The Conclusion of the Silver Safety Pin Affair - Scene 11

*giggles*

___________________

Scene 11 – The Australian Outback

BW: I am so tired of walking. I need to sit or something.

SH (swinging walking stick around) We are very near our destination, Bre. Please refrain from complaining, I really despise it.

BW: (sighs) Alright.

(the trio trudges on down a rough trail)

GB: (eyeing something up ahead) Hey, that looks like a cave…sort of…

SH (excitedly) We have arrived, my dear friends. (begins to run toward the cave)

BW (looks at GB and grins, and takes off running)

GB (pursues quickly) Are we actually going in? What is in there?

SH (comes to a quick halt at the entrance and peers in) Yes, my dear Grace, we are “actually going in.” As

to what is inside…(pauses) I do believe it would be best if the two of you remained out here. This could become rather dangerous.

BW (eyes wide) Oh no, we would never abandon you at a time like this! I’m coming in, whether you say so or

not.

GB (nods) I will, as well. But…what do you think will be so dangerous? It *is* the cave of…wonderment and magical happenings. That doesn’t sound very dangerous to me.

SH (hesitates) Perhaps not, but what I believe to be inside could potentially be very dangerous, and I would rather not put the two of you in midst of it.

BW (placing her hand on SH’s arm) Don’t worry, we’ll be fine. We survived each other on the way here…

GB (raises eyebrows) Yes, that was a major accomplishment.

SH (resigned) All right, but stay close to me…

BW (mischievous grin at GB, latches onto SH’s arm) Of course.

GB (sighs) I wasn’t planning on straying off in the dark unknown areas of a magical cave anyhow. Especially not

with…Fluffy…

BW (ignores GB’s comment and pats Fluffy, who is sleeping in her pocket, with her free hand)

(the trio enters cave)

GB (looking around) This sure doesn’t look like a magical cave to me…

BW (trying not to be scared, clings to Holmes’ arm tighter)

SH: It may not appear magical, Grace, but it is…

GB Whatever you say, Holmes. (follows closely)

BW (voice a little shaky) Um…Holmes…

SH (looks down) Yes?

BW (coughs) Um…I didn’t really want to mention that…well…I’m…terribly afraid of the dark.

GB (stifles a giggle)

SH (raises eyebrows) Hmm…well, you may turn back, if you like.

BW (shakes head) Nooo…but…I’m a little scared…

GB (laughs, remembering a funny experience with BW in the dark)

SH What on earth are you making such a fuss over, Grace?

GB (hesitating) I…well, I was just remembering a sleepover Bre and I once had, where I had to keep getting

up to turn the tv on for her, because she was so terrified of the dark. (laughs a little bit)

BW (starts to feel better) Oh yeah, I remember that. That was kind of funny…looking back…and you read a book to me (smiles)

GB (grins) Yes, I did …

SH (smiles and keeps walking)

BW (giggles) And the whole episode with the bear, when we went into the house in the middle of the night?

GB: And jumping off of the ladder onto the trampoline in the barn?

BW: And caterpillars in the sleeping bags!

BW and GB laugh

SH (chuckles) You two grew up together, then, am I correct?

BW (grins) Yes, sir, you are correct.

GB We always had so much fun…(voice trails off)

(all is quiet)

SH (stops abruptly)

BW (frightened a little by this, but says nothing)

GB (runs around SH and grabs BW’s hand) What is it, Holmes?

SH (holds finger to lips) Shh…

BW and GB look at each other and tighten grip on each other’s hands

SH (whispers) Moran…

BW (clings to Holmes)

GB (clings to Bre)

(a strange laugh echoes in the darkness)

BW: (weakly) I…think…I need to…sit…

SH (abandoning his mission for a moment, helps BW to a rock)(to GB) Make sure she stays here.

GB (rather worried, nods) Alright. (squeezes SH’s hand) Be careful, Holmes.

SH nods returns to post in the middle of the cave

(footsteps echo)

BW (clinging to GB) This is terrifying, absolutely terrifying, I don’t think I’ll live through this, what if Fluffy dies?

What will I do? What if I die? Oh Grace I love you, I’m going to miss you a lot if I die…

GB (a little surprised by this strange outburst) Um…it is a little terrifying, Bre, you’ll live though, and so will Fluffy, and we’ll go back to Baker Street, and then you and I will go home and have Christmas and life will be normal again. (hugs BW) I love you too, and I’m so glad you lost your safety pin.

BW (surprised, sits up a little) I suppose I am too. Otherwise we wouldn’t be on this incredible adventure, with each other. This is a memory I don’t ever want to forget. (pauses) Well, maybe not this particular part of the adventure…

The girls watch Holmes intently, arms around each other

Enter Sebastian Moran

SM (with an evil laugh) I was expecting you, Holmes.

BW and GB try to fade into the darkness, but their movement causes SM to notice

SM (mockingly) Who have you brought with you? Two girls…

SH (calmly) Do not bring them into this, Moran. (notices movement in the shadows toward the back of the

cave) What in the world…?

(a tiny creature, no bigger than a quarter, crawls out of the darkness and stops in front of Moran’s feet)

SH (eyes wide) I knew you were up to something, but this is terrible! (shakes head)

BW (forgetting her fear momentarily, jumps up and runs to SH’s side) (eyes wide) Are you kidding?

GB (joins BW) A platypus?

BW A really…tiny...platypus. That’s not normal, is it, Holmes?

SH (shakes head slowly) No, this is very extraordinary. (to SM, accusingly) You, Moran, have been abusing

the magic in this cave!

SM (laughs) No…

SH (holds up stick) Yes, you have! You have been taking advantage of the magic to shrink the platypuses and

use them in your evil schemes, such as the theft of Bre’s silver safety pin!

BW and GB gawk at Holmes

BW (to GB) How’d he figure that all out?

GB (whispers) He’s Sherlock Holmes, remember?

BW Yes, Holmes can do anything.

SM You can’t do anything to me. You don’t have the police behind you, or a warrant for my arrest. (to

platypus) You know what to do!

platypus runs to the back of the cave, then returns with a whole little army of tiny platypuses, who surround

Moran and prevent Holmes from reaching him

GB I have a new phobia…little platypuses!

BW (taps Holmes’ arm) Holmes? Would now be a good time for…(whispers in his ear)

SH (raises an eyebrow) If you wish.

BW (to GB) We have to distract the platypuses, so Holmes can get to Moran without getting attacked. We’re

going to do the snuggie dance, without our snuggies.

GB (deep breath) Alright.

The girls meander to the rock at the side of the cave, and call to the platypuses, beginning the snuggie dance. The platypuses wander over and surround GB and BW, who are immensely worried, but watching Holmes intently.

SH Moran, the end has come! (raises stick and starts doing baritsu on Moran)

SH and SM fight for awhile, and then SM vanishes without a trace.

BW (stops dancing) Where’d he go?

GB (stops) I don’t know…Holmes, are you alright?

The platypuses notice Moran is gone, and retreat to the back of the cave

SH (rubs the back of his neck and retrieves walking stick and something off the ground) Yes, I’m fine. Are

you two alright?

BW (laughs) A little tired, but I’m fine. What happened to Moran?

SH (laughs) I knew my knowledge of baritsu would prove to be useful someday. When one performs a certain

sequence in the cave of Wonderment and Magical Happenings…his opponent disappears. In my case, Moran.

He has been defeated for all time.

GB and BW squeal and jump up and down

GB (stops abruptly) But what about all the tiny platypuses?

SH They will remain in the cave for now. As for the three of us…(rubs hands together) We must be on our way

back to London, now that our enemy has been defeated. It’s nearly Christmas, and Watson will have put the decorations up in Baker Street by now.

BW But…what about my safety pin?

SH (takes BW’s hand and opens it, places the safety pin on her palm, and closes her fingertips around it)

It has been returned to you, safe and sound.

BW (smiles and pulls hand away from Holmes to look at the pin) It’s hard to believe this all started with this

little pin…

GB (smiles at Holmes) Shall we go?

SH (smiles) Of course. (offers his arm to GB) (to BW) If you will kindly carry my walking stick, Bre, you may

have my other arm.

BW (beams, takes his stick, and laces her arm through his) Thank you, Holmes.

EXEUNT