“Yeah, this place looks brilliant…I said–” He looked at his phone, “Crap signal though.” He pushed a few buttons and shoved it in his pocket, shaking his head and looking around the land.
“Mr David!” A man in a suit called, walking over.
“Call me Dave,” he said with a smile.
“Dave it is, call me Al.”
“Al, short for Albert?”
“Sure!” He laughed. “So you have had a look around, yes?”
“Well just this bit so far. Not sure about that tree.”
“Oh, the willow?”
“Yeah, looks a bit ominous.”
Al nodded, “Yeah, it’s a pretty old thing, I think your guests would love it though. You could decorate it for Christmas and Halloween. Put a swing on it.”
Dave stroked his chin and nodded, “Yeah I could picture people swinging from the tree!”
“Alright, then! This place is about features Dave.”
Dave looked out at the overgrown grassy area, there was evidence of old buildings in the way of wooden panels and stone walls. “What used to be here anyway?”
Al turned around and opened his arms, “Was a little village I believe, eighteen hundred or something. There is a manor house up there…it’s a wreck. Also, there’s some old stone ruins further up.”
“How has no one built on this place? It’s a steal.”
“Green belt, they only just gave us planning permissions you see. No point selling it ‘till people can do something on it.”
“Yeah, makes sense, bloody red tape innit? Pisses me off.”
Al laughed, “Oh tell me about it!”
“Here she is.” Dave held out his arm and waved at the woman heading towards them.
She joined him and nodded, “Heya.”
“This is Liz, my business partner.”
She winked and cuddled up to Dave a bit. “Sure.”
Al smiled, “So, you were thinking of a holiday camp right?”
“That’s right! People don’t go abroad as much, let’s take advantage of the beautiful British countryside eh?”
“It needs a lot of work though, Dave.”
“Anything worthwhile needs work!”
“Well said, Dave.” Al chuckled and looked around. “
“I imagine I’ll be protested as well. You know they always attack me for building these places. Wankers the lot of ‘em.”
Al nodded, “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Dave shook his head and laughed, “What is that, some biblical stuff?”
“Yes.” Al nodded.
Liz raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t read any of that shit.”
Al shrugged, “It’s never too late to start.”
“Why don’t you show me this manor house?”
Al nodded and waved the two up the grassy hill.
“Jesus Christ, imagine having to walk up ‘ere every time you wanted to go home, didn’t they have steps in the eighteen hundreds?”
Al glanced back at Dave. “I’m sure they had a path. I’d prefer you didn’t blaspheme in my presence.”
Dave looked back at Liz and gave a sideways smirk, whispering: “We got a real bible basher ‘ere.”
Liz whispered back, “Don’t piss him off, he might not sell to us.”
Dave nodded, “Sorry about that, Al. Don’t want to offend, eh?”
“Sure.” He stepped over the gate which had all its bars cut away.
“What happened to the fence?”
“Two world wars, Dave. They needed iron wherever they could get it.”
“Ah right, yeah…forgot about that.”
“Lest we forget.”
The Manor house was still intact, almost pristine. The interior had been well-kept, and the furniture wasn’t modern but looked new.
“Bloody hell, this is alright!” Dave clapped his hands. “We can move in now, eh Liz?”
“It looks like a funeral home, who decorated this place.”
Al turned and stood before the pantry door. “I did. I actually have lived here for some time.”
Dave nudged Liz with his elbow, “Who pissing people off now, eh?”
Al narrowed his eyes. “This village has quite a bit of history. It would be a good tourist point.”
“Oh, yeah? What kind of history?”
“Well, it’s said to have a great trial, intrigue, murders. It had everything…even vampires.”
“Vampires?” Liz snerked. “What like count Dracula-type stuff?”
“I vant to suck your blood!” Dave playfully bit into Liz’s neck and she giggled, padding at his shoulder.
“Quite like that, yeah. Perfect for Halloween and such.”
“Hey yeah! We could hang people from the tree. Like stuffed people, not real ones.”
Liz rolled her eyes.
“Well, this place is going to need an ambitious man to be successful.”
“That’s me.” Dave pointed at himself with his thumb. “I’ve set up four of these holiday camps, all a smash.”
Liz nodded along with him. “Now all you need to do is sort out our wedding…”
“In time, love.” Dave winked and ran his finger over his neck playfully in Al’s direction.
Al chuckled. “Well, I’m certain you’re the man for the job.”
“Can we have a look upstairs?”
Al scratched his chin. “That’s where I sleep and such, I don’t think you’d want to see it.”
“Ah come on, we’d like a look around.”
Al nodded, “Alright.”
“Wait, what’s in there?” Liz pointed at the door behind Al.
“Oh?” Ali turned around. He opened the door to let them look inside. “Just an old pantry.”
Liz nodded, “Cute. Never had a pantry.”
“You never cook.”
Liz smacked Dave on the arm, “Cheeky, I made that risotto last night.”
“That came from a packet, Liz.”
She huffed. “Can we have a look upstairs then?”
“Come with me.” Al led the way and waved them up the old creaky steps. He flicked the landing light on and showed them down the hall.
“What’s in here?” Dave rudely opened a door and peeked in.
“That’s just my study.” Al closed the door before he could let himself into the room.
“Right, can I go in?”
Al sighed, “Sure.”
“I’ll wait here.” Said Liz.
Dave opened the door and went into the old study. He was drawn to the big bay window that looked over the land and surrounding forest. He narrowed his eyes. “Hey! There are people down there!” He moved his head a bit. “There’s a little village, what the bloody hell!” He left the room quickly and came into the candle-lit hallway. “Liz?” He turned around a few times in confusion and walked down the steps and into the living room. “Liz?” he called, “Al!”
The door flung open. It was Al. “Captain! There’s been another murder!”