The House on Redhill Corner: Sometimes reality mixes with another world

By Barbara Gurney

Asha-lee has been blessed with "The Gift" but refuses to acknowledge it.

 

Growing up in a house with chanting and incense burning, and her mother, Lalita, declaring everyone needs to 'cleanse their spirit', Asha-lee turned from being a girl wanting to appease her mother to Asha, a young woman wanting just to be "norma

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dragonfly Publishing
• Release date: Oct 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9780645484021

Barbara Gurney

Barbara Gurney writes across several genres including short fiction for adults and children and free verse poetry. After over fifteen years of writing and editing a newsletter for a community-based organisation, she joined the Gosnells Writer's Circle in 2008 & Writefree Women’s Writing Group at KSP Writers Centre in 2009. Both groups continue to inspire Barbara to regularly produce poetry and short stories while their encouragement pokes at her ambition to publish a novel. Many of her pieces have been accepted for the groups’ annual anthologies. *Fairies of the Milky Way was accepted in 2009 by Stories for Children Magazine, an American online publisher. *Living Histories, a Western Australia State Government initiative, accepted Barbara’s submissions for both the 2008 & 2009 publications. *Competition success came in October 2009 when Counting of the Stones was awarded a ‘Commendation’. *A short story for children Jake’s New Friend was shortlisted in the Charlotte Duncan Award 2010. *2011 – Shadows of Remembered Dancing, a 267 word story was awarded Highly Recommended in Scribblegum’s Gum Leaves Competition. *2012 - Honourable Mention for 'Honest People' Golden Wattle Writing Competition. *2012 - First Prize for "Purple". Yarram Community Learning Centre Annual Literary Competition. *2012 - First Prize for "Wide Brown Land". Minlaton Show Literary Award. *Barbara's book of poetry ‘Footprints of a Stranger’ is now available from Ginninderra Press ISBN 978 1 74027 767 9. www.ginninderrapress.com.au In her non-writing life Barbara has been a drummer, bagpiper, swimmer, debt collector and a secretary - amongst other collective nouns. She has two adult children. Her son lives in Prague with his wife and two children, thus giving Barbara a glorious holiday destination with free accommodation. A locally based daughter and son-in-law makes sure she has people to spoil without an airfare being necessary. She is the current Secretary of the Gosnells Writers Circle and a sub-editor of their magazine Showcase, which has been published three times a year since October 2010. Barbara communicates with the overseas contributors and approaches local businesses for paid advertising support. Barbara likes nothing better than to tap away on the computer, creating characters worth remembering and hiding her life experiences in the pages. She finds satisfaction in writing stories for others to enjoy. Based in a southern suburb of Perth, she is supported by her husband Graeme, who has the honour of being the first to hear the latest edition of Barbara’s writing.

Book preview

The

House

on

Redhill Corner

Barbara Gurney

Copyright

Published by Dragonfly Publishing, October 2022

All rights reserved by the author.

This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author/s’ imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CiP Registration

Printed by: Pegasus Media & Logistics

ISBN (e): 978-0-6454840-2-1

"To shine your brightest light

is to be who you truly are."

―Roy T. Bennett

One

C

andice didn’t wait for me to greet her but rushed through the open doorway, past me and into the lounge room. I followed, mumbling inadequate questions, hoping to find the reason for her red eyes and apparent despair.

Gasping for breath between sobs; twisting a tissue into a sodden ball, she sank onto the lounge. ‘He never loved me.’ She slowly shook her head, her eyes staring at nothing. ‘Just walked out. Left. Jack’s gone. Just like that.’ She looked up. ‘Asha, what’ll I do?’

I responded automatically, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll cleanse your spirit, and you can start afresh.’

Before I realised what I was doing, I stepped towards the cupboard that held the incense sticks, candles and crystals.

As I pulled a half-used candle from the drawer, I gulped in air. The candle fell to the floor. I stood still. Fireworks went off in my brain as my hands clasped my face.

I ignored my friend and shouted my way through my mother’s home to my bedroom. ‘No. I won’t. I’m not Lalita. I’m not. Damn!’

Candy ran after me. ‘Wait. I’m sorry. Please... wait.’

Pulling underclothes from drawers and tossing them on my bed, my anger eased. ‘I’m sorry, Candy, but I’ve got to leave.’

She gripped my arm and shook it gently. ‘It’s alright, Asha. I shouldn’t have said anything. Forget about Jack. I’m sorry.’

My body trembled. I stared at the socks scrunched up in my hand. ‘No, I should be the one that’s sorry.’ I offered her one orange sock. ‘You know I don’t want to do that stuff. I don’t want to be like Lalita. I just have to leave.’

With Candy’s soothing repetition of comfort, I regained my equilibrium and calmed down. Jack’s ears should have been burning as Candy recounted her misfortune to mistake that bastard’s callous show of affection as the real thing. I hoped my murmurings of consolation helped, but my thoughts kept drifting. If I couldn’t go anywhere right now, I would do some serious planning and some equally serious mind searching.

Two

M

r Cantronelli greeted me at the doorway of an old house on the corner of Redhill Road and Trowling Street. His mouth opened, and as if his teeth were about to be displaced, his bulbous lips sucked them back in quickly so he could form a smile.

‘Good afternoon,’ I said cheerfully, eager to get off on the right foot with my potential landlord.

‘Yes, good afternoon, Miss.’

‘I’ve come about the flat. The one with the sign in the window. Is it still vacant?’

‘Of course. The little flat, it is vacant for some time. Come, you see.’

We trundled up the flight of stairs bounded by an enormous wooden balustrade. When we reached the first floor, he stood still for a moment to recover. ‘Not like youngster anymore.’ His gravelly voice broke into my thoughts, which had been soaking up the ambience.

‘How old is this place?’ I asked.

‘Let me think of it.’ He flapped his crinkly fingers in front of his face and took in a long breath before saying, ‘I live up Trowling Street forty-five years ago. This house, it then a big family place. Had orchard in yard. The old orange tree by front door is only tree left. Twenty years they change it. I think it a shame. But there you go. Today everything be for money. They make old rooms into these flats, and here you go.’

After battling with numerous keys clipped to a long chain, he jiggled a brass key into the lock and stood back, waving in the direction of the empty room. As I entered, the large windows and ornate ceiling decorations charmed me.

‘Wow! It’s really nice.’

‘This room be the old drawing-room. It is lovely, no?’

‘Oh yes, it is definitely lovely. When can I move in?’

‘You sure?’ His intense gaze made me look away. ‘You very sure?’

This repeated question bothered me. ‘What’s wrong with this place? Why wouldn’t I want to move in?’

‘No, no, nothing is wrong.’ He fiddled with the keys and looked at the floor. I waited. ‘People rent this place, and then they move out. I not know why. I just ask if you be sure.’

I glanced around the room again. The alterations to the old home were noticeable, giving an odd appearance to a once elegant room, but peculiar places don’t bother me. I’d lived with meditating cushions sitting next to a television; dream-catchers holding shopping lists.

Mr Cantronelli shrugged. ‘You like, you can have. Rent is very good price.’

I nodded and held out my hand. ‘I’ll take it. It’s perfect.’

He ignored my hand but grinned and led me through to the bathroom. ‘You check first, please.’

The inspection didn’t take long. The large bedroom had a painted wardrobe in the corner. The carpet seemed recently cleaned. Evidence of a good scrubbing marked the small stove, and the narrow pantry would be adequate for my needs.

I didn’t mind if other people had disregarded this little place; it had already welcomed me with its unmatched appearance and its attempt to fit in with the modern buildings next door.

I watched Mr Cantronelli lock the gravel-coloured door,