As We Stand Weeping --- Chapter 1

Part 1 – Caterpillar

Chapter 1

It might have been presentiment on his part, but Alexandre Hamilton Dupont sat in his chair at 12:30 pm every day in absolute certainty that something extraordinary would happen to him. Well, it was not his chair specifically, but that of his younger brother of 8 years Claude Dupont. Alexandre leeched off Claude to no end to the point of having had moved in, taken his rightful room, and sat in his rightful chair in the large library room all while free of obligation and unemployed. Alexandre H Dupont knew from a very early age that he was destined for greater things. As a precocious child he was constantly pampered by his wealthy parents, praised by his governess and loved by his friends and colleagues. He was an extrovert that always made sure to be generous and amenable. Never sick, healthy, hearty and eager for the next laugh. Laughing all the while because he was already sure with what his life would be. Yes, he was "waiting" for it. It. That magical event in the life of a person who is destined to eddy his special little twist into the world. The event that says “come, show the world the work that you were meant for”.

Every evening from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, Alexandre H Dupont would sit in that chair of his with legs splayed out in front as he read the next issue of the magazine Le Taon where all the latest gossip and local news was printed. Le Taon is both owned and edited by Claude. As his older brother, Alexandre went to great pains to read through every issue and wrote daily letters to his brother containing advice on how to improve the publication. “Dear Brother, I am writing today, the 26^th of the Waning, year 127, to inform you that I have looked through the issue of Le Taon which has been a most delightful skim and your section, that is section 1DA on pages 16-17, covering the vast spaces of nature in the nearby Steppe bordering our neighbor country of Calm is an insightful look into our own private getaway. Though, I couldn’t help but notice that your prose itself, if left alone in its natural state, is more than enough to get across its meaning and sense of wonder without adding the vast amounts of purple such as ‘a sunrise so bright it burns circles into my mind’ or ‘mountain ranges that loom as dancing giants’. Such frivolous descriptions can only bog down your work and further obscure the true beauty of our beloved Corrio Steppe. Take this advice in stride brother and with time and practice, and of course me at your side, your publication will be nationwide in no time. Your brother, Alexandre H Dupont.” This was the first letter sent to Claude after Alexandre moved in and Claude has had a stack of unopened letters sitting on his desk ever since.

Beside Alexandre sat a table housing various newspapers, books and pamphlets of all kinds and another ornate chair where sometimes sat Alexandre’s childhood friend Amelie who greatly loved Alexandre and did her absolute best to stay by his side as he waited. Amelie was also very blithe about a lot of her daily obligations and duties such as – dressing herself in proper matching outerwear, taking up each of her hobbies and projects only to stop halfway through, partaking in alcoholic ambitions midway through her morning, and of course not waking up on time to sit next to her dear Alexandre for the majority of the morning, except for the once or twice a week when she did make the 12:30 appointment.

Today was not an unusual day for Alexandre, but it was one of the few times of the week that Amelie got up on time, or stayed up long enough, to share the morning with him. 

“Listen, my looooove,” Amelie said in a drawl, “If I don’t get a new batch of lime juice for my Martini rims, I will go utterly feral. I feel like everything around this house has been running on fumes recently and I don’t even know why.” 

Despite her usual brazenness, Alexandre had loved her deeply for as long as he could remember and the fact that this day might be the day that “It” could happen and that she might be right beside him, warmed Alexandre's state of mind as if he were sunbathing on an early summer day. 

“Well, Claude was always more self-dependent in our childhood than I was so it’s no surprise that he takes a more Laissez-faire attitude with his house staff than most lords.” Said Alexandre. “If anything, I would suggest that you and I take the motor carriage out into the town later today, but you never know when it might be happening so I would rather remain seated here for as long as possible darling.” Said Alexandre.

“Really now,” Said Amelie in a slur of words illuminated by those flushed cheeks and mischievous grin, “Can we set aside your little event and pay attention to me for once? Let’s take the motor carriage this evening! We can go buy the materials we need and be back before sunset, though I would rather like to -- “A chime sounded throughout the house before the sentence could be finished and the two continued to sit in their ornate chairs. Alexandre continued with his reading and Amelie continued with her drinking.

The Chime continued to sound without answer and after a couple of minutes of repeat chiming, Amelie said “Goodness, will anyone in this house answer the door?” She stretched out her arms and legs in a cat-like manner. Another echo sounded through the halls of the mansion. After another minute, Amelie got up and as she shuffled out of the library muttered “How much does Claude pay his staff? I have a right mind to berate the fools.”

A few minutes later, Alexandre, still seated, was now in the portion of his daily routine where he started his advisory letter to Claude, when he suddenly heard loud murmuring coming from down the hall towards the foyer of the house. “She’s been gone for a while now,” he murmured. “I should go check on her.” Alexandre stood, stretched his back in an arch with hands on hips and strode toward the sound. Now in the foyer, Alexandre found two policemen looming over an emotive Amelie. Whenever Amelie speaks, Alexandre thought, she has always tended to make an excessive amount of hand gestures to the point where her childhood friends and colleagues would typically mimic her to an extremely accurate degree.

“Listen officers, I’ve already told you, you must have the wrong address! This house,” Amelie motioned widely with both hands, “has got to be the most mundane house in the whole neighborhood! We never throw parties, this house’s staff is completely incompetent to the point of being absent, I even have to answer the front door now!”

Both officers looked upon her with gloomy faces, one six foot tall and wiry thin, the other five foot eight and thick. “Miss Dumas, we’ve already gone over this, but we must go through the mandatory inspection after the call we received. National Corrio Mandate.” Said the tall officer.

“And what exactly do you expect to find officers? A body? There’s no murder here! I’ve already told you. Please leave us be, we have plans to go out into town in a while and I won’t have you-- ahep!” She proceeded to let out a large hiccup and braced herself on the nearby polished table with one hand.

“Ah, officers.” said Alexandre in a gracious manner as he reached the gathering. “Welcome, welcome. My name is Alexandre Dupont, older brother of the Lord of this house Claude Dupont. What’s this I hear about a murder? Are you here on some sort of investigation?”

“Pleasure to meet you Mr. Dupont.” Said the short man. “My name is Officer Harold Blake, and this here is my partner Officer Jonathan Rathers.” He pointed to the tall man. “We received a call last night regarding loud noises from an anonymous source and we’re her to conduct a formal investigation.”

“Well Mr. Blake,” Said Alexandre, “we would be all too happy to comply with a full inspection of our home, feel free to look around as you please. Amelie and I will be in the library if you have any questions. Amelie, let’s go back to our tasks now, we can postpone our outing.” Alexandre took Amelie by the arm and started to lead her back to the library.

“Of course. We’ll be starting our inspection now. Officer Blake.” Said Officer Rathers, pointing his partner further into the mansion.

“But the lime juice.” Said Amelie, deeply troubled.

Now back in the library, Alexandre and Amelie continued in their discussion. “Alexey, my love, what can those officers really have to find for here? I mean there’s just me and you here typically and Claude is very rarely home and sleeps at his office, the workaholic.”

“Whatever they’re looking for, they won’t find it here. It’s better to let them waste their time and be about our business.” Said Alexandre, as he continued his advisory letter. Amelie fell asleep in her chair.

An inordinate amount of time passed and through their inspection, the two officers found a few things quite out of the ordinary. Things such as still-running faucets, damp laundry on top of an open drier, and food left out half-prepared. As they made their way up the floors of the mansion, Officer Blake caught a whiff of a strange odor. “Oh god, what is that smell?”

“I don’t smell anything.” Said Officer Rathers. “Just the usual must that builds up in a house this cramped with furniture if left uncleaned for too long, but other than that nothing out of the ordinary.”

As the two officers crept further along, the odor started growing stronger and stronger until they both had to cover their noses and were able to pinpoint the location of the smell on the third floor near the back of the mansion in one of the maintenance rooms. When Officer Blake tried opening the door, it wouldn’t move but just a tiny crack. “It won’t budge.” Said officer Blake, pushing with all his might.

Officer Rathers joined in the pushing, and they finally got it to open enough to see the dead body on the floor leaning slightly against the door and slightly against the wall. “Dear god.” Said Officer Rathers. There on the floor of the maintenance room, lay Jefferey Donaldson, the head of staff for the House Dupont and the rest of the staff of the House Dupont. All dead, covered in each one's own self.