This is a gigantic waste of time. JW

Possibly. SH

Then why am I here?

Checking out the suspect. SH

Really? Sherlock, she's a crazy cat lady.

Nonsense. She's going to prove vital to our case later. SH

Why, because one of her cats ate a lady's face off?

Partially. SH

Sherlock, what am I really doing here?

Needed the flat to myself. Meeting someone later. SH

Who?

Do I detect a hint of jealousy in your text? SH

No. But you, voluntarily being social? Of course my curiosity's peaked.

Fine. SH

It's the murderer. SH

Sherlock.

Why?

Solve the case, of course. SH

That's very dangerous.

I'll be fine. I have your gun. SH

I have a few things to say about that. 1: I NEED MY GUN. 2: SHOOTING PEOPLE IS BAD. 3. THAT IS ALL VERY DANGEROUS.

I've got it. Relax. SH

John? SH

Planning on replying anytime soon? SH

Are you okay? SH

Are you dead? SH

Please don't be dead. SH

Calm down. I'm fine. The lift's just broken. Might not get fixed for a bit.

Are you stuck? SH

Yeah, but it's no big deal. I'm more concerned about the fact you're meeting with a bloody murderer.

I'll be fine. SH

If he makes any trouble, I'll just shoot him. SH

Yes, because shooting people fixes everything.

Exactly. SH

What am I even doing here anyway?
Do you want me to answer that philosophically or geographically? SH

Geographically.

I needed you out of the house. SH

Yes, we've covered that, but why don't you want me with you?

Reasons. SH

What kind of bloody reasons?

Personal reasons. SH

?

I'd rather you didn't get hurt. SH

Aw. Sentiment?

Caution. SH

Your death or injury would be very inconvenient. No one to split rent with. Plus, you make good tea. I'd just be alone, talking to my skull and drinking my terrible tea all day. SH

Then again, the skull does have an added feature of not talking back. SH

You're such a jerk.

And yet you stay. SH

And yet I stay.

God help me.

Good news. Here comes the murderer. SH

Oh, that's great! Why don't you offer him some tea and biscuits while you're at it?

Actually, we're playing chess. SH

Totally normal thing to do, placing chess with a murderer. Of course. Everyone does it. Totally a normal thing to do.

Now we're talking about you. SH

Nice things being said, I trust.

Actually, he's threatening you. SH

Shit.

Sherlock, please, please be careful.

He's not threatening me. He's threatening you. You're the one who should be careful. SH

Super encouraging.

Everything alright?

Fine. Situation completely under control. SH

Thank god for that. Has he confessed yet?

Nope. SH

How're you texting me without him getting suspicious?

Told him I was addicted to social media. SH

Look, we took a selfie. SH

Again, another complete ordinary thing to do. Taking selfies with murderers. Of course. Absolutely.

I need to lie down.

Lift's still stuck.

You still there?

Course. SH

Might need your help. SH

Shit, what happened?

No big deal, promise. Just called the ambulance. I might have been poisoned. SH

Oh my god.

Symptoms?

Well I feel like shit SH

Kind blurry vision SH

Sorta hard to text SH

Drooling? SH

Pain SH

Just hold on I'll call you

DON'T CALL! SH

Do not call! SH

I'm hiding. SH

Just keep texting me. SH

Shit. Any idea what poison?

One of the deadly ones. SH

Belladonna probably. SH

How unoriginal. SH

Oh yeah it's truly tragic our murderer is lacking creativity in the POSION DEPARTMENT.

Probably shouldn't have drunk the tea he bought. SH

It'll be okay, I promise.

I can hear him upstairs. SH

The creaking of the floorboard as he paces back in forth. SH

Can you walk?

No. SH

I can see his shadow against the wall. SH

Moving forward like a ghost. SH

It's like I'm being haunted by a ghost. SH

Am I being haunted? SH

He's just a man.

Ghosts were just men, once. SH

The lift's unstuck. I'll be there in ten minutes.

He has your gun. SH

Oh my god he's going to kill me with your gun. SH

John. SH

I'll be there any minute. Hold on, please. Hold on. Please, Sherlock. Please.

…

Well that was insane. SH

Yeah, bit of an understatement.

This is utterly ridiculous. I'm a bloody doctor. I don't know why they won't let me in.

Rules, or some other trivial thing like that. SH

Soon as Myc gets here, he'll be able to sort the whole thingie out. SH

Wow I feel mind-blowingly terrible. SH

At least you're alive.

You make that sound like a good thing. SH

Uhhhhhhh. SH

The nurse reminds me of you. SH

Why does the nurse remind me of you? SH

This is weird. SH

If it makes you feel any better, I'm not having a better time in the waiting room.

I just got throw up on my shoes.

Don't you have a badge or ID or something you can use to get by the security thing? SH

Tried that. Said I needed 'special clearance' for victims who've been assaulted.

Makes sense, since they probably don't want you to get assaulted again.

Not that I would assault you.

Of course. SH

I'd expect nothing less from my faithful companion. SH

Question: Is this a good enough reason for me to get morphine? SH

No.

Fuck. SH

Should've gotten shot again. SH

No more getting hurt, Sherlock. I mean it.

Or what? SH
I will hurt you.

That would kind of defeat the purpose, don't you think? SH

L

What the shit is that? SH

It's a frown.

What the hell do you want me to do with it? Turn it upside down? SH

Just don't get hurt again.

Or what? SH

Or I'll kiss you.

That doesn't sound bad. SH

In fact, I think I'd rather like that. SH

:3

Note: Whew! That was fun! This was written for the LWS Trope Bingo Card 3 prompt 'Trapped'. Naturally, I chose the time-honored cliché of being trapped in the elevator. I suppose this was inspired by some kind of weird crossover between "The Adventures of the Dying Detective" and my own fangirl fantasy? I just love telling stories through texts. This story might actually by my author favorite.

Please leave a comment, a follow, or a favorite if you enjoyed this story! I thrive on praise and encouragement!

*Bows* Thanks.