The gravel crunches beneath my loafers and a wave of familiarity washes over me. At the top of the hill I see the whole settlement before me. From here, it looks the same as it does in my memories from all those years ago. I feel my chest tighten and I instantly recollect every moment I spent in this place.
Starting to make my way down the steep drive, my daughter Eleanora holds onto my elbow helping steady my now wobbly legs. Lucy, my vibrant granddaughter, is chatting away with the tour guide ahead of us. Watching her talk so animatedly makes me chuckle, reminding me dearly of her grandmother. She has the same lust for life as my wife had, so full of spirit. It’s infectious, even the young tour guide is holding on to her every word. I ask …show more content…
Mother suffered from sea sickness the entire journey. Her endless moaning and groaning made the trip absolutely unbearable and had all three of us begging to reach dry land. As the shipped waited in the bay I ran up onto the deck, like most the other passengers, to get a good look at the land we would now call home. Straight away I knew something didn’t feel right. Looking around the beautiful landscape it was obvious this place’s seclusion was for a reason. The big smoking chimneys stuck out like two arms, waving the ships in. Another vessel had recently been unloaded. We could see the congregation of its passengers around the buildings. Faintly I could hear their distress, I remember looking around and seeing other passenger’s faces pale as the undeniable sound of screaming continued. I don’t know what we expected upon our arrival, but this certainly was not it. By the time our ship finally docked I swore my pounding heart was visible through my starched, white cotton, button up shirt. As we waited in queue to disembark, Father placed his hand on my …show more content…
Flicking lights, movement of the beds, some even say they feel an undesirable cold sensation. Most of the staff refuse to enter this building at night, even some of the ghost tour staff prefer to stay away” he tells the group, whose eyes have suddenly widen with curiosity “many believe it’s the most haunted building on the settlement and is also home to one of our most infamous spirits ‘The Matron’.
“Have you ever encountered a ghost here?” Asks one of the younger females in the group.
“Definitely” responds the guide “We run Ghost tours every night of the week…..” I roll my eyes, tuning out. Ghost tours!? I think shaking my head. “How absurd, these people need to be left to rest not made spectacles of” I mumble to myself, walking off.
“Where are you taking off to Dad?” Nora calls out to me.
I pretend I don’t hear her and continue walking as the old banksia comes in full vision. “Wow, look at this view!” Nora exclaims, walking up behind me.
“It was better without this railing here!” I state.
“Yes but they weren’t exactly safety conscious in 1940, were they? Being that close to a cliff edge is considered dangerous now Dad” she lectures back at me.
Resting against the banksia tree, I feel my hands starting to tingle and the memories take hold
Starting to make my way down the steep drive, my daughter Eleanora holds onto my elbow helping steady my now wobbly legs. Lucy, my vibrant granddaughter, is chatting away with the tour guide ahead of us. Watching her talk so animatedly makes me chuckle, reminding me dearly of her grandmother. She has the same lust for life as my wife had, so full of spirit. It’s infectious, even the young tour guide is holding on to her every word. I ask …show more content…
Mother suffered from sea sickness the entire journey. Her endless moaning and groaning made the trip absolutely unbearable and had all three of us begging to reach dry land. As the shipped waited in the bay I ran up onto the deck, like most the other passengers, to get a good look at the land we would now call home. Straight away I knew something didn’t feel right. Looking around the beautiful landscape it was obvious this place’s seclusion was for a reason. The big smoking chimneys stuck out like two arms, waving the ships in. Another vessel had recently been unloaded. We could see the congregation of its passengers around the buildings. Faintly I could hear their distress, I remember looking around and seeing other passenger’s faces pale as the undeniable sound of screaming continued. I don’t know what we expected upon our arrival, but this certainly was not it. By the time our ship finally docked I swore my pounding heart was visible through my starched, white cotton, button up shirt. As we waited in queue to disembark, Father placed his hand on my …show more content…
Flicking lights, movement of the beds, some even say they feel an undesirable cold sensation. Most of the staff refuse to enter this building at night, even some of the ghost tour staff prefer to stay away” he tells the group, whose eyes have suddenly widen with curiosity “many believe it’s the most haunted building on the settlement and is also home to one of our most infamous spirits ‘The Matron’.
“Have you ever encountered a ghost here?” Asks one of the younger females in the group.
“Definitely” responds the guide “We run Ghost tours every night of the week…..” I roll my eyes, tuning out. Ghost tours!? I think shaking my head. “How absurd, these people need to be left to rest not made spectacles of” I mumble to myself, walking off.
“Where are you taking off to Dad?” Nora calls out to me.
I pretend I don’t hear her and continue walking as the old banksia comes in full vision. “Wow, look at this view!” Nora exclaims, walking up behind me.
“It was better without this railing here!” I state.
“Yes but they weren’t exactly safety conscious in 1940, were they? Being that close to a cliff edge is considered dangerous now Dad” she lectures back at me.
Resting against the banksia tree, I feel my hands starting to tingle and the memories take hold