A/N Huge thanks to Hades for organising this once more, and season's greetings to all :-)
First prompt from Book girl fan: "In a universe slightly different from this one…"
Different Enough
In a universe slightly different from this one…
An ex army physician stumbles backwards, as a mean looking hansom cab
almost runs him over; the cloaked driver whipping his horse, travelling far too fast.
It takes him a few minutes to regain his composure, before gripping his cane tightly
and limping on, reaching the park at last.
A little way ahead, he sees a vaguely familiar figure, tries to catch his attention, fails,
watches as he steps into the Criterion bar, and is gone.
He muses on his possible identity…an old medical acquaintance, perhaps…
he almost follows him in, then shrugs and carries on.
Elsewhere, a young chemistry student is making an important discovery
regarding the science of deduction and the properties of blood.
No one is there to appreciate the significance of the find and the rareness of his talents
or encourage his research. If only someone truly understood.
The ex army physician returns to his hotel room, and sinks onto the thin mattress…
Half pay and no prospects….what future is there for a cripple like him?
The young chemistry student returns to his highly unsatisfactory Montague Street lodgings,
aware that the odds of affording more promising accommodation are vanishingly slim.
~0~
The cab driver, still whipping his horse, stops his mean looking cab
in front of an unexpectedly grand house with an elegant porch and immaculately polished tiles.
Leaping down from the driver's seat, and throwing aside his whip and cloak
as servants scurry to do his bidding, the honourable Sir James Moriarty smiles.
~0~
