SAVED BY AN ANGEL

Perihan's sure she drew dark forces into her apartment

- 

Hanging a cross upside down on my bedroom wall, I stepped back to make sure it was straight.

'That looks cool,' I smiled.

It joined my skeleton doll and other gothic artefacts.

This feels oppressive,' sighed my flatmate Graeme, shaking his head.

I'm going to paint the room black next,' I laughed.

It was 1985 and, at the age of 20, I was into punk and dark wave music. I'd dress in an aggressive style of black leather jacket and trousers decorated with chains, straps, rings and buckles.

I'd scored a job as a hostess at Benny's Bar, a well-known nightclub in Potts Point, Sydney. Finishing in the early hours was no problem, as it was located right next to my apartment building.