The final diary entry of Professor Martin Peaceman - a short story

Tuesday, January 1st 1901, 12:05 am

I know now that I should never have come. I should not have accepted the invitation from my good friend Patrick Featherson to observe the strange comet from the observation tower of his brand new hotel. It was too good an opportunity to miss though and it had been years since Patrick and I had graduated from Oxford so I caught the train from London. At Bath many of the passengers  exited my carriage and for a moment I was alone. Enjoying the quiet and watching the quaint countryside flash by I was interrupted from my pleasant reverie by a balded gentleman in a three piece suit. I nodded greeting before returning to the scenery.
"Professor Peaceman..." the stranger began. It was not a greeting and in fact it shocked me that this unknown figure seemed to know whom I was. There was a certainty and an urgency both in how it was he pronounced my title and surname.
"Exit at Exeter..." he added.
I turned, chuckling at the unusual choice of phrase. My just as clever response was on the very tip of my tongue prepared for swift delivery. As I turned from the window I discovered however that the figure had already gone. The carriage was empty, it were as if the strange exchange might never have happened. Troubled, I returned to the ever changing panorama, but no longer did the English countryside bring me simple joy. My thoughts were clouded, troubled, my humors upset.

Exeter came and went. Immediately I regretted not heading the strange suggestion of the man in the suit as a family of eight crammed into my lonely space. Seemingly none knew how to respect the sanctity of silence. The travel to Bodmin Parkway was excruciating. Fifty or so questions sent my way I ignored until I could bare it no longer.
"Halley's Comet is not due to be seen with the naked eye until 1910! I doubt very much that the coming of a new year would cause such a phenomenon to change!" I announced haughtily. I did not mention the calculations I had made predicting our planet would traverse through the tail on this occasion. I thought it enough to settle the argument and bring again the carriage to peace that I could confirm the orange glow we had all been witnessing in our skies was not the famous celestial.
"Professor Peaceman..." stated a child amongst the party invading my carriage. "You missed your stop at Exeter..."
I looked hard then at the child and noted the small crescent moon tattooed under his left eye. Examining each family member in turn I saw the same mark repeated. Casting my mind back I realised that the balded man had a similar mark. My blood chilled. I excused myself and rushed from the cabin. Expecting to be followed I hurried through the train as it drew into the final station on the line. The family remained seated however, making no move to pursue me. Two others did exit onto the platform as the train slowed to a halt. I did my best to seek out a sign of the tattoo on each but saw naught to concern me. I took the rear seat of the omnibus to Tintagel and looked behind as the rocky ride began. The family remained on the platform, chatting with the man in the three piece. The boy watched me go, waving forlornly. Unsure of how to respond I gave a wave of my own.

I soon discovered that the two who had joined me on the bus were local, returning to their homes in a hurry as the vehicle finally reached its destination. I was to ask the driver for directions to my friend's hotel but it was not necessary. A hulking monstrosity sat upon the horizon, almost completed, emblazoned  in lights, a beacon summoning me forth.
"Martin! Welcome!" came a well remembered call. My friend Patrick had brought the open cab with a pair of spirited, white steeds to save me a quarter mile stroll.
We chatted like old friends who'd not had years apart and yet what we spoke of was the stuff that filled in that extended gap. I was impressed with the entrance hall of Patrick's grand establishment and the quality brandy with which we sipped as he conducted the tour.
"I've plans to name her The King Arthur's Camelot Castle Hotel... For the tourists of course..." Patrick explained, always seeking a pound. "You are my first guest, but I am expecting a dozen more later this evening..." he added, a version of an apology I suppose. In an attempt to lighten the mood my host and friend then steered us up a flight of ornate steps, a hundred at least and at the top of the flight presented his telescope.
"Please! Sit! Observe... Such a strange sight I needed you to witness it with me so I could confirm I was not dreaming..." Patrick insisted.
Without hesitation I did as was bade. I'd been watching this orb for a week now, since it had first made an appearance upon our spacescape. The smog of the city was unkind though compared with the clear and clean skies of lonely Tintagel. What I witnessed took my breath. A powerful ball of flame drawing quite close. I made a few quick calculations and whistled loudly.
"We might just meet this one head on Patrick..." I exclaimed. My previous views had suggested we were nowhere near the comet's path but the smog had made true vision difficult. Here I could be surer.
"I know..." breathed my friend in reply. "I have a room set up for you Martin, but you are also welcome to settle upon the pallet here... Keep a close eye of the skies..."

I took the pallet for my own and spent the remainder of the afternoon with one eye on the heavens. Another omnibus arrived after sunset and my friend again took the horses out to collect his new arrivals. I heard the hubbub below as the new arrivals settled. A fine meal of coc a vin was delivered by Patrick and for a few moments we chatted about my observations, the telescope clearer still in the purity of night.
"Where and when? Where and when?" Patrick asked, eagerly.
As best I could calculate I informed him it would be somewhere in the Celtic Sea within the following seventy-two hours.
As Patrick left I was unsure if I'd heard him mutter something, he seemed deflated.

The evening wore on and a Great Grandfather Clock in the entrance hall struck the witching hour as I tore my eye from the scope. My ears had caught the sound of singing. I rose, stretching my limbs as I headed down the steps to investigate. The song was in Latin, but the words I could not comprehend. The harmony grew louder as I drew closer to the entrance hall. Bursting in I discovered a dozen figures in mail all sat around a replica of Arthur's famous table. In the center of said table was my friend, dressed in a white gown, a large knife embedded in his back, crimson pooled about his prostrated form.
"Patrick!" I cried, aghast...
"Return Martin to the best seat in the house!!" Patrick called back at me with hysteric urgency. "Tonight we make history!!"
Not knowing what to do I fled as he suggested. A hunch drew my eye back to the telescope and I noted with horror that the comet's trajectory had shifted. It had increased its speed and would now land somewhat nearer, possibly upon the very hotel my friend had built. The sound below me seemed to be conjoined with the sight above. The chanting grew in volume as the flaming orb became everything the scope could view. As the glass rattled from the deep baritones I found I could see that the ball hurtling toward us was actually a creature, though nothing I'd ever witnessed on this Earth. Soon the telescope was no longer needed, the naked eye suffice to see every detail of the monster from the heavens who came to deliver our doom. My mind exploded as the beast discovered my mind and flooded it with phantasmal sights of things to come.

I pen these final words as the chanting ceases and that which I have witnessed in my mind is now coming true. I should never have come. And yet gladdened am I to have had a front row seat of not just my destruction but the true ending of us all...

An entertaining tale - review of The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister

Just on a whim I spotted The Magician's Lie come via the return chute at work. We had marked it with an orange dot, something we reserve for detective novels, crime and mystery... The cover and title both caught my eye but it was the blurb that sold me. I love stories with strong female characters and this one promised to be impressive.

Greer Macallister has written a clever story which played out like a thrilling Hollywood blockbuster, weaving back and forth just over a decade at a time where illusionists were the highlight of entertainment. The story is told in a way that it captures the thrill of owning the stage, describing a true performer completely and utterly in their element.

The true sign of a great story is how sad you are that the story has ended. The Magician's Lie has made me very sorrowful indeed. Truly I wish it could have continued for a hundred pages more at least. Well paced, full of twists and turns with a brilliant cast of heroes and villains.

For anyone looking for a brilliant story I can thoroughly recommend this one. I wish I could write this well...

A trip to Meningie and four clean cats

Today is the day I celebrate the day I said "I do" to a wonderful girl named Heidi. Over the 16 years of our amazing marriage we have achieved so much together. I certain would not be the manager of our local library if I did not have this incredible woman in my life. We also would not have a house full of three beautiful, special kids and a menagerie of animals (four cats now and a rabbit) if this Cancer had met such a fiery Scorpio and fallen so deeply in love. To celebrate our magical romance my darling girl found a delicious looking seafood platter for two in Meningie, South Australia. So after dropping the kids off to school (1 and 2 then 3) and giving our new kitten a bath it was time to venture off as a couple an hour down the country road and on to the quaint little township of Meningie on Lake Albert.

We arrived in Meningie with our minds a whirl, full of fun memories from the family weekend we had taken in this town. We headed straight for our destination, the Cheese Factory Museum and Restaurant only to find upon arrival at 11:30am that the doors to the restaurant were shut and locked tight. A sign on the door suggested lunch was available from 12noon so we quickly nipped back into town to do the Pelican Walk and reminisce some more. Returning to the Cheese Factory by the suggested lunch time we discovered an elderly couple seeking the same thing we were but no open doors. Upon giving the phone number on the door I discovered that the lunch staff were all down with the flu and sadly there would be no seafood platter for two for anyone that day. The (much) older couple suggested we try the Meningie Hotel instead with plans to return on a later date in search of ocean yumminess. Great advice taken up we discovered a delightful steak and Guinness pie for one and a fair serve of fish and chips for my wife. Deliciousness and satisfaction almost covered the disappointment we had for a great plan ruined.

Upon leaving Meningie with tummies full we passed a deal of a life time and pulled over for a bag of fresh caught Coorong Mullet (best fish ever in my experience). That should make for an awesome tea tomorrow... Can't wait...

Home again home again only to discover another scritchy scratchy feline. Into the sink with Max, followed by Ginger and finally (for the sake of consistency) Fred... All clean and looking like drowned rats. Certainly not happy cats but a lot less scratching.

All in all a lovely day out with the love of my life and even more memories to carry on to our seventeenth.
Now it is full steam ahead toward my big 4 and Oh... King for a day and fool for a life time...

Huzzah!!!

Fun and games and a special party

Another wonderful gathering of family and friends this weekend just gone. We headed over to Casa de Crook as their youngest took the lime light upon turning one year old. A great afternoon with fine food and company. The girl of the hour was in fine form entertaining all with her older siblings keeping the younger visitors on their toes. The after party in true Crook/Law style consisted of amazing pizza, gossip and a board game or two. Hicksy and I managed finally to defeat the initial scenario of Mansion of Madness and Hicksy also managed to introduce me to a new Sci-Fi (space) themed game. A massive day extended to yet another great night.

Sunday has been a day of clean up and tidy with my angel and I getting stuck into rearranging our robe so it is no longer an obstacle course getting things in and out. Our little rabbit got a much needed run around the backyard and we got a semi-planned visit from those Crooks. Rabbit caught with no trouble (too cold and too indecisive) but I got a lesson in gaming from Ben. We couldn't venture into the Manson of Madness for scenario two so gave Space Race another run. I was cruising to an epic victory until I opened my big mouth... "How do you get Victory Points, Ben?" was my question before the man himself pulled off the comeback of all comebacks... I take my hat off to the true MASTER of board games... I'll think twice in future before saying what's on my mind...

Cats and Crows good wins... Aussies doing well in the cricket and tennis... And the musician that played at work for our Sunday Sessions at the Library sounds like a hit... All in all a brilliant long weekend.

Happy birthday to Her Majesty the Queen!

Cannot wait until my birthday when I can be King for the day...

Signing off until next time, Tim the Wizard!

A great recommendation - The Painted Man

It has been quite a while between posts, busy with home life and a big project at work. Somehow I have managed to fit in a great recommendation from a great mate, The Painted Man written by Peter V Brett (cheers Matt for the suggestion). This top notch fantasy has rekindled my love for the genre.

The trio of main characters are well written and their individual stories unfold in a very clever fashion. I love the way the enemies (demons) are described, creating a fearful tingle down my spine each time they appear.

If you are a fan of Tolkien, Martin and the like then Peter V Brett's Demon Saga is well worth a read.

Five wards out of five for The Painted Man!