Paths Woven

Black And Purple

I have been browsing the net, looking for strange happenings. One thing catches my eyes as I scroll down a list. Messages of graffiti written on walls all over the place. The seemingly newest one was found in an old construction site they were going to tear down soon.

"There once was a girl called Scarlet
Who might have been a bit of a hobbit
But she did like food
And wasn't fond of sleeping in prison
So please don't be mad
Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever."

Scarlet. Those quotes... She must have found them traipsing around through Europe. Especially the last one. I've seen it on many billboards advertising a film. Harry Potter and the Chamber of something... Secrets. Yes, that's it.

"Sherlock! I think I've found something!"

"Hmm? I was thinking, Elly."

"Sorry, but it concerns Scarlet!"

He comes over and looks over my shoulder at the laptop. "Interesting... that does seem like something she would do. Show me the others."

"Alright. Here's one."

"A girl who's name was a shade of red
Loved being able to sleep
In something other than a prison bed
So please forgive her
And thank you for letting her stay.
Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever."

"Each one ends in the same phrase," I observe. "But there are never any traces that someone stayed there. It looks like someone is trying to avoid you."

"Of course! She still thinks she's a monster. She thinks she killed her mother. She doesn't want me to find her for a fear that she might hurt me as well."

"I'm sure I can talk some sense into her."

"Why are you so confident of that?"

"Because I'm not an adult who could be lying."

"Clever."

"I try."

"Where could she be going next, that's the question."

"She's stayed in lots of random places. New houses, construction sites, sewers, even an old hotel. I think she's stayed in a few museums as well." The laptop pings with a new message. "The homeless network has found another one. This time in a local space museum. Sometimes they'll hang out there, too. Maybe we should check some of the homeless hangouts."

Sherlock nods, and goes to sit on the couch, processing the new information. I get up, pulling on my trenchcoat and my scarf. Sherlock follows, putting on his coat. We run outside.

"We're going out on a case, Mrs Hudson," I call. "Be back later! Don't worry if we're gone for a few days!"

"Alright, sweetie!"

Sherlock hails a cab. We climb in.

"Epsom Space Museum, fast as possible."

"Alright."

It takes half an hour with the traffic. Once we get there, Sherlock quickly pays the cabbie and we head inside. The message is in bright pink.

"A name similar to the color of blood
And a hungry girl with no home
Thank you for the hospitality you've shown
She needed that.
Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever."

Sherlock instantly starts looking in little places, deducing all he can. I follow, picking out the super little details he doesn't notice. She got some food out of the vending machine by force. I touch the seat of the display rocket. It's still warm.