The HMS Princess Beatrice was scuttled on the rocky, jagged coastline on one of Scotland’s 790 islands, this one unnamed and uninhabited. The ship had a gaping hole ripped across her hull.
I could barely see Holmes through the fog, leading our treacherous way to the ship over the dangerous crags and rough waves, his torch held high like a beacon. Then he ducked inside the ship through the raw opening. I scurried to keep up with him, but slipped and fell too many times to do that. I was, however, careful not to drop my torch or revolver.
Holmes’ blazing torch illuminated the ship’s cavernous hull, filled with massive crates from the Orient. Many of them were broken open, most likely in the crash ashore, their contents spilled everywhere. I lifted my torch and looked at the bounty spread out before us. “My God,†I breathed in awe.
“Actually, Watson,†Holmes replied, “it’s more accurately many gods.â€
Holmes was correct. Gold statues and holy artifacts of pagan deities, jade figurines and sacred weapons, all decorated with priceless gems, glinted in our torchlights. Hundreds, maybe thousands of them, all sizes and shapes, some statues taller than us. Beyond a king’s ransom, closer perhaps to the Bank of England’s assets.
And something moved. Something large. Something that moves on feet with claws.
“Holmes,†I began, but he shushed me instantly. He tilted his head in intense concentration, trying to pinpoint the noise’s origin. Carefully he made his way among the shattered boxes, waving his torch in front of him like a weapon.
It was then that I noticed a rather heavy iron cage with its door sprung open. At the same time, Holmes torch nearly touched a strange creature’s face. A monstrous rodent, the size of a Great Dane with yellow, beady eyes and a twitching snout.
“The Giant Rat of Sumatra,†I exclaimed in disbelief, “it does exist!â€
“Indeed,†Holmes replied, keeping the massive rat barely at bay with his torch, “and ravenous too. I imagine it has been a while since the creature fed as fully as he wished.†The beast’s enormous fangs snapped at Holmes, ripping his coat sleeve. “Watson, if you would, shoot him now.â€
Collecting my senses, and realizing Holmes’ situation, I aimed my pistol quickly and fired three bullets at the monster.
Squealing horribly, the giant rat turned and sprang at me despite one paw’s uselessness, knocking me over, sending both my revolver and torch flying. In sheer revulsion, I rolled out from under the rodent who snapped at me ferociously, tearing my suit coat.
Holmes, suddenly brandishing a gleaming golden scimitar taken from the pile of weapons, struck the rat behind the left shoulder in a stunning blow that dropped the beast in a shower of blood. With both front paws now crippled, the creature struggled to stand up, failing again and again.
Locating my gun, I emptied the revolver’s cylinder into the rat, ending his suffering and his threat.
Holmes turned to me then, saying, “Help me toss this poor freak of nature out into the sea, so no trace of him will exist. Sharks will make short work of him.â€
“But why, Holmes? It’s the zoological find of the century,†I asked.
“Too frightening to let anyone know such a monstrosity exists,†Holmes replied as we heaved the rat out through the hull’s hole, “and this treasure must also remain a secret. Queen Victoria is counting on our discretion in the matter.†He winked at me conspiratorially. “Sorry, old man, but this is one Sherlock Holmes adventure that you must not write up for the newspapers. It will stay our secret case.â€
Rod Drake lives, observes, thinks and writes in the neon capital known as Las Vegas. Check out Rod’s longer stories posted in Six Sentences, Fictional Musings, Flash Forward, MicroHorror and AcmeShorts.
Very entertaining, Rod! Always nice to read more of your work.