Better late than never - The Room - A story for Halloween

As we wandered through Westfield Fountain Gate yesterday I spotted an interesting looking game for PS4 in EB Games. Being so close to Halloween I found these odd and eerie images floating through my mind. This is my attempt at bringing all the weirdness together to assemble some sort of tale. Hopefully you get the idea...

The Room - A story for Halloween

Tony knocked confidently on the Smithson's front door as he had done so often over the past year.
When the door swung open he greeted the bear of a man who filled the door frame.
"Good evening, sir,"
"Tony! Come in!" Mister Smithson replied.
"Sorry, I can't sir," apologised Tony. "I'm here to pick up Josephine and we're already late."
"So I heard," said Josephine's father. "Something about dinner at the pizza bar and then some killing sunshine disco dance happening at the Steeds home ground."
Tony knew better than to correct the father of the girl of his dreams. He'd got the details about dinner right but disco hadn't been popular for at least a century. Tony had managed to score two tickets to see The Sunshine Killers, a hot four piece from Canada who were touring their recently released second album, Love, Death and Rainbows.
"Absolutely sir!" Tony stated enthusiastically, grasping the offered hand without wincing. Tony went with the handshake and allowed Jo's father to pump his hand vigorously.
"Your a good lad, Tony."
"Thank you, sir," said Tony as his hand was released.
"I'll go find Jo and tell her your here."

Ten minutes later Tony was opening the passenger side door of his '69 Mustang, helping the gorgeous Josephine Smithson step inside. She wore a new dress, one Tony had never seen before in the twelve months they had been dating. Short, but not so short daddy wouldn't let her out the door. Low cut too which Tony liked... It enabled him to compliment the opal charm at the end of the necklace Jo wore without hinting at what actually drew his full attention.
"Your wearing the butterfly and heart charm I bought you three months ago," Tony stated. "It looks amazing with that new dress."
"You noticed!" squealed Josephine, delighted.
"And what is that amazing scent?" asked the boy, noticing that his car suddenly smelled like a bee's heaven.
"Intreaged," stated Jo.
"Why, yes I am," affirmed Tony, his reply immediate.
"No," laughed Jo, a sound Tony loved even more every time he heard it. "It's a new perfume from France called Intreaged.
Tony joined Jo then and they chatted and laughed all the way to dinner.

"Take... Me... HOME!" demanded Josephine. "NOW!!!"
The look on the girl's face told Tony that she was not kidding.
"But babe!? The concert? The Sunshine Killers! Your favourite band..." Tony replied, suggesting that the night was not over yet. "Moonlight, Lover's Peak... Intreaged?" he added in an effort to swiftly change Jo's mind.
It was obvious Tony's attempt had failed as Jo's mascara ran.
"This night was supposed to be special..." seethed the young girl. Tony caught sight of the daggers that flashed across his girlfriend's electric blue eyes. During the car ride back to the Smithson's the silence spoke volumes. Tony attempted to redeem himself as they pulled up at Josephine's front door, leaping out the driver side and sliding along the bonnet of his classic so he could open the door for his girlfriend.
"Hmmmph," was his reward. "Call me in the morning and we'll talk," Jo suggested. "I'm still cross with you though..."
Tony gave Jo a weak smile.
"You're lucky you're cute," was Josephine's reply.

Tony drove off, still confused as to how a great night planned had turned into such a disaster. Not wanting to go home, but no longer eager to head to the concert he drove out to the outskirts of town to watch the stars. There was an old rundown house not far from the town limits that Tony's Grandpa George had always sworn was haunted. Tony decided then and there that he'd check it out and prove the crazy, old geaser wrong. It didn't take long to find the dirt track that lead to the long, twisty, weed choked driveway. A few rabbits leaped out of the brush as the Mustang roared past them, Tony picking the lightning fast critters in his high beams for only a second before they bounded away.

As the old house came into view Tony could easily see why his Pa and the other old timers had ghost stories galore about it. The windows were covered in thick dust, the roof looked ready to collapse at any second and there was an odd fog that swirled about, no obvious source for it, it seemed to just be there. The first sound Tony heard as he killed the rumble of the Mustang was the constant squeal of the front door, a rhythmic squeak slow and harsh on the ears. "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkk, eeeeeerrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkk... Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkk, eeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkk..." went the door until Tony gave it a harsh kick and it fell with a resounding "BOOOOOM!!!" as it fell into the parlour when the rusted hinges finally gave way. As the violin like wail from the door ceased Tony could hear what sounded like weeping.
"Heeee... lllllll...." came the sound, almost a cry seeking a strong young man's assistance before it petered out unfinished.
"Hello?" called Tony. "Do you need help?"
"Heeee... lllllllllllll...." came the faint sound again.
From the parlour Tony followed the faint cry to first the kitchen, then a string of bedrooms and finally to a Sun Room which was in disarray. There in the corner was a hunched over woman dressed in black. Black skirt, black shirt, black shawl, black stockings with black shoes. The style of dress was very outdated, something that even Tony noticed straight away. The lady was facing the wall, searching the blank surface for a secret treasure. Her bonnet was up, over her head making the figure so easy to miss in the light of Tony's phone screen.
"Um... Ma'am..?" asked Tony, cautiously. "Did you call out?"
Soundlessly the figure turned around. Tony gasped. The figure had the wispy hair, the wrinkles of age, but where there should have been watery grey eyes, a misshaped nose, thin, lifeless lips almost bloodless in colour, there was nothing. Tony tried to step back out the room, to turn away from this strange scene that affronted him. The missing facial features appeared out of the blank wall where the faceless lady searched in vain. A well formed pair of eyes, eyebrows, nose with nostrils inflamed, a thin lipped mouth turned up in a sneer, all present in the whitewash of the Sun Room wall.
"You didn't listen, boy..." stated the face on the wall, the voice ancient, cracked like it were the house itself that spoke. As the words came the features of the face moved like an agitated serpent, slithering quickly to stare from below Tony, capturing his eyes somehow with an orbless stare.
"Now you get to stay with us..." the mouth stated.
"I... I don't understand..." Tony stammered.
"You can NEVER leave..." stated the face, just as fifty other features morphed onto the wall to join it.
Tony felt his face and suddenly found his lips were gone. In silent panic he felt for his nose. As he suddenly struggled to take in air the sight from one eye vanished. His world went dark as he felt the old woman grasp him in a comforting embrace. As Tony's lungs began to burn like fire, his body needing the oxygen he would never taste again, the young fool heard  as a chorus of lost souls again those chilling words...
"You can NEVER leave..."

Laws and Crooks Conquer Victoria 2017 - Day Three

With the sweet deal we got for Sovereign Hill yesterday we got free entry today. Last night the Laws and Crooks were throwing around ideas of what we wanted to get up to (more 9 pin bowling, checking out the rock crushing machine, seeing how rock candy is made, panning for more gold, making our own candles, more wagon rides... Def one of the greatest sausage rolls in the county for lunch...) So much still to do and only a few hours in the morning to do it.
Unfortunately we awoke the next morning with a dark and drizzly sky and one sick chick. These two factors both told us to get out of Ballarat and on our way to our next stop, Beaconsfield where a magical palace awaited our arrival... BB and Roh and family have been amazing in allowing us to use their beautiful home as a base for pretty much the whole time we are spending over in Victoria. This places us wonderfully close to so many family fun activities, puts us (the Laws) in an environment that we have found ourselves in and gives the Laws and Crooks enough space that we can both mingle and have separate family time if and when we choose all under the same roof. The perfect space for the perfect holiday.

With rain and upset tummy talk hurrying us along all those ideas for the morning needed to be placed on the back burner. Come June/July next year we may decide (foolish as it sounds) to tackle the Ballarat winter and have our free entry to Sovereign Hill then. A trip back to Medieval Land (aka Kryal Castle) might also be on the cards as a special birthday treat. Instead it was back on the road again and onto the M1 for 80 odd Ks until the C101 came into sight and we entered familiar territory. Now as I type this we are all recovering from our 2 hour plus car trip plus a trip to Fountain Gate Shopping Center for a couple of odds and ends (curse you Kmart!) I have seen that the shopping complex has Gold Class cinema. I am certain that there is something my beautiful Miss H and I are itching to see... Maybe a cider and some cheesy nachos while watching Thor and The Hulk battle it out. Cannot wait for date night in style...

I must make comment here though that we are finding the Victorian roads to be terrible (bumpy, rough and many potholes) and the Victorian drivers all seem to see drizzle, storm and wet and wild weather to be an excuse to take up a death wish. I lost count just how many times we got cut off, almost got hit and I know there was at least one time coming back from Fountain Gate that we saw one ute run into the back of another one. Funny to see all the cars waiting to pull in to a sweet looking school (def private) and all the other cars in the 3k line up indicating they wanted out the line (not there for school pickup, just got caught in the wrong lane at the wrong time). Even when we didn't see anything there was plenty to see...

I wonder what tomorrow has in store...

Laws and Crooks Conquer Victoria 2017 - Day Two

With Sovereign Hill just up the hill from the super awesome Big 4 Goldrush caravan park it made perfect 'cents' to us to take the Crook family back in time to the 1800s... Back home we have a historic settlement called Old Tailem Town. A great museum which shows what life was like for people living in the local area around the same time. Where Old Tailem Town differs is the history (riverboat vs gold rush) and the money invested (Tailem is pretty good but Sovereign Hill is laid out over a large area, has paid employees and volunteer staff, has lots of stores where you can purchased food, souvenirs, memories...) Our kids enjoyed experiencing an open carriage wagon ride, mine tour, scones with hot chocolate, so many things we loved doing last year. We also found the time to play nine pin bowling, purchase a fan or two and find out so much more about the history of gold mining in the local area. Seeing a $100,000+ bar of gold get smelted was a real highlight from the day and we have a list of experiences we want again when we get to go back for a few hours tomorrow. Then of course is it back on the road, headed south as we have a house to sit. Hoping that our amazing friends BB and Roh and the kids are having a brilliant o/seas experience someplace much (much) warmer... Many thanks for your incredible generosity. Laws and Crooks are on the road again...

Laws and Crooks Conquer Victoria 2017 - Day One

What an epic beginning to what promises to be a wonderful few weeks of amazing family memories. The Laws are taking the Crooks under their wing and heading over the boarder... Look out Victoria the party of nine are here...

Day one has seen a very (very) early beginning, hitting the road soon after 7:30am with the first stop Keith and the delicious delights of the bakery there followed quickly by a trip to the playground and its frightful rollercoaster. Our kids love that flat tray shocker and were extremely excited about introducing their younger cousins to the thrills and horrors of flying along at the speed of light with only your wits and utter luck to keep you safe and secure. The silos at Coonalpyn drew all of our attention as we drove past, sadly the drizzle and our time schedule kept us from pausing and truly admiring the majesty of such art.

Next stop was Horsham for lunch. Inbetween we saw all the wonderful little country towns flash by. I made sure I did not blink as we passed through Yumali, a sweet, tiny town where I am fairly sure my Aunty and Uncle once looked after the Post Office. Lunch was Maccas, quick, easy and filling, the best lunch when you are on the go with a long drive still ahead... Then the beauty of the Grampians mountain range and loads of roadworks a wonderful drive on a half decent freeway a brief pause after Aararat to change drivers and finally the last stretch to finally arrive at Ballarat, our home away from home for the next few days.

What a way to spend a birthday, and yet we still managed to make the day for my very beautiful wife a special one. It was topped off with dinner at the Ballarat Pancake Kitchen. When we ate there last year the poor staff were swamped when we arrived (five of us) since there were also a dozen or so callistenics teams that decided the same night to eat there... Our tea this time was a breeze... I phoned ahead and booked a table for nine and just so happened to mention that we had a birthday girl with us. Even though there was a slight mix up with meals the food was utterly delicious, the trainee gave us exceptional service and there was a lovely scoop of vanilla icecream with sprinkles and a candle for the birthday girl served up at the very end. Even though a sign at the cash register clearly stated that the restuarant can't split bills they were more than happy to calculate our individual totals... A great end to a full on day...

Laws and Crooks Conquer Victoria 2017

This is it! A crazy idea that two families head over the South Australia / Victorian boarder and see just what adventures and family memories they can make together. The Law and Crook family get along so well ever since Hicksy and I were thick as thieves in late High School and well... Then we married sisters...

I will attempt to blog our fantastic fun so you can share in our adventures...

Watching a tiger catch flies

Ahhhhh Sunday... Glorious, sunny Sunday... A lazy day after a BIG night with friends and family and our entertainer for the afternoon just so happens to be the stripy, orangy tiger Ginger... His stalking fly technique has brought a smile to all of our faces... Go Ginger! Catch those flies!!

Traaaa Laaaaaa Laaaaaa!!! AND Ninja-Go!!!

The school holidays are normally a great opportunity to checkout the latest offerings in kids (family) films. These October holidays have proven to be no exception. Earlier in the week my wonderful wife, Miss H took our two girls (Miss 10 and Miss 7) to the Shopkins Movie while I took Master 11 to see the LEGO Ninja-Go film... Verdict on these, enjoyed heaps by the kids but not so much by Mum and Dad. I can't say much about the Shopkins movie (thankfully not something I had to suffer), my experience with the Ninja-Go film was that it was no LEGO Batman... I've been spoilt with humour, action and fun where it comes to LEGO movies in the past. For me the tale of Lloyd and his friends did have humour, action and fun but not in the spades we have seen in the past. There are so many other family films coming soon which I think will be more entertaining (e.g. the second Paddington film).

Today we had a family outing to our local cinema to see The Captain Underpants movie. A few out loud laughs by lots of silly smile moments. A great recreation of some very silly stories. I have loved reading the Captain Underpants books with my son and it was great to be able to watch these books come to life on the big screen. A great morning out and a great way to start what looks to be a fun weekend ahead...