The Eden Effect Read Online Free PDF Page B

Arthur felt obliged to say something.
    â€˜Natalie is very nice,’ he ventured. ‘And so other two guys from the pub, Alan and…’
    â€˜It’s Owen and Glen,’ Martin corrected him. Owen Jordan and Glen Roberts. And yes Natalie is as nice as she is taken,’ he added.
    â€˜I know Martin, she told me.’ He hesitated. ‘What’s Natalie’s story’ he asked. There was silence. Arthur suddenly thought he had gone too far.
    â€˜Natalie’s story,’ said Martin. ‘Natalie’s story. Is that what you want to know? Well, she has a story. I told you yesterday, everyone has a story. Natalie’s story is Natalie’s story. If she is in the mood she might tell you one day. It’s her story to tell. A word of advice Arthur, don’t ask her. If she wants to tell you she will, if you hang around long enough that is.’
    They travelled the rest of the way the next stop in silence. Arthur thought the better of asking any more questions. The morning seemed to go by quickly and suddenly they were back at the dairy. Martin parked the van, they both got out.
    â€˜I told you Arthur, look at the time, 9.45. You’re done for the day. Your time is your own now. Why what don’t you go out and explore the town. It’s not much but Eden is your home at least for now.’
    â€˜I will Martin. I’ll go into town and look around. Might have some lunch. Anywhere you would recommend?’
    â€˜Try Don’s Cafe and Bakery. It’s on High Street, that’s the main street, you can’t miss it. It’s about five minutes’ walk. Have fun and by the way, don’t forget to change.’
    Arthur remembered the white uniform he was wearing, went inside, changed into a shirt, trousers and sneakers and headed off towards the town of Eden.

The Town of Eden. Arthur had never heard of it before the letter from Centrelink directing him to his new job. Why should he. Eden was hardly on the tourist map, it wasn’t even on a main highway.
    Despite his descent into hell, Arthur Fromm had not lost the thoroughness and thirst for knowledge that saw him excel at university and that propelled him so high up the corporate ladder. Once he had learnt that the next phase of his life was to be in Eden, he wasted no time in finding out all about the place. Google did not let him down.
    Eden. Located one hundred and thirty seven kilometres north of Melbourne. Access via the Hume Highway, although not on the highway itself. Accessed also by train, except that the nearest station was forty kilometres away and connected to the town by a twice daily bus service.
    Eden. Population one thousand seven hundred and fifty at the last census, two years earlier.
    Like the towns around it, Eden was founded in the days of the Victorian gold rush in the 1850s.The gold had long run out but the legacy of those golden days was still there to be seen. On High Street, the town’s main thoroughfare, stood the old Post Office, the Town Hall and Courthouse, built in the 1870s and a reminder of the glorious days of gold. The streetscape was indeed impressive. So much so that several movies and TV shows had been shot there over the years.
    Eden was definitely not on the tourist map. There was a period when one of the gold mines was still open and attracted tourists who spent days looking for gold, hoping to strike it rich, only to go home with a few specks or a tiny nugget at best. Even that had dried up and so had the tourists.
    The once magnificent Club Hotel had long ago closed and the only accommodation on offer, should someone stumble onto the place, was the Eden Motel, boasting a total of five double rooms, each with heating, cooling, TV and cooking facilities, but none with its own bathroom. The only other option was the Edenhope B and B, sleeping up to four guests. No cooking but ensuite bathrooms.
    The town was serviced by one supermarket, an IGA, one petrol station, BP,