After The Fall || A Sherlock Fanfiction

Chapter 20 - The End Of The Line

Jemima's eyes opened slowly, she was immediately aware of the hard plastic cable ties around her wrists and ankles, binding her to the chair. She wriggled slightly and they tightened, digging into her soft skin and leaving a ring of red marks. She was in a large warehouse, strung up to a cold metal chair in the centre. The only light still working was right above her head, the rest of the room was basked in eerie shadow. She looked up at the long strip light directly above her, only one section was still working and it was glowing dimly, not doing much to dent the darkness that was threatening to engulf her. She felt panic rise up inside her and her heart beat faster. Suddenly, Jemima was aware of another presence in the room.

"Hi!" Called a cheery yet sinister voice from the side of the room. She assumed it was the entrance over there and could even make out somebody waving in her direction. The voice made her blood run cold and she stiffened up in the chair. The ties burned at her wrists again as she struggled, watching the figure of Moriarty stepping ever closer. His footsteps echoed across the warehouse in a steady beat, like a ticking clock counting down to her imminent demise. Moriarty reached her and stood a metre away, one half of his face in shadow and the other in the the light, half angel, half demon. Jemima's heart rattled against her ribcage like a trapped bird trying to break free as he grinned at her with a wild streak glittering in his eyes.

"So, hello Miss Jones. Oh...wait a second." Moriarty walked closed and bent down behind the chair where Jemima's wrists were bound up and took one of her slightly shaking hands in his to look at it. She shivered slightly at his unfamiliar touch as he inspected her shiny gold wedding band. "Of couse, you're Mrs Holmes now. Congratulations." He leered at her, whispering the last word close to her ear. Their noses were almost touching as he smiled menacingly into her face.

Jemima was terrified but she could let him see that. "You don't scare me." She said stoically, matching his gaze and trying not to shudder with fear and repulsion. "They will find me you know, Sherlock and John. They'll always come back for me and you won't get away with this."

"Well then." A sickening grin was still carved into Moriarty's face. "Let's get down to business." He slipped a hand into the pocket of his perfectly fitted designer gray suit and pulled out a small knife.

"You see." He said, holding the knife so it glinted in the only light source. "My favourite game is messing with Sherlock's mind and my favourite way to mess with people's minds is to hurt their loved ones. They care so much, it's adorable. I thought Sherlock was different, something else. I had nobody to use. Well, except John, but he was hard to get to, he wasn't worth it. Now you, my dear, are too easy to get to. You're perfect. And now I have you. My damsel in distress." He brought the shining silver blade under her chin and she tried desperately not to shiver. "This is how I'll mess with dear Sherlock's mind this time. How long I've waited for you my dear. This is going to be such fun! I finally have the princess to complete the fairytale. Except, your prince isn't going to arrive."

He took the knife and slashed it violently across her arms. She winced and bit her lip, knowing that struggling against it would only bring her more pain. Deep red blood began to flow from the cuts and her eyes began to sting with tears. She felt it again as Moriarty brought the blade down upon her a second time before becoming bored. He put down the knife and simply punched her in the face. Her already broken nose took the worst of it and she cried out. Punching wasn't normally Moriarty's style but he seemed to find it satisfying.

"You're sick." Jemima choked out defiantly. She could taste blood in her mouth and she spat it violently at his feet.

"Do you know the other reason I brought you here?" Moriarty asked sweetly. Picking up the knife and casually waving it about as he spoke.