Water
It was such a beautiful element. Crystal clear, the lifeblood of all existence on Earth. If he believed in such things, he might consider water the deity after all it can also be so very good at taking life away.
Music
Noise is intolerable but music? Opera, meaningful songs and melodies that spoke a language all their own. There was no better example of creative human achievement than in good music. Art that could not be seen or touched and thus it’s impression could only be personal and true.
Drink
Another bottle falls to the pile with a dull ‘clink’. That will be the last of their food money. Would a glass bottle work? Is that how he supposed to protect them when he wakes up this time not knowing where he is or who his own sons are?
Fire
There’s nothing quite as cruel as fire. At least it is thorough in its work, able to purge and destroy. And with the right spark and chemicals... utterly devastating.
Denial
Not by a fall. There is no victory in this. He dares not let me win by making us both lose!
Soft
Scarlet robes. The silk is light on the back of his neck and the robes flow under him with a soft and rich flourish. Finally. A soft caress of promised ease now he has proven himself, a comfort though he walks through the graduation ceremony alone.
Belonging
An undercurrent of fear, a name muttered in absolute dread and just a single letter ‘M’ enough to demand obedience. This was his true calling, power, control, watching the chaos as law and government tried to pick up the pieces in his wake. There was nothing more entertaining.
Quiet
Winter in the University, the rooms are cold but not unbearable. Lectures have finished and the old halls timidly whistle every now and again with the wind. The fire crackles beside his desk and he knows he is alone, at peace in stone walls and protected, no one would search for his true self there.
Loud
That has to be the biggest gun I have ever seen. Size must mean range and devastation but less accuracy. I wonder how loud it--- Holy fuck!
Mud
Thick and cold, it clings to him as he pushes himself from the floor. A handful clawed in his hand as he turns and flings it at his opponent, he has been in enough fights to not go down easy, see how they do when they can’t see him either.
Scar
It is easy to cover on his chest, barely noticeable anymore, just a short white line, but it is the scar that reminds him each time he sees it, just what he is capable of.
Wheel
”Wheel of Fortune; A critical turning point in your life, young James. Destiny is reaching for you and it seems, you for it. Whatever your current pursuit is, stick to it.”
Flower
Just what mundane piece of literature would be so overlooked by anyone that thought they were on to him that it would be humiliating for them when they did find it? Flowers. A ‘woman’s book’. Perfect. Domestic Horticulture.
Tears
What was the boy doing? He had only said a few harsh truths, it was not like he had hit him or hurt him. So why the tears? Was he really so weak that words could make him cry... or were his words so powerful they could really hurt someone?
Night
Darkness, especially in the smog of the capital made for easy pickings. Yes, night was his favourite, as if his true self could only emerge under starlight it was in the dark hours he felt most at ease. The Night was his true home and where his own Empire only ever grew.
Orange
He had never really celebrated Christmas before but Moran had insisted he at least give it a try. It was an odd idea to push cloves into oranges, sure it smelled nice but why bother with all the effort for it only to last three days at most? He would indulge him though and make the best one.
Soap
The simplest destroyer of evidence he had. It washed the blood off of his knuckles, gunpowder from his cheeks, chemicals from his sleeves. No police were quite yet skilled enough to see through the wonders of simply being clean.
Sun
Dawn always came with slight trepidation, whatever was happening in his own underground empire would have to sit and fester in the sunlight until he was allowed to move freely again. It was why he had Moran, why he had to have someone to pick up the reins when he could not.
Again
So, she has gone to him again, despite my warnings? She has become a liability, fraternising too closely with the man who seeks to hunt me down. Either he goes or she does... though, I have already warned her of this it is only fair...
Fight
Was he really going to be foolish enough to fight him? Sure, no one would suspect the mathematics professor to put up his fists but this one? This man knew he was much, much more than a teacher. If he really wished it, then he would not hold back the fight.
Run
Running was never an option, he could never show fear, he always at least had to appear to have the upper hand. No he would stand his ground and play the mental game if needs be.
Short
“This man’s jacket is poorly fitted... his sleeves are too short and he’s self conscious for it. Pity.”
Celebrate
It was foolish to celebrate his endeavours too loudly but now it was good to celebrate with someone who knew him and understood just why it was he was happy.
Label
“Who labels their clothes these days? That seems all too easy, boring even.”
Language
Communication was essential, an invaluable tool to use with anyone, multiple languages only broadened potential and horizons. The more he could communicate, the harder he could be to find.
Towel
After the biting cold, any wrap of dry or warmth was a heavenly experience. Never did he think he would be so grateful to feel the scratch of a towel on his freezing cold skin.
Fist
Curled and practiced fingers, the fist felt like the most natural form for his hand to take, boxing was to be his sport then.
Leaves
Autumn was a fine time of year, the parks tended to seem that much nicer when the trees were changing colours. The pigeons hungrier too!
Road/path
London sewers were considered a labyrinth to the average mind, really he found them quite navigable, only only really had to look over successive maps as layers and an entire blueprint was available, which did not seem to have crossed the minds of Mr Blackwood’s men. Much to his own good fortune.
Betrayal
There is always a bigger fish. Some people learn far too late that there is no fish bigger than Moriarty.
Judgement
Failures, missteps, misscalculations - all of them weaknesses in Moriarty’s eyes. So those recruited into his plans, willingly or not had to be assessed. Judged as to whether or not they were worth more to him alive or dead.
Breakfast
Without fail, during term time it was practically guaranteed that the promising student, James Moriarty, could be found in the breakfast hall first thing, it was as if the man lived there!
Difference
How was it that no one understood what he was talking about? Was he mad? Maybe. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t right, they just couldn’t see it. They were not as clever as him... No one was.
Laugh
He didn’t laugh it was more of a huff and half smile, a breath of approval that was all that came close. No one really did figure out what could make him actually laugh and for those it did not puzzle, it terrified.
Letter
Sometimes people forgot their place. Sometimes they wrote down what was happening to them and expected their messages to reach their intended without ever being intercepted. They. were. wrong.
Meal
Always a clean plate, food should never be wasted.
Confusion
What happened? Holmes was talking at last, then the watch tower had collapsed... Where was he then?
Cold
Never in all of his life had he been so cold! The wind in the fall had chilled him and the water had sent him into such a terrible shock he had turned numb all over. Not enough to let the water carry him too far before he found himself clinging to the reeds of a bank. The water in his hair freezing in place as he fought with the merciless shivering and biting cold.
Clean
There was nothing to prove he had done anything wrong. His name was clean by all accounts, nothing could hold up in a court of law. He owned factories under pseudo names and conducted business globally, was it such a surprise that the genius mathematician could manage such a thing? The modest professor had been slandered by the jealous detective. Professor Moriarty’s name was clean. He had made sure of it.
Blue
Death had many shades, Moriarty was no stranger to them and found some morbid interest in some of the more unusual. Blue was not so strange, but this particular hue was... interesting.
Noise
Public panic, it was all so very obvious to him. The glances over people’s shoulders, the quicker pace everyone was going and the distinct lack of noise or willingness to draw attention to oneself... it was just what he wanted.
Humility
What appeared to be humility to the outside world around his academic achievements was actually more to do with Moriarty’s disbelief that he had at all been challenged in his mathematical interests. Maths behaved, most of the time. He was sure he could publish several other theories in a short space of time, but why draw too much attention to himself in that regard? He had already proven he was better than any of his peers.
Humanity
It did not exist in the eyes of Moriarty, compassion was not something he had room for. If it did not impact him or his plans, then why should he care for the ‘collateral damage’?
Change
It was like a static in the air all around him, buzzing relentlessly with tensions so high just the slightest nudge would activate the key part in his plans.
Help
A man shouted in German as a hand grabbed at his soaked coat to try and drag him from the river bank. He was in no state to help himself, in much less of a state to work out what was going on. All he knew was that someone had found him and he now had a chance to live.
Explain
No one had to know his full plans, no one could really comprehend the extent of them anyway. No, Moriarty did not explain himself to anyone, he didn’t need to. If they asked, they were already dead.
Depth
There had to have been some small act of mercy in that the initial plunge pool was so deep, enough to cushion the fall in a torrent of deep water. It was the pools that followed that were so unforgiving. Seven steps. Each one shallower than the last.
Knowing
Lying to his face was probably the most stupid thing anyone could do. Moriarty just had a glance, uncaring and now done with the conversation. Next would either be petrified silence in realisation of their mistake, or a babble of more lies to try and save themselves, either of which would not change the new outcome. No loose ends.
Freedom
There was nothing more peaceful to a busy mind than sitting on a bench with some bird seed by his side and his book close by. Unsuspecting and surrounded enough by the city vermin to expect to be left in peace.
Break
“Absurd! Why disrupt the train of thought for something as average as a break? Seems more counter productive.”
