The Morleys were a remarkably well established family for their time - in a world so plagued with left-wing beliefs, they had managed to maintain their time old honor of several personal servants, an extraneously and pointlessly large manor (half of which was simply used as storage for their extraneously and pointlessly large collection of valuable but entirely dysfunctional items), and, of course, the weekly tradition of shopping in the poorer parts of town to flamboyantly flaunt their wealth.
Set atop of a hill by the humble village of Wellington, Morley Manor was a gargantuan demonstration of drunk architecture.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtEKHg0H3W
No doubt it was a highly attractive building, but the matter of the fact was that it simply made no sense. From the exterior, one could hardly tell that every second corridor in the building was at a fifteen degree slant, and that there were multiple inset doorways that simply opened to a wall.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuCM8ynJVx
The doors are justifiable - lock all the fake doors and they create a false sense of magnitude for visitors. But as for the former deformity, local rumor has it that the building was never designed to go onto a hill, and that the original Lord Morley simply declared it to be built there for effect. Wealth is no guarantee for common sense nor intelligence - and indeed, in the day of the Morley's life you are about to experience, this fact shall never seem clearer.
We begin, perhaps, on the Sunday morning of the Incident. Lord Mortimer Morton Morley begins by retiring to his washroom to expunge himself of his digestion products. This is the last we shall see of him.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6G48XPajN
Lady Morgana Mortabella Morley begins by sleeping to the fine hour of noon, which is why, as she later claims, she missed all the excitement of her husband's disembowelment. This may or may not be true, of course, as it is not always the narrator's role to provide an impartial view of events.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzK9AAGimPO
The children arise in their separate rooms, and drift towards the dining hall with the prospect of a three course breakfast, lovingly prepared by Nanny Amy and Nanny Emily who had woken several hours before to clean and cook - they put sweat, blood, and tears into everything they do, including the meals for the Morleys.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZeZDS4S8W
Moving on from the fact that the Morleys were blissfully unaware that the Nannies prepared rather unethical meals (I do believe that at least two of the Morleys have unwittingly contracted blood viruses from their meals), one of the children was of particular interest.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgA4pXIEm0B
Cara had brought home her peasant lover, Druid, and was presently attempting to inconspicuously smuggle him out of the manor.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnU54Mdzamp
'Cara!' It was David. 'Come join us for breakfast. What could ever be taking you so long?'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1J4RuaczHD
The young woman quickly ushered Druid into a closet. 'Just stay in here', and then, to David, 'I'm coming now! Your impatience most disturbs my Sunday relaxation. It's all really quite blasphemous.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRRRbMT4Lq
Cara arrived at the breakfast table late, to the watching eyes of her siblings, David, Eric, and Rachelle.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkREgUfkUt2
'Really, Cara. Your soup must be cold - we have all finished already. It was quite marvelous, I don't know what it is Nanny Amy puts in these.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuH2EYqOJC
The elderly woman quickly hides the fresh cut in her thumb. 'The special ingredient is Love, Rachelle! Now Nanny Emily and I must go to prepare the next dish.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhNn9TlAdd
'Ta ta.' The girl responds.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfcWaFsOQX
Eric, the oldest of them all, was tall and dark, a slim figure that resembled his mother's. He stood up from the table and excused himself quickly.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOvzIzcPgY
'But we haven't even reached mains yet!' Rachelle complains.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xSyfyzSKg
'Now, sister. I simply must finish my latest composition. The inspiration is simply flowing right now, my dear, I can't let it escape!' With that, he spun out of his chair and strutted out of the dining hall.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡof5FqhQXD8
Cara thought about her precious Druid, waiting in a closet, and took the opportunity to also leave the table. 'I, um, I - '417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRNG7E5VfV
'Yes?' Rachelle looks up at her, expecting an unarguable excuse.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrqObwPKUm
'It's just that phase of the moon.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcSScDGCRx
'That makes no sense, Caraaaaaa!!! Breakfast is no fun if you all go away doing silly things!'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Wx1Q867Ao
David smirks to himself. 'Nonsense, Rachelle. I'm sure Cara has very important business to attend to. Perhaps with a little age, you shall too.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm34xQa9QGK
'Hmmph.' The girl crosses her arms as Cara leaves.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0k6vFec13
The reader should take care to note, at this moment, that a situation has been constructed with a large number of people not accounted for. Then it is now, of course, that Lord Morley's body will be discovered.
'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!' Lady Morley's scream brought everyone in the manor to her washroom, where they were greeted by the sight of Lord Morley feeling rather turned out. Inside out, to be precise.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xGtdHXeEM
'Good gracious!' Exclaimed the Nannies.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI24sNHXsWA
'Oh dear!' Cara shouted.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OaFgCl6dq
'My God!' The sons ejaculated.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6zqWYfLQZ
'What's daddy doing?' Rachelle asked.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjFvbSf4dy
'How on earth could such a thing have happened!' Lady Morley wept. 'I woke only a few minutes ago, and went to the washroom to freshen myself up, only to see my dear husband has been murdered! Who could have done this terrible act?'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAHIpZsGjA
Eric was exceedingly fast to turn on his mother. 'Kind mother, I find it remarkably odd that you were the one to discover him in this state, and so close to your room, no doubt!'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjbW4YaSSZ
'Eric! You naughty boy! How dare you insinuate such terrible things. I am in the right mind to call the police on you, for trying to inherit your father's fortune by way of murder!'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7dTuZ1ub5
'That is a lie, mother! You and I both know I loved father more than you ever did.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLLmIeiFBj
A simultaneous gasp from the two Nannies. What a very juicy Incident this would be for their gossip circles!417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21m3ShajWG
'Well! I must ask you to leave. You are disturbing my grieving process.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAlGeCO1Li2
David chimed in with an observation. 'But mother, your husband has not simply died, he has been killed! Given the security of our house, one must wonder how the killer got in - or if the killer is one of us. We cannot waste any time grieving, (very sorry), our lives may very well be in danger!'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrGsWPyegI
Rachelle began crying in consternation, not quite comprehending but aware of the distress nonetheless.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyrBrPuMAo
'Rachelle! Come here.' Nanny Emily gave the girl a strong embrace. The little one was always fond of the servant women.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyeGl1pu6m
Cara was only mildly interested in the course of events - she simply hoped that Druid had taken this commotion as an opportunity to leave unnoticed. 'Excuse me, this is all very worrying and such but I must answer the woman's call!' She interjected loudly, reusing her earlier excuse to leave.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbhVLdBagB
'Very well!' Lady Morley said. 'After all, we don't want any more blood spilt today.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaPtEUgLHn
Cara ran out of the room and tracked down the cupboard she had so suddenly farewelled her lover in. Empty.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnMVl3eqcJ
Where could he be? She passed by the entrance hall and saw Druid by the door.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54vNwIKAJX
'Dru! Why have you not left yet?' She whispered to him loudly.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAoyqZDyf0
His face goes white. 'The doors and windows are barred. From the outside. I cannot leave!' 417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGHwrGACNl
It is only at this point that Cara began comprehending the situation.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDjnRf4Pny
The killer did not intend for Lord Morley to be the only fatality that day.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4cnOl0dfE
Cara burst back into her mother's room. 'We are trapped inside!' She announced, to which the response was a chorus of 'WHAT!?'s.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLxBIuV37S
Nanny Amy began taking down notes. What an exciting day!417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGe9GWipWS
'All the doors and windows are barred from the outside! We are trapped inside with a killer!'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnd2f9YWjC
Nanny Emily felt the need to fan the flame. 'And why, dear Cara, were you checking the doors of the house instead of dealing with downstairs business? Were you trying to leave? Flee from the scene of your crime, perhaps?'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2BS79OtSY
'No! I was - I was, um...'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjppYAVoLC
Druid walked through the door. 'Hi.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPw1cnr43Gg
'Who is this, Cara?' Lady Morley was positively concerned at the arrival of this lowly stranger.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZx3FNTt6Dp
'Druid and I are lovers, mother.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgM7HsFMARR
'PFFFFFT! Nonsense. Try again. Who is this, Cara?'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjVzYOSz87
'Druid is my boyfriend?'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLYe9ee5wg
'I don't think so. Who is this person?'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwXabYT8GK
'Mother, please shut up most presently. I am in love with Druid, and his status is of no concern to you or me.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsOZYAz7Qv
Lady Morley responded with a laser glare. 'We will deal with this matter after we have dealt with the fact we are all likely to be the subjects of successive grisly demises.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJ9fy3C2oa
'Then whyyyyyy are we all in your room, mother? One fell swoop could kill us all. I don't believe in safety in numbers.' Eric began walking out. 'I believe I can fend better on my own.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsjfCpDvAL
'Nooooo, don't gooooooo...' Rachelle squealed.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6WoDIMSAg
'It's okay darling Rachelle, I will stay with you.' Nanny Emily patted her head.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAxosKf88c
'There is some point to Eric's decision.' Druid stated.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByAMXuHgJQ
'Did you hear something, Cara? I most certainly didn't.' 417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimhxxPEPvT
'Mother, this is no time for your immaturity. Suppose the killer is in this very room? I don't know about you, but I certainly don't wish to stay in here, where perhaps even you, mother, could pull out a knife and slay us all in a moment. Good day. I will find my own haven from this mess!' Cara left the room, with Druid in close pursuit.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jqCuZHZgu
'This is idiotic! This is exactly what we shouldn't do with a killer on the loose.' David muttered. 'CARA! Come back!' He raced after the lovers.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kqeD66gcM
'Rachelle, you stay with me.' Lady Morley said. 'I wouldn't trust a girl of your age to run off. You might get lost in this house. Or murdered.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUX88nW7OL
Rachelle and Nanny Emily sat down on the bed.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUowUnoEUn4
'I'll go get the coloring books, shall I?' Nanny Amy offered.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwttLyTlvd
'That would be lovely.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5cqZ3OuZs
It should seem obvious to the reader that once again, we shall say farewell to a few members of the Morley family.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9WVqJElUY
'Oh my god!'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGI68OQ422I
Pushed off the banister at the top of the stairs, Nanny Amy's and David's bodies lay sprawled on the floor of the entrance hall.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjch3VtXvT
Eric harked to alert the others, and they all gathered at the foot of the staircase, beside the bodies. 'The situation is getting serious.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FuISh0J5D
'Was it not serious before?' Lady Morley tutted. 'Rachelle. I demand that you and Nanny Emily go back to my room at once and barricade yourselves in there! I will not have my precious button be killed today.' The two women, young and old, headed back up the stairs.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQBJ3i0olI
'Oh, Dru! I am most distressed.' Cara wept into his arms. He grunted in discomfort. 'Tell me the story of how we met again. It calms me so.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABjSviC4Le
'Do we really have the time for this?' Eric complained, to no avail, as Druid began telling the story to Cara.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdvdehQQjo
'It was a Saturday market. Your family were passing by my fake jewelry stall.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViARQW58kA
'It was fake???'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHxAUaM2ww
'Shut up, mother! Let him continue.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WPxz9FqUB
'This is hopeless.' Eric left the entrance hall.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWTXgCSnJV
'You cleaned out the entire stall. You and David stayed to apologize for your mother's behavior. After David had left, you told me that you found me ruggedly attractive.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCbxrBPAe0
'This story is incredulously stupid.' Lady Morley rolled her eyes. 'We are wasting time talking about things that both of you already know! If we are really going to do this, can we at least do it out of the vicinity of dead bodies?' The three of them quickly moved to the dining hall, Druid continuing the story as they walked.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡup0ljHHh3B
'I declined your offer, at first, and you were very upset. The next few Saturday markets you made sure never to pass by my stall. But the truth to my decline was, I was scared to have fallen in love with someone as magnificent as you. I hesitated in that moment and regretted it very much. So I left my stall and tried to find you. I declared my love to you, and you fell into my arms.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GXYGNfMDD
'Awwww, most gracious Druid. Thank you very much. Now let us vacate this room! I don't fancy sitting beside dead bodies for much longer.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRd7qtTLAj
'Which is why,' Lady Morley muttered, 'we stayed here for the last five minutes.' Then, louder: 'I'm going to check on Rachelle. You two try not to make a mess.' Lady Morley left the two of them as she headed back to her room, and promptly tripped over Eric's bleeding body on the way.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFUyzmPoV1
'Oh well. I suppose it wasn't him after all.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlQqT2k3OS
She didn't feel the need to alarm anyone.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wicteiaEZ
'Rachelle! Are you alright?!'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBgz2VdZIA
The girl was lying in a pool of blood. Thankfully, it was not her own.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nflNCLGs5
Nanny Emily was leaning against the wall beside Rachelle. Her head was leaning on the wall opposite Rachelle. Neck wounds bleed a frightful lot.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Bd6iXQNUt
'Oh my darling Rachelle, come here, come here, what happened?' Lady Morley scooped up her youngest child through tears.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGJgLkDwxZ
'It was... it was... it was a man...'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7K3K61HTL
David was dead. Eric was dead. That left only Druid.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvN0bY6BPFz
'My god! I knew he was dodgy! I must call the others at once! CARAAAA!'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiHjwoQuN2
'Cara is dead.' Lady Morley jumped at the sound of his voice. Druid was standing by the doorway. 'A man in a cloak stabbed her in front of me! It must have been Eric!'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUmhewZ2kY
...417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWCzDFTEQI
'Druid, Eric was killed.' Lady Morley said.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRorAWC1dib
'What? But...'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOds1DsddsN
'And Rachelle here also said it was a man that came and killed Nanny Emily.'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Xgd57UTbl
'No, no, that's not right. Where's Eric?'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqMzAi066h
'Lying dead at the top of the stairs. Which means that the only person that could have done this all is YOU!'417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhjFOxEuij
'What! No! It wasn't me, it wasn't me! I have proof -' Druid tried to run out of the room but Lady Morley, with surprising speed, stopped him before the doorway.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIt4E00gUBq
'I think, little peasant, that we have all the proof we need.' With a blow from her knuckles, the man was knocked unconscious.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwt5Wze5hd
It was a phone call (whoever thought? It is as if they were trapped with no contact to the outer world) and fifteen minutes later that the Wellington Police came to arrest Druid Ren for five charges of murder and jewelry fraud.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2jVWnozk2
Reader, I suppose that you may want to know what became of the Morleys in the end. Lady Morley became a cult hero (not among the poorer residents of Wellington, of course), and Rachelle grew up to become the chief of Wellington Police.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKJcMzqlGm
But what became of their fortune?417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3M1yckqpZ
David inherited the fortune, of course.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZNjhdmqwe
Now you see, David had survived the fall from the staircase. Lady Morley and Rachelle always told him that he was one of the luckiest men alive, but I must point out that there was no luck involved in his survival, for he didn't fall at all.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpfGnWEU6U
Druid had a boiling hate for the upper class, posh Morleys, and David realized that a little manipulation would be all he needed to get the Morley fortune. So David befriended Druid, and convinced Druid to take up his sister's offer. Then Druid could infiltrate the Morley Manor.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyD90iIa0rO
The agreement, as it stood back then, was to frame poor Eric for the murders. Druid did his part of doing all the dirty work - but David had a little extra step in the plan. When no one was there to witness it, David rose from his pose in the entrance hall and killed Eric, before going back to his faux-corpse location.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBSIrEcU1W
In this way, Druid would take all the blame.417Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivLukMEROg
I presume that you are waiting for some kind of moral to arise from this story. But none really exists. This account serves no purpose but for entertainment, a brief glimpse into the oh-so-obviously fictional lives of the Morleys, a short tale of murder and betrayal.
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