To Break Our Hearts in Stride

The cart trundled along the dusty track, the horse’s hooves falling down on the tired track in quick succession, leading me to my brother’s mansion. I dusted off my top hat and replaced it again.
“Don’t worry, sire, only a few minutes now,” I heard my driver say. I restlessly fiddled with my buttons on my shirt and stared out of the window. The sky was a stormy grey and the forests we had rattled through were gradually thinning. I could see a small village next to the hill I was travelling up, the light from the houses shining like stars beneath me. What a day, I thought, to oversee an autopsy.
That was the real reason I was travelling to my brother’s house. There had been a murder near his house and he sent me a telegram after I had told him, offering me a place to stay. I accepted immediately; the townsfolk in the village nearby were obsessed with stories about Vampires and other mythical beasts and were incredibly superstitious of new people arriving in the village. I lived in New York and worked there as a doctor and forensic investigator. My boss found that I was the only reliable person to send out to see to this crime and I accepted; I hadn’t seen my brother in almost a year and that had been after Father died.
“We’re here, sir,” my driver said. I had been so caught up in my past I hadn’t heard the coach grind to a halt.
“Err… thanks,” I said, giving him 3 dollars. The coach drove away as I stood outside my brother’s mansion. It was huge, much bigger than my house, with huge gothic windows and gargoyles on each floor. The house looked like it was leaning to one side, towering over me dauntingly. I took the heavy brass knocker in my hand and banged it against the door three times. The door creaked open and I saw a tall, dark mass standing in front of.
“Hello?” I said to it. The person stepped out into the light; it was Mikey!
“Hello, big brother,” he said, hugging me and grinning widely. I smiled in return as he clicked his fingers.
“Frank, please escort my brother’s luggage into the living room,” he said. A smaller boy obeyed his needs and picked up my bags at once. His hair covered half his face in an attractive way and his eyes were blacked out with make up. I opened my mouth to say something but Mikey had already spoken.
“Oh, don’t mind him. He’s my new butler,” Mikey bragged. He whispered violently to Frank and he flinched. I strained my ears to hear the conversation but I only heard a few words; don’t fall in love with this one either. I pondered about this for a few moments until Mikey hustled me into the living room. As I suspects, it was huge. Frank laid down my bags and gave me a small bow.
“G-good evening sir,” he stuttered and began to leave. I tried to call out to him to come back but Mikey forced a cup of tea into my hands.
“Anything new happening?” he asked, sipping his tea.
“Erm, not really. How about you?” I said distractedly.
“Nothing much. Redecorated the house and everything. Do you remember that large black mirror we once had in our old house?”
“The creepy one?”
“Yeah, that one. It’s been stolen! I don’t know who’d want it, it’s just a piece of old junk Mother found.”
I nodded and sipped my tea.
“Oh and Hailey got fired, although she had it coming.”
God he really does put too much sugar in my tea.
“She cleaned one of my trophies in the wrong way, silly girl.”
I can only imagine what he eats. Probably cake smothered in sugar and lard.
“So I appointed Frank. Small boy, with a terrifying past…”
One day Mikey will die of high cholesterol.
“What do you think of the tea?”
“Oh, erm, fantastic.”
“Good. I should show you to your room.”
We abandoned the overly sweet tea and proceeded up the stairs. We went up several flights until he ushered me into a huge room with a handsome oak writing desk and a massive bed with hangings and a thick woollen sheet upon it.
“I better leave you to it. Frank will be upstairs with your things soon.”
I nodded and he left me to my thoughts. There seemed to be more to this village than I had expected.