In this chapter we meet a young John Watson, struggling with a very poor family. Mycroft continues his education while making time to write a young Sherlock, who is now collecting butterflies! The year’s continue to fly by in this next chapter by mydogwatson! Art above by GorryBear at DeviantArt.com!

Teaser below! Enjoy the full chapter at Come And Take Him In!

John tried his best. He really did.

But both of the other boys were bigger than he and one of them had a cudgel. None of that kept John from fighting like a demon for his three pennies, of course. It had taken him all day to earn those precious coins; hours of picking up dog shite and then selling the bagful to one of the tanneries. The money was meant to buy some bread for his family.

Mam had scrounged up some tater scraps and even two carrot tops from somewhere and was planning to make soup, so she had told him to be sure to get a day-old loaf of bread to go with the broth. He had actually been on his way to see the baker, old DeFoy, at his shop just behind the pawn broker’s place when the attack came.

The feet and fists and cudgel used so effectively by the boys made bruises that John knew would hurt like the very devil by tomorrow morning, but he also knew that his father would do worse when he arrived home empty-handed. Unless he struck luckily and the old man had already passed out from the gin. His mam would not beat him, but instead only look at him with too-familiar disappointment on her pale, gaunt face. He sometimes thought that her constant disappointment was worse than the beatings because he did try so very hard.

Harry would no doubt mock him as usual; just because he, at nine, was a year older than John, as well as a little bit taller, he liked to lord it over him. His bent and useless leg did not keep him from the taunting, but there was little retribution, as John did not think it right to hit a cripple.

When he was alone again in the alley, John used the sleeve of his filthy shirt to wipe the blood from his face, deciding that there was nothing for it except to go home.

As always, once you’ve read this chapter leave a comment, mydogwatson would love to hear from you!

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