Hades Lord of the Dead's December Calendar Challenge of Awesomeness 2013-2014 - Day Thirty One
[Prompt from Sparky Dorian]From Sparky Dorian: 31. Celebrate.
[Dedication]I dedicate this story to my friend I'm Nova for her help and encouragement with this one. Without it, I might never have written this, because I could come up with nothing new and she helped me to come at the prompt from a different angle. Many thanks my dear!
Daylight had faded hours ago and the sky above me was clear and bright with stars as I wearily followed my relentless companion ever onward.
I was exhausted, too cold to possibly feel my fingers or toes and both my shoulder and leg ached unmercifully. I was also terribly hungry and my throat was dry and sore with the cold.
At last Holmes came to a halt, his head cocked slightly as he listened to something that I could not hear, and then he turned his attention to me as I caught up with him.
"Watson my dear fellow!" said he as he gently took me by the arm. "For how long have you been suffering?"
"You must surely be suffering as well," I responded, not wishing to admit that I could not possibly answer that question.
The fellow frowned as he dragged me along with him. "You know that I never notice my discomforts when I am working."
He also does not like to be interrupted. "Have you solved it then?"
"No," he shook his head and shrugged. "But we can do no more tonight. I do know precisely how we should progress tomorrow, however; that is, if you wish to accompany me then. I can see that you are done up."
I shivered beside him. "I should be glad to accompany you old fellow. As always."
He smiled and squeezed my arm. "Good old Watson."
As we neared the inn at which we were staying, the sound of violin music reached my chilled ears. Holmes hummed appreciatively and increased his speed.
"Beer, Watson?"
The question took me by surprise, for I had been concentrating on keeping up with my companion's long, enthusiastic strides.
"What? Oh. Yes, I suppose so."
Holmes frowned at me. "You suppose so? I am asking you what it is that you want!"
"I should like some supper," I admitted. "If it is not too late."
"Yes, I am a little hungry myself," the fellow mumbled as if it had only just that moment occurred to him, which is highly possible.
We entered the inn to be met with a celebration, as the guests and locals prepared to see in the New Year together. My companion immediately enquired at the bar about nourishment and we were both shown to a table at the snug's fireside.
"Is stew all right?" the landlord asked of us over the loud music, cheering and sound of dancing and stamping feet.
We both assured him that it would be and thanked him gratefully.
"And two pints of your finest ale, if you please," Holmes requested.
"Right you are sir. I'll send Esme through with 'em in a minute."
"Thank you."
When we were alone, my companion settled back in his seat, looking as weary as he did cheerful, and quietly hummed along with the music with his head gently swaying.
Esme the barmaid presented us with our beer, which I immediately sipped with gratitude.
"Thirsty?" my companion asked, his eyes watching me intently.
I nodded and sniffed. "Breathing the cold air outside dried my throat," I confessed.
"You should have brought some of your humbugs with you," he remarked with a smirk.
I frowned at him but said nothing, instead choosing to take another sip of my beer.
The stew, when it arrived was good and warming. We ate in silence and then took our beer through to the crowded bar room. There were three violinists playing in one corner while most of the clientele enthusiastically danced.
Holmes and I each took a chair, weary as we were, and watched the dancers.
"Hey! Hey!" the landlord called suddenly, raising a hand for silence as he consulted his watch. "Nearly time!"
A hush fell and I gazed at my friend with some confusion. "Almost time for what?"
He pressed a finger to his smiling lips and showed me his watch. We had less than a minute to midnight.
"Ten... nine... eight..." the landlord began to count down.
The assembled party joined him loudly.
"...seven... six... five... four... three... two... one!"
The violinists began to play again - this time, however, I knew exactly what the song would be before the music began. Auld Lang Syne.
Holmes took my hand and squeezed it gently as we joined in with the song. And thus ended the year of 1894 and so began 1895. It was, I felt sure, going to be a good year.
[Dedication]I dedicate this story to my friend I'm Nova for her help and encouragement with this one. Without it, I might never have written this, because I could come up with nothing new and she helped me to come at the prompt from a different angle. Many thanks my dear!
Daylight had faded hours ago and the sky above me was clear and bright with stars as I wearily followed my relentless companion ever onward.
I was exhausted, too cold to possibly feel my fingers or toes and both my shoulder and leg ached unmercifully. I was also terribly hungry and my throat was dry and sore with the cold.
At last Holmes came to a halt, his head cocked slightly as he listened to something that I could not hear, and then he turned his attention to me as I caught up with him.
"Watson my dear fellow!" said he as he gently took me by the arm. "For how long have you been suffering?"
"You must surely be suffering as well," I responded, not wishing to admit that I could not possibly answer that question.
The fellow frowned as he dragged me along with him. "You know that I never notice my discomforts when I am working."
He also does not like to be interrupted. "Have you solved it then?"
"No," he shook his head and shrugged. "But we can do no more tonight. I do know precisely how we should progress tomorrow, however; that is, if you wish to accompany me then. I can see that you are done up."
I shivered beside him. "I should be glad to accompany you old fellow. As always."
He smiled and squeezed my arm. "Good old Watson."
As we neared the inn at which we were staying, the sound of violin music reached my chilled ears. Holmes hummed appreciatively and increased his speed.
"Beer, Watson?"
The question took me by surprise, for I had been concentrating on keeping up with my companion's long, enthusiastic strides.
"What? Oh. Yes, I suppose so."
Holmes frowned at me. "You suppose so? I am asking you what it is that you want!"
"I should like some supper," I admitted. "If it is not too late."
"Yes, I am a little hungry myself," the fellow mumbled as if it had only just that moment occurred to him, which is highly possible.
We entered the inn to be met with a celebration, as the guests and locals prepared to see in the New Year together. My companion immediately enquired at the bar about nourishment and we were both shown to a table at the snug's fireside.
"Is stew all right?" the landlord asked of us over the loud music, cheering and sound of dancing and stamping feet.
We both assured him that it would be and thanked him gratefully.
"And two pints of your finest ale, if you please," Holmes requested.
"Right you are sir. I'll send Esme through with 'em in a minute."
"Thank you."
When we were alone, my companion settled back in his seat, looking as weary as he did cheerful, and quietly hummed along with the music with his head gently swaying.
Esme the barmaid presented us with our beer, which I immediately sipped with gratitude.
"Thirsty?" my companion asked, his eyes watching me intently.
I nodded and sniffed. "Breathing the cold air outside dried my throat," I confessed.
"You should have brought some of your humbugs with you," he remarked with a smirk.
I frowned at him but said nothing, instead choosing to take another sip of my beer.
The stew, when it arrived was good and warming. We ate in silence and then took our beer through to the crowded bar room. There were three violinists playing in one corner while most of the clientele enthusiastically danced.
Holmes and I each took a chair, weary as we were, and watched the dancers.
"Hey! Hey!" the landlord called suddenly, raising a hand for silence as he consulted his watch. "Nearly time!"
A hush fell and I gazed at my friend with some confusion. "Almost time for what?"
He pressed a finger to his smiling lips and showed me his watch. We had less than a minute to midnight.
"Ten... nine... eight..." the landlord began to count down.
The assembled party joined him loudly.
"...seven... six... five... four... three... two... one!"
The violinists began to play again - this time, however, I knew exactly what the song would be before the music began. Auld Lang Syne.
Holmes took my hand and squeezed it gently as we joined in with the song. And thus ended the year of 1894 and so began 1895. It was, I felt sure, going to be a good year.