No. 30
Mrs. Mangel is still screaming as the bedroom door bursts open and Madge appears in the doorway with Scott and Henry behind her! Harold stares at Madge and cries in horror:

HAROLD: Madge! I'm innocent!
MRS. MANGEL (gasps): *Innocent*?
HAROLD: You've gotta believe me!
MRS. MANGEL (horrified): He forced his way into my bed.
HAROLD: I did... I did *not* use force. [To Madge] I thought it was *you*.
MRS. MANGEL: How *dare* you!

Madge, a broad grin on her face, asks Henry if he told Harold about the change of rooms. Henry, however, admits that he fell asleep. He adds that there's no harm done! Mrs. Mangel, however, cries:

MRS. MANGEL: No harm done? He *touched* me!

Sharon and Bronwyn come in as Mrs. Mangel exclaims that her blood runs cold when she thinks of what might've happened if she hadn't woken up! Madge grins at Harold:

MADGE: Come on, Casanova, grab your gear and let's go to bed. We've had enough excitement for one night!

Mrs. Mangel puts the blanket from the bed over her head so that she doesn't have to watch Harold put his trousers on!

No. 26
Helen is sitting in the lounge room, painting, as Jim comments to her that Todd ought to be home by now. Helen, however, reminds him that teenage boys have an uncanny knack of losing the time. Beverly emerges from the bedroom area and Jim asks her how Katie is. She replies that she's asleep - and still pretty fluey. She sits down and goes on:

BEVERLY: I am sure Todd said he was going to Gary Ling's.
JIM: Well, we know that they haven't seen hide nor hair of him.

Beverly asks if they should call the police; it just isn't like him. Jim insists that there's probably some simple explanation. Beverly, however, retorts that she doesn't care about simple; it had just better be good. At that moment, the front door opens and Todd breezes in. Beverly walks over to him, looking relieved, and asks him tersely where he's been. She adds that they were just about to call the police. Todd says lightly:

TODD: I really wish you wouldn't worry, you know. I'm all right but I'm pretty tired; I might go to bed.

He goes to head to his room, but Beverly grabs him and tells him curtly to hold on. She asks him again where he's been. Todd just retorts:

TODD: I told you: I was at Gary's.

With that, he marches off to his room. Jim and Beverly look at each other in concern.

No. 30
Bronwyn and Sharon are sitting in the lounge room with Henry and Scott. Henry is laughing about the look on Harold's face as he protested his innocence! Scott warns everyone to keep the noise down, causing Henry to grin:

HENRY: Listen to you, the old married man!
SCOTT: I just don't want the girls to get sprung, that's all.

Henry then asks if anyone noticed anything about tonight: it's a full moon! Sharon and Bronwyn let out an excited howl! Henry starts to relate the Tale of the Headless Vampire. Sharon, however, says she doesn't think it's going to be as scary as the stories she and Bronwyn used to tell. Henry tells her to just listen, and he begins the tale. After a few seconds, Sharon giggles:

SHARON: This isn't scary. Let's have a séance!

She adds that Bronwyn's an expert. She looks at her sister, who tells everyone that it depends what you want to summon: the dead are simple, but she can't give any guarantees about a poltergeist! Henry remarks that it sounds cool! The weak lightbulb in the ceiling begins flickering suddenly and Henry gasps that it's a sign! Bronwyn tells everyone that they have to form a circle. Everyone grabs hands.

No. 26
Jim is in the kitchen with Helen, commenting that Todd has obviously been up to something, otherwise why would he lie to them like that? Helen nods that Beverly is very upset. Jim corrects that she's *furious*; he's never seen her so angry with Todd; he'll have to do some fast talking if he wants to get out of it in one piece. The two of them head through to the lounge room as Beverly emerges from the bedroom area with Todd. Jim asks what the story is, but Beverly shrugs that she doesn't know: Todd's been in the bathroom for the last five minutes. She then looks at Todd and demands again to know where he's been tonight. Todd retorts:

TODD: I told you: I was at Gary's.
BEVERLY: Jim *rang* Gary Ling's.
JIM: I'm sorry, mate, they haven't seen you all night.
BEVERLY (to Todd): You should've cooked up a better alibi than that.
TODD (quickly): I didn't mean Gary's; I was with Alex - you know: Alex Burke?
JIM: Come on, Todd, what do you take us for: complete idiots? I rang Alex as well.
BEVERLY: This has gone on long enough. I want the truth from you and I want it *now*.

Todd stands there sullenly.

No. 30
Henry, Bronwyn, Sharon and Scott are seated on the lounge room floor in a circle, holding hands. Bronwyn says:

BRONWYN: Are you there, oh spirits?
SCOTT (mutters): This is so stupid - I just feel like the biggest jerk.
SHARON: Shhhhh! Bronny's a very sensitive medium.
HENRY (grins): I could've sworn she was a large!

Bronwyn snaps at Henry that if he's not going to take this seriously, they might as well forget it. Scott yawns that that sounds good to him. Henry, however, asks him where his journalistic instinct is! The séance continues, Bronwyn calling:

BRONWYN: Oh spirits, I know you can hear me. Give us a sign.

The lightbulb flickers again and then goes out. Sharon asks everyone excitedly if they saw that. Henry grins:

HENRY: If you ask me, it's probably Joe's wiring!

Sharon, however, insists that it's a sign. Madge and Harold come in suddenly, startling everyone! Madge demands to know what's going on. Scott tells her that they were sitting around talking. Henry adds that the lights went out all of a sudden. Harold says he's got a box of candles round there somewhere. Mrs. Mangel calls out suddenly to ask what's going on. Madge tells her to go back to sleep. Harold goes to get Mrs. Mangel a candle, causing Henry to grin:

HENRY: *Do* try and control yourself this time, will ya?!

No. 26
Todd is staring defiantly at Beverly as she says angrily:

BEVERLY: You stand there, knowing that we've all been worried sick, and string together lie after lie after lie. What do you think would happen if Jim or Helen or I started making up stories to deceive each other? Well?
TODD (shrugs): I don't know.
BEVERLY: You don't know. Well, I'll tell you: this whole family would just disintegrate.

Jim suggests gently to Beverly that she hang on; perhaps Todd's ready to tell them now. He and Todd sit down and Todd sighs:

TODD: I was playing the pinnies.

Jim asks him *where* he was playing. Todd retorts that it was at the arcade. Beverly asks who took him there, but he tells them that he went by himself. Looking surprised, Jim asks:

JIM: Why did you bother lying to us about it?
TODD: I thought you'd chuck a mental.
BEVERLY: Well, you were right. I know what goes on at those places; the sort of characters who hang round there.
TODD: It was OK. It was pretty quiet.
BEVERLY (firmly): Todd, I want you to promise me you will never go there again.
TODD (mutters): All right.

Beverly then orders Todd to go to bed, adding that if he thinks he's going to that soccer camp, he's got another think coming. Todd storms off, looking annoyed.

No. 26
A while later, Beverly is in the kitchen with Jim and Helen, asking if Todd doesn't realise what sort of trouble he could get into at those places. She adds that she's seen dozens of kids brought into casualty from those so- called 'fun' places: they get into fights... underage drinking... drugs... Jim tells Beverly that *he* used to go into snooker parlours when he was Todd's age, and *he's* all right. Beverly, however, retorts that it's a totally different kettle of fish these days. Jim insists:

JIM: Teenage boys and the idea of being responsible seldom go hand- in- hand.
BEVERLY: Look, I know I got upset, but it's only because I care about him.
JIM: We know, darling - we *all* care about him; but he's home now - safe.

No. 30
Madge is in Mrs. Mangel's bedroom and she hands a lit candle to Mrs. Mangel, who's sitting up in her bed. She warns her as she does so:

MADGE: For God's sake don't burn the place down.
MRS. MANGEL (curtly): Don't talk to me in *that* tone. I'm not a child. This has been one of the most uncomfortable, one of the most harrowing nights of my life. By some miracle I managed to get to sleep earlier on this horrible blow- up mattress, only to be woken by the roving hands of your philandering husband.
MADGE (grins): Well, beggars can't be choosers, I suppose. I imagine these exciting moments are few and far between for you these days!
MRS. MANGEL (growls): *You* may find this amusing, Mrs. Bishop, but I can assure you that *I* do *not*.

Madge tells Mrs. Mangel that it was fairly traumatic for Harold too: he was too embarrassed to bring in the blasted candle! Mrs. Mangel snaps:

MRS. MANGEL: I wouldn't even allow him into my room again anyway.

Madge just sighs that it's very late and she doesn't intend to stand around there arguing about some silly mistake. She leaves the room. When she's gone, Mrs. Mangel mutters:

MRS. MANGEL: Riff- raff!

Across in the lounge room, the séance has resumed, and Bronwyn calls for the spirits to give them another sign. Nothing happens, though. Scott sighs that this is a total waste of time and he suggests they get some sleep. Sharon says that it's because they're in a strange place that it's not working. She tells Bronwyn to call Constance. Scott queries:

SCOTT: Constance?
BRONWYN: Constance Bridgewater. She was an old mate who lived in Narrabri.
SHARON: After years of living alone, she finally met Mr. Right and they were about to get married. Anyway, one night they're out walking. The guy trips and gets his head run over by a horse and carriage. Blood everywhere! Constance saw it all and was so upset she killed herself. Ever since, her ghost has roamed the paddocks around Narrabri, dressed in a long white robe with a look of ghastly horror on her face.
SCOTT: Pull the other one!
SHARON: You'll see. Go on, Bron, call Constance.

Bronwyn tells everyone to close their eyes and hold hands. She then starts summoning Constance Bridgewater. Scott feels a hand on his shoulder suddenly, and he lets out a yell. Startled by this, everyone else starts screaming. They realise after a few seconds that the hand belongs to Mrs. Mangel, who herself stands there looking horrified!

Ramsay Street
The next morning, Harold is walking briskly down the driveway of No. 30 with Scott, muttering as he does so that last night was hard *enough* without all that tomfoolery from Scott and the other young people. Scott tries to protest that *he* wanted to go to *sleep*. The two of them head across to No. 24, where Henry is standing outside. Scott asks how things are looking and Henry replies that it's a flea graveyard - but they won't be able to go inside until this arvo. Harold growls that, after last night, what he needs is a relaxing day. Henry comments that last night *did* have its funny side. Turning to Scott, he adds:

HENRY: The look on your face when Mrs. Mangel grabbed you!
SCOTT: Ha! Well at least *I* didn't *scream*!

Harold tells Henry sternly that he did not see the funny side of that debacle last night. With that, he walks off down the street. Scott remarks to Henry that he thinks the girls are going to cop it. He then tells Henry that he's going to go to the library to do some research - if he can stay awake. He heads off, following Harold down the street as Joe's ute roars up and comes to a stop outside No. 30. Joe climbs out and, looking at Henry, he comments that he looks a bit the worse for wear! He asks if they had a party last night! He then asks Henry more seriously if he's checked the houses. Henry nods that he has. Joe asks if they're all right. Henry nods that they are. Joe smiles that all his troubles will be over soon, then. He then tells Henry that, to make up for the carpet, he can get him the most high- tech, modern, up- to- date burglar alarm system on the market. Henry muses:

HENRY: Forget it!
JOE: All right - suit yourself. I'll sell it to mum!

Joe heads up the path to No. 30 while Henry heads back across to No. 24. As he does so, Helen joins him and remarks that he looks like something the cat dragged in! Henry tells her that it was a pretty rough night! Helen muses:

HELEN: It must be the full moon - it was a pretty rough night in the Robinson household, too...

No. 26
Jim is in the kitchen, making breakfast, when Beverly comes in and sits down at the table. He asks her how she is, but she sighs that she didn't sleep too well: she can't for the life of her work out why Todd behaved like that. Jim says:

JIM: Don't you think you might've been a bit hard on him?
BEVERLY (firmly): No, I do not. Apart from going off to some pinball parlour, he *lied* to us.
JIM: All I'm saying... Well, Todd hasn't exactly had an easy life so far; maybe we should make a bit more of an effort; be more tolerant?
BEVERLY: More tolerant? I've bent over *backwards* for that boy, Jim.

Jim sits down with Beverly and tells her that they should spend more time with Todd; be a bit more sensitive to his needs. Beverly retorts that he certainly shouldn't *need* to be out playing pinball until all hours of the night. Jim says:

JIM: I agree. That's why I think something more constructive, like this soccer camp, would be good for him.
BEVERLY: So you think I should just back down and look as weak as water, do you?
JIM: I just think that letting Todd go to the soccer camp would be the right decision - but it's up to you: I'm not going to undermine your authority.
BEVERLY (murmurs): Oh Jim, I've made a mess of this. I feel out of my depth. Huh! Great mother *I'll* make.
JIM (insists): You'll be a *wonderful* mother. You *have* had a lot on your mind, lately.

Todd comes in at that moment. He sits down at the table and says:

TODD: Aunty Bev, Uncle Jim, I really feel bad about last night. I'm sorry.

Jim tells Todd gently that it takes a real man to admit that he's wrong. Beverly adds that they were only angry because they care about him and hurt because he deceived them. Todd nods that he knows. He adds that he understands about them not letting him go to the soccer camp. Beverly says:

BEVERLY: Well... maybe I was a little bit too tough about that.
TODD (excitedly): You mean I can go?!
BEVERLY: On one condition: you promise to be honest with us in the future. No more lies.

Todd grins happily and gives Beverly a hug.

No. 30
Madge is in the kitchen with Mrs. Mangel, looking for the milk. Mrs. Mangel - who's placing some bread under the grill - tells her it's in the esky. Madge asks irritatedly who put it *there*. Mrs. Mangel retorts that *she* did: a place for everything and everything in its place. Sharon and Bronwyn walk in and apologise for sleeping in. They sit down at the table and Mrs. Mangel walks over to them and tells them curtly that she's very disappointed in them after last night. Sharon insists that they were only playing. Mrs. Mangel says:

MRS. MANGEL: That's just *it*: the spirit world is not a playground for irresponsible young girls.
MADGE (taunts): That's rich after your little episode with the tea leaves!
MRS. MANGEL (tersely): There's no comparison whatsoever. My ability to lift the veil of this temporal existence and see into the misty future is a God- given gift. You girls were dabbling in an area that can be extremely dangerous.

Madge points out to Mrs. Mangel suddenly that the toast she put on is burning. Mrs. Mangel stares at it in horror and then picks up the blackened slices and takes them out to the rubbish bin outside. When she's gone, Bronwyn thanks Madge for sticking up for her and Sharon. Madge, however, warns the girls that just because she took their side just now doesn't mean she's too pleased about last night - and Harold wants to have a word with them both: he's not impressed. Sharon grins:

SHARON: I reckon if there were any ghosts around, one look at Mrs. Mangel and they would've shot through for *sure*!
MADGE (warns): That's enough, young lady. Mrs. Mangel just has to put more effort into her beauty routine than others, that's all!

Henry and Joe come in at that moment and Joe announces that he's found the cause of the flickering light last night: it was a loose wire; if anyone had tried to fix it, they would've got a nasty shock. Sharon giggles:

SHARON: Your mum had a bit of shock last night as it *was*!

Joe asks what happened. Sharon laughs:

SHARON: Mr. Bishop snuck into her room and got into bed with her!
JOE (looking disgusted): He *what*?

Henry grins at Joe that he'd never have picked his mum for a screamer! Joe says curtly:

JOE: That dirty mongrel. I'm going to have a go at him.

He storms out. Henry starts to try to explain that it was a harmless mistake, but it's too late!

Ramsay Street
Joe emerges from No. 30 and runs down to the street. He sees Harold approaching and he calls:

JOE: Oi! You!
HAROLD (warmly): Hello, Joe, how are you this morning?
JOE (angrily): I've *read* about your type. You should be locked up, you dirty old devo.
HAROLD (blankly): Er, I don't know what you're talking about.
JOE: No, you wouldn't, Mr. Roly Poly Innocent Face. I'm talking about last night: you and my mum.
HAROLD: Oh yes, a most embarrassing mistake...
JOE (coldly): Yeah, it *was* a mistake - and *you* made it, 'mate'.

Joe then takes Harold's spectacles off his face and puts them in his shirt pocket. Harold asks Joe in surprise what he's doing. Joe retorts:

JOE: I never hit a guy in bloke in glasses, even if he *is* a worm.
HAROLD (aghast): Hit?

With that, Joe grabs the lapels of Harold's shirt and pulls him forward. Madge and Henry emerge from No. 30 and Madge calls out to Joe to stop it. Harold protests to Joe:

HAROLD: No, no, no, no, you don't understand.

Joe just retorts:

JOE: I'm gonna knock your block off, lover- boy...