Page 309 - SHERLOCK transcripts

308

ETA of 5 minutes. Sherlock turns the bike and heads up onto the pavement and into a walkway
between two buildings. One of the police officers uselessly chases after him.)
POLICE OFFICER: Oi! Oi! You can’t go down there!
(On the other side of the buildings, the path descends down a long flight of steps but Sherlock
heads straight down them and turns onto the road at the bottom, which happens to be The
Mall. They race onwards towards Buckingham Palace.)

Elsewhere, a fireworks party is starting in a small park in a square near a church. Children wave
their sparklers around, and some people are playing small drums. One little girl, Zoe, gazes at
the gigantic bonfire which has been piled up in the middle of the park, made up of broken
wooden pallets, furniture and anything else which has been scavenged. She looks up at the Guy
Fawkes guy which has been perched on the top, completely unaware that John is lying on the
ground in the middle of the bonfire, out of sight of all the people nearby. The children gather
near, perhaps knowing that it is not long until the fire will be lit. John opens his mouth and tries
again to cry out but all he can manage is a faint moan. He thrashes, trying to push himself up
and continuing to moan quietly. And now a man approaches the bonfire carrying a flaming
brand of wood. The children watch him delightedly. John manages to produce some slightly
louder croaks but they cannot be heard above the excited chatter of the children and the
drumming. Smiling cheerfully, the man lowers the brand to the foot of the fire.

On the motorcycle, Mary receives a new message:

Better hurry
things are
hotting up here...

They continue onwards but their speed is impeded when they cross a bridge and are blocked by
a slow-moving lorry.

At the park the man with the brand, trying to light the bonfire without any success, looks round
and shakes his head.
MAN: No. It’s not gonna work. Bit damp. I’ll get something to help it along, yeah?
(He walks away. Part of the bonfire is smouldering and the smoke drifts across John, who
continues to try and cry out. His voice is getting a little stronger and he manages to let out a
couple of louder but wordless cries. Standing nearby, Zoe frowns at the sound, looking in
concern at the guy on top of the fire as the noises continue.)

On the motorcycle, Mary shows Sherlock the newest message:

Stay of execution.
you’ve got two
more minutes

Sherlock checks his mental map, which shows that if he continues by road, their ETA is 3
minutes. However, if he goes in a straight line it will only take 1 minute. He swerves the bike off
the road and heads straight down into a pedestrian underpass.

At the bonfire, Zoe’s father – the one who tried to light the fire – comes back with a small can
of petrol. Zoe turns to him.
ZOE (plaintively): He doesn’t like it, Daddy.
DAD: Eh?
ZOE (pointing up at the guy): Guy Fawkes – he doesn’t like it!
DAD (unscrewing the lid of the can): Stay back, Zoe. Back. Now.
(She stares at him as he starts to splash fuel over the wood of the bonfire. Inside, John’s cries
are getting louder.)

The motorcycle charges on through the underpass.
Zoe’s dad continues pouring petrol over the fire.
Sherlock forces the bike up a steep flight of steps and out onto the street again. They are finally
driving along beside the fence surrounding the park. Mary receives one more text:

Transcripts by Ariane DeVere (arianedevere@livejournal.com)