Your Life Is Not Your Own

Stop The Cab

John, Sherlock, Rosie and I hover over the kitchen table as we eat our takeaway pizzas. Sherlock hardly eats anything, he claims he doesn't like to eat whilst on a case to which John reminds him that he's not on a case at the moment and should eat like a normal human being. I, meanwhile, ravenously eat my entire pizza in less than five minutes and swiftly move onto my side of garlic bread. 

"What did you do at nursery today, chipmunk?" John asks Rosie who is playing with the stringy cheese fallen from her kiddies pizza. The child's eyes light up like a Christmas tree.

"I painted a picture!" She exclaims, her voice filled with enthusiasm. I suddenly find myself longing for the days when I was as small and naive as her, untouched by this cruel world. 

"What picture did you paint?" I ask her.

"One with giraffes and lions in! But Mrs Smith says I can't take it home till it dries," Rosie says, a frown appearing on her face.

A text alert causes Sherlock's phone to vibrate. I watch his eyes widen as they scan over the message then as he leaps to his feet.

"Oh, this is brilliant!" He gasps, shrugging his coat over his shoulders.

"What is it?" I ask as I rise to my feet.

"The labs for Mr Richard's body have been inconclusive. The pathologist has the ruled the cause of death currently unknown."

"Why is that 'brilliant'?" I frown.

"Because it means our killer is smarter than we thought. Come on, Lara, the game is on!"

Sherlock moves at the speed of a leopard, grabbing his coat and scarf and charging towards the exit of the flat. I swiftly rise to my feet and follow him out the door. If I am to carry on working with him at this speed, I must remember to improve my cardio.

Moments later, the two of us are in another cab. He demands the driver to drive as quickly as he can, even convincing him to run a red light. 

"This is the most excitement I've had in weeks!" Sherlock exclaims.

"A man is murdered and you find it exciting?" I question, looking up at him. 

Sherlock opens his mouth and then falls silent. 

Without warning, the phone in my left pocket begins to vibrate, interrupting the silence that has fallen between us. 

Panic rises within me like a ferocious storm as I see Elijah's name flicker on the screen. Unable to decide whether to answer it or not, I stare at my phone until it goes to voice mail. However, a few seconds later, my phone once again lights up and his name reappears on the screen. 

Slowly and reluctantly, I press the green 'answer' button. 

"Where the fuck are you going?" His voice growls down the line.

"What-"

"Don't give me any bullshit, I just got home from work and saw you get into a cab with some random guy," He spits. 

I curse a million times inside my head and rub my hands against my face. 

"It's not what it looks like- the man I'm with is a neighbour. I'm just helping him with something, I swear-" I gasp, my throat getting tighter and tighter.

"Home. Now." 

My phone beeps to signify the end of the call. 

"Stop the cab," I say. 

"Stop the fucking cab!" I cry when the driver ignores me. 

The taxi immediately comes to a halt in the middle of the road, causing outrage to spark among the other drivers behind us. 

"Lara, you don't have to go, I've told you, I can protect you-" Sherlock begins but I don't want to hear his empty words. 

"And I've told you, Sherlock, you can't protect me! We can't see each other anymore. I never want to see you in my flat or anywhere near me ever again!" 

And with that, I wipe the tears from my face and storm out of the cab.