Admin Post: October Activity Post

[scfrankles]

For the activity this month we are looking at the ghosts that haunt 221 Baker Street. Who are they, which room do they haunt, and why?


For example:


The late Moriarty unfortunately discovered after his demise that the Almighty has a sense of humour. And so the former professor finds himself haunting one of 221B’s lumber rooms, as though actually filed away and forgotten. He spends his time directing his meagre psychic energy towards making up rude messages from words ripped from the stored newspapers. Holmes is oblivious but Moriarty suspects Mrs. Hudson may be aware of her extra lodger.


The sitting room of 221B is haunted by former owners of the house, Mr. and Mrs. Berkeley-Herring. They are both thrilled to be a part of Holmes and Watson’s life, and often can be found playing along with the deductions.


And finally in Watson’s bedroom… Well, there’s a waiting list for haunting that one. But it is currently being inhabited by a young housemaid who sadly succumbed to influenza and has decided to enliven the passing of eternity by taking up life drawing.



Please leave your own ideas in the comments!



As always, you needn’t take part in this activity if you don’t wish to. Once you’re a member, you can post what and when you want—as long as you keep to the 500 words or less wordcount and the ACD Holmes ‘verse. AUs, crossovers and fusions are all permitted, as long as the characters remain essentially recognisable as the original ACD versions.

Please see the profile for the full posting guidelines!

Comments

[smallhobbit]

Holmes' bedroom is haunted by a succession of drowned sailors, who hold Holmes responsible for sending people onto their ships. Mrs Hudson complains at times about the strange smell of fish and opens the window. The ghosts generally take the hint and depart, although it isn't long before someone else takes their place.

Meanwhile, in the lumber room, Mrs Hudson has left a dustpan and brush, with the words "I don't mind you playing in here, but kindly clear up after yourself" which she addresses to an area just below the ceiling.

[scfrankles]

Holmes' bedroom is haunted by a succession of drowned sailors, who hold Holmes responsible for sending people onto their ships. Of course that's who Holmes' bedroom would be haunted by! ^____^ (And of course there would be a never-ending supply of these poor disgruntled and innocent sailors ^^") That's just perfect ^___^

And it's lovely to see Mrs. Hudson being firm with former Napoleons of Crime ^___^

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Very apt, the haunting by innocent sailors. And it gives me an idea of something similar.

Perhaps ghost Moriarty's rude messages are like calisthenics and he's trying to build up enough psychic energy to burst one of jars in Holmes's ear collection.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

The family of Monsieur Oscar Meunier (the sculptor) was shocked when he insisted on being moved in the last days of his illness from his life-long home of Grenoble to London. It was because he wanted to die in proximity to Holmes's well-polished coffee pot, which he haunts. He emerges, when Holmes's back is turned or when he's ogling at Watson in the reflection, and makes grotesque figures out of the butter and in the top of the jam and any other condiment within his grasp. All because Holmes allowed one of his masterpieces (the wax bust) to be shot to pieces! (and by a gun constructed by a German! Mon Dieu!)

[smallhobbit]

I think Monsieur Meunier is perfectly within reason in his activities!

And no doubt Mrs Hudson blames Holmes for the figures - only fair, as he is indirectly responsible.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

In Holmes's bedroom, the smell of ghostly wet sailor lifts, only to be replaced by ghostly wet dog. Despairing, Mrs. Hudson is researching various occult paraphernalia shops for the right potpourri.

[smallhobbit]

Her first attempt fails, as the potpourri takes on the wetness and gives off a ghostly wet leaves smell.

[scfrankles]

Perhaps ghost Moriarty's rude messages are like calisthenics and he's trying to build up enough psychic energy to burst one of jars in Holmes's ear collection. ^_____^

I'm wondering though if Moriarty will also try to raise a ghastly army consisting of the late unfortunates whose ears they are. But he'll find directing them difficult because every order will be met with: "I'm terribly sorry - what did you just say?" :P

[scfrankles]

He emerges, when Holmes's back is turned or when he's ogling at Watson in the reflection... ^____^

I love everything about this idea - the fact it's Meunier haunting Holmes, the fact he's haunting the well-polished coffee pot, and the inspired way Monsieur Meunier chooses to manifest his haunting ^___^ I feel there's a longer story here ^__^

[scfrankles]

In Holmes's bedroom, the smell of ghostly wet sailor lifts, only to be replaced by ghostly wet dog... Of course it does ^______^ Well played, madam ^___^

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

They shall have to resort to hand signals.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you very much! I think the artist would balk to the grave (and beyond!) at the use of his art. I don't think Holmes told him what he was going to do with it. You may run with the idea if it tickles you.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

There are certain categories of innocents who have been treated unfairly by Holmes and the stories.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Indeed, we see the apologetic phrase 'It's the damp' gets handed down from landlady to landlady until it reaches modern times.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

The original architect of 221 Baker Street haunts the edifice after the events of "The Mazarin Stone" (which, as with canon timelines, structure, voice, and everything else, throw a spanner into the floor plan), and like a malevolent sprite, the architect shifts things around in the night when everyone's and moves doorways just an inch or the table just a half-turn so that Watson, Holmes, and Mrs. Hudson are always bumping into things or second guessing their movements.

[scfrankles]

Oh, great heavens ^_______^

That is absolutely inspired - I love it. You're on fire with your ideas ^___^

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thanks!

The floor plan I use for ACD fics mentions that most floor plans ignore The Mazarin Stone, so I thought it apt for this. And the architect likes to be known as the Ghost of the Stubbed Toe or the Why Won't this Fit?

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Mrs. Hudson comes by a hot-house flower in a pot, not realizing the Brazilian beauty has been thrown over by its bastard of an English gardener for a much younger English rose. Haunted as it is by the ghost of a certain lady, it launches itself at the lampshade in the hopes of ricocheting and braining both Holmes and Watson at once, but Mrs. Hudson catches in mid-shot and promises to take it to the Women's Institute conservatory where it will be admired and tended to for the rest of its days, and so it's appeased, but not before it leaves a parting gift of a tarantula in the coal scuttle.

[scfrankles]

^__________^

...a hot-house flower in a pot, not realizing the Brazilian beauty has been thrown over by its bastard of an English gardener for a much younger English rose. That is absolutely brilliant.

I think my very favourite bit is it launches itself at the lampshade in the hopes of ricocheting and braining both Holmes and Watson at once ^____^ Lovely to see the plant gets a happy ending. And also nice to see the tarantula getting another airing ^___^

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you!

I couldn't resist. I think this activity is me getting my own digs in at ACD. :/

Warning: angst

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Mary Sutherland dies of a broken heart. She returns to 221b as a vengeful mosquito that gives Holmes a malaria which makes him forget and confuse faces. Right before Mycroft commits his brother to a home, a case similar to Sutherland's arrives and Watson and Mycroft solve (and resolve) it properly. Mary the mosquito bites Sherlock again, reversing the curse, and buzzes off.

Re: Warning: angst

[smallhobbit]

Yay for proper resolution!

Re: Warning: angst

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you!

Re: Warning: angst

[scfrankles]

I suppose mosquitoes don't live very long, do they...? So maybe Mary is then reborn as a tiger and is imported to England by Charles Jamrach. She escapes, and in a London street happens to bump into a Mr. James Windibank... ^___^

Re: Warning: angst

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

You're right, they don't live long (I took a class on malaria once). I like your idea very much. She should get her teeth into him :)