Sydney house prices. A fiction in four parts. Part 4.

The walls are Arctic Dream. The ceiling is Blanched Marshmallow Whisper and the cornice a discernible shade of Chaste Debutante.  The carpet and pelmet are Frosted Vanilla.  The rug, Young Dove.  The linens embody pearl, ivory, chalk, and snow.

It has been nearly two weeks and Sean is still not used to it.

He begins the nightly manoeuver through his stuff to get to bed. His upturned desk, dining chairs, pictures, his boxes of books, his ye old cartwheel. His life in a pile, pushed into available corners.

His clothes are still in their suitcases.

This room does not inspire settlement. This is not his room. The wallpaper with the small yachts was gone.  As are the broken blinds that once let the moon in.

But he is tired of stuff. He drags his suitcases to the wardrobe only to throw the whole thing in to unpack at a later time. Sean pulls on the doors.

And there they are. 29 years later.

36 glow in the dark stars he got once in a Space themed showbag.

The instructions to ‘Building your own galaxy!’ had suggested sticking them to your ceiling. Fay did not want stars of various sizes on the ceiling, but she had permitted them on the inside of the wardrobe. He had slept with the doors swung open, watching their glow fade as his eyes got heavier and his dreams closer.

He runs his hands reassuringly over them now. It is his room.

His eyes abruptly narrow and he lifts his head to confirm what he hopes he sees.  It had several layers of paint applied, but the cornice was still chipped. Sean remembers the size of the spider and the golf clubs his brother ran in with.  At ten and eight their height impaired their success, but each stood on the bed and gave it all they had. Sean can’t remember if they even killed the spider. He does remember the laughter, so hard he made no noise. 

He smiles in victory. Of course it’s his room. Tonight he sleeps with the wardrobe doors wide open.

Click here to read Part 3

Click here to read Part 2

Click here to read Part 1

This is of course not to be taken as legal advice.