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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ680boF2HgX
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW8Kd5cWDf
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1hzgU0MqD
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSTphfKUUa
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhHASJ1O5O
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfPMiV5bjP
Cara had brought home her peasant lover, Druid, and was presently attempting to inconspicuously smuggle him out of the manor.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTHZg2mX63
'Cara!' It was David. 'Come join us for breakfast. What could ever be taking you so long?'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJYwgcQIdZ
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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡze2NsthVIF
Cara arrived at the breakfast table late, to the watching eyes of her siblings, David, Eric, and Rachelle.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfAjxtkAeJ
'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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3oQHFPTE8
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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4FjP3TSsX
'Ta ta.' The girl responds.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2PvPRZCQp
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1wIVE5Skh
'But we haven't even reached mains yet!' Rachelle complains.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96EMdxAJ0c
'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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugXLYlDn49
Cara thought about her precious Druid, waiting in a closet, and took the opportunity to also leave the table. 'I, um, I - '376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GB8MoRqYA
'Yes?' Rachelle looks up at her, expecting an unarguable excuse.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUO2g80eU8V
'It's just that phase of the moon.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPz0SnXESj
'That makes no sense, Caraaaaaa!!! Breakfast is no fun if you all go away doing silly things!'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDOvlkgHHH
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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VNNzO64bz
'Hmmph.' The girl crosses her arms as Cara leaves.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9mJmBpHyo
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBmgSpUs4v
'Good gracious!' Exclaimed the Nannies.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMoVT0omcJ
'Oh dear!' Cara shouted.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHO7fOE0gB
'My God!' The sons ejaculated.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnM5kLhrxC6
'What's daddy doing?' Rachelle asked.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfmdrfin3k
'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?'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFlDj3nght
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!'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6jy8QPrlQ
'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!'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7k5wjzcnA
'That is a lie, mother! You and I both know I loved father more than you ever did.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ039qe6o7wK
A simultaneous gasp from the two Nannies. What a very juicy Incident this would be for their gossip circles!376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxVC7ZIvco
'Well! I must ask you to leave. You are disturbing my grieving process.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzTxriKrPk
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!'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AQkA3dLJa
Rachelle began crying in consternation, not quite comprehending but aware of the distress nonetheless.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIPSauxRt9
'Rachelle! Come here.' Nanny Emily gave the girl a strong embrace. The little one was always fond of the servant women.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkkOoTtrxq
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pWxI9i2P0
'Very well!' Lady Morley said. 'After all, we don't want any more blood spilt today.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4lDxzcsZP
Cara ran out of the room and tracked down the cupboard she had so suddenly farewelled her lover in. Empty.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZn6FRrEtwn
Where could he be? She passed by the entrance hall and saw Druid by the door.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqLSWtnL4C
'Dru! Why have you not left yet?' She whispered to him loudly.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7563oCPPM
His face goes white. 'The doors and windows are barred. From the outside. I cannot leave!' 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWx0cvicFXH
It is only at this point that Cara began comprehending the situation.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvEN7HRC9v
The killer did not intend for Lord Morley to be the only fatality that day.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyCiIikLWE
Cara burst back into her mother's room. 'We are trapped inside!' She announced, to which the response was a chorus of 'WHAT!?'s.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlerQHHbDTE
Nanny Amy began taking down notes. What an exciting day!376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstNY7WBc8p
'All the doors and windows are barred from the outside! We are trapped inside with a killer!'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAsOl0IGzZ
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?'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UyGqxkTOI
'No! I was - I was, um...'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupiCmu42Aj
Druid walked through the door. 'Hi.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccSyj0P8Wh
'Who is this, Cara?' Lady Morley was positively concerned at the arrival of this lowly stranger.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsWVvtOK8H
'Druid and I are lovers, mother.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyw51eOTL7
'PFFFFFT! Nonsense. Try again. Who is this, Cara?'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMpvQe1WmW
'Druid is my boyfriend?'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvswexv046
'I don't think so. Who is this person?'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNjQ2X6X2Q
'Mother, please shut up most presently. I am in love with Druid, and his status is of no concern to you or me.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTmpDvQIfL
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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKmFV8cUPx
'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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgC2Kzn72zc
'Nooooo, don't gooooooo...' Rachelle squealed.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48rhIeqo0E
'It's okay darling Rachelle, I will stay with you.' Nanny Emily patted her head.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4AWcXKtqdX
'There is some point to Eric's decision.' Druid stated.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUT9FY3uCs
'Did you hear something, Cara? I most certainly didn't.' 376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjBywTrp9i
'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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqdwWoH59w
'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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP37LwthJj
'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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqJUv63qnO
Rachelle and Nanny Emily sat down on the bed.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobrjx5YGgF
'I'll go get the coloring books, shall I?' Nanny Amy offered.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWw78w9vco
'That would be lovely.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pw6eyUv0M
It should seem obvious to the reader that once again, we shall say farewell to a few members of the Morley family.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIahiemca0s
'Oh my god!'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DZBwFuQ10
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3F65ft9OI
Eric harked to alert the others, and they all gathered at the foot of the staircase, beside the bodies. 'The situation is getting serious.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwGoV9g4KD
'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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eFqUO3nmo
'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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuLhFGqQJ3
'Do we really have the time for this?' Eric complained, to no avail, as Druid began telling the story to Cara.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJe1qsYP01r
'It was a Saturday market. Your family were passing by my fake jewelry stall.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDl1bJal9t
'It was fake???'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUu9vOLRwGF
'Shut up, mother! Let him continue.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMh1v0Kqky
'This is hopeless.' Eric left the entrance hall.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8LiLbr1XU
'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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtkUqejXhq
'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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgP3RZvT8L
'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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5liLUenWE
'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.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHpa1FKNJk
'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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpO38baV7W3
'Oh well. I suppose it wasn't him after all.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbubOwBzEb
She didn't feel the need to alarm anyone.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuMrHPIZYO
'Rachelle! Are you alright?!'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RY5vwfwiR
The girl was lying in a pool of blood. Thankfully, it was not her own.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkh23JkW0g
Nanny Emily was leaning against the wall beside Rachelle. Her head was leaning on the wall opposite Rachelle. Neck wounds bleed a frightful lot.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ658hbxJmLQ
'Oh my darling Rachelle, come here, come here, what happened?' Lady Morley scooped up her youngest child through tears.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVE6zGiItO
'It was... it was... it was a man...'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaml8Jisc2Q
David was dead. Eric was dead. That left only Druid.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn11Unzh9zl
'My god! I knew he was dodgy! I must call the others at once! CARAAAA!'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKudtq6jTxR
'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!'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ljl7CAbPL
...376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJHNRn7xfw
'Druid, Eric was killed.' Lady Morley said.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiyF50xHRB
'What? But...'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2leMoKIxp
'And Rachelle here also said it was a man that came and killed Nanny Emily.'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3Y2YYGF4x
'No, no, that's not right. Where's Eric?'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7PKc6WusW
'Lying dead at the top of the stairs. Which means that the only person that could have done this all is YOU!'376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjk0HqcwCy
'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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceSBhzqEzX
'I think, little peasant, that we have all the proof we need.' With a blow from her knuckles, the man was knocked unconscious.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVApyyjGPMo
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhgfb5DdYt
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtlOPWWPJ4
But what became of their fortune?376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlnWJcH5D2
David inherited the fortune, of course.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BFGW4w7Wv
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsodDnSX0ej
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnAcHvZP5W
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.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeih64LgoYv
In this way, Druid would take all the blame.376Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNI408n7Ckv
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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