The sun was quickly going down and large grey clouds had begun to linger above London as Bill Wiggins made his way towards Waterloo Bridge, the day had become progressively more frigid since he left Baker Street. As he trudged, he looked up at the clouds, nimbostratus, they were most likely carrying snow, he assumed taking by their dark grey colour. He sighed, his eyes watering from the bitter wind that was now hitting his face from across the River Thames. People walked past him, giving him short wary looks, trying to avoid eye contact. It seemed that even though he was in a city full of people, Sherlock Holmes was the only person who gave him the time of day.
"I have a few things I need you to do for me"
Sherlock's voice echoed in his mind as he trekked on. Trying not to think about the numbness of his fingers. After about half an hour, Bill finally arrived at his destination, Sundridge Park. He rubbed his hands together as he trudged through the soggy grass, he could feel the dew being absorbed into his tattered boots, it was an uncomfortable sensation, but not one that he was not used to. Sundridge Park was always quite daunting to Bill, with it's huge trees spanning for many yards. When he had first began living on the streets, Bill spent a lot of his time camping out in the park, in a small old tent which was full of holes. A few others had also made themselves at home there, pitching up tent when the sun went down and hoping not to be seized by the police. They were nice people, Bill thought, they didn't deserve to be sleeping rough. But that was life. Bill followed a small pathway into the small woodland, it was dark beneath the trees, especially since the sun had fallen lower in the sky, almost setting. He followed the path which it took him on a windy course through the trees, after a while. He spotted a campfire in the distance. About five or so people were huddled around it, embracing the warmth. Bill walked over to them, they watched him cautiously as he stretched his hands over the blaze.
"Evening" One of them grunted, Bill nodded at him and the others.
"Is Ed around?" Bill asked, in a weak but stern voice.
"Oi Wiggy! How ya coping mate?" A familiar voice came from behind him. Ed walked out from the shadows. Bill wheeled around and hugged his friend.
"'Avent seen ya round much Wiggy" Ed continued after they pulled apart. They walked away from the campfire to get some privacy.
"i've been busy" Bill replied smiling.
"What brings ya back here?" Ed said, patting Bill's shoulder affectionately.
"Have a little favour to ask" Bill said.
"Oh, I see...not just comin' back to say hi then" Ed laughed, before going into convolutions of coughs.
"Got a bit of a problem, Shezza sent me...Moriarty is back" Bill said, taking out a folded up piece of paper from his jeans, he handed it to Ed.
"Jim moriarty, back from the dead?" Ed read. "I did hear 'bout that"
"He's asked me to station some of us round the city...as surveillance" Bill said.
"What do you wan' me ta do?" Ed said quietly, watching Bill intently.
"Get your gang together and spread the word. Midnight tonight, meeting at the old fire station on Old Kent Road. Got it?" Bill said vigorously. Ed nodded in response.
"Alright see you then Wigg" Ed said, Bill nodded at him and patted him on the shoulder.
"Be careful out there Ed" Bill said with his hand still on Ed's shoulder. Ed nodded and stumbled back to the camp. Bill's hands were shaking violently now, the wind was raw against his face, the sunlight was gone, the woodland had become pitch black. It took Bill a few minutes to find his way back onto the footpath, just as the first snowflake well on his cheek.
About an hour later, Bill was sitting, in the shelter below Waterloo Bridge, trying to keep himself warm but blowing hot breath onto his shivering hands. The snow was falling faster now and was beginning to stick on the dry ground. Bill wondered if it would continue through the night, it was very difficult to tell. He could hear Big Ben in the distance, ringing out nine o'clock, he had three hours to wait before the meeting at Old Kent Road, so he tried to get his thoughts in order; he decided that he would try to appoint three or so men at each derelict house, that would be about two hundred men...maybe more, Bill was too distracted to do the maths. He remembered that there was also an abandoned commercial park up in Enfield that he would have to designate about ten men up there, there was also a string of deserted factories along the south bank of the Thames. Bill put his head in his hands. It was a big city. Yes, he thought, a big city, a big city with loads of places Moriarty could be hiding, ready to strike.
Bill had confidence that Ed wouldn't let him down, every homeless person in London probably knew about the meeting by now. Bill smiled to himself, he had never felt apart of something so big in his life, it made him feel protected. He watched, as the snow danced down from the grey clouds above, covering London in a thick blanket of white.
At about eleven thirty, Bill came out from under the bridge, the snow was still falling but it seemed to have become less excessive. As he stumbled through the snow, Bill's shoes became increasingly soggy, seaping through to his socks and making him feel colder than he already was. The city was quite busy, despite the recent snow shower, cars and cabs filled the streets, slogging slowly through the snow. Bill watched as the people inside them seemed to grow more and more impatient, beeping their horns in annoyance. 'What the hell are ya honking for mate, won't change the weather' He said to himself as he pulled up his collar against the bitter wind. As he walked down Waterloo road, Bill went over the plan in his head. 'Ed's lot will take the south bank, another twenty or so will cover the string of abandoned houses by Hyde Park...' He continued down the street until he hit Old Kent Road. The street was infamous for it's cheap housing and abandoned buildings, among them being an old fire station which had become a meeting spot for junkies for the past few years, but it had been recently searched out by the police, leaving it abandoned once more, making it perfect for Bill's use. Bill went around the back of the fire station, where he was met by a busted window. He climbed in quickly, slowly lowering his two cold feet onto the old wooden floor. The station was dark. He found a small candle on a shelf and took his lighter out to light the candle. Bill put his hands over the small flame for warmth, before taking out his old nokia phone to check the time. It was 11:55. 'People should start arriving soon' He said to himself, lighting up a cigarette. Suddenly, Bill heard a rustle from the other side of the room, he turned to try to find the source of the sound, but the room was too dark.
"Hullo" Bill called. "You here for the meetin'?" There was no response. "I know you're there, don't play games with me" There was a cold, eerie silence.
"Games? Oh, I do like games" Came a voice from the shadows. Suddenly something grabbed him from behind, he yelled in shock. He tried to pull away put the hands that held him were too strong. He struggled and shouted in fear, as the cold voice giggled smugly from the shadows.
"Nighty night" The voice said as Bill felt a hard thump on the top of his head, causing him to fall down on the cold, wooden floor. He strugged to stay concious, the room was spinning around him and his vision was blurred. He felt himself slipping into the familiar darkness.
"Down and... down... you... go" The voice whispered before starting to sing:
"Wotcher!" all the neighbours cried
'Oo yer gonna meet, Bill'
'Ave yer bought the street, Bill?'
Laugh? - I - fort I should've died
Knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road!
(('Wotcher! Knocked Em In The Old Kent Road' Sung by Shirley Temple & Arthur Treacher))
((HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CHAPTER GUYS, MORE TO COME!))