31 October 2027
Sunday, 5.00 pm. Ambitious protocol: simultaneous observation of all three houses. I am on Lake Street. A Society correspondent in Sydney, Noreen’s old school friend, is on George Street. Melbourne is covered by the family who wrote to me in January; their son, now nearly sixteen, is very keen.
Comparative notes. One story, three builds. Northbridge is the original, with no crawl and no wheelchair access. Sydney takes a wheelchair and has no crawl. Melbourne takes a wheelchair, has the crawl, and sets its prices by peak and off-peak rather than by weekday. Teams say the houses differ in how readily they let you go. I make no claims. The staff publish the numbers.
9.30 pm. Reports from all three cities: screaming. Sydney says theirs is louder. Melbourne says theirs is better dressed. Perth says nothing, because I am Perth, and I was busy counting.
The figure stood at the upstairs window all evening, watching me rather than the street. I am sure of it now.
— D. Crouch, Northbridge Paranormal Society (President, Treasurer and Members)
