Hounds Experiments & Relationships (A BBC Sherlock Fan-fiction)

13. The Hounds Of Baskerville

"Sherlock ..." Says John.

Sherlock stares up in disbelief as Henry turns to him, horrified.

"No. No, no, no, no!" Screams Henry, wailing in panic.

He backs away as Sherlock tries simultaneously to hold out a calming hand towards him while keeping his own torch shining up towards the creature above them.

The creature continues to slink along the rim of the Hollow as Henry begins to scream in abject terror. He crumples to his knees, continually screaming, "No!"

"Henry!" Shouts Elisabeth.

The hound turns towards the Hollow and looks down at everyone, snarling viciously. Its eyes glow in the torchlight as Henry continues to wail.

"Shit!" Says Lestrade.

John turns and shines his torch into his face.

"Greg, are you seeing this?" He asks.

Greg glances at him momentarily and his expression answers the question. Sherlock takes a quick look around to the inspector to see his face before turning back to stare up at the hound.

"Right: he is not drugged, Sherlock, so what's that? What is it?!" Asks John.

As Henry continues to wail behind them, Sherlock screws his eyes shut for a brief moment, trying to handle the overload in his mind. He stares upwards again.

"All right! It's still here ... but it's just a dog. Henry! It's nothing more than an ordinary dog!" Says Sherlock, panting.

The hound doesn't think so and it raises its head and lets out a long terrifying howl.

"Oh my God." Says Lestrade.

And now the hound turns and leaps a short way down the slope, its eyes flashing red in the torchlight.

"Oh, Christ!"

Elisabeth stares at it as it stops again, its red glowing eyes now clearly visible as it opens its mouth and reveals a mouthful of long pointed teeth that you would never see on any dog. Its snarl is completely terrifying. Henry has fallen silent, gazing up at it as if he knows that it is going to kill him shortly. Sherlock is still trying to believe what his own eyes are telling him ... and now there's movement behind them. Sherlock looks over his shoulder and sees a tall human figure through the mist. The new arrival is wearing a breathing mask with a clear visor over his face. Sherlock turns and rushes towards him, grabbing at the mask and ripping it upwards to fully reveal the man's face ... and Jim Moriarty grins manically back at him.

"No!" Says Sherlock.

Behind him the hound growls ominously again. Jim's expression becomes intense and murderous but then his head begins to distort and flail about, morphing between Jim's face and someone else's so quickly that it's impossible to keep up with the changes. Sherlock grimaces, groaning at the insanity going on in front of him while Jim's face keeps reasserting itself.

"It's not you! You're not here!" Shouts Sherlock.

Grabbing at the figure, he spins him around and then headbutts him in the face. The figure crumples slightly and raises his hand to his face as he straightens up ... and sherlock now realizes the man in front of him is Bob Frankland. Sherlock clings onto his jacket, his breathing panicked and frantic ... but then he turns his head to one side and looks at the mist surrounding them. Frankland still has his hand clamped over his mouth and nose, and suddenly it all begins to make sense to Sherlock.

"The fog." Says Sherlock.

"What?" Asks John.

"It's the fog! The drug: it's in the fog! Aerosol dispersal – that's what it said in those records. Project HOUND – it's the fog! A chemical minefield!" Says Sherlock.