Human (BBC Sherlock)

The Game

“Isabelle, are you okay?”

Isabelle opened her eyes to what seemed to be an empty, abandoned warehouse. Not knowing what else to do, she called out to the voice echoing through the room.

“John? I’m here!”

She scanned the area around her, but saw nothing but empty boxes and crates, abandoned beer bottles, and various other forgotten items scattered throughout the room. She turned around to look behind her, and gasped at the body standing perhaps a bit too closely to her. Jim Moriarty.

He smiled cruelly, and slowly held his hand out to her.

“Take it,” he ordered, nodding to the gun in his hand.

With trembling hands Isabelle did as she was told. It had been ages since she’d held a gun, but once it was in her grasp her knowledge seemed to flood back, and she gripped the weapon as if it were the most natural thing she’d ever done. She pondered shooting Jim right then and there, she knew she could, but she also knew it would do no good. He would have snipers locked onto her, just in case she tried anything.

Jim glanced down at her ready stance and smiled. He bent down to kiss her forehead; her skin stung where his lips had touched her, but she resisted the urge to cringe.

“Find them,” were his next words when he stepped back, giving her another mocking smile before he turned and seemed to vanish into thin air.

The girl let out a shaky sigh, but despite her conscience’s attempt to deter her path, she found herself weaving in and out of the rows of crates and shelves spread throughout the room. It didn’t take long for her to find her next targets; they’d been looking for her, after all.

John began to jog toward her, relief spreading through his face, but he froze when Isabelle robotically lifted the gun and pointed it at his skull. Sherlock followed beside him, his face devoid of even the faintest surprise or concern at her current position. In fact, the corner of his mouth twister into a small smirk instead.

“She’s a coward, John. She won’t do it.” He stared hard at her, but she didn’t flinch.

“You are not a coward, love.” Jim’s voice echoed in her head. “But if you don’t do it, I will!”

The room began to spin around her, but Isabelle managed to raise the gun higher, now in position to shoot. She and John exchanged stares without speaking, and after a moment John surprisingly lifted his hands away from his body, accepting her actions.

Sherlock was obviously taken aback by this, and to Isabelle’s own shock, he followed John’s actions after a long pause. Isabelle’s conscience began to take over; something is very wrong.

“Do it. Do it now.” Jim stood behind her now, his breath heavy on her neck.

But Isabelle had had enough. The gun clattered to the floor, her hands clenched into fists, and she spun around to face the man who had made her life a living hell for so long. But he was gone.