Posted by Bowen Cates on 3/9/2008, 3:49 pm
24.207.121.197
Chapter 13: In Which Canada Is Mentioned To a Notable Extent
(Authors Note: those of you who have read ‘The Story of the Fourth Irregular’ know that the creation of fictional names is not my strong point.
As it was, I was getting thoroughly motion sick while writing this story in a notebook when riding in the car with my friend and confidant Boswell a few weeks ago. (We were on an exertion for the day.) When I happened to look up - in an effort to save the interior of the automobile from vomit stains - and saw out my window, a sign ‘you are entering the town of Lund’.
I was originally going to name Doctor Powell ‘Doctor Lund’ because I thought the area we visited next was that location, but I found out later that that place that had made such an impression upon my mind was actually a town called Powell River. Now, I wish to make clear to you, the reader, the fact that the town of Powell River is small and rather spread out. With a large pulp mill constantly coughing out smog into the air, which is accompanied by a considerably strong stench.
My Character, as you will soon see, fits this description as well, Now, on with the story…)
Doctor Powell’s Laboratory was big, shiny, very imposing and absolutely swarming with New Scotland Yard personnel. It seemed to stretch for miles, computer panels lined every wall and whirring permeated the air.
Watson took the irregulars to the far end of it all where 2103 Holmes and Lestrade were standing, talking with a middle aged man who seemed to be all muscle and bent shoulders.
Theodore advanced but 1800 Holmes held him back; “if I stood opposite myself for an extensive period of time would it be possible to tell that we are one and the same?” he asked in his own voice.
Theodore studied the detective intently for a moment, taking in all the details of his disguise and the features beneath it.
“No, I don’t think so, almost your entire face is covered” ‘Entire? Since when had he used the word entire? What was wrong with him? He must sound like such a geek.’
“Excellent, pray let us proceed.” Theodore had been noticing that he seemed to be Holmes’ preferred companion when the detective was given the choice of his other self, the irregulars or a robotic replica of his greatest friend. It was understandable.
The Victorian probably didn’t know what to make of all these changes, all this new stuff to learn, it was mind blowing.
He seemed especially uncomfortable around Tennyson, Theodore didn’t think it was anything to do with his disabilities, after all, Holmes had been around disabled and disfigured people before without having treated them any differently.
It seemed more likely that it was because Tennyson spoke using a computer, in a language of beeps and other sounds which made no sense whatsoever to the detective. The two things combined would be very disconcerting.
Moreover, on top of all that, Theodore thought it must be really weird to be talking to what was basically, your reflection…
Lestrade wasn’t helping much, she was bold as brass, not to mention the fact that the first thing she had done upon meeting 1800 Holmes had been to put her face about six inches from his and yell at him.
Theodore and 1800 Holmes however, shared a common dilemma: they were both relics of the past, caught up in the current of the future, and although from different times, they were both out of place, both the charters of an unknown map, explorers of an unknown world.
“Can I help you?”
1800 Holmes and Theodore turned to see a young man, about twenty, with short blondish brown hair; glasses perched on a small, round nose, and a multitude of freckles covering both his cheeks. He was not tall, but he had an aura of humor about him, which made him seem to take up a great deal more space hen he actually did.
“Uh, no I think we’re okay” Theodore assured him uncertainly.
“Wow, a fellow Canadian!” suddenly he was all smiles, his voice was decidedly deep, but it carried with it a sense of joviality.
“How did you know that?”
“Jeez, kid, I can spot one a mile away, what’s your name?”
“Theodore Trent, what’s yours?”
“Gregory Bamfield, but please, just call me Greg. I can’t stand ‘Gregory’.”
“Nice to meet you.” Theodore nodded “I didn’t know there were many Canadians here.”
“Hardly any, but I do get lonely for home, good ol’ Vancouver…one of the reasons it’s so nice to meet a fellow countryman every once in a while.”
Theodore didn’t know what to make of this guy, he seemed nice enough, but if there was one thing he had learned in his association with Sherlock Holmes, it was not to take anyone at face value.
Remembering his manners, he introduced his companion.
“This is my friend Sh-Samuel Redfern” he corrected himself, hurriedly “he and I are here to help with the case.”
“A pleasure Mr. Redfern, my, quite the grip you’ve got there.” the two men nodded to each other as they shook hands.
“Feel free to ask me for assistance at any time, I’m interning as Doctor Powell’s assistant and know this place almost as well as he does, I am completely at your disposal.”
Theodore looked at Holmes, wanting to know what to do next.
“Mr. Trent, why don’t you take a look around with Mr. Bamfield, while I do some investigating of my own?” his voice had resumed it’s deep rich texture and flowing vibrancy as he made this suggestion with a hint of a Scottish accent that Theodore had not noticed before, slipped in along side the British refinement.
“Uh, okay.”
Holmes turned and went quickly toward himself at the other end of the room, while ‘Greg’ began to give Theodore a guided tour, he was just telling him all about the computer system, and how the police had taken it apart when he stopped and pointed at 2103 Holmes.
“I saw him on the news a while ago, all that stuff about being brought back to life…Doctor Powell and Sir Evan Hargreaves are kinda like rivals and it drove the old bat wild…he’s been acting weird ever since. I swear, he’s got files and files on Mr. Holmes”
“Really?” Theodore found himself feeling rather uneasy.
“Ya, zed he’s something isn’t he? So like…imposing, I always wanted to meet him
I wonder what it musta been like in his time, you know, such a different world…it would be so cool to go there don’t ya think?”
“Uh….” The room seemed awfully hot “ya, it would be great!”
Message Thread:
« Back to thread