The Unfinished Case// A Sherlock Story

IV

"John!" Sherlock screams, his voice echoing through the small apartment. Loud thundering footsteps can be heard before the face of his friend appears through the door.

"Sherlock, what's wrong!?" John asks frantically as he looks at his friend with concern. His concern changes into anger as he sees Sherlock perfectly fine.

"What in the world is going on here?" Mrs Hudson intrudes into the conversation.

"Ah, Mrs Hudson. Since you are here will you be a dear and fetch me some tea?" Sherlock asks winking at his landlady before heading up the stairs to his flat.

" I am not your housekeeper!" Mrs Hudson yells back before heading back to her own flat.

"Sherlock, why are you screaming at 9 in the morning?" John asks annoyed at his friend for interrupting his quiet time. Without saying anything Sherlock hands John the letter before sitting down on his chair and placing both his hands together, resting his chin between his thumb and index fingers. He closes his eyes as he deliberates an answer.

"Where water flows upwards? What?" John asks re-reading the letter multiple times. Confused about the riddle and the message behind it, John looks at Sherlock to see that he is in his mind palace so he silently leaves the room. John walks to Mrs Hudson's flat and knocks on her door.

"If you're here to ask where the tea is, forget about it," Mrs Hudson exclaims before opening the door.

"Oh hello, John," She says sweetly, slightly embarrassed about her outburst.

"Hello, Mrs Hudson may I see Rosamund?" John asks with his hands behind his back. His military-like stance he does when he feels awkward.

"Of course, my dear," She replies, stepping aside for John to enter her flat.

"Hey there, sweetheart," he says as he walks towards the baby crib.

"What has gotten sherlock so worked up?" Mrs Hudson asks attempting to create small talk. John hands Mrs Hudson the paper before picking up Rosamund.

"Why this riddle is easy!" Mrs Hudson exclaims. John puts down Rosamund and turns his attention to his landlady.

"What do you mean?" He asks, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"The riddle's answer is a well, of course," Mrs Hudson explains. As soon as John heard the answer he runs out of her flat and up the stairs to his. With his heart pumping in his chest, he bursts into the flat and looks at Sherlock who still hasn't solved the riddle. It was obvious how agitated he was that he couldn't solve a simple riddle that Mrs Hudson solved within seconds.

"A well. The well" John says panting slightly as he places his hands on his knees, resting from the small run he had.

Sherlock's eyes burst open as he hears the answer. Realisation hits him as he finally understands the riddle.

"This person knows much more than we thought," John says as he looks at Sherlock remembering the time when his sister had trapped John in a well. Sherlock quickly gets up from his seat and grabs his jacket.

"When did you solve the riddle?" Sherlock asks sternly.

"I didn't, Mrs Hudson did." John says smiling, slightly amused at his friend's behaviour.

"How long did it take her?" Sherlock asks with a slight craze in his eyes.

"Within seconds," John says nonchalantly as he passes Sherlock and hails a cab. Smirking to himself knowing the Sherlock hates it when someone solves anything before him. Sherlock scoffs behind John and stands beside him.

"Time to go home" Sherlock says as a cab arrives infront of them.