to continue with me." John nodded
"Sounds about right." Standing he held the handkerchief to his nose, glancing down at his blue and white stripped shirt his stomach turned, he only had a handful of good shirts and this one was his favorite now the collar was ripped and he'd never get the grass and blood stains out. "So who are you here with?" John asked his voice coming a bit muffled from holding the kerchief to his nose.
"I've decided to stretch my legs and go for a walk, when those imbecilic apes started to annoy me."
"Yeah they can be a bit dense. They only punched you once right?"
"I've been hit harder by the girls at my school. I'm fine." John laughed and then winced.
"Well good day then. You can keep the handkerchief, like I said I have others."
"Wait-" John called, gathering his books from the grass, glad they were unharmed. The dark haired kid continued on as if he hadn't heard John at all.
"Hey! I said wait." John stepped in front of the younger boy.
"What?"
"What? Is that anyway to treat someone who just saved you from a beating?"
"No one asked you.'
"I suppose you're right. Still, how old are you?"
"Six."
"Six? You're a bit tall for six." The dark haired boy shrugged.
"And you're a bit short for eight." John laughed now amused.
"Fair. Seriously though, where is your guardian, or parents. "
"Like I said I wanted to stretch my legs."
"You ran away?"
"More like escaped the nanny."
"Right then. Come on." John took the boy by the arm.
"Unhand me, I don't appreciate your accosting me. I'm going nowhere with you. I'm busy."
"Oh? Do tell."
"It's of no matter to you."
"Listen-er what's your name?"
"Sherlock." the boy rolled his eyes "Anything else?"
"Sherlock, it's a ruff neighborhood for you to be here alone. Where do you live? Where is your minder? I'm sure your parents are besides themselves, your mum especially."
"They probably haven't even noticed I'm gone. Besides I don't need them. I can take care of myself."
"So I see."
"That was an exception."
"Right. So it's settled. You're coming with me to the library than I'm taking you home."
"Did you say Library?"
"Yes, it's a place where people go to check out books and-"
"I know what a library is! I just hadn't realized this little town would have one."
"Every place has a library."
"Well lead the way, I am interested in finding a book to read. It would a marvelous way to pass the time for now."
"So Sherlock-"
"Yes, John."
"Wait how do you know my name?"
"The red haired boy with the black trainers, I believe he left that shoe print on your forearm, he called you John. Well technically he used a very interesting noun and then your name."
"I bet. As I was saying, what kind of books do you find interesting?"
"Pirates."
"Pirates?"
"Maybe one of those idiots kicked you in the head. I really hate repeating myself."
"Oh, I got you. Pirates. You just seem like more of a dinosaurs kind of kid."
"Dinosaurs are for babies."
"To each his own." John smiled and the young kid with his long legs managed to keep up with John.
"So why were they harassing you?"
"I told the taller one he was a bed wetter-"
"You what?"
"It was truth."
John laughed now earnestly, trying to picture the look on Tommy's face.
"It was something like this." Sherlock answered the unspoken question by showing John a great imitation of the frog-faced bully.
"Dead on!"
"I usually am."
"Aren't you smug for some one so young." Sherlock's dark eyebrows arched. " I know your name is John Watson. You have an older sister whose never home probably because she's staying with her boyfriend, and your father is a drunk. Your mummy is dead. You wish you weren't on summer holiday. Maybe because you like school, most likely because your father is a drunk. And you want to be a doctor or a soldier when you grow up." Sherlock stood stiffly now, waiting for John to shout and even punch him. But he hadn't, he only grinned.
"That was brilliant! Absolutely brilliant."
"You think so?"
"Yes. Does that surprise you?"
"It's just not what people normally say."
"What do people normally say?"
"Piss off." John laughed despite his empty stomach; throbbing headache and split lip. "So was I right?"
"Yes, almost. My sister is staying with her girlfriend. Harry isn't really into boys. Something Dad isn't to happy about."
"Girlfriend. Well there's always something."
At the library the younger boy demanded John check out seven pirate books and a book on botany. Even though he knew how to read, which impressed John immensely, he wanted them read to him.
John settled on three, one being an advanced book on plants. He first demanded the boy's address before he continued with the deal. And the younger boy obliged, with the agreement that after the first two that he would walk the smaller boy home.
John lead Sherlock into a section of the small library that had bean bags of all different colors "Absolutely atrocious" the younger boy had remarked. John plopped down into one and gestured for Sherlock to do the same. Surprisingly enough the younger boy found the odd shaped furniture comfortable. "This is the part of the library we can be loud in." John explained and it was then that Sherlock noted several other children his age or younger sitting with a parent and being read to. Mostly books with pictures and shapes. He shook his head in disgust, turning back to John waiting impatiently for the blond to start the story.
Sherlock listened to John's tone he even did the voices. Pirates were brilliant and they had such adventures no one told them what to do. Always dashing about, somewhere to go. No older brothers to rein you in, no nannies nothing.
"Alright Sherlock it's getting late and I'll be having to be home so lets go." It took them a few hours to walk to Sherlock's house, the idea that the younger kid had navigated himself down the winding road seemed a bit unsettling. Finally they reached a long drive way leading up to what looked like a castle of sorts.
"Well you've walked me home. Bye John." John held back a laugh at the dismissive tone of his new friend.
"Nice try Sherlock." John went up to the big wooden door and knocked no answer, so he rang the bell, all the while gripping the younger boys collar. "I agreed to give you my address so you could walk me home! Well we're here, I never agreed to go inside!"
"Yes." The butler that answered looked John over as if he were a beggar.
"Uh, yes. I seemed to have found something that belongs to you."
"Unlikely." The butler snorted ready to slam the door on the filthy child. Then the blond kid with the bruised lip pulled a dark haired boy out from behind him.
"Move Royce!" The young master growled. "Come along John. Might as well come in." The blond boy nervously stepped around the butler, who gave him a cold look.