Prompt: Write a story involving betrayal696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtY3eKC7CCH
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOAXAVk90m
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiy8KE4RWX
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqijPieSotM
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xp0d6pllU
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPNX8nS2KY
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT5XxKTOG9
Cara had brought home her peasant lover, Druid, and was presently attempting to inconspicuously smuggle him out of the manor.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQnuGcmbVF
'Cara!' It was David. 'Come join us for breakfast. What could ever be taking you so long?'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0Gf7HnvuK
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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eDysDoDTN
Cara arrived at the breakfast table late, to the watching eyes of her siblings, David, Eric, and Rachelle.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuYBESDbPD
'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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhv0cyLsoQ
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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5GhZYW6eJ
'Ta ta.' The girl responds.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMv2xzOKz2e
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkmgJl5lZS
'But we haven't even reached mains yet!' Rachelle complains.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CNiScjqIq
'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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqPetMu9Gk
Cara thought about her precious Druid, waiting in a closet, and took the opportunity to also leave the table. 'I, um, I - '696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7vSEwOxYx
'Yes?' Rachelle looks up at her, expecting an unarguable excuse.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdMQk6exKI
'It's just that phase of the moon.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzAdMnxLpw
'That makes no sense, Caraaaaaa!!! Breakfast is no fun if you all go away doing silly things!'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlT0yfFCZ9n
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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlvkUx9UVM
'Hmmph.' The girl crosses her arms as Cara leaves.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcASLSr05Nb
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhraGJHbmLo
'Good gracious!' Exclaimed the Nannies.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTw9URYl2lV
'Oh dear!' Cara shouted.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OlAYGVJcX
'My God!' The sons ejaculated.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsjNRxnZOB
'What's daddy doing?' Rachelle asked.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIjqur1D3F
'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?'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcJOWtCySU
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!'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROKhzpc3WC
'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!'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeE4VJ6Nvyu
'That is a lie, mother! You and I both know I loved father more than you ever did.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumwnVWHc8V
A simultaneous gasp from the two Nannies. What a very juicy Incident this would be for their gossip circles!696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGiIlqgEr3
'Well! I must ask you to leave. You are disturbing my grieving process.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTePv3GVMmu
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!'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiItNlrkbE
Rachelle began crying in consternation, not quite comprehending but aware of the distress nonetheless.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirfxqMdw2Y
'Rachelle! Come here.' Nanny Emily gave the girl a strong embrace. The little one was always fond of the servant women.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BUjWAjqpN
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0BENClwCB
'Very well!' Lady Morley said. 'After all, we don't want any more blood spilt today.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRfPNrpusL
Cara ran out of the room and tracked down the cupboard she had so suddenly farewelled her lover in. Empty.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMb7oOjNV45
Where could he be? She passed by the entrance hall and saw Druid by the door.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYegy247P0
'Dru! Why have you not left yet?' She whispered to him loudly.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnxoTdPs0C
His face goes white. 'The doors and windows are barred. From the outside. I cannot leave!' 696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WD0fDbltD
It is only at this point that Cara began comprehending the situation.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxpZuDrPgW
The killer did not intend for Lord Morley to be the only fatality that day.
Cara burst back into her mother's room. 'We are trapped inside!' She announced, to which the response was a chorus of 'WHAT!?'s.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIW6l7oArJx
Nanny Amy began taking down notes. What an exciting day!696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TDl4Arwal
'All the doors and windows are barred from the outside! We are trapped inside with a killer!'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIW5oxHxXX
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?'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHeX5xGj6A
'No! I was - I was, um...'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotzxXKwA5i
Druid walked through the door. 'Hi.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuwp5rCW94
'Who is this, Cara?' Lady Morley was positively concerned at the arrival of this lowly stranger.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XWPMQtHsD
'Druid and I are lovers, mother.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeZZ30NuvF
'PFFFFFT! Nonsense. Try again. Who is this, Cara?'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJq5ks4hRH8
'Druid is my boyfriend?'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrDwkjLieN
'I don't think so. Who is this person?'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3ORwQDS0q
'Mother, please shut up most presently. I am in love with Druid, and his status is of no concern to you or me.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7thCP5TIJ
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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHuMbdPC1F
'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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEbQ0BBdMn
'Nooooo, don't gooooooo...' Rachelle squealed.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3Zcjoi4Qs
'It's okay darling Rachelle, I will stay with you.' Nanny Emily patted her head.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPirLbxcMD8
'There is some point to Eric's decision.' Druid stated.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuXov5lZ7G
'Did you hear something, Cara? I most certainly didn't.' 696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zaG9uH8Tc
'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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mXcv7JspU
'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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwDQA1wjgY
'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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Bu3OjIqrn
Rachelle and Nanny Emily sat down on the bed.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhx6KV0CzqH
'I'll go get the coloring books, shall I?' Nanny Amy offered.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPr7AaO4exF
'That would be lovely.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJuF6AixTC
It should seem obvious to the reader that once again, we shall say farewell to a few members of the Morley family.
'Oh my god!'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoWp5127M5
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefcj32cLPw
Eric harked to alert the others, and they all gathered at the foot of the staircase, beside the bodies. 'The situation is getting serious.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YB4BShc9n
'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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkERGUFPnf
'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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcuwgMGART
'Do we really have the time for this?' Eric complained, to no avail, as Druid began telling the story to Cara.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIfjZvhEIt
'It was a Saturday market. Your family were passing by my fake jewelry stall.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTf8sBf4sI
'It was fake???'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZJ6LzeOEE
'Shut up, mother! Let him continue.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRKzbJ3kN0
'This is hopeless.' Eric left the entrance hall.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnCmIT6pS8
'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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctZ52bCj7f
'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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB53DKveKW1
'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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85gyiaNV5N
'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.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡze0ZKe4LrM
'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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzypkcNZt5i
'Oh well. I suppose it wasn't him after all.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJybkq2IJl
She didn't feel the need to alarm anyone.
'Rachelle! Are you alright?!'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAGrRqHn9Y
The girl was lying in a pool of blood. Thankfully, it was not her own.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aRe8KRKPF
Nanny Emily was leaning against the wall beside Rachelle. Her head was leaning on the wall opposite Rachelle. Neck wounds bleed a frightful lot.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPv08BkPS8
'Oh my darling Rachelle, come here, come here, what happened?' Lady Morley scooped up her youngest child through tears.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AJoQmkEFA
'It was... it was... it was a man...'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67VBx82i1r
David was dead. Eric was dead. That left only Druid.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PXyWkCrr7
'My god! I knew he was dodgy! I must call the others at once! CARAAAA!'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPR1bAJVVFD
'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!'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWorTw3IN7S
...696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXe2GzSLGz
'Druid, Eric was killed.' Lady Morley said.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02H0HYgtq2
'What? But...'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqtGMrfqTD
'And Rachelle here also said it was a man that came and killed Nanny Emily.'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2zRJy4nNk
'No, no, that's not right. Where's Eric?'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pnyyE52j1
'Lying dead at the top of the stairs. Which means that the only person that could have done this all is YOU!'696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNa3HRFTNj
'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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgU8VYIE4Lf
'I think, little peasant, that we have all the proof we need.' With a blow from her knuckles, the man was knocked unconscious.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfgHJd76tA
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.
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0cfFHhHD6
But what became of their fortune?696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4p5DKYBZwj
David inherited the fortune, of course.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1nHgxdrxN
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7seIVYnQYL
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIWEFUygh1
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.696Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FzQ6OOCEG
In this way, Druid would take all the blame.
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.
ns216.73.216.166da2
