Kellwicks Curse

Kellwick’s Curse

By Paul McCann

 

For one hundred years the people of Renmack were happy and content in a small rural community with a population of ten thousand people spread over three shires . Much of the vacant land was owned by Kenneth John Williamson who was one of the first settlers who came to that area and was given large parcels of land as payment for his pioneering and establishing of the area for the early pioneers . Mr Williamson never married and had no children or any other family members , so when he died all the land he owned was left in the hands of 12 solicitors with strict instructions never to allow the land to be sold or controlled by local government who he suspected would one day want to build a desert of houses on his land and in the process make a fortune on what he owned . Mr Williamson was very aware of what could happen and if the land was not guarded so he stipulated that and building on his  land must fulfil his requirements such as schools, football fields , riding tracks for horse’s , bike paths , nature reserves , swimming pools and venues for the youth to perform music and drama .

For many years that group of solicitors maintained the property was kept safe and when they died another group of solicitors took over the reins . After a few generations the custodians protected the land against plans from councillors and developers who had put forward a plan to build Kellwick Village on Williamsons land , They tried to get around the legal issuers by saying there would be a school in the proposed village which would be of benefit to the youth however in the fine detail there were plans to build shops , car parks , industries , medium density houses all packed in like sardines in a tin  . For 60 years many attempts had been  made to get Kellwick Village approved for development but time after time the plans were rejected until the day when council lost millions of dollars on an overseas investment and now deals were made with solicitors and landlords , builders and developers , government and banks . The solicitors in charge of Williamson’s property were bought and paid off  .

 

Almost overnight small parcels of land were opened and put on the market for sale and shortly after the building of Kellwick Village began . During the building of Kellwick there were many unexplained accidents that had happened and some of those claimed lives of the tradesmen . On one occasion a group of men had dug a deep trench to lay down some pipes and cables then as they climbed down into the trench for some unknown reason the ground closed up and crushed them all to death . Another day some workmen who were unloading a truck where killed when a tree fell and landed on top of them . Other strange happenings that were reported during the building of Kellwick were constant arguments between the foremen and workers , some of the equipment and trucks were always breaking  down . Chronic illnesses with the builders and labourers , frequently compensation claims due to injuries occurred on the job , then there were the obstacles of nature getting in way of the town planner and architects . Trees that could not be cut down , rivers and creeks that could not be stopped , then there was the historic discovery of an early aboriginal burial site that was unearthed which caused major headaches for everyone involved with the project . With all of these issues legal fees were escalating and the budget had been blown out of the water and huge debts were piling up . In their efforts to clear debts , the developers and  builders were throwing  up houses very fast and getting them out to be sold on the market .

 

Even before some of the houses were sold problems were presenting themselves in the structure of many of the houses with cracks appearing in foundation , doors hanging unevenly , gaps in the windows frames . Then there were  issues like  faulty wiring and plumbing leaks . Building inspectors were paid to look the other way as builders and plumbers applied quick fix methods and patched up those problems temporarily . Many of the houses in Kellwick were now being sold to unsuspecting first home buyers  wanting to escape the city for a quiet rural lifestyle .

A large sign was placed at the entrance t the Village , it said .

Welcome to Kellwick Village .  A place to feel right at home .“  

 

Every week more and more people were arriving into Kellwick . The Village was almost finished and was boasting around one thousands new families .

The quiet rural community of Renmack had now disappeared and the streets of Kellwick and surroundings had become a busy fast paced modern society . Day after the flow of traffic increased as did the people in newly built supermarkets .

There were now six new supermarkets with their underground car parks . 3 new  medical centres and preschools with a brand new high school and extensions being made on the established schools in Renmack to accommodate the surge of new students who were now in the region .’

 

The exodus had come and now  people were settling  in .  At this point, strange things started to happen around Kellwick . All the water in the Kells Creek had   turned red and most the trees that were planted around the streets were dying .

Foxes and ferrets were found inside homes raiding pantries for food , other wildlife not seen before had arrived and many of the residents around Kell wick had become  victims of wild dog attacks . A large number of people in Kellwick had been bitten by poisonous snakes and spiders .

The weather started to change with frequent thunderstorms and strange mist’s would often appear from nowhere causing accidents and havoc on the roads .

 

Security guards were put in place after a number of vacant homes were set on fire while police reports of violence were growing every day .

Things were looking gruesome in Kellwick and at this awful moment there came a man from God knows where by the name of Grant McTell . He arrived to Kellwick in with a horse and carriage and moved into an old run down cottage on the edge of town . The cottage had once been the homestead of one of the first settlers and the place was listed as a heritage home and could not be demolished .

It had an unknown deed in the name of McTell and no one questioned the stranger about who he was and what was his intentions .

 

After McTell arrived to Kellwick Village , the red water in the creek turned clear and for a little while life seemed normal .

Out of the blue Grant McTell called all the residents for an emergence meeting on Friday night in the school hall . The people of the village were intrigued and wanted to know what was going on .

On the night in question most of the families arrived at the school for the meeting .

There were around one thousand people had gathered for the meeting .

As everyone sat in their seats waiting for McTell , there was apprehension in the air and then it happened . Outside a howling wind arose and the sound of wild animals began barking and growling .  There was a screaming and shrieking and then all the doors of the school hall slammed shut by themselves . The lights in the hall started flickering on and off . Suddenly on the stage McTell made a descent from the roof with a scroll of paper in his hand . He unwound the scroll of paper and started to read to all of the people who were there . Everyone in the hall were unable to get out of their seats . Some strong unseen force was keeping them pinned to their chairs . It was almost like they were stuck and speechless .

Mc Tell read ,

 

“There’s a cruel rank and file in the town of Kellwick  
and you haven’t a hope to move in . 
So mount up on your horses and get out of town, 
or face the consequences of your sin . 
There’s too many pokers in the fires of hell 
And they come to find you all for what you’ve done . 
So you all better leave town or they’ll come and take you down 
to where you’ll wish you’d never come. 
It’s a long way to Kellwick but a short way out 
and there’s no time to be hanging  about . 
So pack up today and get on your way ,

Or else you will find out what hell is all about .

Down the long road as you leave , don’t look back’

Or you’ll grieve in terror that’s  here as you go and the place  
For hell will not regret , don’t ever forget

The curse of Kellwick and who’s running the show . 

For the only thing you will share is your own Devils Lair 
in a place you never belonged .

Never return or else you will burn and end up

dammed with all of the rest who have  wronged .”

 

 

McTell ascended upwards and was suspended there in mid air as a fire began to burn on the stage below him with the flames starting to spread .

He shouted .

‘”You are all trespassers m this is Williamson’s land .   “

His voice echoed around the hall and people sat in fear .

He continued

“You have no right to be here . This is your eviction notice and I want eEvery last one of you off my land . You have one week, after that anyone who remains will have hell to pay . “

The fire was spreading fast through the hall but no one could get out of their seat . The people were yelling and screaming but were still stuck to their seats .

 

Suddenly the doors flung open and immediately the people were released from their chairs as they all rushed out from the hall they were met by a ghostly train which emerged from underneath the ground . Citizens from the underworld all got off and started digging and in the process they unearthed the buried remains of aboriginals  who rose from their graves and stood there with spears in their hands screaming for  vengeance for being disturbed .

 

Soon after McTell rode around the village in his horse and carriage .

Screaming ,

“Get off my land .“  

This continued all night until everyone had abandoned the village .

Overnight Kellwick had become a ghost town . No one was left .

On the way out of town the sign had been changed , it now read .

 

No Welcome here at Hellwick Village .

Trespasser’s will be destroyed .       

The End