7th December prompt from Ennui Enigma - Look around the room, find 3 objects and incorporate them into a story
my "room" was a station platform in London during last weekend's stormy weather in the UK.
Platform Five
Platform five at Euston, there's a bustling and unsettled air;
storms throughout the south of England, cancelled journeys everywhere.
Word comes in from distant stations, trains are stopped, routes rearranged,
travellers wait for news, uncertain, tales of thwarted plans exchanged.
Gentlemen consult their Bradshaw's, flick through pages, full of doubt,
harried matrons clutch umbrellas, crosswinds turn them inside out,
whistles blow as routes are altered, guards and porters rush about.
~0~
Youngsters greet each other loudly, collars up and coats wrapped tight,
loiter near the turnstiles…boys entranced by trains, a common sight.
Grumbling porters shift their goods, a priest in flapping robes strides past.
two traders wait with crates of fish; their catch, if not moved soon, won't last.
A guard walks briskly down the platform, whistle ready, flag in hand;
a train's expected, from the north, arriving late, the route as planned.
The wind and rain have eased, the weather's calmer now throughout the land.
~0~
Clouds of steam and smoke declare the northern engine's slow approach,
it halts and teams of porters gather swiftly to attend each coach.
From a first class carriage steps a gentleman in tailored tweed,
gripping tight a leather suitcase, pays the porters little heed.
Three more men emerge to join him, head towards the turnstiles past
the waiting guard who waves his flag and gives his whistle one short blast;
a violent gang of thieves from Yorkshire, justice closing in at last.
~0~
Porters are revealed as Yarders, Holmes casts off his priestly frock,
Watson drops his flag and whistle, villains gaze around in shock,
gather wits to flee the platform; all seems chaos; light and noise…
somehow every station exit's packed with hordes of scruffy boys.
Acting fast, Lestrade and Hopkins scatter fish to down their prey,
two are caught and lose their footing, two attempt to run away,
"harried matrons" wield their brollies, fell them…this is not their day
.~0~
Scotland Yard, the team debrief with crumpets and a pot of tea;
Holmes is smug, he knew precisely where the gang of thieves would be;
a trace of Scarborough sand within a crime scene footprint sparked the trail
up from Brighton thefts to Whitby criminals, to London gaol.
A telegram to Northern colleagues, synchronised a pawn shop raid,
stolen gems identified, and several more arrests were made,
thus, despite the stormy weather,
teamwork at its best displayed.
~0~
a/n: Scarborough and Whitby are lovely coastal towns, no disrespect intended:-)