Open Writing

There's something about Wynnum! The thick swirling fog coming in over the bay looked ominous, a giant frothy wave of marshmallow, about to swallow us up. I have never seen anything like it before. I felt a sense of foreboding come over me.
I decided to spend an hour on the beach before shopping. I sat in the sunshine watching the children playing in the wading pool. The fog had come out of nowhere so suddenly it had surprised everyone.

'What is it Mummy, I'm scared?' A small child's question interrupted my thoughts. The little girl was pointing to the fog, holding her ragged doll tightly.

'Don't worry Susie, it is only a nasty fog.'

'What is it?' A woman screamed at the top of her voice. 'My God, look. It's coming closer!' The huge, swirling wave of fog engulfed a blue car. A bright blue light flashed within the fog. The 'thing' swallowed up everything that was in its path. I screamed as I started to run. In my haste I tripped and fell, cutting my arm as I hit the kerb. Bleeding profusely from the cut I scrambled to my feet and took one more look back.

The fog engulfed me and seemed to permeate into every pore of my body.

My fear dissolved instantly as my body tingled from head to toe, and I relaxed, as a feeling of peace swept over me. I felt the flashing lights were giving energy, rejuvenating me not taking it away. I don't know how long it lasted as I gave myself up to the sheer ecstasy of the moment. I became as one with the fog. My body absorbed it. I closed my eyes and felt a sensation running down my arm, and which seemed to concentrate around the cut.

When I opened my eyes the sun was shining, and there was no sign of the fog. The first thing I noticed was my arm was no longer bleeding. Puzzled, I looked closer. There was no cut to be seen!

I decided to get back to Wynnum Nursing home where I worked and see if everyone was all right.. A group of oldies were jumping up and down in the centre of the room. Abandoned wheelchairs stacked up against the wall. I pushed my way across the room to Barbara, my workmate.

'That fog, ' she had to shout above the noise. 'That fog has cured everyone. Just look at them,' she pointed to the group that were jumping up and down. 'They're free from pain, and have discarded their wheelchairs. They're saying it was the magic of the blue moon last night!'

Old Sarah spotted me at that moment and came running over to hug me. I stepped back in amazement. Sarah was eighty-nine years old and had been confined to a wheelchair for the past five years, yet here she was running! He once dull blue eyes sparkled. Margaret Lucas had been in the last stages of Parkinson's disease. She was in her fifties and prematurely grey, yet here she was hugging and kissing everyone as we danced. Her once-grey hair, now a beautiful chestnut colour. A miracle almost too wonderful was happening before my eyes.

The next few weeks I spent investigating and researching in the public Library. Results showed there was indeed a blue moon the night before. Had it somehow created the healing fog? Finally I managed to arrange an interview with a paranormal weather expert, which was really interesting. My findings confirmed that the strange fog that rolled in from the sea, wrapping itself around the Wynnum area was the cause of rejuvenation of the aged. Upon further investigation there were no traces of osteoporosis or arthritis to be found in the examination results. Younger people were found to have recovered from serious illnesses.

Schools in the area have reported a great leap forward in the students' understanding. Our schools are now well ahead in their education standards. There is now a rainbow-coloured aura covering the Wynnum area which can be seen from the air. The energy radiating from those flashing lights affected everyone, and has impregnated the soil for at least a kilometre radius outside of the town. Wynnum has become the 'Lourdes' of Australia. Wynnum has changed! So it is very true that once in a blue moon something pretty wonderful happens.

© Violet Apted