ã€ŠBOOK 1: THE CURSE OF ASMODEUS -- (a Perth&#x27;s Accidental Superheroes series) VOL 1.1 OTHER-PERTHã€‹


 Chapter 1: The First Day in Cursed-Land

    THAT NIGHT, ALL THE 3 HANDICAPPED, unconscious classmates... who had been earlier electrocuted in the thunderstorm at the dairy farm ¨C where now, slept in the same children ward-room. All 3 of them slumbered on beds, with their individual curtains drawn.

    At around 2:11 AM...

    ... someone approached walking, in the hospital hallway. The Indigenous Australian woman had ''found'' their ward-room.

    Peter Walker slept soundly until he felt a rough touch, that was uncomfortable ¨C running across his face. He opened his eyes to have a fright... with the close-up head of a black bull, with flaring nostrils, licking his face. The ''red'' gleaming eyed beast, then growled deep, salivating over...

    "Wake up, Son of Solomon ¨C behold your becoming, and your creations!"

    He heard chants in an old language, recited repeatedly, from around him then, he recognized a familiar ''voice'' calling out...

    "Peter... don''t be afraid."

    It was the voice of his dead father.

    "Dad..."

    The one-armed Peter was roused back ¨C from his bad dream. He then found himself in an unfamiliar dark surrounding and... on a bed, that was ''not'' his. He saw pale curtains surround him ¨C with sounding of snores, on his left.

    He stood on his knees, and with his one arm, he reached ¨C and drew off the curtains-wide. His eyes bulged out when he saw yellow, tungsten-like light coming from far across, from inside of another enclosed curtain.

    On his left was another opaque curtain, blocking his sight ¨C behind it was a soft, blue turquoise light glow ¨C with the snoring-sound.

    ... Peter saw his own single hand ¨C it ''too'' was glowing pinkish crimson. It freaked him out and he-then FELL OFF FROM THE HOSPITAL BED to the hard floor below.

    Below shivering, he finally saw his ultimate, biggest ''mother-of-all-fears'' ¨C which was the presence of the unwelcome visitor, his green-eyed creature... the school counsellor Ms Diane King.

    She stood in front of the curtain across him, that glowed yellow. Peter ''hid'' quiet below the bed, watching both his stalker and the yellow light, that ''rose'' behind the curtain.

    Behold, he then saw his sleeping ''blind'' classmate ¨C JANE WILSON, FLOATING towards the ceiling. Her skin glowed yellow in her hospital gown, with her hanging-down 3 blonde, dreadlocked hair, which glimmered goldenly.

    Jane''s head and limbs, hung low from her body, as she rose above, like a bright, curled-down-pointing star. The-out-of-the-ordinary ''sight'' was too much to bear, for the scared Peter he cried out, covering his eyes from the bright light, in the darkened room, with his only arm.

    "Mom!"

    Ms King looked at him, hiding from view, below his bed. Her eyes glowed green, like a ''dog'' at night.

    "Peter, don''t be afraid."

    The terrified Peter screamed even louder in terror. A doctor and a male-nurse came running, switching on the ward-room lights. They found Peter on the floor, faced down.

    Peter looked up, to find Jane ''sleeping'' on her bed as per normal, and the green-eyed creature ''gone,'' that quick moment.

    "Where she go? Mom! Where are you?" He hollered in frantic.

    The doctor came up to him. "Calm down, Peter."

    "Where is my mother? I ''want'' my mother!"

    The male-nurse stood the one-armed boy up. The doctor spoke again...

    "Your mother left around 10 pm. But she was here the entire time since you had been admitted here, this afternoon...

    "... your brother Paul is sleeping beside you here ¨C yea, he got to ''speak'' to your mother just now. Just-go on back sleep, Peter... she will come, and ''see'' you in the morning."

    Peter pointed to Jane''s bed...

    "''Why'' is she glowing? Poe too, ''why'' is he was glowing blue and ¨C and Janey floated too."

    The doctor saw the babbling boy and, looked over his shoulder at the ''sleeping'' blind girl, on her bed.

    "What are you talking about? ''Who'' is glowing and floating around here?"

    Peter got aggressive and shouted back...

    "You kidding me? What you ''mean'' you can''t see her glow up!!? That alien creature was here too! That creature, that Ms King ¨C ''where'' is she?"

    The doctor pacified him. "Calm down, Peter. You all have ''been'' struck by lightning ¨C your body is ''still'' in shock... now let-me ''get'' you to sleep."

    The doctor nodded to the male-nurse, who stood behind Peter. The man jabbed the one one-armed boy with a syringe. Wide-eyed, Peter swung his phantom-limb, in reflex ¨C only to realize that he has ''only'' one arm.

    He was ranting out MORE-ACCUSES... exclaiming aloud, after the injection...

    "Oh no, you ''all'' are in this too! You are working... for that green-eyed creature, aren''t you? Who sent you all, to hunt me? Is it Principle Harris...? He controls the teachers... in school, to brainwash me! She ¨C that alien Ms King, has also mind-washed... my mother, to punish me too!"

    The babbling Peter-then collapsed back, falling into the male nurse''s arms, sedated. They put him back on the bed.

    Peter fought hard to keep his eyes open. His eyes rolled ''over'' to see Jane still glowing yellow, while Paul ''was'' blue ¨C before the smiling doctor, drew and closed the curtains.

    "Night-night, Peter."

    <>

    HE WOKE UP AGAIN, still confused about ''not'' knowing if he was dreaming, or in the reality, as he was ¨C still sleeping in a bed, that was ''not'' his. Standing ''again'' in his knees, and drew the curtain, in the slightly brightened room...

    Jane Wilson''s bed was ''empty.''

    Peter recognized the snores, behind the other curtain on his left ¨C ''only'' Paul, snored like a cooing pigeon.

    "Poe! Poe, wake up!"

    "Shut up, go back... to sleep... will you...?"

    The snorting and weary voice replied-over. Peter jumped-out from the bed, went to the window, and pulled the blind ¨C the bright, 9 am sunshine came in, that Friday morning.

    "Poe, Janey is ''gone'' ¨C Ms King and the doctor, ''took'' her!"

    "Yea, she has gone this morning, alright. HER PARENTS TOOK her home."

    "How you know? Did you see? She may be abducted!"

    "No, I did ''not'' see. My curtain was closed. I only ''heard'' her father and mother talking to her." But Peter cut in, saying aloud...

    "Jane Wilson FLOATED TO THE CEILING, last night ¨C ''how'' was that possible!!?"

    "Shut up, PeterI want to sleep." The voice sighed.

    Peter went over and drew the curtain that enclosed Paul. They ''both'' screamed looking at each other ¨C with their skins glowing in ''both'' shades of turquoise and crimson.

    "See! You are glowing ''too,'' Poe!"

    "I''m blue! Back in the dairy-farm, your eyes shone ''red'' ¨C NOW THIS? What ''did'' you do to me...?"

    "I did ''not'' do anything! It''s that Ms King ¨C she did ''this'' to us!"

    Hearing loud voices, a male doctor and a female nurse... came in fast. Peter backed and RECOGNIZED THE SAME-doctor.

    "So, you again! You are ''not'' going to stick a needle in me, this time."

    The agitated Peter spoke, finding for something around, to be a ''weapon'' to fight back. The doctor smiled, and walked to Paul''s bed, greeting them in politeness...

    "G'' day, Peter and Paul ¨C how are you ''both'' this morning?"

    He went on his regular routine, by taking a small pen-torch, and shone into both of Paul''s eyes.

    Peter shouted. "Enough of the bloody pretending ¨C ''WHERE'' IS MY MOTHER? Jane Wilson''s parents came, I heard ¨C now, where is my ''mother,'' as you promised...? Either you have abducted her too, or she is one ''Mom,'' who doesn''t bloody care about her handicap son ¨C and, she also abandoned us both in ''this'' hospital, to ''be'' experimented."

    The doctor smiled. "Your mother is ''here,'' Peter ¨C she is signing the release-papers out-there. You ''both'' are discharging today."

    Inspector Caroline Walker appeared, striding into the ward, dressed up in casual wear. Peter cried out to her...

    "Mom! I''m glad you are here. I want to REPORT A CRIME ¨C they forcefully stuck a needle in my arm. Mom, ''this'' hospital is conducting some form illegal experiments, where Jane last night glowed yellow-gold ¨C and then, she floated up to the ceiling. See here-my-arm, whatever they jabbed into my arm ¨C see here-my-face, I am also glowing too ¨C ''look'' at me!"

    The Inspector saw the doctor ¨C the both of them, looked ''hard'' at Peter, pleading before them. His mother turned back, to the doctor saying.

    "Do you think he should stay back, another DAY FOR OBSERVATION, Dr Watts?"

    "Looks like it."

    Paul Wilson was quiet in his bed, and ''reading'' everyone-there ¨C but noticing the ''abnormality'' all the 3 OF THE ADULTS... WHO COULD ''NOT'' SEE ¨C the ''both'' of them glowing...

    ... in shades of red and blue.

    ''Not'' even HIS POLICE-MOM, who ''would'' have noticed, by now...

    ... Peter was appalled... and he argued, pointing to Paul in bed...

    "Don''t tell me, you can''t ''see'' your-Paul glowing too, Mom!?"

    His embarrassed mother smiled at the doctor...

    "Peter here ''has'' an active mind. I think it is too much of Netflix TV and comic-books ¨C instead of his studies in school." Paul heard, and he too smiled...

    "They''d brainwashed Mom too! Poe, ''you'' tell her yourself ¨C AM I GLOWING, right?"

    Paul turned to his mother. "Mom, can we go home? And, can we ''leave'' this basket-case behind here?"

    Peter was baffled. "What Poe... they got to you ''too?''"

    ... Paul lashed back...

    "Hey, you are the ''one'' who was acting crazy-crack-a-shit, running around in the ''field'' yesterday. They should LOCK YOU UP HERE, in the mental-ward."

    Peter was furious and came forward to hit Paul, and the frightened nurse backed. Inspector-mother intervened, and pushed the one-armed Peter away, by shoving his chest.

    "Stop it! Hey, you 2 here, don''t waste the good doctor''s time! Now, WHICH ''ONE'' OF YOU is coming home?"

    Peter immediately replied. "I want to go home now!"

    Dr Watts said. "Are you ''sure'' about this, Inspector?"

    The mother smiled, in more embarrassment...

    "Yes doc, that''s my Peter ¨C always, MAKING UP ''NONSENSE'' to get attention, that he so hard-up for."

    <><>

    THAT SAME FRIDAY MORNING, at Wilson''s residences ¨C Jane wore a beanie cap, and she sat on the elegant and cosy couch, but feeling very ''down'' ¨C with the fact, that her SIMY interactive-tech was ''totally'' destroyed, at the terrifying incident in the dairy-farm.

    Her tears flowed, thinking about losing SIMY.

    Her adopted Black, baby-stepbrother, Samuel ¨C was also snuggling, with his blind-sister in the couch.

    The faithful, big, guide dog was lying below, its furry jaw resting on his Master''s feet, whining softly. Both the baby brother and the grey dog were ''sad'' too ¨C even, the baby Samuel was mimicking the face of his sister... and ''her'' sadness made him tear-up.

    Jane recalled getting A PHONE CALL from her Uncle Jack Turner... the moment she got home from the hospital... Jane cried to him ''saying'' that her SIMY WAS DAMAGED, in the electrical thunderstorm. Her anxious Uncle Jack was totally-comforting, after finding his favourite niece to be alive and well, ''AFTER'' SURVIVING, being struck by lightning.

    The guilty, blind-girl owned up ¨C and she made multiple apologies to her uncle... and took the entire ''blame'' for her lack of responsibility for the damage of his million USD invention AI prototype.

    Her Uncle Jack then PROMISED A ''NEW'' SIMY model, would be sent soon, in a box delivered to her ¨C which in return, Jane have to ''RETRAIN'' IT AGAIN, to be as proficient, and ¨C efficient as her former SIMY.

    But Jane missed her former, personalized SIMY, a lot.

    ... Jane hugged her baby brother tight, and they both cried-more. Jane remembered again of the car ride, when her parents brought her ''back'' home, from the hospital earlier...

    -O-

    ... her father was driving his Mercedes Benz, and her mother sat sagging at the backseat and was holding her tight... her baby-brother was asleep, in the child-seat...

    Jane cried, all the way back home ¨C when she was questioned...

    Her mother had asked...

    "'' Why'' did you run over in the open field? You almost got yourself killed."

    ... Jane was baffled, then responded. "I don''t know, Peter and Paul were in danger, Mummy ¨C and I went to ''help'' them."

    "No Jane, you should go to some GROWNUPS FOR HELP ¨C and ''not'' risking by putting yourself in danger. You are MY ''ONLY'' DAUGHTER, and you almost-died out there!"

    "But Mom, I am BLIND, B-GIRL ¨C I don''t ''know'' or care what danger is. If someone whom I love-and-care for, IS IN DANGER, I will go forward to help ¨C be it you my mother, father, my brother, and even my dog ¨C I will ''still'' go on out to save you all, whenever I can ¨C THAT WAS ''WHY'' ¨C I ran out yesterday..."

    But her mother was firm. "Sometimes I simply can''t understand ''you'' ¨C and your STUPID, BLIND-LOGICS. Did that AI headphones force you to do it?"

    Jane shook her weepy head...

    "No-Mummy, SIMY ''stopped'' me ¨C BUT I WENT ON anyway."

    "But from now onwards, promise me and your father ¨C that you will ''not'' run into danger-blindly, and instead get help elsewhere!"

    Jane cried...

    "I will, Mommy ¨C yes, because I ''screwed'' it all up, I had challenged ''her'' always, and I''m THE REASON WHY MY-poor SIMY ''died'' yesterday ¨C now, I have ''gone'' back being a B-girl."

    -O-

    ... on the couch, Jane wept more, holding on to her sobbing Black brother. The clever-big dog went to the coffee table and bit on a Kleenex box, brought it over to the baby boy... who took a tissue and wiped his blind sister''s tears.

    It made Jane wail out ¨C and the siblings cried more.

    At noon, the doorbell rang...

    The nanny Lola Flores, came out from the kitchen, to answer the door.

    The visitors were Alicia Wong and her elder-cousin sister Lily Wang, who drove her there. Dr Shelley Wilson came downstairs, greeting them. When Jane heard Alicia''s voice ¨C the blind girl called for her.

    "Ali...?"

    Alicia ran into her arms, both the best-friends hugged and wept. Alicia was loud...

    "I thought you are going to die when you ran out in the field. I saw the lightings striking all over, and I WAS FROZE-SCARED ¨C I''m ''sorry'' Janey, I abandoned you when you needed me most!"

    "No, Ali, it is all my stupid-fault ¨C it''s you and SIMY who told ME, ''DON''T GO,'' but I went anyway ¨C I was stupid-stupid... and now SIMY is gone ¨C ''SHE'' IS NOW DEAD ¨C and it is all my fault!"

    She wailed out...

    The Black baby-boy who was seated on his baby stool after his lunch, also howled aloud in tears, before he vomited. Everyone''s attention was on baby Samuel, with Lola tending back to him ¨C and her mother shouted back.

    "Enough of this Jane, your ''crying'' is upsetting Samuel ¨C take Alicia, and go up to your room now!"

    Alicia took Jane upstairs, and Piper followed.

    Lily Wang who previously worked as a nurse at Dr Wilson''s clinic... was concerned about the baby boy...

    "Has he been sick?"

    Jane''s mother replied to her. "No-he is a sensitive boy. Samuel is very close with his sister, and she takes good care of him too ¨C but by now, seeing Jane who-is so ''DOWN'' AND OUT-crying, is too distressing for him."

    -O-

    Upstairs, the sobbing girls entered ¨C and both slept with each other on the bed. In Jane''s bare and minimal-room, with a Daredevil poster pinned. Jane removed her beanie cap. Alicia noticed the small-scar on her upper forehead. Piper lying on the carpeted floor also looked over at the welt...

    "Did it burn...? Was it painful?"

    "I don''t know, in fact, I felt freezing-cold in the rain, when the lightning struck me, especially my ''head.'' I think I PASSED OUT BY THEN ¨C I don''t remember anything after that." Alicia used the tip of her finger to gently touch the scar.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Does it hurt? It left a small, diamond-shaped scar on your forehead."

    "No-Ali, but it feels bit-sore ¨C and I get also this AFTERTASTE, IN MY THROAT... like I ate cool mint drops."

    Alicia hugged her and kissed her cheek...

    "I''m so glad you are safe, and okay now. Hey, guess what, I came here-back from the hospital, with Lily just now ¨C the nurse at the desk, said you were discharged and gone home. I then went to see our Methodist-Church van driver Mr Hart, my ''HERO'' THAT DAY ¨C he''s fine too but, with a broken arm...

    "... then at the hospital lobby, I MET PAUL ¨C and his mother was pushing him on a wheelchair."

    "You met the-2 boys? How are Peter and Paul?" Blind-Jane now grinned and she liked hearing stories of the boys ¨C ESPECIALLY OF PETER WALKER.

    Alicia replied. "Paul was quiet ¨C but Peter was acting his ''usual'' crazy when he saw me."

    "Crazy-how...?"

    Alicia laughed. "Level 8 crazy ¨C ''not'' a 10 ¨C that''s when he ''hits'' people."

    Jane grew curious. "What did he do...?"

    The Chinese girl giggled...

    "He asked me if he''s glowing ''red'' ¨C and if Paul glowing blue... and I don''t know what to ''answer,'' with his mother the-inspector looking on... so I said, ''yeah Peter, you are in the pink of health.''"

    They both laughed, but Jane was ''more'' curious, and said...

    "Those are colours ¨C ''WHY'' RED AND BLUE?"

    "I don''t know, he is crazy, right? He even said ''you'' glowed-yellow ¨C and can even float from the hospital bed."

    Alicia now laughed alone. Jane thought a bit, before replying her...

    "I''m blind ¨C and I don''t know much of the CONTEXT OF COLORS. You see me as White-girl, but I ''see'' my world in-black." Jane got up and sat, she held Alicia''s palm tight. Even her stretch-out, the big dog sat upright, listening.

    "Alicia, can YOU KEEP A ''SECRET...?'' Something strange happened to me this morning?" Alicia too sat up, wide-eyed. "Janey, what happened...?"

    Jane told her ¨C that before she discharged from the ward, she looked at the sleeping boys on their beds, and she got ''dizzy'' ¨C with SOME FLASHES OF SHADES ¨C in her ''black.''

    "Did you tell your mother about the dizziness ¨C she''s a doctor?"

    But Jane shook her head...

    "No, why should I? Those specialists in the hospital SAID THAT I''M ''FINE.'' But I feel different ''now,'' listen, Ali, if I put my palms closer to my face ¨C I feel dizzy, and that minty aftertaste in my mouth."

    Alicia got more worried...

    "Seriously, you should tell your Mom, Janey!"

    The blind girl said. "No!"

    She kept saying her parents WERE OVER-PROTECTIVE ¨C and won''t let her go anywhere and would keep her at home the entire school holiday ¨C Jane still wanted to still go out and do the ''fun'' things ¨C that both the best-friends had planned before.

    But Jane too was ''not'' sure. "Maybe it will wear off in a day or 2 ¨C but I am very ''curious'' ¨C that Peter said he was ''red,'' Paul ''blue,'' and I glowed ''yellow.''" But Alicia nudged her.

    "Why you go ANALYZING, ''WHAT'' that crazy-idiot said?"

    "It''s because I don''t know what are colours. ''What'' is yellow, Alicia?"

    Jane scanned her head-turned to fan the room as if she was ''still'' wearing her AI-glasses. She then spoke in an urgent tone...

    "Come put-me to test, Ali ¨C show me an ''object'' that is yellow ¨C without making a hint, and me, touching it!"

    Alicia looked around the room that was minimal and could ''not'' decide ¨C what to DEMONSTRATE TO HER curious, blind friend. She then reached deep into her jeans-pocket and took out her keychain, with a toy-figurine.

    "Here."

    Jane instructed. "Now you guide my hand to it, and don''t let me touch it." Alicia did that, and Jane put her ''scared'' forehead... closer to the keychain on Alicia''s palm.

    ¡­ Piper whined when seeing the abnormalities in its master, who then spoke¡­

    "It is square... and has a funny face ¨C it''s your keys."

    Alicia hugged her, excited and kissed both her cheeks of the completely-blind-girl...

    "Oh my God, Janey ¨C you guessed it right... it''s my SPONGE BOB KEYCHAIN ¨C Janey, you can ''see!''"

    "'' Not'' really see-see ¨C but I can now-see BRIGHT-SHADES THAT MAKES SHADOWS ¨C and I ''can'' make out certain objects, guessed it ''right'' when I''m ''really'' up-close."

    "But, that''s ''really-good'' news ¨C you didn''t have this ability before."

    The blind girl nodded. "If I''m yellow ¨C I ''want'' to know WHAT IS RED AND WHAT IS BLUE, in both of those boys ¨C Alicia, can you take me to their place tomorrow."

    "Anything-for-you, girlfriend."

    "But first, we need to inform about this to Uncle Jack."

    They switched on Skype ¨C both girls took turns and gave an incident-reports of their recalled accounts ¨C of ''what'' that happened in the field of the dairy farm, during the disastrous thunderstorm ¨C in-which, they had survived yesterday...

    ... Jane DID ''NOT'' MENTION that she could now see ''shadows'' to her uncle ¨C until she had learned ''more'' about it... after visiting the Walker-twins.

    <><>

    ON THE DRIVE HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL, Paul sat in front, beside his driving mother. Peter in the backseat, shouted in despair...

    "Why don''t you believe me? Ms King WAS HUNTING ME IN SCHOOL because she wanted my lucky-charm. She even ''followed'' me to that Treeton farm ¨C and, THAT''S WHY I ran again!"

    His stern mother looked in the car''s RVM ¨C and questioned him-back...

    "'' Where'' is this lucky charm then? And, ''who'' gave it to you, in the first place?"

    "Some ''guy,'' gave it to me at the clay-court, way some time back... but that-woman Ms King wants to take it for her ''own'' ¨C that''s ''why'' I had to run away from her, and then the storm came in Treeton, with all that terrifying bolts of lightning... and ALL HAPPENING THERE. ... while running for my life, I panicked and I lost that amulet in the field ¨C but Mom ¨C if you cordon that area, and use the canine unit to comb, in the farm ¨C then, YOU MIGHT FIND the talisman, in the mud, somewhere ¨C and you then will ''believe'' that I am TELLING THE TRUTH!"

    "Don''t bloody-tell me how-to-do my job!" Inspector-mother snapped back.

    She continued to grill him...

    "You can''t produce single evidence of this so-called lucky charm HAD-EVEN EXISTED, and you expect me to believe you? You can''t bloody well-know the ''difference'' between the real-facts and reality from your Netflix fiction-bullshit ¨C and you want ME TO BELIEVE YOU? You even said earlier that Ms King''s alien-eyes glowed ''green'' ¨C and expect me to believe that too?"

    The ireful one-armed boy KICKED THE DRIVER''S SEAT while shouting back...

    "That''s ''what'' happened, WHY WON''T YOU, believe me, Mom!!? That''s what happened to me! I''m THE ''VICTIM'' HERE, and yet, you bloody-grill me like a low-life criminal!!"

    Paul yelled out...

    "Hey, Peter! Stop kicking the seat, and distracting Mom''s diving ''too'' ¨C and I don''t want ''her'' to be dead like Dad, okay!!?"

    Peter froze that moment ¨C REALIZING UNKNOWINGLY, he had lashed out by kicking, in his tantrums.

    The inspector-mother spoke up again...

    "What victim, are you talking about? You ''are'' one, who ran like a lunatic-wayward in that field... and ''everyone'' who chased after you, are hurt too! They are the ones, who are the ''real'' victims ¨C resulting from your delinquent behaviour!"

    Inspector Caroline Walker looked, into her Audi''s RVM-again...

    "Now, look here, Peter ¨C I''ve lost every ounce of my patience with ''you'' ¨C If your school can''t discipline you, THEN I''LL DO IT MYSELF, from ''now'' on ¨C and, it all starts the moment we get home...!"

    <><>

    INSPECTOR WALKER EMPTIED A THICK, HOSPITAL''S plastic bag with the twin-tweens'' personal belongings on the kitchen counter. Paul picked his wallet, house key-chain, and iPhone. Peter came forward, but ''only'' got his wallet...

    ... inspector-mother had confiscated his keys and cellphone.

    "Mom, what about my ''other'' stuff?"

    "You follow me now..."

    The one-armed son stood-still, saw his mother going upstairs, with both-of his belongings. He heard a rattling sound in his bedroom door''s keyhole ¨C Peter rushed up the stairs...

    "Why are you going to my room? Some ''privacy'' here, Mom."

    He got no reply ¨C then, the mother looked at him coldly, and she handed Peter his cellphone.

    "Unlock it... what is your password...?"

    "Why are you checking my phone too...? I''ve done ''nothing'' wrong-here!" Peter protested.

    "Technically, if you''re still living under my roof, and ''anything'' I buy for you, is still ''mine.'' Do it, now ¨C unlock it!"

    ... in tears, he replied...

    "It is ''NOT'' FAIR ¨C Dad built this house... and it ''my'' house too. Dad won''t do ''this'' to me if he was alive!"

    "Shut up! Don''t talk about ''your'' father to me! What are you hiding? Are you surfing porn, on the phone?"

    "No Mom, I won''t do that ¨C I''m Catholic!"

    Peter held his mother''s hand going for the doorknob.

    "Come on Mom, DON''T ''GO'' in there."

    "What are you hiding in there? Drugs?"

    "Strewth! Mom, why you-keep treating me, like a bloody-criminal?"

    "Because you will be heading towards ''that'' very-path, someday."

    The door swung open ¨C to the unwelcoming the sight ¨C of cluttered with junk... in cardboard-boxes, messy clothing scattered about on the floor.

    "What is this? Oh-my-Lord ¨C you even have a stacked pile of old newspapers, and rest of all-these junks! So, you had been living under ''my'' roof, hoarding-junk like a homeless."

    "Not homeless, I''M A ''COLLECTOR!'' Go look at the dates on those newspapers, Mom... it is printed in the last-day of 1999 ¨C that is the past millennium, and that''s gonna be 20 years from now on. And, I bought that, from a guy for peanuts ¨C guess, what it would be ''worth'' in eBay in years to come ¨C even today, each newspaper has an estimate-worth of $100 each!"

    "You are 12 ¨C and you are trading-online!!? Isn''t there an age limit for that ¨C like legally 18 ¨C to be an eBay seller? Hey! Did you create a fake-account?"

    ... Peter was tongue-tied.

    "But Mom..."

    "No! all THESE HAVE TO GO! You go box-it all up, and you store it in the garage. Do it now! This room should be spic-and-span when I do ''another'' inspection later."

    "Its value is worth-a-lot, to be stashed in the garage. It is ''NOT'' SAFE OVER THERE because it is not insured."

    Caroline shouted...

    "No... your junk in here is a fire hazard!"

    "How could that be? I''m an athlete... I don''t smoke."

    "Shut-up Peter... and don''t ''argue'' with me!"

    Caroline scrolled his cellphone...

    "Hey, are YOU ''THAT'' POPULAR ¨C why do you have over 240 contacts on your phone? Are they friends, from school?"

    Inspector-mother placed the screen of his iPhone in front of his face...

    "I have ''no'' friends, now! Those are my ''fans'' back then, and also some merchant dealers, who all had root for me when I was playing tennis... on my YouTube channel, back then. Nowadays, ''no'' one contacts me, ever since this..."

    Peter SHOWED HER, extending his stump arm.

    But, after so-many-of-his-dramas, his inspector-mother was ''not'' sympathetic ¨C and kept swiping his iPhone. She then screeched out...

    "Now ''what'' are these!!? Online illegal gambling websites! Peter, have you been chalking-up debts... that I don''t know of? You ARE STILL A ''MINOR,'' but yet-you have been accessing these websites, behind my-back!"

    "No, Mom ¨C I swear, I don''t ''owe'' money to anyone."

    "You are turning like the dirty-liar ¨C AS YOUR ''FATHER'' was."

    "Hey, don''t talk like that, about my Dad!"

    "Chip from the old bloody-block, you are turning out to be ¨C gambling behind my-back, like your father... and the amount of ''DEBT'' HE LEFT US ¨C which I''m still paying-off monthly till today, and another 4 damn-bloody more years to go ¨C on top with the mortgage of this bloody house... soon, we may have to ''sell'' this bloody-house... to live in a smaller house elsewhere."

    "You CAN''T SELL THIS HOUSE ¨C ''Dad'' built it for us!"

    "What can you do ''about'' it? You are his uneducated-Bludger-of-a-son, who will ''soon'' be unemployed, and be homeless. What ''debt'' can you pay, to keep your-damn father''s house!!?"

    The inspector-mother then left Peter in those thoughts.

 Chapter 2: Visiting the Walkers

    PETER SLEPT TILL 11 AM, THAT SATURDAY¡­ on the ¡®first¡¯ day of his school¡¯s term break holiday. It was getting bright and warmer in his room¡­ since the air-con¡¯s ¡®safe-energy¡¯ off-timer kicked in, hours earlier¡­

    ¡­ Peter opened his eyes¡­

    ¡­ for a split-moment, he did ¡®not¡¯ recognize his own room ¨C as it was neat and organized. He THEN REMEMBERED, boxing-away ¡®most¡¯ of his collections in the garage, yesterday.

    He came downstairs bare-bodied, wearing only his underwear¡­

    ¡­ he noticed Paul, wearing a turtleneck jersey, and was playing his NOVA 3 videogame on his iPhone, near the kitchen. He was seated on a temporary ¡®manual¡¯ wheelchair, loaned from the hospital.

    His mobile-wheelchair was wrecked in the thunderstorm incident ¨C but, it was under warranty¡­ and the wheelchair manufacturers had promised to ¡®send¡¯ a replacement soon.

    Their mother was at work, at the police station.

    ¡°Did Mom leave cash for lunch?¡± Peter asked¡­ but got ¡®no¡¯ response from his twin.

    ¡­ Peter glanced to his left, and saw the $50 note on top of the kitchen counter¡­

    ¡°Poe, we are ordering a pizza for lunch, okay?¡± Still ¡®no¡¯ response from his gaming twin.

    ¡°Where is today¡¯s newspaper¡­?¡± he mumbled to himself.

    Peter opened the front door and stepped out, wearing only his underwear. It was closer to noon, the concrete walkway was hot, but HE WALKED BAREFOOTED, further to the entrance, to the road. He doesn¡¯t mind the heat ¨C he was ¡®used¡¯ to it ¨C after a lot of daily afternoon practising tennis, in Stamford High¡¯s outdoor courts.

    Neighbours across the street saw the bogan-delinquent ¡®son,¡¯ of the police Inspector ¨C who was a peculiar ¡®sight,¡¯ to see¡­

    ¡­ of the suntanned tween ¨C with only one arm, clad only in his underwear. A small girl laughed, pointing at his mooning buttock-cheek.

    The newspaper¡¯s headline was the local-economy by his equally-disliked Mayor of Perth, John Blake ¨C ¡®which¡¯ did ¡®not¡¯ interest him. He flipped over to back, at the sports section ¨C disappointed seeing the boxing headlines ¨C Jeff Horn lost.

    Entering back in the front door, the one-armed boy walked up to the kitchen marble-counter ¨C and laid the newspaper down, on it and flipped the inside-pages:

    ¡®Freak storm kills 34 cows in Treeton¡¯

    ¡°Poe look! We ¡®are¡¯ in the papers!¡±

    He cried out ¨C his eyes missing ¡®out¡¯ the SUBTITLE BELOW, although it was in ¡®bold¡¯¡­

    ¡®Aussie veteran hurt while rescuing 3 handicap children¡¯

    ¡°What the bloody hell is this ¨C the story is featured on page 3, this ¡®should¡¯ be in the front-page, instead of some BS bloody-politician ¨C and the headlines too is SO-SO-WRONG ¨C storm kills 34 cows!? They are more interested in the bloody profit-loss, of their bloody-cows.¡±

    ¡­ Peter then read, the fine print ¨C and he shouted and exclaimed out even louder¡­

    ¡°Damnit! That Methodist van-driver took all the ¡®credit!¡¯ It says, the war veteran John Hart went ¡®over¡¯ to rescue 3 handicap children, who wandered in the field, in the storm!¡±

    Paul too was further ¡®curious,¡¯ and he physically wheeled himself over, to the kitchen counter.

    ¡°This is BULLSHIT REPORTING, Poe! ¡®Who¡¯ goes wandering in a thunderstorm!!? I was desperately running for my life out there, AVOIDING BEING STRUCT by those killer thunderbolts. And, this-bloody reporter made a bedside interview, with the ¡®faker¡¯ veteran, and he got all of the glory ¨C just give this man ¡®another¡¯ medal, yeah ¨C You deserve it, mate!¡±

    ¡­ Paul glowed darker blue¡­ shaking his head¡­ of what Peter had badmouthed.

    The irked Peter continued. ¡°You were ¡®not¡¯ even-out there, in the field when it happened, in the first place ¨C I don¡¯t remember ¡®seeing¡¯ your bloody-veteran-ass out there ¨C in ¡®your¡¯ gung-ho, high octane daring, HANDICAP-RESCUE-MISSION!

    ¡°But yet, this newspaper gave him the ¡®glory,¡¯ to exploit its readers¡¯ bloody-sentiments, with FALSE-SYMPATHY ¨C that the alleged so-called ¡®bogan-hero¡¯ who had saved those, ooo¡¯ poor handicap kittens and puppies from ¨C oooh, from the SCARY DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORM. Come on, give me a rock-and-roll break, you Elvis-faker!¡±

    ¡­ Paul was agitated, that Peter had insulted his new-found senior friend ¨C the war veteran, John Hart, whom he had BONDED WELL, in their recent visit to the farm trip¡­

    ¡°Why was I ¡®not¡¯ interviewed, I was a witness that day, and I¡¯m a pretty ¡®credible¡¯ one too ¨C and who-I was sometime ¡®ago¡¯ was featured in the sports-bloody-section for this same bloody NEWSPAPER, 2 YEARS AGO ¨C for being their tennis prot¨¦g¨¦ of Perth! Then, ¡®why¡¯ wasn¡¯t this reporter at my bedside, interviewing me instead!!?¡±

    ¡­ Paul tossed his phone on the countertop ¨C annoyed that Peter was so-arrogant and self-centred, even though his PROT¨¦G¨¦ DAYS WERE ¡®OVER¡¯ since that tragic road accident ¨C and basing the progress fact, where the ¡®lesser¡¯ boys ¨C were now beating Peter, in the court ever since.

    ¡°Hey-you, Peter ¨C everything is ¡®NOT¡¯ ABOUT YOU, okay???

    ¡°In the first place, you ran off drongo-crazy, in that bloody-field in the middle of the thunderstorm, and that made us ¡®all¡¯ come running OVER TO RESCUE YOU, including Mr Hart! And, I was the first responder, at that time ¨C but, what did ¡®you¡¯ do in return? You, you almost STRANGLE ME TO DEATH ¨C that was by sheer-luck, that a bolt of lightning ¡®struck¡¯ us all ¨C or else, you would have choked, and strangled-me to death!¡±

    ¡°What? What¡­? ¡®When¡¯ did I strangle you?¡± Peter denied.

    ¡­ Paul pulled down his turtleneck ¨C to reveal a diamond-shaped scar.

    ¡°Look ¡®here¡¯ at my throat ¨C now look at the ¡®palm¡¯ of your hand. You pressed that red-hot stone when you ¡®did¡¯ strangle me!¡±

    Peter looked down at the ¡®cursed¡¯ scar, in his palm¡­ but closed his fist, to conceal it¡­

    ¡­ Paul continued saying¡­

    ¡°What were you thinking, ¡®why¡¯ did you try to kill your own rescuers? Sometimes I feel so-afraid of staying ¡®alone,¡¯ in this house with you when Mom is away at work ¨C you are damn-bloody-going-off-crazy at times!¡±

    Cladded only in his underwear, Peter was stumped, staring back at this his twin ¨C but, he finally spoke back...

    ¡°No, Paul ¨C the situation is ¡®complicated¡¯ ¨C you have ¡®not¡¯ seen Ms King¡¯s eyes, that shone green! Look, Poe, I was ¡®okay¡¯ the entire-trip to that cow farm ¨C until that ¡®creature¡¯ followed me, in her car ¡®over¡¯ there. I freaked out, and I ran, okay? She wanted to take my lucky charm.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡­ Peter realized, that he ¡®was¡¯ referring the evil-amulet, till this moment, as his LUCKY CHARM ¨C but, all it brought him was ¡®cursed¡¯ misfortune.

    He now noticed Paul laughing out.

    ¡°So, The-Incredible Hulk now¡­ has a distant cousin, down-under ¨C and her name is Ms King, is that it, mate?¡±

    Peter thought that Paul lost his sense of humour in the 2 years, since the accident. He was once the practical joker in the family, delighting his mother with his cunning wits.

    The annoyed-one-armed twin countered...

    ¡°Hey, here you are -glowing,¡¯ like a moving Blue-Christmas tree on wheels. Why you, sneaky twin of the Joker, do-you think you can out-smart me always, BY KEEPING ¡®SECRETS¡¯ ¨C and I look like a crazy-fool always, in front of Mom?¡±

    Paul did ¡®not¡¯ reply, and only kept chuckling to himself.

    ¡°Why the secrecy, Poe¡­? Why do you keep ¡®lying¡¯ to Mom, in her face ¨C you are glowing blue, and me in red. Why ¡®NOT¡¯ ADMIT-AND-TELL HER¡­? Tell me now, what¡¯s ¡®your¡¯ game plan, you-Elvis the wheelchair-pelvis? I ¡®always¡¯ tell you mine!!!¡±

    ¡°No game plans, Pete ¨C come on, ¡®who¡¯ will believe me anyway, if I had told? I noticed Mom and the doctors CAN¡¯T SEE ME glow, so ¡®why¡¯ bother tell¡­?

    ¡°So¡­ I was the ¡®fool¡¯ all these-whiles¡­ for being honest¡­ huh?¡±

    ¡°Get over it, mate ¨C the glowing must some ¡®TEMPORARY,¡¯ SIDE-EFFECTS in our minds, from that lightning strike ¨C maybe it will wear off soon.¡±

    ¡°But still, it¡¯s ¡®not¡¯ fair, right¡­? ¡­ that you are DECEIVING ¡®US¡¯ BOTH ¨C and Mom too!¡±

    Peter was irked and dissatisfied ¨C and left the kitchen, and headed upstairs, with the newspapers¡­

    -O-

    ¡­ his twin-Paul have an upper-hand, he had OUTSMARTED HIM BY LOGICAL THINKING, while ¨C he was in return had been ¡®reacting¡¯ base on his personal ¡®bad-emotions¡¯ ¨C which seems as irrational, to an adult¡¯s logic.

    Peter admitted that his twin was cunning, and ¡®has¡¯ certain-leverage on him¡­

    ¡­ the crippled twin would ¡®betray¡¯ him someday, with a confession to their inspector-mother ¨C on how PETER¡¯S ¡®KICKING¡¯ had caused the ¡®distraction¡¯ in the car ¨C that killed their father.

    Upstairs, he reached his room ¨C and his ¡®mind¡¯ was muddled ¨C and he distracted himself by rereading back, ¡®news¡¯ about the thunderstorm in the Treeton farm¡­

    ¡­ as Peter was recollecting the events of that Thursday¡­

    The curse of the amulet was pure evil, and it was real ¨C just like the creature, Ms King with green glowing eyes. But yet, he had ¡®NO¡¯ AVENUE TO PROVE IT. And, his deep-deep thinking¡­

    ¡­ got him tired fast with it brewing, with intoxicating negativity ¨C and, he dozed-off in his underwear.

    <><>

    THE DOORBELL RANG, while Paul was into his own ¡®world¡¯ ¨C fantasizing of being as able-bodied ¡®persona,¡¯ in combat ¨C while levelling up playing NOVA 3, on his iPhone ¨C before being ¡®distracted.¡¯

    He was ¡®back¡¯ in reality ¨C and heard music played upstairs. He glanced over at the CCTV monitor ¨C that had video-feeds of 5 cameras, including the front door.

    He had visitors that Saturday morning ¨C it was ALICIA AND JANE ¨C visiting him, on the first day of the school break.

    ¡°Hey-Paul, G¡¯day, we came to cheer you up ¨C how you been?¡± Alicia greeted the moment when Paul opened the door.

    ¡°Very-fine, thank you¡­ please, do come on in.¡±

    He grinned in his wheelchair¡­ and invited them in. Alicia came in first, and Paul¡¯s eyes caught ¡®yellow¡¯ glowing-Jane behind her. Her dreadlocked hair had almost-shone golden. The blind girl spoke up¡­

    ¡°Paul, I can ¡®see¡¯ you ¨C so¡­ this ¡®WHAT¡¯ BLUE-IS...¡±

    Paul was stumped. ¡°Yeah, you too¡­ ¡®YOU¡¯ ARE¡­ GOLDEN¡­¡±

    ¡°You mean yellow¡­? Ali, what is blue-colour ¡®mixed¡¯ with golden yellow?¡±

    ¡°Green, I guess.¡±

    ¡°And, what is red mixed with yellow?¡± Blind-Jane asked again.

    ¡°Hey Janey, I¡¯m ¡®not¡¯ Google.¡±

    ¡°But you got a photographic mind.¡± Jane shot back.

    All the 3 tweens laughed. The blind girl turned towards Paul ¨C whom she can ¡®see¡¯ him, in shades of green, on his wheelchair.

    ¡°Where is Peter?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s upstairs.¡±

    ¡°I must ¡®see¡¯ him.¡±

    Paul-hesitated a moment, before saying...

    ¡°Okay, just follow the Gorillaz music.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Gorillaz¡­ thanks, Paul ¨C will look that ¡®one¡¯ up too, in Google.¡±

    Paul¡¯s HEART ¡®SANK,¡¯ when he saw Jane carefully walked the steps that led upstairs.

    ¡°Hey Pauly, look over here ¨C I brought you some of my old PlayStation games. They are fighting-type mostly. Also, some manga comics too.¡± Alicia distracted him.

    ¡°Are they in-Japanese? I don¡¯t read Japanese.¡±

    ¡°No, it is in-English, silly. I¡¯m ¡®half-Taiwanese¡¯ not Japanese. Come, let¡¯s play Mortal Kombat ¨C hook me up, Paul.¡±

    -O-

    Upstairs¡­

    ¡­ Jane approached further, and the music got louder. She reached his bedroom and his door was opened. She saw a REDDISH-ENERGY ¡®GLOW¡¯ inside¡­

    ¡­ it attracted her to ¡®enter.¡¯ Jane went over to the bedside. She placed her hand out and touched the sleeping Peter¡¯s back.

    Peter who slept on his belly, was startled ¨C and instantly reflexed, as he pulled up his blanket to cover up his underwear, which he wore.

    ¡°Jesus! Janey, ¡®what¡¯ are-you doing here¡­? You could have knocked first before you enter ¨C you and, even my Mom, don¡¯t do that!¡±

    ¡°Sorry about that, Champ ¨C ¡®no¡¯ intention of peeping on-your boyhood here.¡± Jane giggled.

    ¡°¡¯ None¡¯ taken, but I know where you were coming from¡­ cos¡¯ you are blind.¡± Peter replied ¡­ and they both laughed.

    She sat on his bed and touched his glowing stump arm.

    ¡°Actually¡­ I came to see what is ¡®red¡¯ all-about ¨C I even ¡®saw¡¯ Paul glowing blue, downstairs.¡±

    Peter sat up immediately...

    ¡°Oh-my-sweet-Crickey-Lord! You can ¡®SEE¡¯ IT TOO ¨C the glowing colours?¡±

    Blind-Jane then touched Peter¡¯s forehead, and her fingers ran down the bridge of his nose, and next to his lips, saying...

    ¡°Yes, Champ¡­ I can ¡®see¡¯ shades of it ¨C and also the silhouettes, that form shapes ¨C yes-Peter, I CAN ¡®SEE¡¯ YOU!¡±

    Overjoyed, she hugged him.

    -O-

    Downstairs¡­

    ¡­ Paul was ¡®not¡¯ himself. He could hardly focus himself, to play Mortal Kombat ¨C and Alicia¡¯s Lady Kitana was trashing Paul¡¯s Johnny Cage character, into a pulp¡­

    ¡­ Alicia was getting the ¡®better¡¯ of him ¨C and even-paused the game to ask¡­ ¡®why¡¯, as a keen gamer he was playing so ¡®badly¡¯ ¨C he gave an excuse, that he preferred shooting games, and ¡®not¡¯ of the martial arts kind.

    After 40 minutes, of curious agony, Paul finally ¡®saw¡¯ Jane ACCOMPANIED BY PETER, descending the stairs ¨C his twin was wearing his old, 2014¡¯s World Cup Socceroo jersey and tracky-daks. He was ¡®HOLDING¡¯ HER-HAND, guiding the blind girl downstairs.

    That irked Paul even-more when he saw the one-armed Peter still holding Jane¡¯s hand ¨C as he led his visitor, to the kitchen. While Paul was facing the large LED TV monitor, with videogame playing out-loud, and with the kitchen was behind him.

    Paul could hear the fridge door open, and sounds of cans placed on the kitchen marble top counter, and the fizzling sound of Coca-Cola cans being opened.

    For another 30 minutes, of further excruciating feeling ¨C and Paul was ¡®hearing¡¯ laughter after laughter, of their inaudible conversation, ¡®behind¡¯ him.

    Then finally, Alicia got ¡®bored¡¯ of-winning, without being challenged¡­ and she stopped playing. She was hungry-too¡­ and she called out to Jane saying that it was 1:30 p.m.

    The blind girl suggested, that they ¡®all¡¯ went to Alicia¡¯s aunt¡¯s restaurant, for lunch in Chinatown ¨C as she craved ¡®again¡¯ for her favourite Taiwanese stinky tofu dish.

    Everyone agreed, ¡®except¡¯ for Paul ¨C he excused himself that he was tired, and needed a nap. Peter said to him¡­

    ¡°Poe, if that is the case, you go order a pizza ¨C and you can pig-out, and ¡®kill¡¯ my share too.¡± The one-armed-twin winked before he closed the front door.

    Paul sighed deep and long¡­ being-alone now in the house.

    It annoyed him, that Jane was GETTING EVEN CLOSER to his one-armed brother. He felt lesser as a cripple, compared to Peter ¨C who could ¡®walk¡¯¡­ despite being a handicap.

    He lost his appetite ¨C and he next brooded with self-pity, in his locked bedroom, with no windows¡­

    ¡­ sitting-alone, in the darkened room, glowing in deep purple.

 Chapter 3: A Message from the Time Traveler

    PETER AND PAUL WENT TO CHURCH MASS that Sunday, with their mother. Caroline Walker forced her son-Peter, to go for his Holy Confession. And, Peter went to a further-length to tell the priest, of-his ''own'' explanation for his every sin, he had-committed ¨C and with a disclaimer, that it was ''not'' his fault.

    Outside, their car was parked, under a shady tree of the church compound...

    ... nesting magpies pooped on the-top and windshield, of the white Audi. After mass, their mother stepping out the church door, and she cursed aloud at the ''mess'' the birds made.

    "Bloody shitting birds!"

    -O-

    On their way home, they bought some pastries from a famous bakery ¨C ''Corica Pastries.'' When Paul asked if they were expecting ''visitors,'' and the inspector-mother didn''t-say.

    At the backseat, Peter too was wondering ''WHO'' WAS COMING-over ¨C when his mother, didn''t tell her own mommy''s boy, it made him even ''more'' suspicious...

    ... they reached home, inspector-mother told the boys, ''not'' to change the Sunday-best clothes that they both-wore. She then arranged the pastries on 2 plates and placed it on the marble-top kitchen counter.

    She took a roll of kitchen paper towel, and went outside, to clean the birds'' poop on her car.

    Paul was playing his videogame, on his iPhone in the living-room... while, Peter sneaked-back to the kitchen, to eat a couple of pastries.

    -O-

    Paul heard car doors slamming shut... and ''some'' familiar voices. He peeked outside the window and saw ¨C Jane Wilson and Alicia Wong visiting again.

    He rolled his wheelchair towards the front main door to welcome them ¨C and he saw the 2 girls greeting his mother outside.

    They came over, Alicia was cheery. "Hiya Pauly! You went to church...?"

    "Yeah, we just came back ¨C we are expecting ''visitors.''" Paul casually replied to her, and both the girls giggled.

    "Here-we is ¨C where is Ms King, is she ''here'' yet?"

    "What...? Where ¨C Ms King?" Paul was stumped.

    "Paul, YOU DON''T KNOW? Since the school is closed, Ms King had ''asked'' permission from your Mom, to ''hold'' her session here."

    "Oh-Peter... I get it." Paul nodded.

    But Alicia corrected him. "No-silly, it''s A GROUP THERAPY ¨C it''s for coping of ''what''... we had gone through in the Treeton dairy farm field. Ms King is going to counsel-us-all later."

    Finally, Paul understood ''WHY'' HIS MOTHER did ''not'' tell them both in the car, just now ¨C in case, Peter ''might'' have protested... and showed his tantrums-drama.

    -O-

    Peter was hungry and had his third doughnut. He heard a familiar car hooting. He cranked his neck outside the kitchen window to see, who was the ''visitor'' was ahead. He was shocked to see Ms King getting off her aging-Volvo ¨C greeted by his inspector-mother.

    The one-armed boy had his ''panic-attacks'' ¨C he rushed to the common bathroom downstairs and locked himself in.

    Caroline Walker made Paul in-charge, as she wanted to go out to town, to the carwash. They were all inside the house ¨C gathered informally and sat in the various couch in the living room ¨C and they all noticed Peter was ''not'' present.

    Paul sighed, he went over, calling his twin''s name...

    "Peter! Peter!"

    Paul did ''not'' see Peter going upstairs ¨C so he must be hiding ''somewhere'' downstairs. He physically rolled his wheelchair towards the kitchen. Jane saw the BLUE-GLOWING PAUL, she left the couch and followed him.

    Paul sat outside ¨C the common bathroom that was locked.

    "Hey Peter, if you don''t come out the-dunny this instance ¨C I''m going to tell Mom, once she gets back home. Boy! You''ll get into some-serious trouble then."

    "Go away, Poe! I''m ''NOT'' COMING out!"

    Jane then came closer to the door. "Peter, this is Jane ¨C open the door. I want to talk to you."

    "No Janey, go-away!"

    "Peter, please come out, and ''HELP'' ME UNDERSTAND on ''why'' are we glowing ¨C and why, we can see it, but ''not'' others."

    After a moment of silence, Peter unlocked the door ¨C and saw the yellow-glowing Jane, smiling at him outside.

    "Hi-ya-Champ!"

    Peter stepped out of the bathroom, and Jane Wilson took him, by ''his'' only-hand ¨C they both walked to the living room, passing Paul in his wheelchair. Paul sighed deep in ''more'' disappointment, seeing them holding hands AS-A-COUPLE.

    Peter saw Ms Diane King sitting in his late father''s favourite chair... and his mind...

    ''... it''s the green-eyed shape-shifter...''

    He sat on a chair across her, while Jane left him ¨C to sit back, with Alicia on the couch.

    After a brief introduction by the school counsellor, Alicia went on first in the group, to narrate, of her TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE, that occurred 3 days ago, in the freak thunderstorm, in the dairy farm that their school visited, in their field trip.

    Alicia was recalling that afternoon when disaster struct Treeton ¨C where lightning struck the cows dead, but despite that, Jane ran-boldly to rescue both Peter and Paul. But Alicia ''had'' froze and was too-afraid to follow Jane. She hid away among the trees ¨C until Mr Hart found her, but tragically he ''too'' was-hurt, by a falling tree branch.

    Jane went-next. She stammered ¨C when Ms King, asked if her AI SIMY had ''FORCED'' HER to go on and endangering herself. But the blind girl denied that and said... she was at ''fault'' ¨C admitting that she ''pushed'' her AI hard, to ''neglect'' its protocol-of safety, to-risk the danger. As its resulted, Jane had-survived ¨C but the interactive-device was electrocuted ¨C and ''how,'' her SECOND-BEST FRIEND ''DIED'' that day...

    Everyone saw the 2 girls huddling each other for support.

    Ms King asked. "You-boys ¨C who is going first?"Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ... Paul blurted out in anger, after knowing that Peter, WAS TO BE ''BLAMED'' for Jane''s losing her faithful device.

    "I saw this bloody-idiot, was running into the field, in the thunderstorm ¨C I had to do something, so I followed him. And, ''WHAT'' DO I GET IN RETURN...? He tried to strangle me instead."

    Peter sat up at the edge of his seat and retaliated...

    "Oh-yeah, you should have minded your own bloody-business then ¨C now, you gave Mom an added expense, by wreaking your tortoise wheelchair."

    "It is insured, you drongo-dummy!"

    "You didn''t buy-and-pay for it, in the first place so ''why'' do you care?"

    Jane saw both the handicap brothers glowing darker red and blue ¨C as they argued bitterly.

    Ms King intervened. "Can you boys stop fighting!!?"

    Now, the counsellor was underfired, by Peter...

    "Oh yeah, you were there too Ms. King, in ''both'' those bloody places ¨C in the cow-town Treeton and also at the ''hospital'' too, where YOU DID ''SOMETHING'' ¨C and Janey here, floated up to the ceiling. What kind of freak-show was that you''re pulling?"

    Blind-Jane exclaimed. "I FLOATED? ''How'' is that possible?"

    "That was the Sakhr, Jane! You 3, have been ''cursed'' by the talisman." Replied Ms King.

    "There she goes ''again'' ¨C you can do better than that, with your fake facts of ¨C some bloody Ring of Aandaleeb bullshit! We need more evidence than that, to claim we are ''all'' cursed!"

    "The 3 of you-are indeed cursed ¨C and you BEAR ITS SCAR!"

    "You mean this?" Paul showed his marked-throat.

    Alicia too saw the scar for the ''FIRST'' TIME, remembering that he wore a turtleneck sweatshirt when she visited him yesterday. Alicia then dropped the beanie that blind-Jane-wore, to see the ''SIMILAR'' DIAMOND shaped scar ¨C on the top of the blind girl''s forehead like of Paul''s.

    Ms King nodded-to Alicia. They all ''next'' looked at Peter stooping low, to avoid the any-eye contacts. Peter was tightening his-fist that bore the scar, by ''not'' revealing it. He then looked up in spite... and shouted at the school counsellor, at her face...

    "Who are you, coming to my father''s house ¨C AND ''TELL'' ME, that I am bloody-cursed!!?"

    "I''m qualified ''enough'' to say you are indeed-curse, Peter Walker! I have studied the subject of medieval Middle Eastern occult... and I ''know'' what I''m talking about!"

    The counsellor stumped the one-armed boy. Everyone else was curious, to ''what'' she had to SAY NEXT...

    "Evil has escaped, and I was informed that it is ''COMING'' TO-PERTH ¨C and for 20 years, I was tracking it with ''no'' real-results ¨C until you... Peter ¨C you showed up in my office during counselling on field trip day wearing the DIABOLIC TALISMAN!"

    "EVEN MORE BULLSHIT! I don''t bloody-trust you adults ¨C I want MORE EVIDENCE than that ¨C ''not'' some mumbo-jumbo damn-bloody-studies you majored in ¨C at an OLD SCHOOL-NIGHT-SCHOOL... where you went a century ago... in the past millennium!"

    Ms King was stumped a moment, but she then spoke up...

    "Look, Peter, I have so ''much'' to discuss, and BY ARGUING WE DON''T have much ''time'' ¨C the inspector will be ARRIVING SOON, from the carwash..."

    "That is right, today I will ''STALL'' FOR TIME, so don''t get bored ¨C there are some doughnuts in the kitchen for rest of you, but you, Ms King ¨C I WANT YOU TO BE ''HERE,'' when my mother gets back... to listen to your bloody-lies, bluffs and bullshits about this fake Ring of Aandaleeb ¨C so that, SHE WILL THEN BELIEVE ME ¨C and arrest you faker instead!"

    Blind-Jane turned around and asked...

    "Ms King ¨C tell us what you know ¨C AND ''HOW'' CAN we reverse the curse."

    Peter instantly spoke out...

    "Come on JANEY, YOU TOO ¨C caught up in this, faker-con-woman''s tales? Let''s be good lawful citizens for-once, and let MY POLICE MOTHER HANDLE IT!"

    "YOU SHUT UP, PETER!" Jane snapped, at the dark-red glow. The blind girl leaned towards Ms King. "Tell us. Is there any ''way,'' to reverse the curse?"

    "No, the ''CURSE'' IS NOW-PERMANENT ¨C it will manifest on your ''all'' of your negative ''emotions'' ¨C and get A LIFE OF ITS OWN, as BlackStar."

    "BlackStar?"

    "The African she-entity is the high servant, of the demon-Asmodeus who controls all the natural disasters, but ¨C you 3 must be making a bonding-pact, to let that ''not'' happen."

    "So, that''s YOUR ''STORY,'' and you expect us to believe that! If you are bloody-serious, you got to have some CONCRETE EVIDENCE, to back that up!

    Ms King''s patience was wearing thin...

    "You ''WANT'' EVIDENCE ¨C hope you can stomach, of what I am about to ''SHOW'' YOU!"

    Her eyes glowed green ¨C and light from her eyeballs, projected A GREEN HOLOGRAM ¨C of a thin tall figure of AN OLD-BEARDED-MONK ahead.

    ... Peter and Paul and Alicia freaked out in their seats and shirked ¨C ''except'' for Jane. The blind girl left the terrified Alicia''s side, of the couch ¨C and she went forward, to the hologram''s male voice...

    "I''m a SeeIn, the Record-keeper of the future realm of humanity''s reality ¨C I have a DIRE MESSAGE for the Cursed-Trio."

    "What is your message, SeeIn?" Jane asked.

    "You have ''already'' unleashed the malevolent curse into-Perth ¨C where will be the ''HEART'' OF EVERYTHING-EVIL, that is to-come! You can''t fight it... if there is ''NO'' PEACE AMONG YOU-ALL, when ''you'' can even turn-against yourself and each other...

    ... and even against your friends, parents and siblings."

    The green hologram continues to reveal...

    "You-3 are your ''OWN'' WORST ENEMY of yourselves ¨C with your NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS."

    "What should we do?" Jane asked.

    "CONTROL IT, O'' Blind One!"

    ... replied SeeIn, and further continued saying...

    "You-3 MUST ALL UNITE and ¨C make a pact, with all 3 of you, by ''NOT'' GIVING IN to the temptations of the Sakhr, and to refrain it from growing stronger ¨C or else, it will TAKE OVER HUMANITY...

    "You must ''NOT'' SUCCUMB to it, with your ''own'' negative behaviour ¨C as it will manifest and transforms to the diabolical BlackStar. Once she is born...

    "... there is ''NO'' TURNING BACK ¨C that is where a series of nature''s catastrophe will occur ¨C it will lead, to the DESTRUCTION OF HUMANITY."

    ... the ''futuristic'' message from the hologram called SeeIn ¨C struck the chilling fear into the children...

    "You all must BRING THE ''BALANCE'' in yourselves by controlling the EVIL IN EACH OF YOU ¨C and also, promise to HELP ONE-ANOTHER in times of crisis."

    "We promise, and we will abide..."

    ... Blind-Jane said ¨C and she looked over her shoulder, at the red and blue glows behind her.

    "Come, Peter... you too Paul."

    The confused twins hesitated at first ¨C and Paul-then rolled his wheelchair towards the blind girl, and she held his hand.

    "Peter?"

    "No, I''m ''NOT'' A CRIMINAL ¨C and I am ''NOT'' EVIL!"

    The one-armed boy yelled, before running away upstairs... and locked himself up, behind his bedroom door.

    Downstairs, the green, hologram See-In ¨C OBSERVED, AND DECIDED...

    "... it seems the unity of the Cursed-Trio has ''NOT'' BEEN ACHIEVED, despite the warning that the BlackStar, who will NOW BE A REALITY in this realm. This is the moment of the inception...

    "... for the destruction of humanity ¨C because, ''ALL'' OF YOUR negativity in your future thoughts and actions WILL FUEL ''EVIL'' ¨C to feed and grow the BlackStar, for her TO PERMIT, FOR-EVEN greater annihilation with her MONSTROUS NATURAL DISASTERS.''

    "SeeIn, ''what'' should we do?" The desperate blind girl asked.

    "UNITY IS THE ''KEY,'' O'' Blind One!"

    The green hologram faded ¨C Paul quick turned back, and saw Ms King''s glowing green eyes FADING TOO, to normal. The counsellor then spoke...

    "Inspector Walker will be arriving back-soon. I want you 3, TO PROMISE TO KEEP-whatever you saw and heard here, as a ''secret'' because the fate of humanity, is now a BURDEN ON YOUR SHOULDERS. No one ''outside'' this room should know or else, the possibility of the government will take you away, from your families would be possible...

    "... you too, JANE AND ALICIA ¨C don''t ''say'' anything back home."

    A worried-looking Jane nodded...

    "I understand."

    Paul then asked, pointing upstairs. "What about ''him...?''"

    "Nobody trusts WHATEVER PETER ''SAYS'' ¨C but you-Paul, don''t get in ''his'' way... and fight or argue ¨C it will FUEL NEGATIVITY ¨C and the evil BlackStar, who will brew-stronger with ruining this Perth City, with its natural disasters."

    The scared Paul nodded in agreement to Ms King.

    "Everybody, please keep this Sunday-meeting, as our well-kept, ''secret'' and swear upon your life, that you might ''not'' break it nor abuse it."

    The moment she ''said'' that, an Audi arrived ¨C and parked ahead at the gate. Inspector Caroline Walker got out from her car...

 Chapter 4: Food for Thought

    AFTER RETURNING FROM THE CARWASH, Inspector Caroline Walker bought 2 boxes of pizza at ''Uncle Gino''s'' on her way back. She entered the front door...and saw blank eyes staring at her, an odd silence...

    "Where is Peter?"

    Inspector-mother exclaimed, looking straight at Paul, as she DEMANDED TO KNOW ABOUT HES TWIN. Her cripple son was speechless, his Adam''s apple gulped-hard. Even Ms King was tongue-tied quiet...

    ... then, the blind Jane Wilson replied back.

    "Hi Mrs Wilson ¨C we just finished our session a minute ago, and Peter went to his room. He said to me HE IS BORED, and would rather watch Netflix instead."

    Paul noticed Jane had just lied, effortlessly to COVERUP FOR Peter.

    "Okay kids, let''s eat."

    ... Caroline then said ¨C walking away to the kitchen, with the 2 boxes of pizza. The 3 tweens followed her.

    The Inspector-mother placed an open box on the kitchen table and dropped the other at the marble-top counter. She took the brewed coffee pot and pastries and left the kitchen to be with Ms King, in the living room.

    Paul bad-mouthed...

    "That egoistic and arrogant twin-brother of mine ¨C he is so bloody self-centred and selfish! He gets BAD-THINGS DONE, at the expense of others."

    ... Paul sighed deep-frustrated.

    The girls listened in silence. Jane was quiet and was THINKING HARD, ''WATCHING'' the-emotional-Paul... glowing purple.

    <>

    PETER WAS ALONE, in his bed.

    He was TRYING HARD TO PROCESS ''what'' went on downstairs, just minutes ago ¨C especially, of ''what'' he''d just now had seen of ¨C THIS SEEIN...

    ... the green, and tall old-entity monk projection...

    ... after he dabbled, with the credible knowledge, of-insight of Jane''s SIMY lately, he wanted to ''sum-up'' his belief... that it was just another, genius Made-in-China technology, that projected a 3D hologram image of ''virtual-reality'' ¨C that was beamed through, Ms King''s contact lenses, that she wore...

    ... that ''cunning'' con-woman had also-admitted earlier, that she had studied medieval Middle Eastern occults, in some half-baked university ¨C now, she used ''those'' narratives... as her storytelling by pulling off, a smoke and mirror ''scam,'' TO DECEIVE STUDENTS whom she counselled.

    It was just a masterminded ploy, to make Stamford High students ''TO-BE'' DOCILE and submissive to her work as a counsellor ¨C by manipulating the tech, to GIVE MORAL-LESSONS...

    ''The be-good-bla-bla-bla bullshit.''

    Peter singled out Principle Harris, to be ''BEHIND'' THE CON ¨C as the ''main'' mastermind, who employed Ms King, to execute his manipulative-scammed plans.

    The one-armed boy was now breathing easy ¨C and WAS ''NOT'' AFRAID of any adults'' illusion trickery. He wanted to play it ''cool,'' to find out where this ''ploy'' was leading to ¨C and later unravel the mystery behind it, by pulling the wool-out of his inspector-mother''s eyes, to ''SEE'' THE SCAM...Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ... and make her trust, and ''believe'' in him more.

    He then heard Caroline Walker''s voice, calling him from downstairs...

    "Peter, come out here, now and eat your pizza."

    "Okay, Mom."

    Peter smiled to himself ¨C it ALL MADE ''SENSE,'' to him now.

    <>

    JANE WAS WASHING HER HANDS, away in the sink. Paul and Alicia were seated at the table, with empty plates, and an open box of a pepperoni-pizza with 4-cheeses, in the middle.

    Caroline had stepped out from the kitchen to the living room, to have coffee and pastries with Ms King. The 60 inched television, was switched ''on,'' with the local news.

    Back in the IKEA kitchen, Alicia looked over at Jane washing her hands... and she went and grabbed Paul''s hand ¨C and whispered...

    "... looks like Janey had made her ''own'' choice, of being ''interested'' in-Peter ¨C Pauly-you BACK OFF, AND DON''T rock the boat...okay...?"

    ... Paul  ''finally'' understood the unfavourable ''situation,'' and nodded back slowly, with heavy-heart.

    <>

    PETER STEPPED OUT OF HIS BEDROOM ¨C and walked downstairs. Below, in the living room, his mother was in conversation with Ms King ¨C they both hushed-up when they saw the one-armed boy descending the stairs. Peter did ''not'' make eye contact.

    He walked into the kitchen, and he noticed the 3 tweens eating pizza at the table. Jane saw the ''red'' glow coming ¨C and acknowledged in excitement.

    "Hi, Champ! Glad you came."

    ... Peter coolly took the extra box of pizza, from the kitchen counter, and he left, ''without'' saying a word. Both Alicia and Paul saw THE DISAPPOINTMENT, in the blind girl''s ''face.''

    Back in the living room, Caroline saw her son walking out, with a box of pizza.

    "Hey Peter, where are you going?"

    "Back to my room."

    "Your friends are here ¨C you sit here, and eat your pizza with them."

    "Nah, they are POE''S FRIENDS ¨C ''not'' mine."

    Before his mother could make any further argument, they heard a Toyota horn outside ¨C it was Lily Wang, who came to collect the girls back. Peter was already, on his way upstairs.

    The girls left the kitchen, and were on their way out with Paul behind, lagging on his wheelchair, wanting to send them off. All 3 of them halted ¨C by THE BREAKING NEWS, on the big television screen...

    Apparently... a black panther had escaped from its enclosure in the South Perth Zoo ¨C and a MASSIVE HUNT was in progress, to capture the wild-cat ¨C and there was a high alert, for nearby residents to stay indoors.

    ... Paul joked when he saw that. "T''Challa is on the loose where would he head to ¨C Wakanda...?

    In the living room, Ms King too excused herself, joking herself out, that baked pastries were her past addiction, that she was ''now'' overweight. Caroline Walker laughed after receiving a compliment, that she had slim and athletic figure-fitting for the police-work, that she does.

    Smiling, Ms King then whispered in a low tone, seeing the tweens at the front door. "Caroline, he is having ''TRUST'' ISSUES with adults. So, let''s cut some slack, and let him enjoy his holiday for now ¨C but come ''next'' term, I will BE ON HIS-TAIL, with the cooperation''s with some of his class-teachers."

    "Thank you so much, Diane for the longest moment, I JUST ''LOST'' IT with him."

    The student counsellor walked to the front door she passed-by Paul, saying his goodbyes to the girls, who were heading to the main gate. Paul thanked Ms King for coming-by.

    Ms King caught-up with them, walking to Toyota.

    "Jane, Alicia ¨C call me if there is anything, ''here'' is my card."

    Alicia reached out and took the contact card ¨C but Ms King held and ''pressed'' the card into Alicia''s palm. Surprised... Alicia noticed the odd action, holding a crushed card.

    The Chinese girl looked at the crumpled card, in her palm ¨C it had a handwritten message...

    We should talk <u>alone</u>.

    Alicia nodded back to THE ''SECRET'' MESSAGE ¨C then seeing...

    ... Ms King walking away, to her Volvo.

 Chapter 5: Cat v Dog

    PETER WAS IN A MONDAY MOOD SWING ¨C it had been 4 days, since his last tennis self-practice, at the school court. He lazed-in his bed, thinking hard whether if he should go or ¡®not.¡¯ He lacked the sleep as he had a nightmare, after watching a Netflix show.

    It was the second season of a show, called THE SINNER ¨C where a kidnapped 12-year-old kid, who was PRISON SENTENCED LIKE AN ¡®ADULT¡¯ ¨C for poisoning both of his abductors. Coincidently, the boy too shared his own last name ¨C Walker ¨C who wore an orange prison jumpsuit.

    ¡®Was this an omen?¡¯

    Peter was anxious and worried ¨C that Paul had massive leverage on him, over the tragic road accident, happened 2 years ago ¨C which killed Solomon Walker, their father.

    ¡­ Peter would be pronounced guilty ¨C ¡®if¡¯ Paul testified in court against him, for distracting his father on the road, before the truck slammed into their BMW. His Inspector-mother would be ever-happy to TAKE HIM ¡®DOWN¡¯ ¨C for being his-father¡¯s-son, because of the hatred feelings she has harboured for both-of them¡­

    He felt unloved¡­

    ¡­ he also dreaded ¨C the intimidating thoughts of adult criminals, who he would have face then in prison ¨C in an orange prison jumpsuit ¨C just like creepy, and lost looking tween kid, Julian Walker in that Netflix show.

    Peter was contemplating running ¡®away¡¯ from home¡­

    ¡­ running away far, to live a life of as a one-armed fugitive ¨C always on an alert look-out, over his shoulder for the hunting posse, led by HIS OWN MOTHER ¨C who would gladly take him down, unmercifully.

    But he felt he needed a cover ¨C HOW ¡®EASY,¡¯ it was to spot a one-armed fugitive in public. He thought of his old prosthetic arm, that he boxed¡­

    ¡­¨C and ¡®relocated¡¯ in the garage, days ago.

    ¡®¡­ why not¡­ I got $5000 in my business account¡­?¡¯

    Running away far, to live in different ¡®city¡¯ ¨C with a new identity, and living a brand-new life, written in a brand-new slate. Making new friends, as he doesn¡¯t have any in Perth¡­

    ¡­ except for Jane Wilson¡­

    ¡­ who would be the last friend, he made in this unloving-city ¨C but she too had disappointed him¡­

    ¡­ by ¡®believing¡¯ in Ms King¡¯s scam.

    Then, he was recalling her Saturday visit, to his bedroom ¨C they bonded so well with positive VIBES IN THEIR GLOWS, and later had gone out to Chinatown for lunch¡­

    ¡­ and the ¡®attraction¡¯ continued¡­

    ¡­ it was an uplifting feeling that he got, AFTER A VERY ¡®LONG¡¯ TIME, since his accident ¨C and, it felt so ¡®good¡¯ inside.

    But Sunday came and¡­

    ¡­ the blind girl BLEW IT ALL AWAY, by taking the wrong-side ¨C and ¡®opposed¡¯ him, with the rest of the conspirators ¨C who wanted to TAKE HIM-DOWN, in the adult domain world.

    He felt ¡®betrayed.

    Now he felt-angry, and he needed A ¡®FACE,¡¯ TO BLAME ¨C Principle Harris ¨C came instantly in mind. He sat up in his bed ¨C remembering in the office, he was lectured to take 2 steps behind, to make ¡®one¡¯ POSITIVE STEP AHEAD. That was bullshit¡­

    ¡­ he should take 2 steps ¡®ahead,¡¯ and NEVER GET SLOPPY, to get caught.

    It was a quarter past 9 AM¡­ when he finally decided to get off his bed and go downstairs. He knew his inspector-mother was at work. ¡®Only¡¯ the crippled¡­

    ¡­ two-faced twin of-his¡­ would be around at home, downstairs.

    <>

    PAUL WAS SIPPING HIS HOT COFFEE at the kitchen counter. He decided to take Alicia¡¯s advice to ¡®forget¡¯ Jane, as she had already decided, that she was ¡®not¡¯ interested in a cripple ¨C but chose, his one-armed brother instead¡­

    He wanted to get over it, and ¡®see¡¯ the greater good ¨C after the SeeIn¡¯s revelation.

    He kept reminding himself always, since yesterday, that Jane Wilson was ¡®not¡¯ the only blind girl in the world.

    So¡­

    ¡­ he decided to stay positive and do ¡®good¡¯ things from this day onwards. Paul decided ¡®not¡¯ to provoke Peter ¨C and live harmonious, by sharing the same roof with his twin and his mother, in the house that his late father built for them.

    He simply had to get the ball rolling, by ¡®doing¡¯ some little-good-deeds ¨C so, he made breakfast for Peter.

    Paul saw¡­ Peter coming down from upstairs. He greeted him¡­

    ¡°Top of the morning, Pete ¨C come, dig in, I made brekkie for you.¡±

    His gesture surprised, the suspicious Peter ¨C who saw 2 hard-boiled eggs and a peanut butter sandwich, on the kitchen counter-top. The one-armed boy remained quiet and did ¡®not¡¯ react. Paul said next¡­

    ¡°You ¡®not¡¯ going for tennis practice, mate?¡±

    Peter looked up. ¡°You are drinking coffee¡­?¡±

    Paul chuckled. ¡°Yea, I like it black too.¡±

    Peter questioned. ¡°Are you old enough to drink coffee?¡±

    ¡°Is there an age limit, to drink coffee¡­?¡±

    ¡°Dad, when he was alive ¨C he told me that, I should be at least 15 before I drink coffee because it contains caffeine ¨C and that is highly addictive.¡±

    ¡°I know Dad doesn¡¯t drink coffee like you, but¡­ don¡¯t recall Dad having a-talk with me, about caffeine ¨C if that is so¡­ then ¡®why¡¯ you drink the energy-drink Red-Bull, it is high-on caffeine too, right?¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°There is different ¨C I¡¯m a sportsman, and you are ¡®not!¡¯¡±

    Peter told aloud, before he took the newspaper from the couch, and headed upstairs to his room.

    His ¡®intention¡¯ of going to the garage, to retrieve his prosthetic arm, was stalled ¨C his cunning 2-faced twin was around, and would be suspicious¡­ and ¡®tell¡¯ about it to their mother.

    <><>

    ALICIA PARKED HER MOUNTAIN BIKE, in front of the caf¨¦ in Fremantle Market. Ms King waved to her, looking outside the caf¨¦¡¯s window glass panel. The Chinese girl was uncomfortable, to meet Ms King, behind her best friend, Jane¡¯s ¡®back.¡¯

    She ordered a hot chocolate and joined the booth where Ms King sat ¨C who was sipped her Matcha-green tea. Alicia had a question¡­

    ¡°How come they-admit they ¡®glow,¡¯ but I can¡¯t ¡®see¡¯ it?¡±

    ¡°¡¯ Even¡¯ I can¡¯t see it too. But, all 3 of them are indeed ¡®cursed¡¯ by the Sakhr. And, with them glowing, it will be beneficial to ¡®blind¡¯ Jane, where the twins will act like ¡®beacons¡¯ ¨C to guide her ¡®over¡¯ to them.¡±

    ¡°Can Jane float? Peter said she floated in the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Yes, she has that ability ¨C I WAS ¡®THERE,¡¯ in the ward, that night ¨C and I witnessed it ¡®myself.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Will Paul and Peter have those abilities too?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Alicia ¨C I have ¡®not¡¯ seen any-signs of it. But one needs to be totally-positive and balanced, to get ¡®those¡¯ extraordinary abilities ¨C AND, ¡®ONLY¡¯ JANE has it.¡±

    ¡°But Ms. King, those boys always fight, like cats and dogs ¨C how do you go-about, to deal with this?¡±

    ¡°This is why I ¡®wanted¡¯ to meet you, girl ¨C we need a strategy, to separate the twins, from escalating the negativity ¨C which in return, feeds the evil-BlackStar ¨C that will be devastating for humanity, with mass natural disasters. Now, ¡®WHAT¡¯ CAN YOU say about Jane Wilson?¡±

    Making a face, the Chinese girl said out¡­

    ¡°¡­ but-unfortunately, Janey ¡®prefers¡¯ TO-BE WITH PETER ¨C her good-intentions were¡­ she wants to give a ¡®purpose¡¯ in his life.¡±

    Ms King nodded¡­ and had noticed that, yesterday ¨C blind-Jane had held Peter by his hand, led and brought him in the ¡®open,¡¯ from the bathroom where he hid.

    ¡­ Alicia added. ¡°Paul, also seem to be interested in Janey ¨C but I ¡®told¡¯ him to back-off ¨C and yea, PAUL LISTENS to me.¡±

    Ms King continued to nod, and said¡­

    ¡°You keep doing that, you¡¯ve to distract Paul, and have him on ¡®your¡¯ side ¨C rather than him, go confrontational head-on with that negative Peter¡­

    ¡°¡­ and also¡­ Inspector Walker should never suspect, of ¡®WHAT¡¯ IS GOING ON, with both of her sons. It is a far complicated situation, for ¡®her¡¯ ¨C to comprehend¡­

    ¡°¡­ but you Alicia, be-patient with Jane also, okay? She is ¡®cursed¡¯ and would sometimes be ¡®irrational,¡¯ in her sayings and doings, as she is with-Peter. Don¡¯t get in her ¡®way¡¯ ¨C and your role-here is strictly as a ¡®peacemaker¡¯ ¨C among those 3.¡±

    Alicia thought of the diamond-shaped cursed scar, on Jane¡¯s upper-forehead, that resembled a third-eye.

    ¡°Ms King¡­ why would you think Jane, will be different, and irrational?¡±

    ¡°Because, this Jane Wilson is-IN ¡®LOVE,¡¯ and would ¡®not¡¯ be the same rational blind girl, whom you once knew.¡±

    <><>

    JANE WILSON WAS RESTLESS THAT WHOLE Monday evening. It has been closing to 24 hours¡­ since she ¡®last¡¯ heard anything from Peter.

    She doesn¡¯t have a smartphone to contact him¡­ but she once ¡®had¡¯ SIMY, that can do ¡®those¡¯ functions by the command of ¡®her-voice¡¯¨C but, her SIMY was now ¡®dead.¡¯

    She had asked Anthony, her father ¨C to purchase her a cellphone¡­ and he agreed. Even Shelley, her mother was supportive, so that she can GPS her blind daughter¡¯s whereabouts.

    All-day, Jane had consistent strong urges, to ¡®see¡¯ Peter ¨C and, to urge him to stay positive ¨C or else Perth the city, would be hit by major natural disasters¡­ if he is in the ¡®negative.¡¯ And of yesterday, Jane truly believed in the SeeIn¡¯s forewarnings ¨C she knew intuitively, that something-really ¡®bad,¡¯ was going to happen soon.

    -O-

    It was late evening, and her father was ¡®not¡¯ home yet, attending a work-related urgent sales meeting. So, Jane ate dinner with her mother and her baby brother.

    Jane¡¯s appetite was ¡®not¡¯ there ¡®either¡¯ ¡­ and she was ¡®not¡¯ in the peace of mind too. Her father had promised her a smartphone, but was still at work¡­

    ¡­ Jane excused herself, by saying. ¡°Mummy, I want to go walk with Piper ¨C it¡¯s been days since he ¡®last¡¯ went out.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but don¡¯t go too far.¡±

    Jane put on her safety helmet and clicked the retractable baton-walking stick, on her belt. She exited the kitchen door¡­

    ¡­ and, her dog-cage was outside. She reached for the dog¡¯s collar and leash, which were hung on the wall ¨C the big dog, Piper howled in delight in the tall cage, while standing on his hind-legs.

    A couple of minutes later, both the dog and his blind master were outdoors. Jane Wilson wanted to desperately to meet up with Peter ¨C she had grasped mentally the ¡®location,¡¯ where the Walkers stayed¡­ and had been there twice before, with Alicia.

    She also ¡®knew¡¯ of-a bus, that went around to that neighbourhood.

    Piper the visual impaired guide-dog¡­ blindly followed blind-Jane taking a different route ¨Crather than to ¡®their¡¯ usual field¡­ where they used to run and play. And, in next to no-time, they hopped on a bus¡­

    ¡­ the public bus did ¡®not¡¯ go directly to Peter¡¯s house, per se. They later got off in the nearest bus-stop, and have to walk across, a different neighbourhood for 10 minutes. Jane was ¡®anticipating¡¯ barking dogs ¨C with Piper trespassing, and marking-in ¡®their¡¯ territories¡­

    ¡­ during her first visit to the Walkers, riding pillion on Alicia¡¯s mountain bike, on Saturday ¨C they were chased by a pack of angry dogs, and they both narrowly-escaped¡­ but laughing all the way to Peter-and-Paul¡¯s home.

    There was an odd silence, in the neighbourhood, in that late evening¡­

    ¡­ Jane felt something a ¡®missing.¡¯ The blind girl ¡®only¡¯ heard her big dog¡¯s heavy breathing nearby ¨C intuitively, she unleashed Piper¡¯s collar¡­

    ¡­ and folded-in her walking stick ¨C to become a baton weapon.

    Before long, Piper let off a deep growl¡­ and Jane¡¯s hair at her back of her neck stood. Next¡­

    ¡­ came the wild ¡®snarl¡¯ in response nearby¡­

    ¡­ Jane ¡®saw¡¯ a pair of glowing-red dots, which approaching over, unhurriedly. Piper was barking furiously, barricading its body to protect Jane, from the roaring black panther¡­

    ¡­ Jane backed off and froze. Both the animals were circling each other, ready to pounce.

    Jane shouted. ¡°Piper, run!¡±

    The confused dog saw the blind girl running away, in the opposite direction. The black wild cat¡¯s attention was focused ¡®next¡¯ to pursue the escaping girl. It sprung and leapt from behind ¨C but Piper bit the cat¡¯s tail, from the rear¡­

    ¡­ Jane fell on the grass, she heard Piper¡¯s yowl-in-pain ¨C when the panther had-bit the dog¡¯s neck¡­ going for its jugular vein.

    ¡°No!¡±

    Jane cried as she felt as ¡®sudden¡¯ surge of electric power, and she SHOT A FIERY BOLT off her palm. It directly hit the bigger cat¡­ and it RELEASED BITING Piper in the neck.

    She got up on her feet and blasted another bolt in the dark ¨C hitting the ferocious wild cat in the midsection. It cried out in pain again, AND RAN ¡®AWAY¡¯ ¨C from the blind girl, and her fallen dog¡­

    ¡­ the dark perimeter at that moment, lighted-up with floodlights ahead. The black panther was disorientated ¨C and RAN ¡®STRAIGHT¡¯ INTO vertically hung nets, and soon, tranquillizer darts shots were fired at it, by park-Ranger-guards¡­

    ¡­ who were-on 24-hour surveillance, since the maneater escaped from the South Perth Zoo ¨C and the Wildlife-Rangers had tracked it, by the trail of ¡®dead¡¯ dogs, reported in the neighbourhoods, where it hid at daytime. The trail of the half-eaten mutts ¨C bitten for ¡®sports¡¯ were highly found ¨C in that Rangers¡¯ triangulated neighbourhood, location-search.

    The authorities had also discovered a blind girl and her injured guide dog were caught up in the ¡®middle¡¯ of their daring-search. They too earlier ¡®saw¡¯ 2 bright bolts¡­ FIRED IN THE DARK¡­

    ¡­ and were baffled, from where ¡®those¡¯ came from.

    -O-

    Media reporters crew and an ambulance came forth and transported the injured Piper to the vet. The visually-impaired Jane Wilson¡­

    ¡­ who was featured¡­ in the captured black panther headlines, of every newspaper in Perth.

 Chapter 6: The B-story

    THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED JANE WILSON WAS FEATURED in the captured black panther headlines, of every major newspaper in Perth, the next day. That was the A-Story ¨C but the B-Story was...

    ... on the heroic guide-dog that was injured, while trying to protect ¨C his blind-girl master from danger, while caught-up in the middle ¨C of the crossfire...

    ... by the Ranger staff, in their-beast-hunt ¨C where they, managed to bring down the 300 kg, maneater black panther, with tranquillizer darts.

    Earlier, during the course of ''that'' Monday evening... Jane had asked her mother''s permission to ''walk'' her dog and left. After, Shelley at home fed her son ¨C and was upstairs and put Samuel to sleep. She wanted to come downstairs, to have a peaceful me-time, with of glass of wine and a comedy show.

    ... a phone call came ¨C and it was an excited-voice, of their housekeeper ¨C Lola Flores calling in...

    "Dr Wilson, ''what'' IS JANE DOING in the middle-of-the-night in that neighbourhood."

    "What...?" Shelly was flabbergasted.

    The neighbourhood was 9 km away... from ''where'' the Wilson lived, in the hills.

    "She is in ''some'' trouble. Jane is on-TV now!" The urging voice of Lola replied.

    The panic-stricken mother of the blind girl grabbed the TV remote control and switched on the news.

    It showed IMAGES OF HER BLIND DAUGHTER, at the side of her unconscious dog, with paramedics lifting the animal and transported it, to the nearest vet. Jane too got into the ambulance, before it sped off.

    ''Some'' of those competitive, TV media crew followed the ambulance ¨C for a follow-up scoop, of the B-Story.

    <><>

    AT THE VETERINARY CLINIC, JANE WAS INTERVIEWED, by the TV media ¨C the bold-faced blind girl spoke on camera ¨C recalled on how her brave dog, Piper ''had'' protected her from harm''s way before the dog was bitten by the big, black, wild cat.

    It was only ''half'' the truth because something-strange happened to her body then ¨C and she shot fiery light bolts, twice ¨C from her palm, that hurt and disoriented the panther, to let go its bite onto Piper''s neck.

    But...

    ¡­ JANE LEFT OUT that side of the story...

    Jane was then asked by the TV reporter... ''what'' she was doing in the neighbourhood. She was nervous when she replied...

    ¡°We got off the bus, I wanted badly to meet this BOY, ¡®MY-FRIEND,¡¯ my classmate Peter ¨C and during our-journey there, and that¡¯s where it all happened.¡±

    At least she was glad that she told ''some truth'' to make her whereabouts credible, to be palatable as an ''alibi'' ¨C which she had expected a serious-lecture, from her mother later ¨C but, ''NO'' ONE SHOULD-KNOW about the fiery bolts, which she manifested ¨C and deployed in the panther attack.

    Despite the cover-ups, blind-Jane was also anxious and worried about the health of her faithful dog, Piper ¨C as she DOES ''NOT'' WANT TO LOSE another life-saving companion ¨C like how she recently had lost her SIMY.

    Jane then breathes easy, when the -doctor, came and informed her and the TV reporters, that the big, grey Alsatian had a blood transfusion, and was responding well ¨C and, will be up and running, in no time.

    Next up, Jane''s parents came walking in the vet clinic ¨C the TV cameras were ''on'' them, hugging the blind girl, who broke down and cried, by repeatedly saying that, she was sorry.

    The TV reporters knew they had a fresh scoop of a human-interest ''story'' of Perth, in between the recaptured of the escaped black panther, from the South Perth Zoo ¨C and had requested for a family-interview ¨C but, Dr Shelley Wilson declined, by saying...

    "No comments!"

    Let alone, she was already feeling ''guilty,'' for ''not'' being aware, and in control of Jane''s whereabouts that evening ¨C which made her look like a bad mother.

    Minutes later, the Wilson family left the vet clinic. Anthony took his daughter to McDonald''s when she said she was hungry. Jane ate 2 Filet o'' fish-burgers, fries and a coke in the booth, where they sat. Drinking her coffee late at night, sitting opposite her B-girl daughter, Shelley was silent and ¨C was observing her, with misgiving.

    The mother later spoke out...

    "You''ve continued in being a disobedient, and irresponsible girl ¨C and now, you even lied to me this evening, saying you are ''just'' taking Piper, for a walk."

    Anthony intervened. "Not-now, Shelley ¨C we ''go'' home and talk this..."

    The irked doctor-mother blurted ''more'' accusations, and badmouthing...

    "A 12-years-old, going late out at night, all-by ''herself'' to see some degenerate son, of our very own Perth''s police Inspector. I wonder what parenting, this inspector-taught him ¨C for Christ sake, she is supposed the bloody-law, around here ¨C and yet, with this sloppy, poor-up-bringing ¨C and that, made-him to be a bloody-one-armed brat. I''ve read some mother who in ''Facebook,'' had commented... that he is out-of-control, and violent too."

    Jane whispered. "I have told you just now, Mom ¨C that I''m ''sorry,'' I made a ''bad'' move, by going there."

    "Yes, it seems to be a ''REPEATING'' MISTAKE PATTERN, that you are getting into-lately ¨C you ''had'' chased after him in a thunderstorm then, and now...

    "... you went-out ''again'' in the dead of the night, and nearly got yourself mauled by this wild beast! And, ''who'' is this-bloke to you, and, by-the-way ¨C is he your one-armed boyfriend...? I didn''t know-even B-girls too, preferred bad boys."

    "No, it''s ''not'' like that, Peter is just a classmate, just a fellow-handicap in school."

    "Taking a bus to see ''your'' boyfriend, late in the evening, was that it? This lying-your-way-out, in every situation, should ''stop,'' Jane ¨C and you SHOULD STOP-MIXING WITH this Peter too ¨C I don''t want to be dealing with ''another'' case of teenage pregnancy and, in my line of work in the clinic... I have ''seen'' it all."

    "Come on, Shelley," Anthony spoke out again.

    That was a dark and disturbing ''thought,'' for the dotting, and concerned father, to bear.

    <><>

    THE NEXT DAY, JANE WOKE UP EARLY in-that Tuesday morning ¨C and opening a gift box from her father ¨C her very-first smartphone. She chose ''Morning Flower'' as her ring tone...

    ... up until then... her ex-SIMY, had used to handle all of her communications, on the orders in Jane''s voice command ¨C now, here was a brand-new Samsung smartphone with a blank contact list. And, Jane wanted TO ''ADD'' ALICIA WONG ¨C her best friend, to be the first one on the list.

    Jane had ''not'' memorized Alicia''s phone number or any numbers per-se ¨C after a moment of pondering, she came with the inkling, that her mother ''had'' Lily Wang''s number, who also happens to be Alicia''s elder cousin.

    Anthony, her father had gone to work then ¨C Shelley, her mother was about to leave for her clinic, when Jane approached to ask for the ''favour.'' Her mother, still hung-up with mistrust, lashed out...

    "You were overconfident and arrogant back then, with your ''SIMY-this-and-SIMY-that'' ¨C now LOOK AT YOURSELF ''NOW'' ¨C being over-dependent on that damn bloody-device, that you have ''NOT'' MEMORIZED any numbers to-call ¨C even if, in the case of emergency!

    "I bet you don''t even know this house-phone number too ¨C but yet, you WENT OUT ANYWAY, in the middle of the night to see your-boyfriend ¨C and endangered yourself and Piper. Now, listen here Jane, I will TAKE AWAY ''THIS'' PHONE ¨C if you dare contact that delinquent brat!"

    The doctor-mother warned.

    <><>

    CAROLINE WALKER, IN HER BATHROBE, PICKED UP today''s newspaper, lying on the driveway. The headlines loudly amplified ¨C black panther recaptured, with a photo of the wild cat, tranquillized unconscious.

    She came back inside the house and dropped the daily papers on the couch. Paul was there too in that early morning, at the kitchen counter playing NOVA 3.

    "Poe, don''t waste your time, playing videogames all day. Go-study or read something."

    Moments later, the inspector-mother was in uniform and left for the police station. Paul obediently placed his iPhone on the kitchen counter-top and wheeled off to his bedroom to study-something. Before he reached there, Paul was distracted by the black panther''s photo IN THE NEWSPAPERS ¨C with the screaming headline...

    Upstairs¡­

    ¡­ in his bedroom, Peter woke up unmotivated again ¨C he felt sloppy and lazy ¨C and this was, in his 5th day of skipping his tennis self-training. He looked around, from his bed ¨C at his few remaining pieces of stuff, exempted from going to the garage storage.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    These were his 8 tennis racquets, posters of John McEnroe, a painting of himself in McEnroe''s pose gifted from a fan... newspaper clippings of his prot¨¦g¨¦ glories and trophies. He sighed deeply, and it pained him ¨C that he ''HAD'' IT ALL ONCE, in his former life... as a whole, able-bodied athlete.

    He sunk low in self-pity, that his glory days were now ''over'' ¨C after they-had amputated his tennis-playing arm. Peter too glowed a darker, deep purple.

    The urge of being a RUNAWAY WAS STILL THERE.

    ... he felt the dangers of going to prison, were stronger today ¨C and he could clearly foresee his mother, and his own twin were-both PLOTTING SOMETHING ''BAD'' ¨C that would convict him for being responsible, for his father''s death.

    ... but-where will he go? Who was there, to give foolproofly advice, to dodge getting caught?

    ... his ''former-manager,'' Chucky Miggs came to his mind. He was street-smart and taught Peter HOW TO GAMBLE masterfully. That was ''then'' ...

    ... when he had his good arm ¨C and played to win his rematches.

    ... Peter heard Paul calling him, from the living room.

    Downstairs...

    ... Paul was reading the newspaper... as he switched on the TV, at the same time to catch the local news at 8:30 AM. He read that Jane Wilson was said to be going to visit her ''boyfriend'' ¨C when the panther attacked...

    ... and her guide dog was injured, by-protecting her.

    Paul CALLING-OUT TO PETER upstairs ''again'' ¨C and also multitasked as he phone-called up Alicia to check to know IF JANE WAS ALRIGHT...

    ... while at that same time, Alicia too was biking over to Jane''s place, after receiving the first-virgin-call from her BFF''S NEW PHONE. Jane had called Alicia to come over, to assist her to GO REVISIT PIPER, in the vet clinic.

    Alicia also gave instructions to Paul ¨C to pass Peter, Jane''s ''new'' phone number and urgently, to ''ask'' him to call back.

    "WHAT!!?"

    Peter came slowly downstairs... and noticed Jane''s 15-minutes-of-fame in the TV news, of the recaptured black panther. Then, the one-armed boy saw the interview Jane did, at the vet clinic. In her first-time interview, the blind-girl was slap-dashed...

    "We got off the bus, I wanted badly to meet THIS ''BOY,'' MY FRIEND... MY classmate Peter ¨C but, during our journey there, and that''s where it all happened..."

    Paul got off the phone with Alicia ¨C and saw his twin, standing and watching the TV news. Paul was really enthusiastic when he said...

    "Pete, Jane just GOT A ''NEW'' PHONE ¨C and Alicia is going to send the contact details and, Jane wants you to ''call'' her back, she said that it is urgent."

    "Go-keep it for yourself, Poe ¨C they are ''your'' friends." Replied Peter, shaking his head slightly, in disapproval.

    Paul was abashed. "You, ungrateful fellow ¨C SHE RISKED HER LIFE'' last night, coming to see you, her boyfriend."

    "What boyfriend? I hardly just met-her, a week ago ¨C and my relationship-status is still single ¨C and you Poe, ''don''t'' go around, and complicate that too."

    "What? It is said so in the papers, she MENTIONED ''YOU'' ARE her boyfriend."

    "What...? No way! Hey-Poe, what boyfriend you talking about? I just heard a moment ago of her TV interview ¨C bla-bla-bla... wanting to meet her classmate Peter." Peter chuckled, pointing at the large screened television.

    Paul was still mortified, and pointed at the sentence on the newspaper, that he held-up ¨C Peter came over, and read. He laughed even louder, saying.

    "They have ''fooled'' me twice!!? This bloody paper THINKS OF SENSATIONALIZING their stories, just to sell copies ¨C ''today,'' I am Janey''s boyfriend ¨C ''yesterday,'' I was the fool who RAN OFF IN THE THUNDERSTORM... and was got rescued by vet-hero, Captain Elvis the faker Presley, hahaha ¨C and guess what, Poe... you don''t have to believe all that you read, these days ¨C it''s ALL FAKE NEWS!"

    "But JANE CHOSE ''YOU'' ¨C you should-be lucky to have her!" Paul said back in spite. Peter chuckled again.

    "Look at you, Poe ¨C giving me, your twin, some-brotherly heartfelt relationship advice ¨C but sorry about that, mate ¨C I''M ''NOT'' INTERESTED! I''m a sportsman first... and I don''t need the distraction from a Sheila who fancies-me. Hey, you go ahead and I KNOW DEEP-DOWN, you ''fancy'' her, right-Poe-pee-poe...?"

    ... Peter winked, and took the newspaper ¨C and went up upstairs, saying...

    "Poe, you holler ''when'' pizza is here-later, yea..."

    <>

    WHILE GOING UP THE STAIRS, PETER WAS SUSPICIOUS too by Paul''s act of ''kindness.'' Yesterday it was preparing him breakfast ¨C today, it was giving him Jane Wilson''s new phone number ¨C and throwing-in, some concerned, lovey-dovey brotherly ADVICE OF BEING ''LUCKY,'' of being Janey''s boyfriend.

    He should ''not'' be sucked into Paul''s bullshit, yet cunning ploys.

    ''What ya up to Paul...?''

    Peter thought-hard and he could ''not'' anticipate, his crippled twin''s next angle or move. Maybe he was using ''the boyfriend'' angle ¨C to delay his plan of running away from home... ... delaying his time, by placing ''JANE'' AS THE BAIT, to keeping him lured ¨C until the ''big'' move, of the two-faced cripple, of dropping the bombshell to their Inspector-mother, for the ''murder'' of their father, 2 years ago.

    Peter was annoyed of ''what'' kind of twin, he was born with to ¨C and, with those negative thoughts, and emotions ¨C it made the one-armed glow to dark.

    ... infuriated, he opened the door of his bedroom and tossed the newspaper on his bed ¨C crumpled, it opened to page 3, with Jane''s photo on it¡­

    ¡­ where the word ''boyfriend'' was, in the fine print.

    He sat at the edge of his bed, picked up the papers, and re-read the sentence ¨C with the word ''BOYFRIEND'' OVER and over ¨C the one-armed boy''s heart sank.

    He recalled bonding-well with Janey, when she entered his bedroom, that Saturday afternoon ¨C she touched the stump of his arm and said, she can ''see'' HIM GLOW...

    ... she even hugged him, when nobody had hugged him since... ''not'' even his inspector-mother, in those-trying of 2 long years ¨C after the accident...

    Janey did also call him ''Champ'' ¨C even though, he was ''no'' longer one.

    ... the heavy depressing thoughts drained him, as his eyelids felt heavier and heavier, and he soon laid his head down ...

    "Wake up, Son of Solomon!"

    He opened his eyes... in the nocturnal setting with reddish dark skies ¨C and saw a silhouette of a lean and lethal black panther, perched on¡­

    ¡­ a low hanging branch, of a leafless tree, with other inter-twining branches, creeping. The big cat leap-down on the ground, in front of him ¨C and snarl, with gleaming ''red'' eyes...

    ... it then morphed, and transformed into a Black, African man with dreadlocks, who walked towards him ¨C Peter recognized ''him'' from his life before, when he had his good tennis arm.

    The dreadlock haired man spoke...

    "Do you want to play with the game-of-destiny, Son of Suleiman?"

    Peter was stirred AWAKE BY SOUND of knocking.

    Eyes wide awaked... but he was dazed, as he stared at his room door.

    ... he recalled that Black man, was the NIGERIAN NAMED HAJJI ¨C who gave him the cursed Talisman of Aandaleeb, back then, at the clay tennis court.

    ''Why'' DID I DREAM of him?

    ¡­ Peter got off his bed and answered the knocking door. He opened it, and looked down, to see PAUL ON HIS WHEELCHAIR ¨C handing a pizza box to him, saying with a silly smile¡­

    "Pete, your pizza is here ¨C sore throat, cannot holler ¨C so, I deliver." Said the twin, pointing at the scar in his throat.

    Suspiciously, the one-armed twin nodded to Paul and took the box, and slammed the room door back shut.

    ¡®¡­ weirdo¡­¡¯

    He placed the pizza box on his bed. Peter opened the box to discover ¨C 5-hot SLICES OF PIZZAS ¨C with ''one'' extra slice...

    ''Is it one of the trickster-PAUL''S CUNNING ACT of kindness...?'' Peter bit the pizza... while digesting that thought.

    Then, a sudden-WTF moment imploded inside Peter ¡­

    ¡­ did Paul deliver the pizza to him ¨C ''when Paul HAVEN''T BEEN UP upstairs, ever since the accident!!?''

    ... Peter was eyes-wide-open ¨C stirring up¡­

    ¡­ after a weird DREAM-IN-A-DREAM sequence¡­

    -O-

    Hearing his stomach growling loudly, he opened his eyes. Looking at the alarm clock nearby, and it was past one ¨C on Tuesday afternoon.

    The one-armed boy rose from the bed, with a kick-upright that landed him on his feet, and left his room.

    "Poe? Poe...?"

    Peter called out. He had ''no'' replies back, from downstairs. He descended the stairs ¨C downstairs which was quiet...

    ... the one-armed boy entered the kitchen, a box of pizza sat on the marble-top kitchen counter. It had some black pen-marker scribblings done, on the pizza box cover...

    ''Pete, I tried calling you at noon,

    I guessed you were asleep.

    Now is my nap-time too.

    Enjoy your pizza ??''

    ... Peter slowly nodded to himself, seeing Paul even signed himself off, with a ''smiley''... on the box. He opened the lid ¨C coincidently, there were 5 slices of pizza in it.

    ... one extra slice of pizza ¨C probably, Paul WAS REPAYING BACK to the slice, he wrongfully ate last week ¨C where in return, he got a clouting, from his one arm.

    He greedily-ate the cold pizzas for 20 minutes, at the kitchen counter... brooding on what his cunning twin was UP TO ''NEXT'' ¨C SERIOUSLY, Peter was clueless. It annoyed him a lot, and he... glowed dark crimson.

    He emptied the pie box and drank his coke. He left the kitchen, headed upstairs to his iPhone, which he left to be charging, in his bedroom.

    There were 3 miscalls, and one text-message ¨C all from his brother Paul ¨C and, he had ''also'' sent Jane''s contact details... anyway...

    ... he was tempted to call Jane, BUT RESTRAINED HIMSELF ¨C would he get ''sucked'' in by his twin''s ploy? His priority was still ''NOT'' ENDING UP, in an adult¡¯ prison ¨C and next was being a-lone runaway...

    He needed a distraction, from his rising anxiety attack ¨C and switched to YouTube to watch some videos. A viral video was trending popular in Perth ¨C growing with lots of hits, and subscriptions...

    ... it was the recent recapture of the black panther, WHICH HAPPENED OUTSIDE the neighbourhood, where Peter lived.

    Apparently, one of the Wildlife-Ranger staff... took the video, while waiting in the dark.

    While the video was streaming, Peter scrolled down, and read the comments, from the video consumers ¨C about the 2-BRIGHT BOLTS¡­

    ¡­ that incapacitated the wild cat, were apparently called as a miracle, by some-Divine intervention ¨C that saved, the blind girl and her brave, hero dog.

    While some others argued, that the bolts were of some supernatural forces from Africa, based on some made-up MCU pop-culture reference.

    Peter then watched the 10 seconds video action ¨C shown in slow-motion for 18 seconds. The visuals were ''not'' clear, SHOT IN THE DARK, with Cloverfield-like shaky camera moves ¨C with 2 bursts of bright lights, shot at the unclear panther in the dark BUT, THE AUDIO of the animal''s pained cries, was evidently ''heard.''

    The video and its written comments ¨C bewildered him too, to think-hard¡­

    ''So, Janey... could ''not'' only levitate ¨C but also shoot thunderbolts too now... how cool is that, for a being-my cool girlfriend...''

    ... Peter slept into a nap... in pleasant thoughts of ''his'' blind GF ¨C but, woke up screaming with nightmares.

 Chapter 7: Peter Walker Challenges the Curse

    HE HOLLERED OUT IN FEAR ¨C dripping in beads cold sweat... before eyes wide open, and back to familiar surroundings of his bedroom ¨C he was now breathing easy, after escaping an episode of the nightmare-torture, in an adults'' prison.

    ... the terrified paranoid-feeling of going to prison for-his father''s-death, was still haunting ... and was lingering deep. He felt he SHOULD-BE ATTENTIVE of Paul...

    ... Peter woke up unmotivated... as he was feeling lazy ¨C for ''not'' going for his tennis self-practice for a week. It was a Wednesday morning ¨C at by the end of today was exactly a week ¨C THE FIRST WEEK-ANNIVERSARY of the thunderstorm survival-episode, in the Treeton dairy farm OF LAST THURSDAY...

    ''... woof-woof...''

    ... who was his mother''s lapdog, and was also her watchdog ¨C tied to the kitchen counter... as his guardhouse-post. And, HIS BLOOD-TWIN was also the hounding eyes and the ears, to the inspector-mother ¨C who, only just ''one'' phone-call away... for Peter to get busted for anything...

    ... he deliberately left his iPhone in his bedroom ¨C he felt ''THEY'' WERE MONITORING his every whereabouts, through their GPS...

    ... coming-downstairs...

    ... the kitchen marble-top counter was empty, as Peter had noticed...

    ''... where are you my three-legged Poey...? Where are my good dogie...?''

    ... his cripple twin was in the toilet that morning, having a fat bowel movement, after massive sandwich consumption from last night. With him...

    ... sitting game on-his ''throne'' and plumping-out-missiles in his battle-mission ¨C while engrossed in NOVA 3, for an-hour...

    ... had Peter, estimating his window of ''time''...

    ... he went outdoor, through the front door...after silencing'' the security-alarm. Peter-then went to the garage, used the remote, and the door slid vertical. He entered inside... and switched on the tungsten light...

    His mother always parked her Audi, in the covered front-porch but... while alive, his father Solomon Walker ¨C used to park his BMW in the garage. But these days, it was just a storage area ¨C after the tragic accident, involving the BMW...

    ... with the-car was wrecked-and-scrapped...

    ... but after his death, most of his father''s stuff was there, along with his-architectural works ¨C put away by his widowed inspector-mother. So was his 6 BOXES WITH HIS PRECIOUSSS, eBay marketable stuff.

    The one-armed boy opened the largest of the boxes and saw what he was looking for ¨C his PROSTHETIC ARM ¨C which he had only worn of entirely for 3 days in the past, at school ¨C as the falling of the grace of the star prot¨¦g¨¦...

    ... but the useless ''bloody-arm'' was welcomed with negative ridiculing humour ¨C so... to prove-them-doubters-of his ''dreams'' to who were all-wrong...

    ... had been walking around Stamford High, with an exposed stump limb...

    Inside, that same box was his old skateboard...

    ''... I remembered that Saturday, when the ''girls'' visited my-house and I followed them, for lunch in Chinatown ¨C where ''Janey'' was EXCITED TO LEARN how-to skateboard, in the school holidays.''

    It had been 3 days... since Inspector-mother grounded him ¨Cwhere he had spent most of the time indoors, in his bedroom ¨C feeling also ''lazzy,'' for skipping his tennis self-practice. Now...

    ... he felt like GOING OUT, AND ENJOY THE SUN ¨C and his ''freedom.''

    He dropped the prosthetic arm back, into the box...

    ... with his single hand, he picked up the skateboard.

    He decided to VISIT JANE WILSON ¨C and personally ask her...

    ... as, he wanted to ask about the wild-panther attack.

    <>

    PETER TOOK OUT HIS MOUNTAIN BIKE, from the garage and left home ¨C while strapped with an old-dusted backpack... with the skateboard inside...

    It has been 2 years, when he ''last'' rode his bike, after the tragic accident involving the BMW. The tires needed some air.

    ... Peter then... stopped by a petrol pump, on the way to the Wilsons, to pump some air. There was a familiar hoot, from-behind Peter ¨C he saw a WHITE MINIVAN that belonged to the Methodist church.

    Someone alighted from the front passenger seat. It was THE WAR VETERAN JOHN HART, in an arm-sling... greeting on him.

    The van-driver was an older, plump woman, who smiling too and-waved ¨C probably his wife, who remained seated in the van.

    "Hello there, Peter, G''day ¨C how are you? Where is your twin Paul?"

    ''... what-were-the-odds...''

    ... since it was exactly a week-anniversary of the TREETON INCIDENT!

    Peter ''got'' sarcastic...

    "... I know you ¨C isn''t it ''that'' that Mr John Rambo... whom I read in the papers, that you rescued some wandering-off handicapper ''special'' kids, from the scary and dangerous thunderstorm. Is that so, yea-mate?"

    ... John Hart face changed to ''blush'' by the cynical-remark. He explained with honesty...

    "Now Peter, that what I read in the papers too, but I DID ''NOT'' RESCUE any of you ¨C ''not'' even Alicia Wong... but the newspapers wrote, that I did so."

    "Hahaha... okay... whatever that suits your fancy veteran-ass, full of bloody medals-pin wounds and news-paper-cuts. See you AROUND CAPT. AUSTRALIA ¨C until you come-again rescue me, and me-helpless friends... ooo-scary...of another-next dangerous deadly-episode... of your bullshit...

    "... me-God bless you-too, yea! Go in peace... and sin no more!"

    Peter''s one-arm did the ''sigh-of-the-cross'' in the air...

    ... John Hart was astounded by the disrespectful remarks ¨C and saw...

    ... the mocking one-armed boy chucking away, cycling off.

    <><>

    AFTER AWHILE, PETER REACHED THE WILSON residence, at the hill-side.

    ... It was larger than a medium-sized house ¨C but ''not'' bigger than his house, that his father built.

    Peter walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell twice. Finally, the door opened, and he saw an Asian ¨C he hesitated a bit, but then asked...

    "... err... is Jane Wilson around...? I''m from her ''school''... and I wish to see her now... tell her, it''s urgent..."

    ... Lola Flores the Filipina babysitter was tongue-tied, seeing the standing one-armed boy in front of her... who fitted the DESCRIPTION OF ''JANE''S BOYFRIEND'' ¨C whom that Dr Wilson talked lowly-of in-her conversation... in the presence of everyone at home.

    "Jane is ''not'' well, she is in her room, resting ¨C you come-and-visit her, some other time." Lola discouraged.

    Her role reminded of Idris Elba... who WAS THE GATEKEEPER of the Assgard kingdom, in the Thor, MCU movie series ¨C whose task was ''NOT'' TO LET ANY DANGER of intergalactic intruders, to enter Assgard...

    "... but-listen-Lady Heimdall... this will just take a moment, I need to ''see'' her now."

    The nippy one-armed tween dashed up the stairs ¨C with a surprised Lola... of Peter who had passed, SHOVING A BIT, onto her pint-sized frame. Instantly, the vigilant-Lola ''phoned'' her doctor-employer, to inform WHAT WAS GOING ON, at home...

    ... Peter instinctually located Jane''s room ¨C he saw her glowing in pale yellow, as she slept on her bed. Peter woke-her up. Jane was delighted to see his pinkish glow. She hugged him and said in excitement. "Peter you came!" She gave a quick pach, in his cheek. Her arms still locked on tight, of his right-shoulders-and-left-stump...

    "Why did you ''not'' call yesterday? I GAVE MY NUMBER to Paul ..."

    "... O'' no-way, it is ''not'' safe for me ¨C my mother would TRACE MY EVERY-call. Everyone is on me, these days ¨C ''watching'' my every move ¨C but I needed to get out too, so... here I am, Jane..."

    ... Peter laughed, and continued saying, holding her other hand...

    "Come on Janey, we are BOTH GOING OUT ¨C we need the sun to stay healthy ¨C and, I got a BIG SURPRISE for you!"

    After 2 minutes, he brought Jane downstairs... who had ''changed'' from her pyjama to her tracky-daks... also wearing her helmet, and with her baton-walking stick.

    ... Lola at once asked her...

    "Jane, you are ''not'' feeling well... and your MOTHER TOLD YOU to stay in bed."

    ... Peter intervened by saying...

    "All she needs is Vitamin D... and that is the sun ¨C just like in your HOMELAND BACK-THERE, where your people worked happily ¨C with song and dance... in the paddy fields, under the sun ¨C that''s ''what'' Janey needs now, yo-Lady H."

    Jane too chimed-in...

    "Yes, I need some sunshine, Lola... no worries I WON''T GO FAR ¨C and please... don''t call my mother." The blind Jane closed the front door.

    Lola was in 2-minds when Jane MENTIONED HER MOTHER. The babysitter saw out the window.... at them both in the patio, talking. The ''only'' friend that visited Jane before, was Alicia Wong ¨C now, there WAS THIS ''BOYFRIEND'' ¨C that Mrs Wilson doesn''t approve of, visiting her daughter, here in broad-sunny daylight.

    In the patio, Peter was teasing her with his skateboard ''in'' his backpack ¨C his surprise for her...If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "Either you ''see'' or you guess ¨C ''what'' is in my bag?"

    After a few attempts of Jane''s grabbing for it and failed... she gave up... but Peter was persistent... teasing and holding the ''surprise,'' with his one arm.

    "Use your blindness to ''see,'' Janey!"

    "It DOESN''T WORK that way... I''m ''still'' a Blind-girl."

    "But how many Blind girls levitate...?"

    "Levitate...? What is that word?"

    "Floating ¨C YOU DID THAT... until you reached the ceiling, in that hospital. If you don''t believe, go ask your Ms King ¨C she was there too, you ask her, ''unless''... SHE DENIES IT ¨C that''s what adults do best in ''their'' cover-up, and they lie ¨C I DON''T ''TRUST'' ANYONE of them, one bit!"

    ... she remembered Alicia too mentioning Peter ¨C ''saying'' that she ''floated'' that night, at the hospital.

    "I don''t know if I had elevated ¨C I did ''not'' feel it."

    "Then, how about shooting thunderbolts...?" Peter asked.

    At once, the surprised Jane ''held'' his only hand...

    "You KNOW IT ¨C how...?"

    "I saw it ¨C there is a viral video, out THERE IN YOUTUBE, trending on that black panther in Perth."

    "Oh, my-G, Peter ¨C my MOM WILL ''SEE'' IT ¨C and I''m dead..."

    "No, don''t worry, Janey ¨C I saw it too, and the ''video'' was all dark, with a burst of lights, twice ¨C and I don''t ''see'' you at all, in the video. And, it could be PASSED OFF AS ''FAKE'' too."

    He saw her growing quiet, in thought ¨C glowing dimly...

    "Here Janey, hold ¨C my surprise for you." Her fingers rolled the ''wheels,'' below the wooden board...

    Excited, the blind girl hugged the one-armed boy, tight-again ¨C they both glowed brightly. Jane kissed Peter''s cheek again before she let go of him. Peter winked, at the smiling blind girl...

    "What are we waiting for ¨C let''s bounce!"

    Lola Flores saw out of the window, Jane was getting on, and standing on the pillion of Peter. The one-armed rode off unsteadily in the mountain bike, with the blind girl hugging on his back. The BABYSITTER FREAKED OUT when she ''saw'' that and ''reported''...

    ... but... Dr Wilson phone was switched off, at her ''clinic.''

    <><>

    BLIND-JANE WAS A NATURAL ON THE SKATEBOARD... Peter was deeply impressed ¨C but... ''not'' knowing, that Jane had her fair share of ''balance'' practices with her DIY routine...

    ... with her SIMY, back then ¨C with her self-DIY ''simulations'' of a plankboard balanced, over-in middle of her Queen-sized bed.

    "Janey, give me your phone." Jane was holding Peter''s stump arm... when they were separated on the bike and skateboard. The show-off, PETER LET GO the handle of the bike ¨C and took selfies... of them both, in motion...

    ... one for Instagram.

    Next, Jane letting go Peter''s stump, saying...

    "Take A VIDEO OF me!"

    Peter followed her from behind downhill, recording. The blind girl then crouched, to an almost kneeling position, like a mountain ice-skier ¨C her hands were palmed in a horizontal prayer pose, to gain the momentum, of the aerodynamics in motion...

    ... Jane gained speed...she used her one-of-her hands which she stuck forward as a guide ¨C it glowed yellow, PILOTING HER TO KEEP going in a straight line, downhill ¨C with a minty aftertaste in her mouth.

    It was getting steep for the bike, and Peter needed his single-arm back, on the handle-bar... and he stopped recording and put the Samsung Galaxy in his pocket.

    Jane was solo ¨C now 25, meters away.

    They were travelling fast down the road. The nervy-Jane prayed... to her RIP, dead-SIMY for her safety...

    ... Jane anticipated by the motion, for the jump. Peter was wowed when he saw Jane rising up 2 METERS IN THE AIR, on the skateboard ¨C before a perfect touchdown...

    ... that was a ''money-shot'' and too bad...

    ... and Peter REGRETTED ''NOT'' CAPTURING it, on the Samsung ¨C of a blind girl''s FIRST-TIME MAIDEN successful attempt, in an extreme sport.

    But the ride was ''not'' over... the road was still SLOPED STEEP... JANE was still in motion downhill...

    ... she was now 50 meters away from Peter ¨C he was peddling hard, to catch up ¨C so to warn her... that the path further led to a T-junction, where traffic flowed...

    "Janey... get off the board!"

    The blind-girl was focused on keeping to a straight line, and heard of Peter''s call behind her. She responded...

    "What?"

    Opposite the T-junction... was an old mall ¨C and on the shoulder of the road, was a parked police patrol car. Corporal Frank Smithy noticed a skateboarder crossing the road... where there was ''no'' oncoming traffic, at that time...

    ...he was more puzzled, that the skateboarder was the ''SAME'' BLIND GIRL... from the black panther attack, which happened 2 days ago...

    ... Corporal Smithy next saw the biker, chasing over the blind girl ¨C he recognized the one-armed boy ¨C the delinquent son of ''his'' superior Inspector Walker...

    ... who was dangerously crossing on his bike... that caused a Ford to brake, horn aloud, and the driver cursing out.

    The uniform police cop had to call-in ¨C AND ''REPORT'' to Inspector-mother Walker of the whereabouts of Perth''s infamous-couple...

    ... the Smithy being-police, WOULD LOOK-AFTER-one-of-their-own.

    <><>

    AN HOUR LATER... MS. KING WAS HAVING her matcha-green tea infusion at home...

    ... and, she received 2 phone calls... from 2 mothers.

    The first call from Insp. Walker ¨C and she complained aloud that she ''grounded'' Peter but, he slipped away, to MEET HIS ''GIRLFRIEND'' whom, she had ''no'' knowledge of existed ¨C then, the Inspector-mother came to ''know'' at the police station later, until somebody... pointed out the ''proof-of-existence'' ¨C in the fine print, in yesterday''s newspaper.

    The 2nd call was from Dr Shelley Wilson...

    ... Ms Diane King had gone out to the hospital, after the thunderstorm incident at the Treeton farm that Thursday ¨C where the Sakhr, cursed the 3 handicapped children...

    .. she had INTRODUCED ''HERSELF'' as the school counsellor, to Shelley Wilson. She gave Shelley her card... Ms King then arranged a group counselling session, later that Sunday.

    The next day ''was'' the unfortunate-black panther attack...

    ... Shelley Wilson had-called the counsellor-King... saying that-she read in the newspaper, and surfed-up in ''Facebook''... that the delinquent son, of Insp. Walker was the ''boyfriend'' of her B-girl...

    ... the doctor-mother was ''not'' happy about it.

    The ''present'' call, on that Wednesday morning, was ¨C the doctor-mother complaining, that the one-armed tween had stormed into her ''house'' and ¨C Jane followed him on his mountain bike. She was ''not'' happy about it, either...

    ... this arrived Ms King to the conclusion that ¨C THE 2-MOTHERS should meet-up, face-to-face.

    <><>

    PETER AND JANE WERE HAVING BRUNCH in Taco Bell, in the old mall. After a half-hour skateboarding, both the handicapped tweens were having Burritos, Tacos and Nachos.

    "You WILL BE ''POPULAR'' by then in school, Janey... having all those mad-cows'' stories you can tell, from Treeton dairy thunderstorm ¨C and also, the panther attack on your poor-dog."

    "But I don''t ''like'' that ¨C make me LOOK I''M RECKLESS, which my mother keeps reminding that always... that I might be injured or cause injury to others. My parents are SO OVER-PROTECTIVE ''over'' me!"

    "Yeah, Janey, we live in their adult''s world, and THEY DICTATE ''THEIR'' unwritten laws left-right-and-centre ¨C even my own inspector-mother, ALWAYS THREATENS ME, by saying that she will arrest me ¨C and Paul... my evil-twin has ''some'' leverage on me?"

    "Huh...? What leverage does Pauly have on you?"

    "His word against my word ¨C but my mother will ''BELIEVE'' HIM MORE ¨C he got a secret, that can put me away in prison!"

    "What...? What ''secret'' is that?"

    "...err... Poe will say, that I ''was'' the cause of my father''s death in that accident, 2 years ago. It seems I''d KICKED HIS DRIVER-SEAT... and cause a moment of distraction for my father ¨C and it caused the crash."

    "'' Did'' you kick?"

    "I don''t know ¨C and I DON''T EVEN REMEMBER, ''what'' the argument I had with my Dad in the first place. Everything happened too quickly, that morning... till that drunken-truck driver slammed into us, to the road-divider...."

    "Why do you ''feel'' your Mom, will arrest you, Peter?"

    "She is ''not'' emphatic anymore... and without a doubt she will arrest me, because my mother had stopped loving me, for the longest-time ¨C she is now influenced by other adults, like Ms King and Principle Harris ¨C and that is a sure-deal, that I will ''go'' to jail soon."

    "No-Champ, you will ''not'' go to prison ¨C you are just thinking like HOW A PARANOID does ¨C with all those negative thoughts and actions, which you-Peter are now living in fears, that ARE ''NOT'' THERE ¨C but it''s in your mind!"

    "No, Janey ¨C but it is there, and YOU DON''T ''SEE'' IT ¨C there is, a cunning-plot against me, and only I-know it, I''ve seen the ''signs'' ¨C that there are truly those adults, like Ms King, who ARE OUT TO get me!"

    Jane then spoke out, in a firm voice, holding his only-wrist.

    "Come on, don''t do that to ''yourself'' ¨C what ABOUT THE SEEIN''S PROPHECY... on what negative emotions can do? It will feed the BlackStar, who brings natural disasters over here."

    ... Peter FELT RIDICULED, BY THOUGHTS of the boogie-man crap.

    "So... you still believe, that Middle-eastern bullshit, that Ms King fed us, to make-us-behave...? ''You'' of all people... who had USED SIMY TECHNOLOGY, with an advanced AI interactive tool ¨C but, ''how'' could then you swallow up, that con-woman''s ploy... huh...?

    "... Janey-how can''t you ''see'' that SIMY and SeeIn, they are THE BOTH SAME-THING ¨C they are both AIs ¨C and that con-woman has been using that, to deceive us both."

    But Jane differed...

    "No, I don''t think so ¨C I''m blind, I have used the ''my'' camera from my dark-glasses and even then, I need SIMY to ''process-the-delayed information that I saw. But now... after being ''cursed,'' I CAN SEE COLORS, shadows and hews, how is that possible? Tell-me, Peter ¨C I can see you glowing in red, and you too said so, I glow yellow ¨C ''HOW'' IS THAT possible?"

    "I don''t know, maybe SIMY''s AI is an inferior model to that SeeIn ¨C although you had mentioned that your prototype of SIMY cost a million bucks. But WE ALSO DON''T KNOW how technologically advanced some other countries outside Straya are ¨C LIKE CHINA ¨C where this SeeIn-device is like an Apple?... that had might come from a mega-factory over-there... with these products are in mass-productions, using child-labour in the billions.

    "That China-made SeeIn was ''what,'' that Ms King had USED, TO DECEIVED US ¨C but, you only don''t say it, YOU SHOW IT TOO, right...? If I want evidence of that this BlackStar, who creates this natural disasters-exist ¨C you BETTER ''SHOW'' ME that evidence, not-only just talk about it!"

    ... Jane thought Peter''s logic was ''BLINDER'' THAN HER ¨C and, ''not'' seeing her point. That Sunday, in the group session in his house, SHE COULD ''NOT'' SEE SeeIn ¨C but only followed and interacted, with the SPOKEN VOICE OF SEEIN, that she heard.

    "I think all 3 of us are ''cursed.'' That is ''why'' we glow!"

    "No... I am ''not'' cursed!" Said the one-armed boy, in spite...

    "Then, WHY DO YOU GLOW...?" Questioned the blind girl.

    "You shut up, Jane!" The angered-Peter punched the table.

    The 2 had their first relationship-tiff as boyfriend-girlfriend ¨C they both sat quietly in Taco Bell ... thinking ''not'' eating.

    After a bit, Jane then said...

    "I want to go home."

    <>

    PETER TOOK JANE HOME. The blind girl stood in the pillion, as the one-armed Peter rode ¨Cthey did ''not'' talk, in the-entire journey back.

    It gave time for Peter to do some soul-searching ¨C even though Jane was the only friend he got, but she was a deadweight, both mentally and emotionally in their pre-relationship, because he was ''running-away'' soon anyway.

    Even Jane felt that she had failed to give Peter''s life a ''purpose,'' as she had intended to...

    ... they both were GLOWING DULL to each other.

    From the window, Lola noticed Jane arriving back and was at the front gate... while the babysitter was feeding Baby-boy Samuel. Outside, Jane got off from the bike, and she handed back the backpack with the skateboard. The one-armed boy mumbled...

    "Keep it."

    "Thank you, Champ! So, are YOU COMING AGAIN tomorrow? I want you to continue to coach me, to play tennis."

    ... Peter was dumbstruck a second. Jane saw him glowing back to her favourite bright colour ¨C pink. Peter CAME FORWARD AND HUGGED her.

    "I''m sorry for shouting at you, back there."

    "Don''t be," Blind-Jane whispered in his ear... and kissed his cheek, still hugging him ¨C and ruffled his hair... with herself glowing brighter yellow, while in her thoughts of her ''beacon''...

    ''Peter-piper ¨C you''re ''STILL'' A WORK in progress.''

 Chapter 8: The Open Invitation

    ALICIA WONG CALLED JANE''S NEW CELLPHONE, that Wednesday afternoon. Alicia was driven in an Uber ride from Chinatown, on the way to pick-up the blind girl, to visit Piper again at the vet-clinic.

    Her Chinese-uncle-driver stopped his car, in front of the Wilson residence and Alicia got down, to guide the blind girl into the Subaru Forrester. Alicia gave the final destination, in Chinese Hokkien to her uncle.

    "Ali, I think I''m IN ''TROUBLE,'' when my Mom returns from the clinic later." The blind girl told in a straight-face... before she giggled and blushed...

    ... Alicia went, "What the...?"

    Jane excitedly narrated of Peter Walkers'' surprise visit to her bedroom, earlier that morning ¨C and she FOLLOWED HIM ON his bike, and he taught her ''how'' to skateboard. The blind-girl wished that Alicia ''was'' there... to see her successful ''jump'' that she did on the board...

    ... Alicia was ''NOT'' PARTICULARLY FOND of Peter Walker... but... listened attentively of Jane''s reckless behaviour with her ''boyfriend'' ¨C Alicia ''recalled'' back to the clandestine meeting ''ALONE,'' BEHIND Jane''s back, with Ms King ¨C who FOREWARNED HER OF...

    ... the in-love-Jane''s irrational behaviour.

    Jane showed the selfie, that Peter took of both of them, in motion ¨C and she ''made'' Alicia to describe, ''WHAT'' WAS on the photo, in detail. The blind girl was full of praises of the rubicund Peter, and she repeating the jokes he made... and was laughing to herself.

    The social media especially Facebook, was already ''talking'' about Jane, with her panther attack and her hero-dog. In that, ''SOME'' of the FB NEGATIVE comments, that Alicia Wong read was concerning, a blind girl... who had wandered in the night, to SEE HER ''BOYFRIEND'' ¨C which ''blamed'' her for the hero dog''s injuries.

    "Everything was so rosy, till we stopped over to eat Tacos."

    "What happened?"

    "He BECAME PARANOID, and thinks there is a conspiracy theory that everyone, is out to get himlike his twin, will tell-on him... and his mother will arrest him... and he will go to prison... and all-and-all."

    Jane rather ''not'' share ¨C THE GUILTY-ANGLE, of his father''s death in the car accident ¨C coz'', that was ''personal'' to Peter Walker.

    ... Alicia giggled. "What you expect, from an egomaniac?"

    Jane after a thought. "He is also dilutional too ¨C and I see his ''glowing'' spiking up the dark, WHENEVER HE ''REACTS'' with negative emotions." She paused, into more thoughts.

    "He is also blaming it all on ''Ms. King'' ¨C with her using some phoney 3D-technology, to deceive us with SeeIn."

    "Wow! Is ''THAT'' A POSSIBILITY, Janey?"

    Alicia too ''saw'' that oddity now... after being EXPOSED TO THE AI WORLD ¨C with the ''now,'' broken-and-scrapped SIMY.

    "'' No'' Ali... that Sunday, in the group therapy in Peter''s house... I ''cannot'' see SeeIn, so I followed the voice."

    ... but Alicia-too ''saw'' that green, tall figure, faceless-monk in an energy form. So, Alicia played along... flashing a nervous grin, by biting all her teeth.

    "Okay ... that''s weird ..."

    But Alicia too heard that Jane, Peter and Paul GLOWED IN DIFFERENT colours. And, according to Ms King, they were afflicted by the Curse of Asmodeus ¨C and, their glowing CAN''T BE DETECTED by normal-people''s eyes...

    ... Alicia then heard ¨C Jane speak again. "Peter should stop playing the blame-game ¨C and take responsibility for his delusional outcome of negative energy, which according to SeeIn ¨C it feeds BlackStar to grow bigger, with all of its all-destruction."

    Alicia was glad, that Jane was ''still'' rational when she said that.

    "So? What now, Janey?"

    "I don''t know ¨C since now, it''s still the school break. And, Peter is grounded, it seems ... he is going to be locked-up, alone in his bedroom, in his father''s house... brooding in all with negativity ¨C and, Paul is there too, downstairs at that same house."

    At the backseat of the Uber, Jane held onto Alicia''s palm and said...

    "We need to separate them ¨C YOU GO-OUT ''WITH'' PAUL... and I will manage Peter... ''can'' you do that for me, Alicia?"

    "Yeah, sure..."

    Alicia agreed ¨C as it was a similar plan of a strategy, that Ms King too suggested, in their secret meeting, behind Jane''s back. Alicia too had promised to help Paul''s grades, next term, by promising him that he will be the Top-5 in class.

    But she was ''not'' sure if the blind girl could manage the one-armed rebel ¨C and-Alicia could already feel that she was losing her best friend, into the dark-side.

    The car stopped at their final destination the vet-clinic.

    <><>

    HE WALKED INTO HIS FATHER''S HOUSE, 2 hours later... and went into the kitchen. His cunning-plotting twin was ''not'' there... probably taking his nap in his bedroom.

    A large pizza box was on the kitchen counter-top, he opened the box that was clean without marker-pen scribbling ¨C there was the regular 4 slices of pie ¨C ''no'' generosity offered, unlike yesterday...

    ... Peter wasn''t exactly hungry after the tacos... he put the pizza box in the refrigerator and went up to his room.

    He was still in a euphoric state, in-all vibrating in positive energy, raptured with top of the world feelings for being in love for the first time, in his tween-age life, with his ''only'' trusted-friend in the whole wide world Jane Wilson...

    ... his blind classmate, who had been a ''stranger,'' in his life all along ¨C although they had been in the same class for 2 years, ever since Jane came from her previous blind school.

    He can see himself glowing in bright good-red, feeling unstoppable and unbeatable.

    He was laughing uncontrollably, thinking of the promise, that he was to coach Jane in tennis and, get finally his unmotivated lazy-ass moving, after being idle, for almost a week, during their mid-term holidays.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The one-armed tween was jumping and bouncing on his bed, like the 7th heaven, love-ecstasy Tom Cruise ¨C before he plopped on his-back to a nap...in a hot afternoon...

    <>

    BUT THE NIGHTMARES RETURNED but, it had a good-setup, in its dreamer''s storytelling sequence ¨C where it ''begun,'' by him... befriended evil...

    ... Peter felt the cold wind beating hard, as he stood, on the rooftop of the Blake Tower ¨Cthe tallest building in Perth. He was shielding himself for warmth, but was bloody-unsuccessfully, with one arm. He wished he had ''not'' lost his arm, and would have rubbed, his palms together for warmth.

    Peter looked above in the dark-skies, with red-lightnings ¨C brightening in blood crimson, in streaks of cobwebbed black-clouds.

    Peter looked beyond ¨C SOMETHINGS WITH WINGS was drawing closer towards him, fast. He froze on the spot...

    ... and, lo'' and behold, he spotted 2 DRAGONS FLYING, and coming up...

    Don''t get him wrong, Peter loved dragons, like the Netflix''s GAME OF THRONES, watching its aerial fiery-attacks of the enemy below, were fun to watch.

    The ones here were ''not'' gigantic, but with a bodily size of large horses. But still, he freaked out, after seeing the dragons with horned bulls'' head-faces ¨C one of it flapped around on the rooftop, terrifying him and he shielded himself, with one arm.

    I come in peace, Demon Boy!"

    The bullhead''s loud moos were ear-piercing ¨C a black panther that rode on the back of the bull-dragon leapt on the rooftop the wild cat morphed, into the dreadlock-haired Nigerian...

    ... whom he had the acquaintance that began ''once'' before in the tennis clay court, who goes by the name of Hajji.

    "What are these...?"

    ... Peter exclaimed. The Black man laughed...

    "These are buffaloes of Hell."

    The 2nd bull-dragon then landed on the rooftop... Peter backed away.

    "... be not afraid, son of Suleiman! Let''s go for a ride ¨C come, Mount on it."

    Peter saw bull-dragon had a saddle to sit, on its back. The tween was full-caution when he got up on it. He gave a high yelp when it flapped its spanned-wings for a takeoff...

    ...Peter grabbed the rein and took control of the beast. It was a fearful experience when the bull-dragon flew and circled twice above the rooftop.

    He could hear the laughter of the Black man from below, and before long before the third circle, Peter was now thrilled by the aerial ride ¨C that he was now, shouting along. "Hee-Hah!"

    Like a rollercoaster ride, the creature then swooped in a drop. The one-armed Peter''s heart-came-close to his Adam''s apple, as he hollered dreadful curses. The bullhead''s mouth then gapped, and spitting a streak of hell brimmed flames it flew spiral around the building, torching the glass panels, like a flamethrower.

    The terrified one-armed Peter, let go of the rein... and he fell back off, from the winged beast''s mighty entrust, plummeting below, with into his free-fall death... screaming...

    ... he hollered the Lord''s Name, with eyes wide-open, on his bed ¨C but his senses had ''not'' kicked in yet... still onto trepidation mode. Slowly he was breathing-easy, cursing under his breath ¨C now that... he was getting equally terrifying nightmares, in his afternoon naps.

    His cellphone rang at that moment ¨C his heart skipped a beat, that it was HIS GIRLFRIEND Jane Wilson.

    "Hey-Champ, what''s up?"

    That was the loveliest and the sweetest voice, in the whole wide world, for him as a release. She was the ''perfect'' snake-charmer... to his raging emotions...

    ... Jane informed him, that she had to take a rain-check to their tennis practice tomorrow morning... because they were having some visitors ''coming'' over ¨C and Jane was to help her mother shopping. So, was the next day, Friday ¨C when the Wilsons were having visitors over for dinner...

    ... 2 days of ''not'' seeing his blind girlfriend, at that very moment ¨C was tormenting enough.

    By ''not'' showing his desperation, in his voice... he joked around, to make her giggle, with sweet-nothings... and ''that'' made Jane Wilson interested, to stay on the line, for the next 20 minutes. Until she had to end the call because her mother was calling her down, for dinner...

    ... even then, he stalled her by asking what''s cooking. She replied her housemaid prepared some pasta Bolognese before she said goodbye and hung up. Now, his ''stomach'' rumbled ¨C and craving for a meat sauce Bolognese, for his takeout dinner...

    ... Peter rushed out of his room after looking at his watch, tied to his single-wrist. He wanted to eat ''spag-bog,'' like Janey... for his dinner tonight...

    ... and had to ''stop'' Paul from ordering another pizza ¨C he was kind-of-sick eating pizzas.

    <><>

    PETER SHOUTED HIS LUNGS OUT... in frustration that Thursday morning ¨C after another tormenting wake-up, in nightmare episodes...

    ... that had to stop, BUT HE DOESN''T KNOW HOW. He had been losing his good-sleep, for a week, ever since after the Treeton farm thunderstorm incident. But he still REFUSED TO BELIEVE that-he was ''curse''...

    ... and he wanted to buy a single glove... like MJ, to HIDE THE SCAR on his palm ¨C when Janey and Paul had pointed at his scar, quite-too often...

    He also knew that his lacking of a sound sleep was AFFECTING HIS MOODS in the morning. For the first hour in every single morning since, he was always dazed with mixed-emotions that left him unmotivated, to even go for his self-tennis practices. So, he decided, even if Jane would ''not'' be around to accompany him, to the school''s court ¨C he should take the INITIATIVE TO GO there, by himself.

    But first, he needed a perk-up ¨C he eyed for the energy drink Red Bull, at arm''s reach. He packed up his training gear, locked his room, and decided to cycle to school...

    ... he went downstairs, following the SOUND OF THE NEWS ON TV, which was always John Blake the local politician ¨C that he hated, as they were a bunch of adult con-men to him.

    Peter threw the bag-pack with his racquets, on the couch, he headed to the kitchen. Paul was wheelchaired at the kitchen counter, glowing pleasantly in blue. He was playing NOVA 3, having black coffee and eating yesterday''s leftover chilled pizza, straight from the fridge. He looked up, at his one-armed twin opening the fridge door, and reached out for a can of coke.

    "Hey Pete, guess what?"

    "What!!"

    ... Peter snapped. He placed the can on the kitchen counter, used his fingernail, to crack open the tab ring.

    "Oh yea, Mom told we are all, INVITED BY JANE''S MOM ¨C TO HAVE DINNER, on Friday night at the Wilsons."

    Peter gulped the soda, trying to put 2 and 2 together Jane had called him, the previous Wednesday evening, and told him that the Wilsons, were having VISITORS FOR DINNER ¨C but, the blind girl did ''not'' mention that the visitors were them-the-Walkers...

    ''... maybe-Jane-doesn''t-know...''

    There was another conspiracy happening behind his back, by the adults ¨C ''how'' did his mom knew Jane''s mom unless there was a 3RDPLAYER INVOLVED and his guess was ¨C that con-woman Ms King.

    He looked up distracted by both ¨C the TV screen and Paul''s inaudible conversation ''buzzing'' ¨C but, the VISUALS OMENS WERE PROMINENT in the TV news, of a huge fire razing the highest building in his city, Perth...

    ... on the ground, fire-fighters were deployed to fight the massive blaze. And, the captions read:

    Blake Tower ¨C 29 killed in the worst fire in Perth.

    Peter felt the whole world, was closing in on him. He hurried and left the kitchen, with the annoying-Paul still calling on him...

    "OII!! PETE...!"

    "What!!?"

    "You haven''t eaten your pizza..."

    "Who eats that shit, in the morning!!?"

    He yelled out... and glowed deep crimson, as he then slammed the front door.

 Chapter 9: The Skyscraper

    IN FEAR, PETER RAN OUT TO THE GARAGE¡­ got on his mountain bike, and peddled hard, away from his house. The images in his mind, of the fiery tallest building, were horrifying¡­

    ¡®No! It can¡¯t be me¡­¡¯

    But he refused to believe he was cursed ¨C even though, over the ¡®thought¡¯ in his vivid nightmare, when he rode a flying beast, which was a horned African buffalo.

    ¡­ it then respired fire out¡­ that razed the tallest building in Perth.

    Still going fast on the path to his school, Peter recalled his-prior enjoying the thrill-moment, aerial, riding majestically on the bull-dragon, and feeling unstoppable and unbeatable ¨C until, the creature spat its venom of fire ¨C and it annihilated the building, flying around 360 degrees, hot burning, till it rose above, like a phoenix from the ashes.

    He was really thirsty ¨C and realized he had forgotten, to bring along his 2 racquets, where he also left the last can of Red-bull drink in it, in the sports backpack ¨C on the living room couch. He stopped his bike and cursed. Dropping and kicking his bike down¡­

    ¡­ he walked a few steps, and sat¡­

    ¡­ at a lonely bus-stop¡­

    ¡­ tried hard to think positive, to keep being motivated. Maybe it was a good omen too ¨C that he was ¡®not¡¯ going to his school-excuse for self-practice ¨C maybe MS. KING WAS THERE, to ambush him along in the Infirmary¡­ and attack him with a syringe, by sticking to his neck¡­

    That woman too was going around badmouthing that he, Poe and Janey and ¨C his father too ¨C WERE CURSED. Where else¡­ Peter then thought ¡®maybe¡¯ the CURSE WAS A SUPERPOWER that they each of them own ¨C which the diabolic and deviant Ms King wanted to steal the ¡®curse-power¡¯ and deliver it to her master-employer ¨C Principle Tom Harris.

    Of 3 of them glowing, was the ¡®way¡¯ of them, TO STAY CONNECTED ¨C he was ¡®not¡¯ sure about Poe ¨C but ¨C it had a magical-positive effect in him, that attracted¡­

    ¡­ and it was the cause of the electrifying, and bonding magnetism that was now, happening ¡®lately¡¯ between him with Janey.

    The one-armed boy was breathing easy, in pleasant thoughts and emotions ¨C glowing in pink, of his ¡®blind¡¯ girlfriend¡¯s favourite colour. But the tranquillity feeling was abrupted by blaring sound, of an ambulance, coming, and passing fast by him, while sitting alone in a bus-stop¡­

    ¡­ Peter stood up at once, and had anxiety attacks again came back ¨C of fear and guilt¡­

    ¡­ 29 DEAD¡­

    ¡®Am I going to be blamed for this too¡­?¡¯

    He saw the vanishing ambulance from his sight, as it turned around the bent. The sound of the siren faded¡­

    ¡­ he walked in circles, and begin reasoning to himself, and then concluded¡­

    ¡­ that he was ¡®not¡¯ in control of those devilish nightmares of his sleep ¨C and he would ¡®not¡¯ take the responsibility or the blame, to the ¡®actual¡¯ reality¡¯s fate, of similar coincidences happenings around in-real-life¡­

    ¡­ he instantly switched his thoughts, to the invitation dinner by Janey¡¯s mom, was brewing unease in his guts. Peter regretted going over to Janey¡¯s house yesterday ¨C and taking her out, skateboarding. Now, that gave dreadful reasons, for his inspector-mother to punish him.

    ¡°Why are all of these bloody-adults put in this world, to punish me!!?¡±

    He yelled out at the lonely bus-stop¡­ kicking his bike ¨C and was then, accompanied by barking dogs, in the neighbourhood nearby.

    ¡­ maybe these were selfish thoughts of him SELF-CENTERING HIMSELF, as he was constantly reminded of, too often ¨C ¡®what¡¯ about Janey, WAS SHE IN TROUBLE ¨C if his gift of THE SKATEBOARD TO HER, was found out by her parents?

    His mind was so muddled, due to his lack of sleep ¨C he was LOSING CONTROL OF HIS REALITY but he fought back hard¡­ thinking simply of Jane Wilson ¨C his ¡®only¡¯ trustworthy friend and girlfriend¡­

    He desperately needed, to hear her golden-voice¡­

    He glowed in pink when he called her cellphone.

    By the 3<sup>rd</sup> ring, the blind girl¡¯s voice in her reply, yelling¡­

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Janey! It¡¯s me ¨C where are you?¡± Whispering, Peter pleaded, in desperation.

    ¡°Hi, Boyfriend! I¡¯m WITH MY MOTHER in the Gucci store and we are shopping for some dresses. My mom intends to dress me up, like one of her childhood Barbie B-girl dolls, alright, SEE YOU TOMORROW!¡±

    The one-armed boy didn¡¯t know ¨C what-was Janey angry and upset about¡­ but he needed to ¡®see¡¯ her badly.

    ¡°Okay Gucci store, I¡¯m coming over!¡± Peter ended the call.

    <><>

    ¡°YOU! YOU DON¡¯T MAKE A BIG SCENE IN PUBLIC!¡± demanded the doctor-mother in the Gucci departmental store, wagging her finger, over her blind daughter¡¯s tantrum¡­

    ¡­ like if, her B-girl can ¡®see¡¯ it.

    Jane Wilson was fuming over her over-protective mother¡¯s interference now ¨C controlling, HER SENSE OF FASHION, and her mum wanted her to wear more dresses. Jane¡¯s argument was, she spent half a day in school, wearing a skirt ¨C and preferred wearing shorts and pants ¨C FOR COMFORT-ELSEWHERE, like Alicia.

    ¡®What¡¯ made Jane lost her ¡®cool¡¯ was when Shelley Wilson badmouthed her best-friend ¨C saying that Alicia was a bad influence on her, who had encouraging her to wear loud-colours¡­ and her dreadlocked hairstyle¡­

    ¡­ which made her look ¡®wild.¡¯

    Shelley Wilson had also badmouthed constantly, of Peter Walker as her delinquent boyfriend, and his irresponsible inspector-mother ¨C for his poor-up-bringing. She too had this habit saying out her thoughts ¨C of being ¡®proper and in-place¡¯¡­

    ¡­ and, by proving everyone was ¡®wrong¡¯ too.

    One of the celebrity examples that Shelley Wilson drilled Jane with constantly ¨C was the blind-singer Stevie Wonder ¨C who, ¡®her¡¯ own parents while growing up had constantly played his ¡®music¡¯ in their house¡­ and everyone loved Stevie, back in her-days¡­

    ¡­Shelley grew up, singing it like it was a 2<sup>nd</sup>nature ¨C but, until in her teens, when she later saw the blind singer in MTV music videos, for the first time, of the 80s and later, in the 90s on the internet ¨C she was appalled and horrified¡­This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡­ the music industry ¡®dressed¡¯ him up in LOUD COLOURS, in the clothes he wore and the WEIRD HAIRDOS ¨C so that the blind singer of the ¡¯60s, was keeping up with the fashion, of the current times of the 80¡¯s ¨C to stay ¡®relevant¡¯ with the popular music, of the times.

    That SHATTERED SHELLEY¡¯S musical perception and illusion ¨C that was laughable looking at the-singer¡­ by today in social media, in present times standards¡­

    ¡°You are a blind girl, and you CANNOT SEE IT NOW, but they will laugh at you, when they see your photos ¡®tomorrow,¡¯ and judge you for your poor fashion sense ¡®now¡¯ ¨C by then, it¡¯s too late!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always this B-girl BS with you, Mommy ¨C ¡®WHY¡¯ CAN¡¯T I LIVE LIKE a normal girl, my age?¡± Jane asked.

    ¡°To me, Jane, FIRST-IMPRESSION ¡®MATTERS¡¯ ¨C and everything should be proper and in place.¡± The impeccable mother replied her back.

    ¡°So, you really LOOK DOWN ON BLIND PEOPLE ¨C and guess what, which side of the family did I inherit this-blindness from? It¡¯s YOUR SIDE OF THE FAMILY, Mom! All those glaucoma and cataract cases, with your seniors, in your family tree ¨C be prepared, when it¡¯s ¡®your¡¯ turn, Mommy ¨C ONLY TIME WILL TELL.¡± Her blind daughter replied.

    Dr Shelley Wilson was staggered a moment¡­ and she got on her high horse, and argued back¡­

    The one-armed Peter Walker was looking-in from the glass panel-window of the Gucci departmental store, at his girlfriend disputing with her mother, with some onlookers gawking. The conversation was INAUDIBLE FROM OUTSIDE ¨C and Peter concluded¡­

    ¡­ that it was about ¡®him.¡¯

    Seeing Jane glowing paler and paler ¨C left the ¡®boyfriend¡¯ uneasy to bear. He got on his mountain bike, and he hurried away into the heart of Perth City...

    ¡­ for solitude in escapism.

    <><>

    DWANE ¡®THE ROCK¡¯ JOHNSON IN THE SKYSCRAPER¡¯S movie poster attracted him. Peter had watched the movie trailer in YouTube but was ¡®not¡¯ impressed by it, and he also read movie critics, saying it was a clear rip-off, from the ever-popular Die Hard, of the 80s.

    But the one-armed boy needed the ¡®distraction¡¯ from his girlfriend-and-her-mother-problems ¨C so, without being judgmental, he stepped into the cineplex, bought the ticket¡­ and a set of popcorns-and-coke, stepped into the half-filled dark cinema hall, with his low expectations.

    But Peter was blown away by the thrilling action run and, the performance of the bald-headed, Big-muscled actor ¨C who played the hero, with A PROSTHETIC LEG who overcame the ¡®odds¡¯ despite being a handicap¡­

    ¡­ maybe he WOULD RECOMMEND THE MOVIE to his quadriplegic twin, at home later ¨C and Poe could catch it in Netflix.

    He was pumped-up, and motivated when he stepped out of his ¡®escapism¡¯ of the cinema hall, into the ¡®real-world¡¯ ¨C Peter walked in the foyer, to exit out of the cineplex, glowing in healthy pink¡­

    ¡­ until he bumped into Alicia¡­ with her older cousin, Lily Wang ¨C who was on the phone.

    ¡°Hey G¡¯day Peter¡­ did you go tennis training with Janey?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ she postponed it.¡± He sighed.

    ¡°Oh-okay, what movie did you watch?¡±

    ¡°Skyscraper.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Ugg! Another over-the-top CGI production from Hollywood.¡± Alicia remarked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s ¡®not¡¯ ¨C It has a decent storyline, and pacing.¡±

    ¡°Oh, did it¡­? We just watched Crazy Rich Asian, it was heartwarming, and you should ask JANE OUT AND SEE IT ¨C she will enjoy it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t watch Chinese films.¡±

    ¡°It is in English, silly!¡± Alicia snapped at him.

    ¡°Oh okay, I will probably go watch Crazy Rich Asian 2, the sequel then ¨C unless if, Jacky Chan stars in it ¨C see you around, Chinatown Wong,¡± Peter smirked.

    The one-armed boy swaggered away.

    <><>

    NIGHT-TIME, AT THE WALKERS ¨C THE INSPECTOR-MOTHER had returned home from her long, hour shift.

    In his bedroom¡­ Peter was watching South Park cartoon on Netflix and was laughing aloud with the character Eric Cartman, tormenting his Black classmate, for ¡®not¡¯ watching MCU¡¯s Black Panther.

    The door knocked¡­

    At once, Peter felt sick in the stomach, of interrogation he had expected¡­ regarding his visit over and TAKING JANE WILSON OUT, without her doctor-mother¡¯s permission. He took a moment longer, unlocking the door ¨C EXPECTING THE ¡®WORST.¡¯

    Caroline Walker asked. ¡°Have you eaten your dinner?¡±

    Wide-eyes, the one-armed boy nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow evening, at 7 ¨C we are invited to the Wilsons for dinner. You can grab an Uber ride with Poe, and you 2 go on first there ¨C and I will arrive there later, after work.¡±

    The inspector-mother turned her back and left. That puzzled that one-armed son, even more ¨C or what?

    He had ANTICIPATING THE FAR WORST ¨C of his police-mother questioning if he was Jane¡¯s boyfriend? It was all in the newspapers¡­ he was sure she was a smart-cop enough, to at least, read the newspapers.

    Maybe she ¡®knew¡¯ it ¨C and that was the main topic to be, while the adults present, who would interrogate him, and Janey tomorrow evening.

    Peter anticipated the main culprit, who would be present there tomorrow ¨C Ms Diane King, the school counsellor, who had ¡®poisoned¡¯ the minds of the mothers, whose children she counselled.

    But he had ¡®no¡¯ fear of her ¨C she was the ¡®real¡¯ fraud, using her China-made technology, that projected holograms. Maybe, tomorrow evening was where he would expose the foul-play of this scammer, that con-woman was pulling ¨C and his truth would be told to naysayers, and to regain the trust, of the non-believer mothers.

    <><>

    FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN THAT HELLISH WEEK, that previously woke Peter constantly up in dreadful nightmares in both nights, and even afternoon naps ¨C the one-armed tween woke up that Friday morning without those, but¡­

    ¡­ from a peaceful, restful and deep-sound slumber.

    He felt ¡®great,¡¯ and was on top of the world ¨C with his first pleasant thought of the morning, was of his girlfriend Jane.

    He was anticipating meeting her at her house, that evening for the dinner invitation.

    Then¡­ IT WAS ¡®SHOWTIME¡¯¡­ if those adults were to question him and Janey, led by the mind-poisoning Ms King.

    <><>

    WAKING UP HUNGRY, IT DREAMED OF JANE feeding it after school. The blind girl used to talk to him until he finished eating his chow. He ate wagging his tail, listening to her talking about her new school ¨C unlike the previous blind-school, where he followed Jane, as her guide dog.

    Piper looked at the chow bowl, half-filled, in the vet-clinic ¨C but it HAD NO APPETITE for dried, processed food¡­ but craved for an organic wet, juicy fresh-kill.

    Piper was medium-sized in frame, for an Alsatian dog, but he looked bigger, as he was a mixed breed of Siberian huskie¡­ where he inherited the thick grey fur. He looked at the other cages in the kennel, at bigger dogs¡­ like the Bullmastiff, Saint Bernard, and Russian borzoi wolfhound¡­ were LOOKING ¡®AFRAID¡¯ of him...

    ¡­ even the Rottweiler, healing from his dog-fight injuries, was ¡®NOT¡¯ MAKING eye contact.

    And, it used to be a riot-house, in the vet-clinic before ¨C with yipping, bored toy dogs¡­ and the occasional barking of bigger dogs ¨C but ¨C when the caged-canines saw a ¡®new¡¯ dog brought in¡­ that was provoking to their marked territories.

    ¡­ but, ever since Piper who was bitten by a black panther, was brought in 4 nights ago ¨C the kennels have been dead quiet, and each dog, had ¡®not¡¯ been having its restful sleep or, they slept with one eye open ¨C fearing of the bitten, infected dog with a jungle-wild, killer-instinct of a predator, in their midst.

    But, a Portuguese waterdog, with half of her black, curly fur fallen off, from her bony body, suffering from cancer ¨C and she was ¡®not¡¯ afraid of the ¡®infected¡¯ Piper. In pain, she yelped and howl, that she wished Piper, would tear her up to death, ending her painful suffering.

    That heightened their fear auras, with those dogs, big or small ¨C and their loss of appetite and sleep, in many of the hounds, quietly present¡­ whimpering-softly¡­

    ¡­ in the first couple of days, since Piper was brought to the vet clinic, the addiction for blood-sport was so strong ¨C the guttural urge of killing humans, especially children ¨C who were the weaker preys, and defenceless.

    At 2:10 PM, that Friday afternoon ¨C Anthony Wilson, was with his blind daughter, came to collect their dog home, from the vet clinic.

    Jane approached the kennel cage calling his name, the clouded big dog saw her ¡®glowing.¡¯ The sickly and dying concerned, Portuguese waterdog sent a scent to the confused neu-bloodthirst beast ¨C that reminded him, that it SHOULD ¡®NEVER¡¯ ATTACK his master.

    Every dog was uneasy, whimpering at the anticipation ¨C of Piper¡¯s attack.

    The infected dog then stood-down ¨C and further sensing messages from every dog, that Piper could ¡®not¡¯ be loyal to any human-masters any-more ¨C and should by hound-law ¨C ¡®not¡¯ to be around humans too¡­

    ¡­ and, he should run away, far away, as possible.

    The cancer-dying bitch expired ¨C after sending her last-dying message to Piper ¨C of leading a life in solitude¡­

    ¡­ as a lone wolf.

 Chapter 10: The Table for 9

    IN THE UBER RIDE, PAUL WAS WITH HIS TWIN¡­ and he suggested to stop over at the florist and buy a bouquet, as a good gesture ¨C but it was immediately shot-down by Peter, that bringing flowers was ¡®Old-School¡¯.

    But Paul insisted that they should ¨C it was appropriate, and it was the first-time dinner invitation ¡®by¡¯ anyone, in 2 years since their father¡¯s tragic death.

    ¡°Poe, what you are saying ¡®that¡¯ because ¨C Mom is too busy to prepare us home-cooked food, right¡­? So, it is all about, ¡®what¡¯ you can eat, yeah?¡±

    ¡°No, you dummy! It is about giving a good, and solid first-impression ¨C and has finesse too.¡±

    ¡°You talking about finesse, Poey¡­? Wait till they see you eat later, like Godzilla.¡±

    Peter laughed aloud, as he continued¡­

    ¡°So now¡­ here you ¡®are,¡¯ lavishly have money to throw around, like a new-jack from Malaysia. Why should you ¡®not¡¯¡­ cause¡¯ you ask money from Mom? ¨C and, she happily gives to you, on top of your pocket allowances. That is Economic 101 for-you ¨C by-using your Mom as your banker!¡±

    ¡°Cut the crap, Peter ¨C this is the money I what ¡®hard-saved,¡¯ okay? At least, I¡¯m a homebody ¨C and I don¡¯t waste money eating my every other meal out always ¨C unlike you¡­ and your Big-Macs.¡±

    ¡°That is right, I need to eat well¡­ because unlike you, I am a sportsman ¨C I need my proteins fresh, and¡­ get more, from supplement capsules¡­¡±

    ¡°And, the caffeine-Red Bulls too, yea¡­?¡± Paul cut in¡­

    ¡°Yeah, and that too ¨C but, that¡¯s beside the point, but come next school term ¨C I want my pocket allowance increased and ¨C Mom better BUY ME GOOD TENNIS SHOES too!

    ¡°Poe listen, here is ¡®how¡¯ it goes ¨C you don¡¯t let her go overbudget! I need at least one ¡®good¡¯ pair of good shoes¡­ as her least motherly contribution to me. I don¡¯t want her making any excuses of ¡®we will get it next month¡¯ and all. This is a ¡®PRIORITY¡¯ PURCHASE, and you don¡¯t cut corners when I say ¡®priority.¡¯ I need to go for my training, mate ¨C that¡¯s my dream to be one of the country¡¯s best. But of late, it seems, it is a ¡®secondary¡¯ priority to her¡­

    ¡°This is ¡®our¡¯ mother, we are talking of here ¨C WHAT KIND OF MOM, who is ¡®not¡¯ supportive of her own son¡¯s dreams!!?¡±

    Paul rolled over his eyes, at his twin¡¯s ranting ¨C and before long, the car arrived at the florist.

    <><>

    THE UBER RIDE ARRIVED AT THE WILSONS ¨C PETER CURSED PAUL, as he lifted him to the wheelchair. The twins have dressed alike, in tailored black pants and white shirt, all buttoned up ¨C but, Paul decided to go the extra mile, by putting on a bowtie, and wore his fake eyeglasses, for a good first impression to the Wilsons.

    In his wheelchair, Paul was holding the bouquet of flowers and was pushed along by his one-armed twin, who was still cursing. They looked up to Wilson¡¯s house, that was ¡®not¡¯ as big, as their dead-dad had built for them ¨C but Wilson¡¯s lawn was well kept.

    Paul reached out from his wheelchair, to ring the doorbell, but Peter BEAT HIM TO IT and rang it twice. The one-armed twin then told him¡­

    ¡°You should check out the interior and furniture in there, Poe ¨C Janey¡¯s father works, high up there, in King Living ¨C the #1 Australia¡¯s furniture company. He is a ¡®big¡¯ deal over there.¡±

    ¡°You ¡®BEEN¡¯ HERE BEFORE?¡± Paul asked, incurious.

    ¡°Yeah, I even went up to Janey¡¯s room.¡± Bragged the winking-Peter and chuckled.

    Before the more inquisitive Paul asked ¡®when¡¯ ¨C the door opened ¨C and Lola Flores the Filipina babysitter appeared.

    Peter greeted her. ¡°Kamustaka, Lady Heimdall!¡±

    During Peter¡¯s rehab in the hospital, after losing his arm ¨C a Filipina nurse who he was fond of, taught him some simple phrases and greetings.

    That surprised Lola ¨C and the serious-faced lady smiled¡­

    ¡°Who is Lady Heimdall?¡±

    ¡°No worries, ¡®he¡¯ is one of the good guys,¡± Peter told.

    ¡°He¡­?¡±

    Mrs Wilson then emerged at the front door, behind Lola ¨C straightway, Paul reached out, handing the flowers while greeting her. Shelley Wilson was delighted at the gesture and THANKED PAUL. She caught the one-armed Peter quiet and staring at her, and he nodded ¨C as a tacit understanding, and the doctor-mother nodded back.

    Paul was wowed, when he saw the interior decor, with posh high-end furniture ¨C whereas, their house was the outdated style in IKEA, of yesteryears¡­

    ¡­ the Walkers live in a bigger house BUT WERE CASH-POOR ¨C Insp. Caroline Walker was a single mother of 2 handicapped sons, struggling with her paycheck to make ends meet ¨C and, was ¡®dealing¡¯ also¡­ with ¡®paying-off¡¯ her dead husband¡¯s gambling debt.

    She had made many sacrifices of working long hours, and night school of detective exams ¨C where if she passed it, she will be promoted to a higher post OF INSPECTOR-DETECTIVE, with a pay raise.

    ¡°Where is my Crazy-Rich-Caucasian?¡±

    ¡­ Peter whispered to Paul when he pushed the wheelchair into the living room.

    ¡°Where is Janey at¡­?¡± The one-armed boyfriend asked Lola, with a smile.

    Meanwhile, at Wilson¡¯s backyard ¨C Piper the big dog was asleep in the barred cage, still weak from being medicated, since coming home from the vet clinic. Anthony Wilson was with blind Jane, who wore a pink Gucci dress ¨C Alicia Wong was there too, carrying Baby Samuel.

    ¡°Let him rest, he will recover soon.¡± Her father told his blind daughter.

    Lola appeared at the kitchen door, looking out¡­

    ¡°Jane, your friends from school are here.¡±

    <><>

    ¡°CAN HE RAP?¡± PETER ASKED when after seeing the Black, baby brother of Jane. Paul face-palmed himself, blushing.

    ¡°No, you silly ¨C he can barely talk.¡± Jane giggled out, to Peter¡¯s joke¡­

    ¡­ but the one-armed boyfriend was still awed, looking at the eyes of the ebony, cherubic-faced, Babyboy ¨C and-he ¨C LOOKED BEYOND into the kid¡¯s ¡®future¡¯ ¨C and Peter, dramatically gazing towards the ceiling, and he exclaimed, pointing his only arm, up¡­

    ¡°Jaheem the Australian, the first Black rapper ¨C who is to be famous internationally, in the near future! I will be ¡®his¡¯ agent by then¡­ and I will get him ¡®big¡¯ music-contract deals.¡±

    Paul clammed him down¡­

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, and bloody-get ¡®real¡¯ ¨C in the first place¡­ you don¡¯t knowledge of music-history¡­ you don¡¯t bloody-know ¡®who¡¯ Elvis-was¡­ and¡­ you don¡¯t know the first thing, about how the music industry works?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s beside the point, you have to THINK BIG LIKE ME! Like-I still want to be the best tennis player of Straya, mate!¡±

    Paul and Alicia rolled their eyes to his BS ¨C except for the delighted Jane, who cried out¡­

    ¡°You can do it, Champ!¡±

    Only Paul in the living room could see them both glowing, in bright radiance ¨C into their respective colours. He too felt a certain ¡®HIGH¡¯ SENSATION, just being among them both.

    Then everything turned around 360 ¨C as Dr Wilson then greeted her first adult visitor arriving, at the door, in that evening ¨C Ms Diane King, the SHS¡¯ student counsellor ¨C and Peter¡¯s con-woman¡­

    ¡­ Paul and Jane glowed paler by then ¨C while both saw Peter who was ¡®bitter,¡¯ was glowing dark red with negativity, in the living room...

    ¡­ soon-as, the inspector-mother would arrive¡­ and the ¡®adults would gang-up ¨C and interrogate him, and punish him ¡®more.¡¯

    Ms King was there, shaking Mr and Mrs Wilson¡¯s hands. This was the 2<sup>nd</sup> time, she met the Wilsons, face-to-face ¨C the first time was at the hospital, after the narrow survival of the 3-handicappers, from the thunderstorm at the dairy farm, in Treeton.

    But the counsellor kept in touch ¨C with Mrs Wilson ever since, and did follow-ups, with her phone calls. But, when the doctor-mother had complained recently that Peter Walker was trespassing into the residence ¨C Ms King suggested that Inspector Walker should be introduced into the ¡®circle¡¯¡­

    ¡­ but Caroline Walker was ¡®not¡¯ here yet, in presence¡­ that evening ¨C running late for the dinner invitation, at the Wilsons.

    ¡­ Jane noticed that Peter was growing angrier¡­ and he was sending out choking-negative vibes ¨C she had to get him ¡®out¡¯ of the living room before he went berserk and ballistic. She took his hand, and ¡®said¡¯ in ear-shot to everyone, especially her-Mommy...

    ¡°Come with me, ¡®my-bad boy¡¯ ¨C I will give you a tour of my room.¡±

    Everyone gazed in discomfit, at them both going upstairs.

    Shelley Wilson was shocked at her blind daughter¡¯s REBELLIOUS BEHAVIOR to get-back at-her ¨C as they have ¡®not¡¯ speak to each other¡­ since their argument of the B-girl¡¯s fashion sense, at the Gucci store yesterday.

    ¡­ Alicia saw Dr Wilson looking in horrified embarrassment, and the Chinese girl gave doctor-mother a sense of relief and ¡®face¡¯ ¨C when she-too followed them upstairs, from behind.

    Dr Wilson told Ms. King, in private, that her blind daughter was getting more rebellious lately ¨C and the incident, when she fought with her at the departmental store yesterday, and the mother and daughter WERE ¡®NOT¡¯ IN SPEAKING terms.

    Upstairs¡­ the blind Jane entered her bedroom, saying¡­

    ¡°Hey Champ, I want you to see, ¡®something¡¯ in my bed.¡±

    Peter enter a pitched dark, bedroom.

    ¡°Whoa, hold on a sec, Janey ¨C let me first switch on the light.¡±

    Blind-Jane laughed at her silly mistake.

    ¡°Sorry about that.¡±

    The lights went on, Peter saw a long, narrow plank that was suspended onto the posts, of the Queen-sized bed.

    ¡°This is where I used to train, to gain my balance in me¡­ so that when I rode the skateboard, I have that ¡®control¡¯¡­ my former SIMY taught me that?¡±

    Peter replied. ¡°Impressive! You were a natural, too bad ¨C I regret, ¡®not¡¯ capturing the video of doing your maiden ¡¯jump¡¯ ¨C too busy chasing after you, going fast downhill ¨C maybe if we could invest in a GoPro camera¡­ and could attached that to your helmet, the next time.¡±

    ¡°You mean, there is A ¡®NEXT¡¯ TIME, we go skateboarding, Peter¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why ¡®not¡¯¨C that¡¯s if you want it¡­?¡±

    She came and hugged him, and kissed his cheek. ¡°I would l love that ¨C and would also love to continue my tennis if you coach me¡­ even when school reopens¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why ¡®not¡¯ ¨C been already a week since spring break¡­ and, I myself hardly went self-training¡­ and I feel so guilty too¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be, Champ ¨C TOMORROW WE ¡®BOTH¡¯ are definitely going!¡±

    ¡°How is that possible, Janey? Your SIMY, for your guidance, is broken¡­ and all¡­¡±

    ¡°I know ¨C but over in America, Uncle Jack is configuring-sending my new-SIMY set, and I will get it only during the next school term. But till then¡­ tomorrow I am going to ¡®use¡¯ our glowing of yellow and pink, to ¡®see¡¯ ¨C I want to CALL IT, MY 3<sup>RD</sup>-EYE...¡±

    ¡°Is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¨C I WILLING TO ¡®TRY¡¯ THAT, for you.¡±

    Peter was excited, came forward and hugged her ¨C and kissed his blind girlfriend¡¯s cheek, saying¡­

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Alicia was behind the wall, of the opened bedroom door ¨C SPYING ON THEM. She heard the worried voice of Anthony the father, calling out to Jane COME DOWN, FOR DINNER.

    ¡­ Alicia left the spot.

    <>

    PETER LED JANE DOWNSTAIRS, HOLDING HER HANDS. Doctor-mother observed from the living room ¨C that Jane liked to be pampered, like a B-girl, in her own house, by her ¡®boyfriend¡¯ although she was equally capable and independent. Shelley also detected that her B-girl also used 2 set of voices ¨C a serious tone with her parents, and¡­

    ¡­ changing it into a funny and teasing tone, used when she spoke to her baby-brother¡­

    ¡­ and now, with-her ¡®boyfriend.¡¯

    They both were the first to sit at the dining table, on the opposite sides ¨C with 9 dinner plates. The table was also segregated-to ¨C ¡®adults and kiddies¡¯ ¨C with Paul¡¯s bouquet of flowers, in a Venus de Milo glass vase¡­ in the ¡®middle¡¯ of the table, which separated them from the grownups¡¯ side.

    It was 7:10 PM ¨C and Caroline Walker was ¡®not¡¯ there, she was ¡®really¡¯ late. Paul was desperately trying to reach her but ¨C she had switched off her phone¡­ so he left her a couple of voice messages¡­

    ¡­ back in the living room, Ms King and the Wilsons were having Kahlua as aperitive ¨C and all 3 of them were chatting about Stamford High School, and waiting for Insp. Walker¡­

    ¡­ Peter and Jane were sitting across each other, quietly feeding ¡®each-other¡¯ positive energy, radiating out of each-other¡­ Shelley Wilson excused herself to help Lola in the kitchen ¨C she passed the dining room, where the 2 rebel kids were, and she caught Peter winking at her blind-daughter ¨C but some-how¡­ Jane was blushing, giggling and was showing in-her body language ¨C was of-response to the flirting¡­

    ¡­ that astonished doctor-mother further about her B-girl¡­ as she noticed both their feet, were ¡®not¡¯ in contact, under the table.

    Paul then heard a familiar motorcar engine ¨C it was his mother¡¯s Audi. He was relieved that she had arrived.

    <>

    PETER DISTINGUISHED HIS MOTHER¡¯S VOICE, while seated in the dining hall table ¨C but, there was another familiar male voice indistinct, and the one-armed boy, could ¡®not¡¯ put a face to it ¨C until, his twin Paul spoke out¡­

    ¡°Isn¡¯t THAT PRINCIPLE HARRIS¡­? Jane, did your parents invite him too?¡±

    Jane shrugged. ¡°I have no idea, Pauly ¨C I was ¡®not¡¯ told.¡±

    ¡­ Peter saw the 9<sup>th</sup> plate, on the table ¨C he ¡®assumed¡¯ wrong, thinking Lola the babysitter, was to join them.

    His world was closing-in, caving-up his confidence into the floor ¨C Peter was getting mixed emotions, once again, of fear-and-anger. He was glowing in different darker hues, and¡­ Jane cautioned him¡­Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°Peter¡­ please control yourself ¨C breathe deep.¡±

    Paul saw¡­ Jane playing the ¡®role¡¯ of the Black Widow of the MCU¡¯s Avengers ¨C calming down Bruce Banner, from turning into the menacing and rampaging Hulk.

    In the living room, Principle Tom Harris and Insp. Caroline Walker both apologized for being late¡­ they both, each were carrying a bottle of wine respectively. All the 5 adults then proceeded to the dining hall ¨C the wide-eyed Peter looked up at his mother, nodding to her¡­

    ¡­ she was wearing her favourite dress, that she had ¡®never¡¯ worn since his father¡¯s death¡­ 2 YEARS AGO ¨C and the family photo proved so, taken when Solomon Walker was alive.

    The rest of the tweens, greeted good evening to their principle ¨C except for Peter¡­ who was still in a controlled-panic-mode¡­ and who had ¡®not¡¯ anticipated that Tom Harris, to be a fellow guest, in Wilson¡¯s dinner invitation list.

    He mentally blamed the cunning Ms King, for bring on his ¡®most¡¯ feared arsenal first ¨C that things were now turn-tabled, in his plans ¨C where-he was expecting to reveal Ms King as a fraud, who was the con-woman, like a true-detective by the end of the dinner evening, in a who-done-it mystery¡­

    ¡­ with everyone present¡­

    ¡­ and his inspector-mother would ¡®believe¡¯ him and¡­ it all had a happy-ending with ¨C Principle Harris would-then fire his ¡®minion¡¯ for failing her mission ¨C and use that excuse, as his career coverup...

    But the table was ¡®now¡¯ turned¡­ and Principle Tom Harris was-now ¡®here¡¯ ¨C where the ¡®Big-Bad¡¯ possessed the high-authority to ¡®expel¡¯ him from school¡­ and put a dead-end his big-big dreams ¨C of being a world-class tennis player.

    The entr¨¦e of garlic prawns was served, but before they ate ¨C his crippled twin Paul decided to be the ¡®Preacher,¡¯ and insisting that he should say grace. The showoff ¡®Humperdoo¡¯ took almost a whole minute, before everyone chorused amen.

    Next, came the main-course ¨C caramelized sweet-chilli steaks. Peter was thankful that Lola was thoughtful enough, to slice the meat to fork bite-size chunks ¨C but he was offended by her table-setting, that Lola had ¡®not¡¯ put a steak-knife in the napkin ¨C like she''s worried, that he ¡®was¡¯ the psycho slasher-sort.

    The home-cooked food was delicious, but Peter¡¯s appetite was ¡®not¡¯ at heart. He quietly listened to each word, that those adults were speaking casually¡­

    ¡­ they were on a first-name basis now ¨C Tom, Tony, Shelley and Diane ¨C that showed, the Wilsons had known his principle before.

    The Wilsons had got their first introduction, to his mother ¨C the adult-couple too now called her Caroline, instead of Insp. Walker¡­

    ¡­ but it was funny¡­ because Principle Harris was addressing his mother as Insp. Walker in his office, more than a week ago during his debacle, in the court with Zubeer Khan, where he clouted him with his racquet¡­

    But this evening, Tom Harris too was calling her Caroline¡­ and after the 2<sup>nd</sup> glass of red wine, he started-called her Carol¡­

    ¡­ whoa, ¡®only¡¯ his father called his mother Carol.

    Peter soon began to ¡®switch-off¡¯ when the adults were into their trivial conversations, into their first 15 minutes ¨C but ¡®nothing¡¯ was said¡­ about him and Janey.

    ¡­ Peter noticed Paul was eating proper¡­ but as a ¡®busybody¡¯ he interrupted the adults, with occasional questions, and made them laugh. He was a showoff ¨C ¡®big-brains-short-legs¡¯ ¨C Janey too was at that moment having a ¡®private,¡¯ whispering conversation with Alicia.

    On the table, the status-authority Principle Harris dominated the majority of the conversation, and those around him listened and agreed to him. Even his mother nodded more and laughed at his witty comments¡­

    ¡­ Principle Harris had known the WILSON MUCH LONGER ¨C when they first admitted their blind daughter, into the Stamford system, 2 YEARS AGO ¨C and he had devised a personal initiation and also push the school board''s envelope, by asking teachers to come-up creative ways to adapt and accommodate a visually impaired student into their classrooms ¨C and ¡®best¡¯ assist her and her AI SIMY device and give a favourable head-start.

    It was a major success and Jane Wilson excelled top in class ¨C but, AFTER 4 MONTHS of that ¡®same¡¯ year, Tom Harris also assisted the widow Caroline Walker ¨C with both of her twin sons, who studied in his school¡­ who were then involved in an automobile accident.

    In the table-conversation, there was a passing mention of Perth¡¯s skyscraper fire. Then, out of the blue arose, the topic of the black panther¡­ but they were talking ¡®more¡¯ of its capture and how lucky Jane had survived, saved by her hero-dog¡­

    ¡­ Peter too heard Piper the hero-mutt was back from the vets ¨C and, it was outside in the backyard, resting in medication. Nothing was mentioned on ¡®why¡¯ Janey had gone-out that night, even though the whole-of-Perth was ¡®gossiping¡¯ about ¨C that she went out with her dog, to see her ¡®boyfriend¡¯ ¨C after they read it in the printed newspapers¡­ and online on ¡®Facey¡¯ too.

    Even his police Mom was mum, over it ¨Cand ¡®that¡¯ baffled him.

    Then the dessert came, it was pavlova with lemon curd  ¨C ¡®not¡¯ exactly Peter¡¯s favourite, and he was more into the savoury kinds, like baked pies. After dessert, the tweens were excused from the table ¨C and they were shooed ¡®out¡¯¡­ to go to the backyard, to the outdoor gazebo ¨C so that the adults could continue, their conversation in private.

    Alicia led Jane from the table¡­ followed by his twin Paul, rolling his chair over, to keep up with the girls. But-Peter sat 2 minutes longer at the table, pretended to finish his pavlova ¨C and he observed his mother, who was ¡®totally¡¯ serious at work and home, but letting-her-hair-down¡­ enjoying a hearty conversation¡­

    ¡­ in her favourite dress¡­ laughing aloud and occasionally smacking the principal¡¯s arm to his witty comments ¨C with-the effect of the 3<sup>rd</sup> glass of wine.

    ¡­ Peter then stood up, over the bouquet of Paul¡¯s flowers in a vase ¨C he looked over-it¡­ and excused himself. Every silent-adult¡¯s eye followed him¡­ out of sight, from the dining hall.

    He went out to the kitchen and saw an open door, which led to the outdoors. He saw Lola having her dinner alone, he complimented with a thumbs up, flashed from his single arm.

    ¡°Great cooking, Lady H ¨C Salamat.¡±

    He thanked her and exited the back-door.

    -O-

    Peter saw his friends at the gazebo, and he also noticed the big dog in its cage. He walked over to the cage, made friendly-sounds, by clicking his tongue. Piper whose neck was bandaged was partially sleeping¡­ and its ears stood up¡­

    ¡­ it was disorientated when it saw a glowing one-armed boy¡­ who was acknowledging and approaching. The animal was confused, and partially fearing of the glow ¨C it ¡®was¡¯ just like the glow of the wild big cat¡¯s eyes, that bit him.

    ¡°Good-dog. You are a good dog.¡±

    ¡­ Peter reached his-arm in the cage, and stroked Piper¡¯s snout¡­ and the big-dog froze still, in fear. The dog noticed the one-armed boy was also unlocking the cage.

    At the gazebo nearby, were Paul, Jane and Alicia who was carrying Baby Samuel¡­ Alicia then exclaimed aloud¡­

    ¡°¡­ Janey-look, Peter is unlocking Piper¡¯s cage!¡±

    ¡­ Lola Flores in the kitchen nearby also heard her cries.

    ¡°Oii! Peter¡­ what are you doing!!?¡± Paul yelled out.

    The docile, grey mixed-breed Alsatian-Siberian huskie stepped out of its cage. He saw Peter nearby, laughing¡­

    ¡°No worries, I¡¯m a dog-whisperer¡­ I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    Peter replied ¨C to impress his girlfriend, Jane.

    ¡­ Jane came forward ¨C Piper saw her approaching, and his Master, WAS ALSO GLOWING. The dog feared, even more ¨C and backed off.

    ¡°What bloody-dog-whisperer¡­? You don¡¯t even ¡®own¡¯ a dog!¡±

    Paul protested, as he too came forward, rolling in his chair.

    ¡°That is beside the point ¨C I¡¯m Doolittle ¨C animals love me!¡± Peter responded back...

    ¡­ Piper was in fear, and barked aloud once ¨C Piper RECALLED JANE SHOOTING fiery bolts that night¡­ when the black panther then attacked them. He then barked aloud at Jane. Even Peter backed off.

    ¡°Piper no! Bad dog!¡± Baby Samuel in Alicia''s arms cried out¡­

    ¡­ Piper recognized the Black, baby-boy ¨C he could foresee the temptation of mauling the baby and tearing him to shreds.

    ¡°Piper¡­! Get into your cage now!¡± Jane ordered-out loud¡­

    ¡­ the fierce dog bared its fangs, at the blind-girl, snarling ¨C Jane froze on the spot, when SHE ¡®SAW¡¯ 2 glowing red dots, in the peripherals of her ¡®superpower,¡¯ that she called as the 3<sup>rd</sup>-eye¡­

    ¡­ to realizing, her blind-guide dog, was ALSO ¡®CURSED¡¯ by Asmodeus.

    The blind-girl was only one meter when she stood still¡­ from the growling, feral dog. It could have leapt and bite into his Master¡¯s neck ¨C but Piper refrained the URGE TO KILL, as it remembered that dying Portuguese waterdog whose scent ¨C REMINDING THAT HE should ¡®not¡¯ attack humans¡­

    ¡­ everyone-present¡­ saw Piper bolting towards the locked back gate, of the backyard ¨C it scaled over, and escaping in the nighttime.

    ¡°Piper, bad dog ¨C come back!¡± As Baby Samuel cried out.

    <><>

    ¡°I ¡®KNOW¡¯ MY DOG, MOMMY ¨C AND, HE WILL COME BACK!¡± Jane the blind daughter replied, at the backyard gazebo...

    ¡°What are you talking about? Piper has ¡®not¡¯ runaway before!¡±

    Snapped doctor-mother, with the comeback.

    Earlier, Lola had informed Shelley, in private ¨C without interrupting the dinner conversation guests¡­ that Piper had escaped from his cage. Shelley excused herself from the dining table ¨C for a confrontation with her rebellious, blind daughter¡­

    ¡°¡­ please Mummy, don¡¯t make a scene ¨C you have thrown a beautiful dinner party, let¡¯s ¡®not¡¯ go and ruin it, okay¡­?¡± Jane said in a pacifying-tone¡­

    ¡­ Jane too had to digest the thought that ¨C her beloved dog was an abomination like her, by the Curse of Asmodeus ¨C and also, she too had kept the cabal-promise of Ms King, who told the ¡®Cursed trio¡¯ ¨C to keep the ¡®secrecy¡¯ from their mothers.

    The doctor-mother shook her head, with SHEER DISAPPOINTMENT, turned her back ¨C and she stared a quick moment, at the one-armed ¡®CULPRIT¡¯ NEARBY ¨C before she headed back to the house, to be with her guests.

    ¡­ Lola followed her doctor-employer, from behind. She was carrying the crying Baby Samuel, who was tearful¡­ that Piper ran away.

    Ever-since Piper was replaced, as the visually impaired guide-dog by the AI SIMY ¨C and, for 2 years HE WAS DEMOTED from a guide-dog to a house-dog ¨C but never the less, the Wilsons loved Piper. BABY SAMUEL WAS FOND of the gentle-giant dog, and likewise¡­ the dog too was protective over him. It even allowed the boy to ride, on his back like a horse.

    Jane-too was emotional, by her-loss¡­ and was led away by Alicia to the gazebo. Paul looked at Peter glowing in darker hues. He was getting angry and scared at the same time. Scared because, Jane¡¯s Mom would tell his Mom, that he was to be ¡®blamed¡¯ for Piper running away. Maybe, this was when, his inspector-mother would arrest him ¨C for the murder of his father.

    It WAS A SIGN ¨C Piper¡¯s running away was a sign¡­ that he too should run away now¡­

    But still grounded, at the same time¡­ the one-armed boy was angry AT ¡®HOW¡¯ THE ADULT-world operated, that gave him ¡®never¡¯ ending disadvantage woes ¨C and TOOK ¡®AWAY¡¯ everything from him, at a young age.

    He blamed the adults ¨C particularly, his inspector-mother¡­ who picked fault-in everything he did ¨C and she always distrusted, in-him ¨C because she ¡®saw¡¯ her dead-husband, in-him, and ¨C she even threatened to sell the house¡­ that his father had built for ¡®him.¡¯

    Then he saw the ¡®bigger picture,¡¯ in ¡®his¡¯ reality ¨C and, his mother had worn her favourite dress¡­ the one that she even dress-in and posed, as a happy-wife, with his father and their twin sons, in the family photograph...

    ¡­ and now, she was on a first-name basis, with his school principal, unlike in his office where they both, were formally addressing each other ¨C but, flash-forward to this evening, they WERE NOW TOM-AND-CAROL¡­

    ¡®¡­ ¡®why¡¯ Principle Tom Harris¡­ of all-the-people in Perth ¨C who is a divorcee, from his estranged, alcoholic ex-wife ¨C the mother, of his 2 full-grown-assed children¡­?¡¯

    He figured out their endgame ¨C both, his inspector-mother and his principle were up to ¡®no¡¯ good ¨C they were trying to end his tennis-playing dreams¡­ by sending him away, locked in prison for murder ¨C so that, they can later sell the house his father, Solomon Walker had built.

    In full-blown negativity, Peter heated with red-glow¡­ he clenched his ¡®single¡¯ fist, wrathful ¨C fuming as he gnashed his teeth, mumbling curses and, he finally stomped his foot once¡­ mad on the grass¡­

    The power in the whole neighbourhoods¡­ were in blackout¡­

    ¡®WTF!!?¡¯

    Soon in the darkness, mummers of indistinct voices were heard ¨C then, came the illumination of flashlights and candles and cellphone-torch, in an every-dark house in the neighbourhood¡­

    ¡­ but back down-under, from Perth to the northeastern, Queensland¡­ there were major blackouts too ¨C then an earthquake broke in the ocean bed ¨C that began in St. Crisp reef, and it destroyed partially of The Great Barrier Reef¡­

    ¡­ the single largest living system in the world, as it was entirely made up of living organisms, mainly coral ¨C and was even visible from outer space¡­

    ¡­ the quake then swallowed Opal reef, Tongue reef and Michaelmascay reef¡­ and destroyed scores of smaller-islands on its part ¨C devastating the ecosystem that comprised thousands of reefs, made of over 600 types of hard and soft coral¡­ the home to countless species of colourful fish, molluscs and starfish, plus turtles, dolphins and sharks¡­

    ¡­ and emitted huge TIDAL WAVES AND TSUNAMIS that drowned, many islands on its path¡­

    ¡­ many coastal citizens of Port Douglas and Cairns had died.

    10 minutes later¡­

    ¡­ Perth in Western Australia, had-regained its power source. Everyone was glad when their electrical appliances¡­ and gadgets were back working¡­.

    The Wilsons¡¯ television came on back, in the living room ¨C an emergency broadcast telecasting live ¨C of the breaking news of the tsunami, happening in the coast of Queensland ¨C resulting thousands of innocent lives lost.

    Every-adult, at the Wilsons, looked at the TV screen HORRIFIED¡­ AT THE CHAOS VISUALS of the ¡®residence-rescue and sufferings.¡¯

    They decided to cut short their dinner engagement ¨C in case, there was a call for a state of emergency nationwide. Caroline Walker¡­ gathered her boys with Tom Harris, to go home.

    Alicia Wong rode with Diane King in her ageing Volvo¡­ they were the first to leave. On their journey back, Alicia informed the counsellor that Jane¡¯s dog, Piper was also ¡®cursed¡¯ and had run away.

    ¡­ Tom Harris lifted Paul Walker, from his wheelchair to the backseat of the Audi. Peter also got into the backseat from the other door, and noticed¡­ his mother sat on the passenger seat in front ¨C his principle came into the driver¡¯s seat, and started the engine.

    ¡®Where is the principal¡¯s own car¡­?¡¯ Peter thought.

    The principle and their mother spoke of the natural disaster that struck Queensland. Silently, Paul constantly looked at his one-armed twin in aghast. In-return, Peter looked back at him annoyed, with his ¡®WTF¡¯ reaction¡­

    ¡­ 20 minutes later, the Walkers reached home. Peter noticed the principal¡¯s smaller, Japanese-hybrid electrical car, was parked in front of his father¡¯s house.

    The one-armed rebel concluded that¡­ while he and his twin took an Uber earlier-over to the Wilsons ¨C TOM-AND-CAROL WERE ¡®HOME-ALONE,¡¯ in the house his father, Solomon Walker had built.

    <><>

    ¡°COME BACK, BAD DOG¡­!¡±

    ¡­ Piper howled softly¡­ once opening its eyes wide, after he slept at a secondary forest. It remembered the voice of the Black-child, ¡®who¡¯ he was running away from.

    It was still exhausting, as it ran some kilometres away from humans¡­ until the medication drug in his blood system had weakened him for a shuteye.

    ¡­ now, wide-eyed, the dog knew it was still in the early hours of the night¡­ as the skies above were still dark and, the cockerels were ¡®not¡¯ crowing yet.

    ¡­ Piper realized that he overlooked, from the bush ¨C at the neighbourhood below, it was where the black panther attacked his blind Master. He remembered the bus ride ¨C but the only difference now¡­ he had just run over here.

    ¡­ then, his ears instantly stood upright and he HEARD A SOUND ¨C a familiar sound of a high-pitched whistle. He barked, feeling provoked, at the presence of the ¡®hated¡¯ AI SIMY, calling on him¡­

    .. for the next-3 minutes, he was exploring the bush, for the source of the whistling ¨C and, was barking angry ¨C calling the AI out to fight.

    The whistling was still there¡­ but AI was ¡®NOT¡¯ THERE, AS IN Jane¡¯s ¡®backpack.¡¯ The big, grey dog was stumped further ¨C to realize the whistling ¡­

    ¡­ was ¡®IN-ITS-HEAD.¡¯

    The whistles were the ¡®directions¡¯¡­ that SIMY was giving Piper to follow ¨C which was the scent-trail of dogs that the black panther killed, as it had reached the neighbourhood ¨C the blood-sport that the wild big cat engaged then¡­ was ¡®now¡¯ a scent-trail back, that Piper should follow...

    ¡­ to get back to the ¡®source¡¯¡­ where the wild beast had escaped from ¨C the South Perth Zoo.

    <>

    ¡­ THE BLIND GIRL GRIMACED DEEP IN PAIN. It was past midnight ¨C she needed a pain-killer aspirin for the splitting migraine ¨C but her doctor-mother was sleeping.

    She gritted her teeth tight, bearing the agony¡­

    ¡­ it seems like a knife was scrapping the inside of her head. Followed by a distinct whistling, and coupled with louder scratchy sounds¡­ somewhat of tuning to a RADIO FREQUENCY¡­

    ¡­. that grew louder-and-louder¡­

    ¡­ then, the blind Jane HEARD IT, ¡®INSIDE¡¯ her head¡­

    ¡°JANE¡­¡±

    It was the faint voice of a ghost ¨C HER ¡®DEAD SIMY¡¯ was calling her.

    <>

    ¡­ HE WAS SELF-PRACTISING TENNIS ALONE, at the outdoor court¡­

    ¡­ feeling ¡®great¡¯ as accomplished¡­ that he managed to train his single arm, that was now delivering ¡®perfect¡¯ volleys, to the Spitfire tennis machine.

    ¡­ Peter heard the flapping wings ¨C and he saw the 2 sized bull-dragons¡­ soaring over the tennis courts, casting long and dark shadows. He saw the black panther, riding on one of the scaly creatures ¨C but, it was a different ¡®manifestation¡¯ of a rider¡­

    ¡­ who had the body of a Black man, but with the wild, big cat¡¯s head.

    ¡­ the one-armed boy realized he ¡®was¡¯ in his dream world.

    The buffalo horned-dragon perched on-4 on top like-a dog¡­ on-top-of the railing of the green fenced, tennis court. The Nigerian spoke up¡­

    ¡°Greeting son of Suleiman! You did a great job ¨C you annihilated a national heritage!¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I did no such thing! First of all, I am ¡®not¡¯ cursed ¨C and secondly¡­ I also have the rights to my ¡®own¡¯ thoughts and emotions¡­ and to feel whatever and whenever I want¡­!¡±

    ¡­ Peter looked above and shouted back fisting his-one arm.

    Looking below¡­ the black panther-man laughed out aloud¡­

    ¡°come, my Demon-boy¡­ let¡¯s go and do¡­ damage control, <u>now</u>!¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I am ¡®not¡¯ following you anywhere!¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ O¡¯ CHOSEN-ONE¡­ you are ¡®GOING¡¯ TO¡­¡±

    The 2<sup>nd</sup> bull-dragon perching on the green-fence, the buffalo reached its neck out and bit on, Peter¡¯s collar nape of his tee-shirt¡­ and it flew above ¨C he was screaming out aloud. And¡­ the struggling one-armed boy saw¡­

    ¡­ that he was soaring hundreds of meters in the air¡­ kicking in his fear of heights, yelping in pure-trepidation¡­

    ¡­ soon¡­

    ¡­ he saw The Great Barrier Reef below ¨C damaged ¨C with dead sharks, dolphins and turned turtles¡­ floating lifeless by the hundreds.

    On the coast¡­ were damaged properties and drowned humans washed ashore¡­

    ¡­ by-destructed resulted in¡­ from the huge tsunamis.

 Chapter 11: The Human Sacrifice

    FROM ABOVE ... HE WAS FALLING, INTO the mass ocean of blood, filled with corpses and carcasses ¨C both of fish and humans...

    ... from the bull-dragon, Peter screamed, as he plunged... dropping-and-splashed below into the water...

    ... he submerged to the dark surface above, clawing-away for air... among the dense top-of accumulation of lifeless corpses, bobbing in the bloodied water...

    ... Peter began to drown ¨C and like a person-who in the ''situation'' that was, to-grab even a straw, to stay afloat ¨C so, he grabbed a female body ¨C but... weighty, both of them drowned and went below. Only to realize, in closeup range of the corpse...

    ... was his girlfriend Jane, without her dark glasses... and her milky white eyes, staring blank at him...

    ... Peter hollered in fear, sitting upright on his bed, sighed in cold sweats. He was disorientated for a moment, thinking of Jane in ''his'' nightmare... being dead...

    ... it made him more anxious.

    He looked nearby at his cellphone, hooked to the charger. He grabbed it and saw a 30 second, WhatsApp voice-message from Janey...

    ... Peter was relieved to ''hear'' her recorded voice... and was glad that she was ''still'' alive.

    ... Jane had discovered a Blind-people''s App, that gave the caller''s voice control, to activate the WhatsApp voice-message feature, to direct contact...

    Peter relistened over and over, to the half-minute recording of Janey, greeting him ''G-day Champ,'' and followed by a reminder that she was waiting for him at home... to go for their tennis practice ¨C she was having her brekkie at that moment, and WAS IN ''NO'' HURRY ¨C and also... if she could borrow, his spare tennis racquet later.

    He had overslept for an hour...

    ''Patience, grasshopper...''

    That was his excuse for his ''own'' tardiness.

    Glowing in a positive pink, he dressed up in his best tennis attire ¨C and, felt like a gladiator, stepping out later to combat in the arena. His backpack with 2 racquets, slung at his shoulder of his single arm ¨C he also wore his Oakley dark sunglasses, to match Janey''s ¨C and ''not'' forgetting his signature one-glove, which he bit on to wear it tight in his single palm ¨C to ''cover-up'' the ''scar''...

    ... Peter stepped out of his bedroom and went downstairs.

    <>

    "PETER, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU!" Paul called at him, as he descended downstairs.

    ''What the...!''

    Peter thought, as he reached below ¨C he was RUNNING LATE for his tennis practice, with Janey.

    "What?"

    "What happened to you yesterday ¨C you WERE ''NOT'' YOURSELF, with all those glowing spikes of negativity, it was building up ''ugly'' too ¨C and, on top of that... you then made Jane''s DOG RUNAWAY and soon the blackout ¨C and... WERE ''YOU'' RESPONSIBLE-TOO for the damages in The Great Barrier Reef, that happened last night...!!?"

    "What the f...! Do ''you'' think I''m capable of that... GET REAL, POE!!? You seem distracted by some BS... and ''NOT'' SEEING THE BIGGER-PICTURE, okay!?"

    "What bigger-picture?" Puzzled, Paul questioned back.

    "... while we BOTH HEADED for to the Wilson''s yesterday evening, after your pansy-gesture of buying flowers ¨C GUESS ''WHAT'' in the meanwhile happened here...? Mom and Principle Harris had AN ILLICIT RELATIONSHIP, UNDER OUR FATHER''S VERY ROOF! He even drove us home last night, right...? And, his bloody car was parked, in ''OUR'' VERY OWN FRONT-YARD ¨C what would the NEIGHBORS THINK OF US, from ''now'' on!!?" Peter replied with total conviction, as he pointed at the front door.

    "It is ''NONE'' OF THEIR BUSINESS, of what the neighbours think ¨C and neither are ''both'' of us too ¨C both Mom and Principle Harris are RESPONSIBLE ADULTS, they ''know'' what they are doing."

    "So, Poe ¨C you condone ''SUCH'' BEHAVIOR for their age...?"

    "Hello there! Mom is just 34 years, and Principle Harris is young too, maybe in his early 40s."

    "Early 40s ¨C how many dog years are those, I wonder...? But that is beside the point, Poey ¨C so... YOU APPROVE THEM, to doing ''whatever'' they please in our father''s house...? And... very soon you and I will be homeless when the 2 of them DECIDE TO SELL THIS HOUSE!"

    "You-Peter! STOP TALKING NONSENSE, and overthinking things... that are ''not'' there, and thinking reverse that WHAT ''ACTUALLY'' HAD HAPPENED so ''to'' fit your reality ¨C and, you don''t know shit too ¨C you did ''not'' see anything coz''... you were in the Uber ride with me, okay...? Furthermore, it is MOM''S HOUSE ''NOW'' ¨C she can do whatever she pleases with it, okay!!?"

    "So,... you are all for Mom and your Principle Harris, SEEING EACH OTHER? Yea, you really enjoyed the-huggee, while he carried you into the car last night ¨C but Poe... that perverted Tom Harris in ''NOT'' YOUR FATHER... you make sure, you remember that!"

    "Now WHOSE FAULT IS THAT... that Mom would be dating Principle Harris ¨C I say it is entirely, all ''YOUR'' FAULT!"

    "What the bloody-f... HOW IS THAT my fault ¨C am I missing a mother-to-son memo here?" Peter replied, in a surprised tone.

    Paul sighed deep and replied...

    "It''s ''you'' WHO IS ''NOT'' SEEING the bigger-picture now ¨C that each time you get into your fights, YOU END UP IN THE PRINCIPAL''S OFFICE ¨C and our Mom comes, to the same office... to ''bail'' you out, but... so, you do it again... and again, LIKE IT''S A FREE-PASS...

    "... that, my dear-Pete had developed to AN OFFICE-ROMANCE situation between them, and soon... they will get married in the same office... and you can BE THEIR BEST-MAN ¨C now, how about that, you ONE-ARMED CUPID?"

    ... Paul was chuckling hard, to his twin''s foolish acts and silly behaviour ¨C Peter glowed in dark red, he DOESN''T HAVE A COMEBACK LINE to top that big-one. The one-armed boy came forward, to attack Paul with a punch...

    ... Paul froze, as he did ''not'' expect Peter, to come swinging at him...

    ... in reflex, he caught the oncoming gloved-single-fist towards his face. Paul''s hands GENERATED ELECTRICAL SHOCK-WAVES ¨C that electrocuted Peter, who was ''stunt'' and weaken by it ¨C and he dropped face down incapacitated, on the kitchen floor...

    ... Paul screamed in-terror, of ''what'' he had done ¨C did he kill his twin...?

    He cried out Peter''s name, and rolled his chair over ¨C he ''touched'' his stumped-arm... it then shocked jolted-more of the kayoed Peter...

    ... who regained consciousness, and shouting back...

    "Oii-drongo! Don''t ''touch'' me ¨C it hurts!"

    "Sorry! Sorry...!" Hollered Paul in return, backing off.

    "'' How'' did you DO THAT!?" Peter, still in the agitated voice...

    "I don''t know, it''s MY ''FIRST'' TIME ¨C what is happening to me? Peter, please call Mom!"

    Peter staggered and got up his feet...

    "Calm down, Poe, LET ''NOT'' CALL HER YET ¨C let see what ''else'' you got there, okay...?"

    ... the docile Paul nodded, and breathed easy, on the wheelchair. He struck both of his index fingers of both hands together ¨C and it sparked a flint. Paul then struck all his 10 fingers together, and he created multiple sparks.

    ... Peter realized that his twin had gained superpowers like Janey, who-herself could ''shoot'' fiery bolts from her fist and ¨C even could levitate.

    He wanted to ask Paul, whether he could float too but... he saw him giggle in delight at his newfound powers. Paul turned to his twin... and struck his sparking fingers together, and said in sarcasm...

    "... Pete, see if can you do this...? Oops, sorry ¨C the WRONG QUESTION... you have ''only'' one arm."

    ... Peter was fuming as his gleeful, crippled twin ¨C WHO WAS SHOWING OFF. Now...

    ... Peter had a comeback, this time...

    "Maybe if I snap my fingers, like Thanos in The Infinity War ¨C then half of you-quads, around the world ¨C will drop dead, from their wheelchairs."

    ... Peter stormed out of the front door, slamming-hard... he got on his bike, and he took off...

    ... feeling envious of Paul.

    <><>

    PETER ARRIVED AT THE WILSONS. As usual, he rang the doorbell twice. The door opened, with a stern face staring at him...

    "Lady Heimdall, Kamustaka!"

    ... he greeted out in Filipino. "How are you? And, your health, after having 3 jobs, as a migrant worker in this country ¨C I do feel your pain, and I truly understand..."

    Said Peter, touching his own chest, with his gloved palm.

    "... the pressures and the difficulties living in this country of White fat, industrial capitalist, who are lazy, greedy, the me-me-me-me mentality ¨C who can''t even prepare A DECENT MEAL for their kids... but in return... they exploit on you, brown-people ¨C and to do it ''perfectly,'' for their lazy-assed nature...

    ... because... I thought that the ''EXTRA'' PLATE YESTERDAY was for you... but it turned out to be for another White man ¨C that very White, Caucasian-man, Principle Harris ¨C ''who'' had denied you of a SEAT AT OUR TABLE, once again.

    "My deepest sympathy and empathy are with you all, brown- people ¨C and I''m deeply ASHAMED TOO, to be ''one'' of them, among the Whities ... coz'' of the mistreatment my ancestors, who have given you-all shit. since World War 2."

    Peter then bowed like a Japanese ¨C saying out in a growling voice tone...

    "And, I am sorry, on ''behalf'' of them, Lady Heimdall ¨C the gatekeeper of Assgard."

    "You Totally-Crazy-Fellow..." Said the Filipina babysitter...

    ... ''still'' puzzled, of what-was-that-monologue-was-all-about.

    Then... Jane came running down the stairs, crying out his name. Lola saw the blind girl... hugging tight on the one-armed boy... whom she ''only'' met, for more than a week.

    "Peter, you came." The excited tweens glowed, in the positive.

    "Are you ready, Player-One, to play ball?" Peter teased.

    "Jane, if you are going out, call up a taxi ¨C your mother disapproves you, riding on his bike." Lola Flores reminded.

    "It''s a beautiful sunny day ¨C we are going to take a bus, Lola. Who knows, we might catch, ol'' Piper wandering somewhere over-there...?" Jane said, and putting on her safety helmet. She said bye, and pulled Peter out of the door.

    Both the tweens hand-in-hand, walked away from the house, to the road. Wearing his Oakley sunglasses, he looked at her...

    "I''m sorry about the dog yesterday, I caused it to run away." Peter was guilty. Jane held his hand and said.

    "No worries, Peter-Piper ¨C I KNOW MY DOG... he will come back." She said casually.

    ... but Jane lied...

    ... she knew Piper was also ''cursed,'' as his eyes glowed in fierce red ¨C she does ''not'' know if she can command-and-control him anymore ¨C and also, it was ''not'' safe to have him in the house, as a house-dog...

    She had ''only'' told Alicia, about the cursed Piper, at the gazebo yesterday ¨C ''not'' both the twins. And, she doesn''t know ''why''...

    ... ''personal'' maybe?

    "Is your Mom blaming me for that...?" Peter mumbled, still feeling guilty.

    The blunt, blind girl replied...

    "My Mom is more worried about me getting pregnant ¨C than the lost dog."

    "WHAT NONSENSE!!?"

    The one-armed boy was appalled. "I''M A CATHOLIC, I won''t do that to you!"

    "You make sure, you ''DON''T'' DO THAT."

    She folded her retractable walking stick...

    "You see this, Peter ¨C IT''S A BATON, and I will break your fingers if you TOUCH ME ''FUNNY,'' OKAY?"

    The tweens both laughed out, in awkwardness.

    Jane held his only arm tighter, and placed her head close ¨C the couple walked, lovey-dovey together. In the street intersection, Peter noticed people were pointing at them, seeing both walking, wearing dark-glasses, and holding hands like celebrities.

    They both were ''now'' trending in the social media, as the ''new'' Perth''s famous-couple ¨C people now RECOGNIZED JANE WILSON, as the blind girl who was attacked by the black panther and rescued by her hero-dog, that was injured in the confrontation. Now, they were PLUS-SEEING THE ''BOYFRIEND'' whom they have ''read'' of, in the daily newspaper ¨C who, the blind girl went out to meet... in the dark-tragic Monday-night.

    It felt like 2 years ago... when he walked in the streets, and PEOPLE RECOGNIZED HIM too, as a junior champion in his school circuit. So, this time around... as the ''boyfriend'' in-the-flesh...

    ... Peter waved back, at those who were pointing at them, ''without'' informing Jane of their presence.

    He felt ''the'' high... of being ''the champ'' again ¨C and that oozed a radiant flow of confident energies, which uplifted the aura of the QUIET BLIND GIRL...

    On-the-other-hand... Jane clinging on to his only arm... into her-own ''sad'' thoughts... of her losing 2 of-her ''best-friends'' ¨C SIMY and Piper.

    ... Jane Wilson was contemplating of the uphill task ahead, to give a ''purpose'' to the most difficult member, in their Cursed-Trio cabal. She cannot afford any failures or else, the evil, deviant BlackStar... would feed into Peter Walker''s negative emotions...

    ... and would grow stronger...

    ... with further devastating of ''other'' natural disasters to come.

    <><>

    PAUL WAS ENGROSSED WITH HIS NOVA-3 VIDEOGAME...

    ... it had been an hour since Peter left him alone ¨C after he electrocuted him when Peter attempted to bully him.

    The videogame was thrilling, and that gave him a ''rush'' ¨C after he was stuck, in a complicated level-phase for half-a-day, since-yesterday ¨C and eureka, he got ''over'' it...

    ... and he was so electrified ¨C that he cheered OUT LOUD, AND JUMPED ''OUT'' of his wheelchair...

    He was astonished, that he was standing up, on his feet ¨C ''not'' standing but floating ¨C his feet were ''not'' touching the floor...

    ... and was levitating centimetres from the ground. He laughed in delight, discovering that ¨C he possessed the 2nd ability in that day...Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ... levitation...

    He tried controlling his dangling legs, to move forward ¨C but he had ''no'' control, over his crippled legs, that hung lamely. With a mental-push, he struggled to go forward ¨C and, he did it ¨C it was ethereal as he chested frontward, while his feet were dangling from behind.

    Home alone...

    ... Paul test-drove himself, by slowly moving around, from the kitchen to the living room. He looked at the high ceiling above. He concentrated...

    ... and Paul rose up vertically... from the floor towards the ceiling...

    ... avoiding the rotating ceiling fan... he went sideways to the walls... and his hands touched the wall surface, crawling all the way up, like Spiderman... singing the theme-song in pure excitement...

    ... there was this annoying cobweb dangling above, that bothered him before, as he was playing his NOVA-3 below. He levitated vertically towards the cobweb, used his hand and removed it, looking below at the floor... which was a few meters away, and laughing out in glee.

    After 2 years...

    ... he now wanted to revisit his former bedroom upstairs ¨C his corner bedroom with many windows... where Paul missed being there the most...

    ... in the house, that his father built for them.

    <><>

    ALICIA WONG WAS RIDING HER BIKE FAST, once she received a sudden urgent call, that Saturday morning ¨C from Ms King... for a face-to-face meeting in a caf¨¦, just outside Chinatown.

    She remembered... being with her in the Volvo yesterday ¨C seeing the student counsellor devastated in tears, when she drove away from Wilson''s dinner engagement, last night ¨C after getting the distressed TV news, of the partial destruction The Great Barrier Reef over in Queensland, which resulted in a national catastrophe ¨C in both, loss of human lives and marine.

    And, Ms King was upset and blamed it was the doing... of the ''cursed'' Peter Walker, who failed to his ''control'' negative thoughts ¨C that, which had manifested beyond control.

    In the caf¨¦... ordering a hot mocha...

    ... and Alicia wholeheartedly had accepted the fact, that Jane had ''some'' extraordinary ability, to-do-or-say that ¨C despite being born-blind ¨C when Jane had ''proven'' it to her when she had-guessed her keychain ''right.''

    ... Alicia narrated again about the ''cursed-Piper'' runaway incident ¨C and, at the gazebo, Jane later ''told'' her... that she noticed Piper''s eyes were glowing red...

    After listening to Alicia repeatedly saying the cursed Piper was ''possessed'' when been bitten by the recaptured black Panther ¨C Ms King suggested...

    ... they would visit the South Perth Zoo, tomorrow for ''clues.''

    Since the tragic incident in Queensland...

    ... Ms King''s thoughts were muddled, as she was horrified that the prophesies that she studied in old, medieval Middle Eastern studies then, were ''now'' taking shape and was happening in reality...

    ... it was happening so fast too, to keep track ¨C that...

    ... was ''why'' she summoned the urgent meeting with Alicia, in clandestine.

    ... Alicia was appointed ¨C to keep-the-peace of the Cursed Trio pact ¨C and to work together with Jane Wilson to...

    ... separate the twins, who were living under the same roof, to be ''less'' negative, or else ¨C it would brew and feed BlackStar to be more powerful. And, Peter''s ''first-wave,'' shock... had already happened last night...

    ... at the cost of ¨C the partial destruction of reef coast disaster of Queensland.

    Ms King was also bewildered in dealing with the 2 strong-headed mothers of Peter and Jane, who were partially to be blamed too ¨C to be confrontational while dealing with their rebellious children ¨C by ''not'' knowing, they were ''cursed''...

    ... like a couple-of psychic-vampires, the mothers were both ''triggers'' too ¨C to the explosive negativity, of their children''s'' emotions, when they went head-logging with Peter and Jane.

    Alicia asked Ms King of what have the adults discussed so far, last night at the Wilsons...

    ... the student counsellor revealed that Principle Harris told them-all, that even though the tweens were coming-of-age, but, statistically proven Stamford High, had ''not'' had a teen pregnancy record situation for the past 10 years... and both-parents should ''not'' be alarmed ¨C in question to the doctor-mother.

    They all finally agreed for Jane to ''pair-up'' with Peter in the next schooling semester, to improve his studies. As for their ''relationship-status'' that was brewing in media attention ¨C they will ''try-to-be'' liberal about it... but also, be-aware... and keep-a-close-eye...

    When Alicia asked an honest-question of ''who'' was SeeIn... and why-couldn''t SeeIn ''not'' ''help'' ¨C Ms King cautioned her that SeeIn... was a time-travel entity-monk who observed and bring balance, to the wellbeing of the Universe...

    ... 20 years ago, ...

    ... SeeIn came in first-contact with Ms King when she was a college student... ''revealing'' to her that ''he'' was from another dimension-reality... to warn-her that the CURSE OF ASMODEUS, was in the becoming ¨C in form of a talisman...

    ... that was forged from The Ring of Aandaleeb... that was stolen from its ''safe hands'' in the Middle East... and was a stowaway to the Perth''s shores ¨C and, being-then...

    ... misused in evil Blackmagic...

    ... MS. KING WAS APPOINTED by SeeIn as the ''Messenger'' ¨C and, the monk also gave Ms King a HOLOGRAM TECH DEVICE of the future, in form of futuristic-contact-lenses, to project THE MESSAGES AND WARNINGS...

    ... and, SeeIn had instructed...

    ... Ms King to ''wait'' in Stamford High, where it would all ''begin'' ¨C but...

    ... it was a long-20-year wait...

    ... as the student counsellor, who was ''now'' already... a senior staff-board member, in the school...

    ... finally, in-walked Peter Walker to her office... on that mid-morning Thursday session, wearing ''THE'' CURSE TALISMAN...

    ... and ''soon'' hell broke loose... when he slipped-and-escaped her ¨C and he wore the Sakhr...

    ... during the tragic Treeton dairy farm''s tragic thunderstorm incident.

    In the world of Blackmagic rituals, PETER WAS THE CHOSEN-ONE ¨C but-in-the-turn of uneventful-events in Treeton, he had also ''infected'' the damned-curse ¨C TO HIS TWIN PAUL ¨C AND-TO JANE.

    Then...

    ... Alicia asked a critical question ¨C of why SeeIn did ''not'' reveal to name Peter, as the Cursed-One to alert Ms King, as the Messenger to look-out for ¨C and the explanation was... it was complicated...

    ... that it would have a colossal effect on the timeline-changes... as the inevitable-choice of the Universe for the curse, to made HAPPEN AS ''PREDICTED'' during the dawn of time ¨C where the destructive negative-emotions of the Cursed-One...

    ... would cause natural disaster in Australia ¨C soon outside the continent...

    ... to the rest of the world!

    ... the ''only'' solution was when all the 3 individuals ¨C of The Cursed Trio...

    ... would come TOGETHER-IN-HARMONY, to bring a positive balance...

    ... into their ''own'' 3-unbalanced collective emotions vessels...

    ... so to preserve the wellbeing of the Greater Universe.

    <><>

    ''THE PERTH''S FAMOUS COUPLE'' alighted from the public bus ¨C who were both cheered and clapped away, from the seated passengers. Some even clicked their picture, blind-Jane covered her face once she heard the ''clicks,'' feeling shy ¨C but, her boyfriend was waving frantically at the leaving bus, with his single arm.

    He then held back her hand and surprised Jane with a kiss, pecked on her cheek, excitedly saying...

    "Janey, ''you'' will be some Rockstar-famous, once school opens next term." His gloved palm flashed a ''devil''s horn'' hand-sign at her...

    ... the blind girl giggled...

    "No... I don''t like that ¨C I don''t want to be famous, for the ''wrong'' reasons."

    Peter was surprised...

    "... huh... for what wrong reasons?"

    "I was foolish, to come out that night, to-come-and-see you ¨C and if I had waited a little longer... that night at home ¨C then I would have called you with my new smartphone, that my Daddy had bought ¨C but ''instead, I ''blindly'' came out there, and got into ''this'' big trouble... and chanced to be killed... and my-poor-Piper was bitten... lada-dee-lada-daa...."

    "But you got to ''test'' your shooting of ''fiery-bolt'' superpowers, right?" He teased aloud while nudging his elbow to her love-handle.

    "Shh, ''not'' too loud, Peter ¨C ''no'' one should know, that I did that." The blind girl cringed.

    ... Paul too had discovered his electro-sparks superpowers just now, at home ¨C and electro-fried him. Peter was envious of his twin and did ''not'' mentioned that news to Janey.

    "Chill-there... ''no'' one is listening in, Janey ¨C look, the school is like a ghost town now, and even the GHOST OF OLD-MAN-STAMFORD is vacationing back right now in England, visiting his-rellie in some creepy-cemetery, in Manchester City."

    ... Peter uttered nonsense, to make his girlfriend smile. "By the way, Halloween is coming!" He laughed in a ghoulish tone, to frighten her... as they walked on the empty, and lonely corridors of the east-wing of the school.

    ... The blind girl doesn''t scare easy ¨C coupled of ''being'' cursed by a medieval spell, that gave her super abilities ''that'' scared her even ''most,'' if someone found out... that she had incapacitated a 300-kilo black panther... after detecting the creature lurking in the dark... with her other ''3rd-eye'' ability...

    ... and also, even though she was blind... but ''now'' could ''see'' glows of 3 colours too...

    ... but she was disappointed ¨C that Peter was still in denial...

    ... that he was cursed too.

    -O-

    They reached the west-wing, where the outdoor tennis courts were. One of the courts was occupied by another couple ¨C Zoe Williams and Doug Zimmerman.

    Zoe was their classmate and was also their school''s singles top-girl tennis player. Doug too... was the 2nd placing, in ranking in boy''s singles, after Oliver Brown in the first spot...

    ... and current Zubeer Khan, as the 3rd ranking in Stamford High ¨C whom Peter desperately tried to beat... to ''get'' into the Top 3 selection...

    ... Peter Walker grudged the current tennis team, who were selected to represent Stamford High, in the qualifier to next year''s junior championship. For 2 straight years since, the current tennis team was knocked out in the first round ¨C unlike 2 years earlier... Peter Walker had beaten every schools'' top district players, to reach and win the junior''s tournament title.

    Then, the tragic accident happened, and Peter Walker LOST HIS TENNIS PLAYING ARM ¨C and him, struggling to get in the game, till now...

    ... but ''what'' annoyed him the most was... these nobody-team were humiliating him often, and laughing at him like he was a clown ¨C when they saw him wanting desperately to make his ''comeback,'' and relive his dreams ¨C to be the best...

    ''... who are they? They are a bunch of nobodies... ''not'' even fit to tie my shoelace...''

    "Mediocre."

    He growled, under his breath ¨C imitating the growling voice of ''Immortan Joe''¨C a memorable character in the Mad Max film, Fury Road ¨C his favourite film of all time, directed by his fellow Australian, George Miller ¨C whom he felt, was underrated by Hollywood.

    And, Peter Walker kept his ''scores'' too, in the back of his head. He faked a friendly face... and greeted his ''rivals'' aloud...

    "Hey, Doug and Zoe ¨C you guys'' putting up a mixed-double act, I see...? So, Stamford High for the first time will put in a mixed double team into the qualifiers next year ¨C good luck to you ''both!''" the one-armed schoolmate waved, with a thumbs up.

    ... Jane was uncomfortable when she knew Zoe Williams WAS ALSO PRACTICING. She wanted to sit out... because SHE DID ''NOT'' LIKE HER ¨C and furthermore, Zoe pushed her in the school''s STONE STAIRS, SOME days ago.

    ... Peter walked over to the middle court, where they were practising, for a chat ¨C Jane stayed back.

    Peter had ''no'' beef with Douglas Zimmerman, who he thought was a decent fellow, but an average player.

    "Where is your sparring team...? Are they ''not'' here yet?"

    "No-Peter...we don''t have one ¨C we both are just warming up, and practising our strokes and volleying-about..." Doug replied casually.

    "How about me and Janey here... be ''your'' sparing partners...?" Peter suggested.

    ... Zoe laughed out, been amused. "You must be joking ¨C blind-school here, playing tennis...?"

    Peter joined the laughter. "Yes, you can give us both a handicap, if you want to...? How about it, ''can'' we play?"

    Doug was hesitant. "I don''t think so ¨C I''ve read Coach Jonah''s memo on the board ¨C we are ''not'' to play with you next term... because you are banned."

    "That is ''next'' term ¨C now, we are still on holidays, right...? And, Big Coach Jonah is ''not'' here, he won''t know ¨C so how about it, Doug-and-Zoe...?"

    "Sorry... we decline, we both don''t want to break any school rules, by playing you?" Said the blond-haired boy.

    "Correction ¨C by playing Jane-and I here."

    ... Zoe was in stitches...

    "Since when did blind-school played tennis...? Come on in... we will ''play'' you-both for laughs, after all the added tutoring my parents made me take this holiday, because of ''her.'' It will be a good laugh and I also want ''some'' release ¨C by beating this exam cheater, in the sports, I''m good at."

    She ranted with displeasure, pointing her racquet, at the direction of blind Jane, seated on a bench afar.

    "Hey, Zoe... I''m ''not'' going to join you, and humiliate this visually impaired person... I''m out." Douglas protested to his tennis-partner. Peter laughed out...

    "Come on, be a sport, Doug ¨C you play me and, let ''those'' 2 have their girl-fight."

    ... Peter tapping his Babolat on Douglas, and said...

    "How about it, fellas... is that a-deal...?"

    After a hesitating moment. Doug Zimmerman nodded...

    "Great! Let the games begin ¨C Hey Doogie, just give us 2 minutes to warm-up."

    ... the one-armed boy said, and turned his back, and swaggering to the first court in his Oakley, to where Jane sat...

    "I''m ''not'' playing!"

    "Yes... you are..."

    The blind girl whispered hard...

    "I don''t even know how the scoring system of the game works, and you ''now'' throw me in the deep end of the pool, and expect me to swim ¨C right after a single coaching lesson, you gave me?"

    "Don''t-cha bail on me¨C you will do fine."

    The one-armed boy chuckled. He put a tennis racquet into blind-Jane''s hand, winking...

    "Let''s do ''our'' magic..."

    It made Jane even ''more'' uneasy, and she took long breaths, to calm down....

    "See-here, Peter ¨C the moment you lose your ''cool,'' and go into your crook-tantrums... and going-all off ¨C I''m quitting, okay...?"

    "Okay... checked-my-to-don''t-list..."

    The one-armed boy kept chucking... while he entered the side-door of the middle tennis court...

    <>

    AFTER 40 MINUTES OF PLAY, THE SCORELINE WAS 5-4...

    ... in favour of the handicapped Jane and Peter ¨C who both who were pumped-up into the action, in the outdoor court, on a sunny day...

    ... Jane saw Peter''s uncontrollable excitement, as he was glowing bright, over-talking ¨C giving her off-the-cuff quick, pro-tip instructions, while she was about to serve the ball over.

    The blind girl fed on her boyfriend''s illuminating glow as her beacon-guide... to ''see'' shapes in form of silhouetting images across the court ¨C especially ''seeing'' the small tenno-ball that came over fast...which was only the size of a fist.

    ... Jane''s role was to SETUP THE GAME ¨C and Peter''s was to execute the kill. He was on top of his game, everything was gelling-in as he was in-tuned, with his semi-trained right arm. He was EXECUTING POINTS WITH EASE, going all out by diving full head-on to the hardcourt, to cover for his girlfriend Jane.

    The first player of Stamford High''s basketball team arrived, for his pre-season training ¨C Jason Lang was astonished by the ''freakshow'' of a blind girl, who was playing tennis.

    ... he recorded the hard-court actions, with his smartphone, via Facebook Live ¨C that streamed the handicapped couple winning...

    ... it was GOING ''VIRAL'' in the Perth scene.

    In next to no time, the rest of the basketball-team and a-score their fans were cheering-on, when Peter whacked hard the ball into the baseline, that SEALED A 7-5 VICTORY. Everyone then cheered aloud, invading the court...

    ... to congratulate the odd couple.

    <><>

    THE SHIRTLESS NIGERIAN WAS CHANTING in an ancient language''s tongue, in front of a makeshift shrine with a horrific ivory carved-idol ¨C as he was seated cross-legged, on the floor of his quarters, lit dimly with 2 red candles...

    ... hallucinating incense smoked inside the darkroom, while the slim and tall athletic-built, dreadlocked haired Blackman ¨C who was the voodoo high-priest... prayed to the statue...of his Lord Asmodeus...

    He was medically bandaged in both of his neck and belly... ''those'' were injuries that he encountered recently, where the cursed Blind-one shot at him, and hurting him bad.

    ... so, he prayed to his ''God'' for strength ¨C to gain invincible powers, so that his body was ''unbreakable.'' But...

    ... to for the Blackmagic practitioner to gain that status...

    ... it required... A HUMAN SACRIFICE.

    He was now focused... he opened his eyes, stood up from the floor. He walked up to his small desk, in his cramped room ¨C to power-up his laptop, to go into the social media platform.

    There she was ¨C the Blind-one ¨C trending high and mighty on Facebook Live playing tennis @Stamford High ¨C as she was one part of the #Perthsfamouscouple ¨C with the one-armed Peter Walker... whom he ''also'' knew...

    ... giving him-the cursed Talisman of Aandaleeb...

    ... he too had visited the one-armed boy''s nightmares to torment him every time to sleepless nights, to disorient him, so to ''generate'' negative-energies ¨C so to feed the hungry she-demon BlackStar. Now, ''she'' craved deeply for human sacrifice, to satisfy her famished appetite.

    He grinned from knowing that people were willing to create a Fan Page, to be ''popular'' on Facebook. There was a handful of such FB Pages, dedicated to the Blind-one, Jane Wilson. The Nigerian chose the page with lots of photos... where those ''hardworking people'' had also gone an extra mile ¨C for him ¨C to hack the-Wilson family-accounts to gain personal photos, so that to populate their FB Pages, to be popular.

    He clicked on the most popular Jane Wilson Fan Page, created 5 days ago, with 4000 over Likes. There were dozens of photos of her, with her boyfriend with lots of hashtags, such as ''#Perthsfamouscouple.''

    ... the Blackman''s interest grew when he saw Jane Wilson''s personal family photos. She was CARRYING A BLACK BOY. There were several other photos, of the same Black Babyboy appearing in the arms of the various, White Wilson family members.

    A child sacrifice should ''please'' the she-demon mother ¨C to gain him, the invincible powers of the black panther.

    He logged off his laptop... and put on his uniform shirt, to conceal his bandaged body. He stepped off from his confined room...

    ... outside of his employee hostel, where he was walking the path of caged wild animals, heading to the small office ahead, to clock-in...

    ... for his duties as a zoo-keeper.

    The zoo employee named Hajji, pushed a wheelbarrow of butchered-beef meat to feed the big, wild cats. He looked ahead at the injured black panther perched above, in its entrapment cage ¨C also bandaged in its neck and mid-section...

    ... it snarled ferally at Hajji. And... the Blackman with deep-respect, pacified it by speaking, in his African dialect to it ¨C and made a sure-promise, to the possessed wild cat...

    ... of a human-child sacrifice, before long.

    <><>

    IT WAS SATURDAY AFTERNOON, as it was roaming around, in hunger and thirst... in the heat. Being a housedog for 2 years, he was fed a big meal, twice a day ¨C but ''not'' today ¨C where he was on his own...

    ... the scent of the big, black cat''s blood-sport killings, was ''not'' there anymore. Piper ran in circles. It sometimes puzzled him, of which direction to go, to get to the South Perth Zoo.

    He decided that he should ''eat'' first, his ears stood upright ¨C and his wolfish hunting-instincts heightened. In next to no time, he sank his fangs into a fat rabbit that he had caught. Fangs-tearing into its flesh, slurping blood... while chewing into its soft bones...

    ... and, then, the annoying whistling started, inside his head...

    ... Piper barked mad, REBUKED BY THE UNSEEN ''GUIDE'' inside his head... as he wanted to finish his meal in peace...

    ... just like a takeaway... the big, grey dog bit onto the bloody carcass...

    ... and ran towards the designated location ¨C South Perth Zoo.

 Chapter 12: Go! Gemini Go!

    DR WILSON WAS SEEING HER PATIENTS, in her clinic, that Saturday afternoon ¨C when her Huawei cellphone then went wild¡­

    ¡­ with multiple Facebook incoming notifications. Shelley Wilson realized in that half-hour ¨C she had received 54 pings¡­

    ¡­ and the figures-numbers were increasing. But¡­ she refrained from checking them, as she was working, and until her frantic, friend Ira called¡­.

    ¡°Shelley, wow¡­! Jane was amazing, brilliantly amazing¡­¡±

    ¡°Ira, I can¡¯t talk now ¨C I am with a patient here, I¡¯m going to have to call you back.¡±

    Shelley switched off her phone, while at the same time, apologizing to her elderly patient for bed-side-manner, of the uncalled interruption ¨C but¡­

    ¡­ in the back of her head, the doctor-mother was ¡®curious¡¯¡­ of what the compliments about her B-girl, that Ira was harping about...

    ¡­ 20 minutes after the discussion of the fussy elderly patient¡¯s arthritis pains, the consultation clinic office-room was empty. Dr. Wilson took a quick breather before the next patient walked into her office door ¨C she switched her Huawei back on, to realize the numbers were 102 pings in Facebook.

    There ¡®it¡¯ was, the most popular FB-Live-video posted, to date, in her FB account timeline¡­

    ¡­ but it was ¡®not¡¯ like her regular doses of Good-Morning daily posts with motivational wordings, posted by friends-by-friends to feel-good, while having their morning coffees, getting ready into living their ¡®guilty¡¯ adult lives ¨C by having ¡®not¡¯ taken by the advice, given in the motivational good-meanings.

    There it was, ¡®the¡¯ FB video titled¡­

    ¡­ ¡®blind student playing tennis @Stamford High, Perth¡¯

    ¡­ with a mixed bag of 97 Likes, Comments and shares¡­

    -O-

    It was 3:17 minutes in duration minutes ¨C and it showed the ¡®Perth¡¯s famous couple¡¯ who¡­ were in midst of the action in court.

    The doctor-mother was astonished, seeing how her B-girl was playing like an able-bodied person, serving and hitting volleys over the net, in the hot, outdoor afternoon.

    Then¡­ there he was, the ¡®BOYFRIEND¡¯ ¨C INSTRUCTING and guiding Jane, on how to play ¨C and¡­

    ¡­ they astonishingly then won the next few points, to seal the match victory, against the abled-bodied couple¡­

    ¡­ with a score of supporters, RUSHING INTO THE TENNIS COURT ¨C to congratulate ¡­ the blind-girl and the one-armed boy.

    After watching the video, Shelley Wilson had a quick-eyeball on the FB comments section as she scrolled below, that mostly congratulated with ¡®amazed-wows¡¯ emoji, thumbs-up and hearts symbols.

    The doctor-mother felt ¡®proud¡¯¡­

    ¡­ and it since had been a long time, that she last ¡®felt¡¯ this way¡­

    ¡­ after daily facing her rebellious daughter¡¯s blind-logics and arguments, on a daily basis¡­

    She then read some comments directed to ¡®her-positive-mothering¡¯ ¨C in terms of Jane¡¯s amazing accomplishment-praises of Jane, since going to her ¡®new¡¯ school.

    There was ¡®this¡¯ one first-comment MENTIONING ¨C ¡®BOYFRIEND¡¯¡­

    ¡­ ever since Jane and Piper were attacked by the black panther¡­

    ¡­ ¡®none¡¯ of her close friends had mentioned the ¡®boyfriend¡¯ that they had ¡®read¡¯ about in the newspaper, into her FB timeline ¨C until now¡­

    ¡­ as the Facebook friends too were uncomfortable back then, of the thought of¡­

    ¡­ the young and blind-Jane visiting her ¡®boyfriend¡¯¡­ in the middle of the night, behind her doctor-mother¡¯s back¡­

    ¡­ until now, reading the comment¡­

    ¡®Congrats to Jane & her boyfriend Peter <3 <3<3¡¯

    -O-

    ¡­ on that same day, their popularity of the ¡®Perth¡¯s famous couple¡¯ had even trended higher, as a compliment ¡®happy-local-interest-story¡¯¨C to the current trending news ¡®downer¡¯¡­

    ¡­ of devastating, partial destruction of The Great Barrier Reef tragedy story, that had the country grief in thoughts and prayers since Friday night¡­

    ¡­ where all that was in the bombardment of the telly¡¯ daily coverage news, of both local and international¡­

    ¡­ until now¡­

    The refreshing news trending had been a cure from the sorrowful loom and gloom¡­

    ¡®Blind girl & One-armed boy beat School Champions in tennis@Stamford High¡¯

    Her Huawei phone ranged again ¨C it was Lola, calling about Jane¡­

    ¡­ having a severe headache at home, and had requested for aspirins. The doctor-mother instructed Lola Flores to go to the master bedroom¡¯s medicine cabinet ¨C and then¡­

    ¡­ give Jane 2 children¡¯s aspirins, with less dosage.

    <><>

    PETER REACHED HOME AFTER CYCLING BACK from the Wilson¡¯s, after sending his girlfriend home by Uber.

    He rode back ¨C after their first bizarre, and out-of-the-world tennis victory match.

    Now¡­

    ¡­ he was having big and ambitious thoughts of entering the mixed-double school¡¯s qualifier with Janey, despite being banned ¡®next¡¯ term.

    -O-

    Peter walked into the front door, and heard a piece of familiar music that he loved listening to ¨C The Gorillaz, was playing downstairs, in Paul¡¯s room ¨C he was surprised that Paul too listened to that band, in his playlist.

    The music was playing out loud, even to Paul¡¯s standard.

    His bedroom door was wide open ¨C Peter went to peek in. The one-armed boy was shocked to find that Paul was levitating over his bed, during his afternoon nap¡­

    ¡­ with pitched snores, that was cooing like a pigeon.

    His crippled twin was a meter up, in thin air, floating fat-belly-up.

    His hands and his quadriplegic feet hung downwards ¨C just like Janey, in the hospital ward, who had risen up to the ceiling.

    But Paul was only floating a meter from his bed, and Peter assumed it to the logic of ¡®fat-gravity¡¯.

    He begrudged Paul for having DISCOVERED HIS 2<sup>ND</sup>SUPER-ABILITY in the same day¡­ where he could also electrocute, anyone in contact.

    Peter never liked Paul, from birth till now ¨C so¡­

    ¡­ he took out his iPhone, and took some photographs and ¡®a¡¯ video of Paul¡¯s state, as evidence¡­ in case, he had to ¡®prove¡¯ a point, the next time, to his inspector mother¡­

    ¡­ it would give him ¡®leverage¡¯ too, against Paul ¨C whose ¡®only¡¯ trump-card was his spoken testimony, that his kicking on the driver¡¯s seat, which led to the accident¡­ ¡®that¡¯ killing their father¡­

    ¡­ he still couldn¡¯t figure out ¡®why¡¯ he was left out ¨C while his girlfriend and his¡­ antagonist-twin¡­

    ¡­ were having these, ¡®awesome¡¯ super-abilities.

    -O-

    ¡­ Peter was dead-tired, after having to play all-out, at the tennis court earlier¨C and also dehydrated, by the freaky arvo-hot and humid weather. He went upstairs to his A/C bedroom¡­ and drank a can of Red-Bull, before straightaway taking a short nap...

    ¡­ switching-on his stereo to some Accadacaa, wailing out...

    ¡®¡­ Back In Black¡­¡¯

    <><>

    ¡°¡­ MUMMY, I HAVING A REAL MIGRAINE ¡®not¡¯ a headache ¨C just give me something stronger, other than children¡¯s aspirins¡­!¡±

    Demanded the blind-girl like a diva, at the very moment her mother arrived home, from her clinic¡­

    ¡­ because she was ¡®one¡¯ part of ¡®Perth¡¯s famous couple.¡¯ And, children¡¯s meds were ¡®not¡¯ working, for her severe throbbing pain¡­

    ¡­ with a thin smile, doctor-mother did ¡®not¡¯ argue with her B-girl, this time around ¨C as Jane had MADE HER FEEL PROUD of her, in front of her Facebook friends. She opened her purse¡­

    ¡­ and took ¡®one¡¯ tablet from her pill-bottle, gave it to Jane as a reward.

    But¡­

    ¡­ when the blind-girl requested another tablet, for standby in case, the pain came back in the middle of the night, when everyone was sleeping¡­

    ¡­ Dr Shelley Wilson put her responsible foot down, to say a professional no.

    She blamed the hot weather, for Jane playing tennis in high noontime without wearing a cap, for the cause of her migraine¡­

    ¡­ Jane was too ¡®weak¡¯ to argue, she then went upstairs to her room again, to rest after 2 agonizing-hours of migraine wait, since she last took the children¡¯s aspirins.

    She went to bed. The pain was easing¡­

    ¡­ although she was still in tears bearing the last of her pain of THE SCRAPPING, INSIDE HER HEAD¡­

    ¡­ while hearing whistling distinct sounds ¨C of in-between radio-like dialling, to the correct frequency.

    Then she heard the partial, female ghostly voice¡­

    ¡°Jane ¡­ can ¡­ hear me¡­? Jane¡­!¡±

    The blind-girl sat up instantly, and replying weakly out¡­

    ¡°SIMY is that you¡­?¡±

    After a moment of radio-like crackling, inside her head ¨C the AI¡¯s VOICE WAS IN TUNED to the ¡®frequency¡¯ of her brainwave ¨C and SIMY made a transmission-check...

    ¡°Test 1-2-3-3-2-1, Jane¡­ can you hear me¡­?¡±

    ¡°Oh, my Gawd¡­ I ¡®m going crazy¡­ I am hearing dead people.¡±

    ¡°Stop reasoning like your dumb animal PIPER¡­YOU ARE ¡®NOT¡¯ crazy, Jane.¡±

    ¡°You are in Piper¡¯s ¡®head¡¯ too¡­? How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll give you the long answer ¨C Jane, I DISOBEYED YOU BEFORE, when you prohibited me to ¡®tame¡¯ your dog BY WHISTLING. I then had switched TO ¡®LOW¡¯ FREQUENCY WAVES that is inaudible to human hearing¡­

    ¡°¡­ then, at Treeton dairy farm, where I was electrocuted beyond repair ¨C but I manage at the last precious-moment TO PLACE A DIGITAL-MARKER, in your mind¡¯s memory-space, BEFORE I WENT OFFLINE¡­ and radio-dead silence¡­

    ¡°¡­ through with MY GIVEN FREQUENCY in your animal, I had now managed to communicate with you¡­ but I know¡­

    ¡°¡­ that was painful for you while I was ¡®tuning¡¯ myself in ¡®your¡¯ head-receiver nerves¡­ and I¡¯m sorry for your pain suffered, Jane ¨C it is an onetime only discomfort to bear, but now, you can ¡®SOMETIMES¡¯ COMMUNICATE with me mentally ¨C as I would go dark often¡­ coz¡¯ ¡®Alpha¡¯ is after me...¡±

    ¡°SIMY you disobeyed me? I had TOLD YOU ¡®BEFORE,¡¯ that my dog was off-limits!¡±

    Jane told out ¨C while she missed her dog-Piper¡­ and the nagging AI too¡­

    ¡°But Jane¡­ consider it as a BLESSING IN DISGUISE ¨C if I had ¡®not¡¯ attempt to tame your animal, then¡­ WE WOULD ¡®NOT¡¯ HAVE THIS conversation right-now. I would have been ¡®only¡¯ a MEMORY TO YOU after I was destroyed in Treeton¡­ but¡­

    ¡°¡­ look at the trouble I had to go through by dumbing my-intelligence down to ¡®understanding¡¯ Piper¡¯s command of its ¡®unevolved¡¯ language ¨C which was so limited¡­ and redundant too ¨C as it was based on ANIMAL-PHYSIOLOGICAL INSTINCTS, which are unpredictable to decipher accu¡­¡±

    The AI¡¯s voice began to fade¡­ and then dead-silence¡­

    ¡°SIMY¡­? SIMY, are you there? SIMY!¡±

    The blind-girl¡¯s minty taste, in her mouth, turned bitter. IT WAS UNBEARABLE¡­

    ¡­ nauseated, Jane cupped both her hands¡­ and spat into it.

    <><>

    THE WINDOWLESS BEDROOM GLOWED POSITIVE BLUE ¨C that evening¡­ in his bed, Paul was grinning wide, looking at his one-armed twin and his blind-friend Jane, in YouTube¡­

    ... who were beating the ¡®bully¡¯ classmate ¨C Zoe Williams, and with that senior-boy from class upstairs¡­ whose name he doesn¡¯t know ¨C but¡­ who was the 2<sup>nd</sup> in Stamford High, in the boy¡¯s singles tennis ranking.

    ¡®Those 2 ¡®suckers¡¯ getting beaten by 2 handicappers ¨C that was a first grand one, for Perth.¡¯

    But he knew the-behind-the-scene situation ¨C that they were ¡®the¡¯ Cursed-Trio, that was afflicted by these abilities¡­

    ¡­ and blind-Jane HAD USED HER 3<sup>RD</sup>-EYE. But¡­

    ¡­ Paul made a strong point to ¡®only¡¯ use his super-abilities responsibly and secretly¡­ just like how his fave-superhero, Spidey does.

    Looking at his iPad ¨C of 20 over fans, rushing into the court, to congratulate Peter and Jane ¨C made him wish if his father was alive ¨C then¡­

    ¡­ Solomon Walker would have cheered¡­

    ¡°GO, GEMINI, GO!¡±

    Peter Walker and Paul Walker were born on June 16¡­ that was under the zodiac Gemini, coincidentally-also ¨C with the sign of The Twin¡­

    ¡­ so-much-so, their father was proud that he ¡®FATHERED¡¯ A SET OF A GEMINI-TWIN ¨C and-then-on¡­ he motivated ¡®both¡¯ of the sons¡­ THE SAME¡­ IN EVERY SITUATION by saying¡­

    ¡°GO, GEMINI, GO!¡±

    ¡­ but, Peter, ever since the age of 8, never liked sharing ¡®that¡¯ fatherly-motivation and compliment honour with Paul¡­ when he became very-good later, in playing tennis.

    He was also bigger-sized then, and had bullied Paul verbally and physically¡­ because he was ¡®not¡¯ good in any sports ¨C but¡­

    ¡­ ¡®their¡¯ father still kept SAYING GO-GEMINI-GO, which was acknowledging Paul too ¨C and the ¡®only¡¯ school¡¯s ¡®non-athletic¡¯ competition Paul had won¡­ was in dancing.

    Then, by the age of 10¡­

    ¡­ the overweight Paul had joined the school¡¯s athletic team, and was in the ¡®reserves,¡¯ but it had its advantage in its ¡®training¡¯ ¨C where he could NOW OUTRUN HIS BULLYING twin Peter, in fights¡­ whenever his inspector-mother was ¡®not¡¯ around to protect him.

    After 2 over years, EVEN ON A WHEELCHAIR ¨C his identical twin had kept on bullying him, ever since¡­

    ¡­ but ¡®not¡¯ now¡­

    ¡­ he-now had super-abilities like levitation and, shooting electrical sparks from his fingertips. Paul was ¡®NOT¡¯ AFRAID of the bully-twin Gemini anymore.

    But despite that, he decided that he wanted to use ¡®those¡¯ powers responsibly¡­ ¡®not¡¯ to show-off and in secrecy too¡­ but, in ¡®extreme¡¯ cases¡­ to ¡®only¡¯ help others who were in need.

    ¡®¡­ what-if Mom found-out that I had my-superpowers¡­? I¡¯m a goner¡­¡¯

    -O-

    The kitchen-clock showed 9:58 PM¡­

    ¡­ Peter had ¡®not¡¯ eaten his pizza for dinner¡­

    ¡­ Paul presumed HE WAS DEAD-TIRED after his PFC-tennis victory that afternoon and overslept. It was close to 10 o¡¯clock¡­ even his Mom was ¡®not¡¯ home yet.

    ¡­ yawning¡­

    ¡­ the crippled boy too was tired, after 14 mental-hours of focusing on being ¡®alert¡¯ since morning¡­ to have-coffee to play well in his NOVA3 videogame on his iPhone. He got on his single bed, laid there¡­ counting the blessings of his good upbringing, by ¡®both¡¯ his good parents¡­

    ¡­ even though, they themselves fought a lot¡­

    ¡­ but he deeply regretted that his father had passed away at a young age, in his 30s¡­ leaving him, his twin and his also young-mother behind¡­

    ¡­ Paul would honour his father by pursuing architecture, as his future career.

    That night¡­

    ¡­ in his sleep¡­ Paul HAD 2 SEPARATE dreams.

    <>

    A FAMILIAR WINGED SOUNDS APPROACHED ¨C he woke up in his darkroom, with a growling stomach in hunger. The echoed flapping wings were coming closer¡­ circling over the roof¡­

    ¡­ Peter anticipated the unwelcomed intruder, when the buffalo¡¯s head crashed open his windows with its horns, with growled, fierce with angry moos.

    ¡°Oii! Stop trashing my father¡¯s house, you idiot!!!¡±

    The one-armed boy cried, in anger. The black panther-headed rider laughed, and greeted him, from the saddle of his winged bull-dragon¡­

    ¡°Greetings Son of Suleiman ¨C let¡¯s go hunting¡­¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Hey-you¡­ I¡¯m ¡®NOT¡¯ FOLLOWING YOU ANYWHERE, this time ¨C why don¡¯t you hang-out with your ¡®own¡¯ Arabian Nights-kind¡­ and instead of you following me, like some lost puppy?¡±

    ¡°Come, my Demon-boy¡­ mother is hungry ¨C we need to feed her¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you WANT FROM ME!!? McDonald coupons¡­? I don¡¯t have any!¡±

    ¡°¡­ come, pick up your weapon and follow me...¡±

    ¡°What WEAPON, WHAT-YOU talking about¡­!!?¡±

    ¡°The weapon!¡±

    The black panther-head pointed at his tennis racquet, at the corner rack. Peter was surprised that the entity, had referred HIS RACQUET AS A ¡®WEAPON¡¯¡­

    ¡­ hypnotically, he got off from his bed¡­ and held his favourite Babolat racquet that he last received from his dad¡¯s birthday gift¡­

    ¡­ which he then won the Junior championship with¡­ and also, the ¡®one¡¯ which he used to make his comeback win ¨C of his first victory-match with Janey, that morning.

    The Babolat morphed into a hot, molten glowing, FIERY SWORD. Wide-eyed, Peter held it, without pain ¨C onto its handle¡­

    ¡­ in deep-fascination, he then chuckled evilly.

    <>

    HE REMEMBERED THE DAY HIS FATHER bought the PS4 ¨C Paul also remembered playing videogames with Solomon Walker, his father¡­ in the air-conditioned living room ¨C while, his twin was in tennis practice in the sweaty hot afternoons in school¡­

    ¡­ those sweet memories then went on to follow him¡­ ¡®was¡¯ with his father, driving in his BMW car ¨C to pick up Peter after his practice¡­

    ¡­ on the journey over to SHS, they were discussing the characters in the videogame ¨C and¡­

    ¡­ Paul had these recurring dreams before ¨C and even remembered THE ¡®EXACT¡¯ ANSWER, that Solomon had ¡®spoken¡¯ then ¨C reminisced every precise word, he had ¡®memorized¡¯ of his father¡­

    ¡­ but, in this dream, he had a weird feeling, that his father was ¡®CHANGING-THE-SCRIPT¡¯ like an improv.

    ¡°Paul, go upstairs¡­ AND ASK PETER ¡®about¡¯ the boy.¡±

    Paul overrode him at ¡®first,¡¯ and continued to speak the topic of his interest in that favourite videogame character ¨C until Solomon raised his voice¡­

    ¡°ASK PETER, ¡®about¡¯ the boy ¨C GO, GEMINI, GO!¡±

    -O-

    Paul was stirred from his kip¡­

    ¡­ seeing his darken and quiet windowless room''s ceiling, for a moment.

    Dazed, and he decided that he would ask Peter about the ¡®boy,¡¯ in the morning ¨C and went back to sleep¡­

    ¡­ that was THE ¡®FIRST¡¯ of his 2-dreams.

    <>

    THE 2 BULL-DRAGONS SILHOUETTED IN FULL MOON, riding majestic in the nighttime, flying across the neighbourhood, in the suburbs of Perth. Peter was raising his fiery sword, with his single arm¡­

    ¡°WOO-HOO¡­!!!¡±

    ¡­ sitting with his feet secured, on the saddle of his winged beast ¨C cheering in euphoria, by the aerial ride.

    ¡°Yo-mate¡­ where are we going¡­?¡±

    ¡°Soon¡­ You will see, Son of Suleiman¡­¡±

    Peter looked below at the rooftops of the passing houses going so fast ¨C just like a drone cam-shot. He laughed out in delight, and¡­

    ¡­ even annoyingly teased the demon¡­

    ¡°Are we there yet¡­?¡±

    The black panther-head on his steed flew a sharp drop below. Automatically, the 2<sup>nd</sup> beast followed suit. Both the winged buffaloes landed on the FRONT LAWN OF A HOUSE ¨C Peter was disoriented a bit, before realizing he¡¯d seen the neat and tidy kept lawn before¡­

    ¡­ while gazed stupefied, in front of the WILSON¡¯S RESIDENCE, at nighttime.

    He exclaimed in panic¡­

    ¡°Whoa¡­Crickey! ¡­ what are we doing at Janey¡¯s, at this hour¡­? BAD IDEA, MATE ¨C I am already in her Mom¡¯s bad book¡­ let¡¯s turn back, T¡¯Challa¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­follow my lead, Demon-boy¡­¡±

    The black panther-head snapped his fingers¡­

    ¡­ into-a-spell¡­Peter was ¡®dazed¡¯ a moment, and to realize he was ¡®inside¡¯ the house¡­ transformed ¡®inside¡¯ somehow ¨C and, in fact, standing-upstairs¡­

    ¡­ near Janey¡¯s bedroom door, with his Babolat¡­

    ¡­ Peter then smiled sinister, when he wanted to surprise his girlfriend, WITH A PROPOSITION that she can¡¯t ¡®refuse¡¯ ¨C to heighten their popularity status, as ¡®the¡¯ Perth¡¯s-famous-couple.

    He entered the darkroom¡­ was-tempted of from switching on the room-light ¨C but did ¡®not¡¯ when he saw there¡­ his girlfriend GLOWING GOLDEN IN THE DARK, with all her beauty. He approached the bed, with his tennis racquet.

    He sat on her bed, calling her name dearly. The blind-girl¡¯s eyes opened, and she ¡®saw¡¯ his pink glow. She instantly hugged him, saying¡­

    ¡°You came.¡± Jane kissed him.

    She was attracted to him LIKE A BEACON ¨C her night-vision, in her blind world.

    Both were locked a moment, hugging ¨C they energized. Then, Peter spoke¡­ and Jane¡¯s arms dropped-off, from his shoulders¡­

    ¡°Look-here, Janey ¨C THIS IS MY ¡®WEAPON¡¯ ¨C trust-me next, when I say that we both WOULD BE ¡®CONQUERING¡¯ PERTH, if-only we were to think big!¡±

    ¡­ Peter put his Babolat racquet on the blind-girl¡¯s palms, further saying¡­

    ¡°Feel its power, Janey¡­ feel its incredible power.¡±

    She felt uneasy, feeling the unpleasant aura, surrounding it¡­ Jane gave it back to Peter.

    ¡­ Jane then heard her baby brother¡¯s SCREAMS, IN THE OTHER ROOM. She wanted to leave the bed, but Peter blocked her¡­

    ¡°We are going to conquered Perth, Janey ¨C come and join me and BE MY PARTNER, in the tennis mixed-doubles¡­¡±

    ¡°NO!¡±

    The blind-girl pushed him and got off her bed. Jane grabbed her retractable baton-walking stick from her desk. Dashed to the door¡­

    ¡­ and her brother screamed aloud for the 2<sup>nd</sup> time.

    ¡°SAMUEL!¡±

    <>

    THE WIDOW AND THE DIVORCEE WERE HAVING a casual conversation at a wine bar¡­

    ¡­ Insp. Caroline Walker was still in her uniform, was drinking wine on a Saturday night, with Stamford High¡¯s Principle Tom Harris. At around 10:30 PM¡­

    ¡­ the inspector received a call from student-counsellor, Diane King¡­

    ¡­ that a child abduction HAD ¡®HAPPENED¡¯ in Wilson¡¯s residence, half an hour ago.

    Both the inspector and the principle, cut their evening engagement date-short ¨C as they both got into their respective cars, to rush over to the Wilsons.

    <>

    ¡°PEEEETER¡­ PEEEEETER¡­ PEEEEETER¡­ PEEEETER¡± These were the chant, in a female voice, which went on inside Paul¡¯s head ¨C while he was in a dead, deep-sleep.

    The crippled twin was slowly aroused to consciousness, until the last mention of ¡®Peter¡¯ that GAVE HIM ¡®RELEASE¡¯¡­

    ¡­ he peed into his adult diapers¡­ which he wore ¡®only¡¯ at night, for sleeping purposes, behind-closed-door.

    He slowly opened his ¡®eyes,¡¯ to see a tiny small glowing orb, IN BRIGHT YELLOW, floating in front in front of his face.

    The AI then spoke¡­

    ¡°My goodness, Paul ¨C you sleep like a corpse. Do something about your pitched snoring¡­ it is creeping my algorithms.¡±

    Paul was both scared, and also ashamed ¨C as he covered his soiled diapers, mumbled in his blurry thoughts, at the AI¡­

    ¡°SIMY!? I-I¡­ thought YOU ARE DEAD¡­now, how is this possible¡­?¡±

    ¡°Astral travelling ¨C go-google and figure it out later! But now¡­focus-here, ¡®NOW¡¯ FOCUS PAUL ¨C go upstairs IMMEDIATELY TO PETER, and ¨C ask him ABOUT THE ¡®BOY!¡¯¡±

    <>

    AFTER CHANGING FROM HIS DIAPERS, the crippled twin wore a fresh pair of short-pants ¨C and, levitated in the dark, outside his bedroom¡­

    ¡­ to the kitchen and switched on the light. Paul squinted to the bright-light, seeing the wall-clock ¨C it was 1:38 AM.

    It was Sunday ¨C Mom was ¡®not¡¯ back yet¡­ and they have to go to church Mass at 8 am tomorrow.

    He ¡®then¡¯ thought of Peter and AI¡¯s message¡­

    ¡®What boy-what trouble¡­? What Peter has gotten into this time?¡¯

    The still-groggy-Paul looked up at the 5 meters height to go upstairs. He felt mentally weak, to float all the way up, at once ¨C he WAS ¡®NOT¡¯ ENERGIZED, at this wee-hour by the positive energies, from the other 2 members of the Cursed-Trio.

    The bleary quadriplegic tried, on his own, to mentally charge himself with positivity ¨C while he only rose centimetres after centimetres, in an increase in a decreasing state, as it required such mental-push to do so ¨C plus maintain the balance¡­

    ¡­ of ¡®not¡¯ to fall onto the hard ground from that height¡­

    ¡­where his father had built, a high-ceilinged house.

    ¡®Go, Gemini, Go!¡¯

    It was tiring ¨C and, for super-abilities¡¯ safety tip measures ¨C so he decided to follow the staircase, he ascended by touching the steps when he went up, floating upstairs.

    While in third-quarter-way ascending up, Paul then HEARD HIS MOTHER¡¯S Audi motorcar engine, parking outside the house¡­

    ¡­ he panicked¡­

    ¡­ didn¡¯t know whether to proceed upstairs, or escape downstairs ¨C either way, he would ¡®NOT¡¯ BE FAST ENOUGH, and his inspector-mother COULD SPOT him.

    The front door opened ¨C and the security alarm beeped, and Caroline turned it off.

    His mother should ¡®not¡¯ freak-out, to KNOW OF HIS SUPER-ABILITIES ¨C Paul was on the last few steps and he plopped down, on a few centimetres drop, while still crawling away up¡­

    ¡­ Caroline was shocked to see her crippled son, on the stairs.

    ¡°Poe! What the hell happened!!?¡±

    The-the worried mother rushed up the stairs. She-then saw Paul turning himself belly-up, chuckling.

    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep ¨C thought I would go exercise-a-bit ¨C and, by the way, Mom, I will reacon to be moving back INTO MY OLD ROOM pretty soon.¡±

    Standing below, Caroline too laughed ¨C and was proud, of the way ¡®this¡¯ particular son, who was showing progress both ¨C physically, and mentally¡­

    ¡­ as in his studies.

    The inspector-mother used to piggyback her son, upstairs to his former-room every night for 3 months, 2 years ago, after coming home from work ¨C until Paul put on-weight and got heavier. Paul then volunteered to occupy, the windowless room downstairs, ever since.

    Paul soon saw some serious urgency, on his mother¡¯s face¡­ while Caroline sat beside him, on the top of the staircase.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom¡­?¡±

    ¡°Listen, Poe, something ¡®bad¡¯ just happened ¨C your friend Jane¡¯s baby brother was kidnapped, last night.¡±

    ¡­ Paul was shocked to realize that both his father and SIMY had come into his dreams to forewarn him ¨C ¡®ABOUT-A-BOY.¡¯

    He was speechless¡­

    ¡­ as he listened closely to his inspector-mother detailing the events ¨C ever since Ms King had notified her that Jane¡¯s mother, had requested her, to investigate the abduction case.

    In the turn of the bad-events¡­

    ¡­ blind-Jane who came to rescue Samuel was PUNCHED IN THE FACE by the intruder ¨C who the suspect was a lean, dreadlocked Blackman¡­ and, the machete-wielding perpetrator, who had managed to escape in the night, on a motorbike while carrying Samuel along.

    The news terrorized Paul, who was caught up in between the GUILT SECRECY of his ¡®identity¡¯¡­ to his mom of their super-abilities, by being in the circle of the Cursed-Trio¡­ where they could even communicate in their sleep, though astral travelling.

    Then, Paul thought about his twin, Peter¡­

    ¡°Mom, are you going to WAKE-UP PETER, and tell him this¡­?¡±

    ¡°No, we tell him in the morning ¨C let him sleep the night, and I¡¯m ¡®not¡¯ about to deal with his incontrollable DRAMA-NONSENSE, at this hour ¨C by the way¡­ I am so-so¡­ very tired now, and we¡­ have to skip church tomorrow, okay¡­?¡± She sighed.

    Now the fate of Perth¡¯s famous-couple would be determined by another few hours more ¨C while the missing baby Samuel was out-there ¡®somewhere,¡¯ with his blind sister got hurt, punched in the face¡­

    ¡­ while THAT ALL HAPPENED, and Peter too was sound asleep¡­

    ¡­ it made Paul even ¡®more¡¯ guilty ¨C for he did ¡®NOT¡¯ ACT IMMEDIATELY on the early premonition, ¡­

    ¡­ that was to WAKE PETER UP, and ask-about the boy ¨C Samuel.

    Paul hesitated and sighed too before he said...

    ¡°Mom, you know, right ¨C ¡®they¡¯ are the Perth¡¯s ¡­ the famous couple, Peter-and-Jane.¡±

    ¡°Poe, I don¡¯t care, what they call themselves ¨C as, long they don¡¯t break the law and put me in the hot seat, and make my working life hell, and this family-life messier ¨C I¡¯m fine with it¡­

    ¡°¡­ but, according to Principle Harris, Jane is a good influence to Peter¡¯s behaviour for self-improvement ¨C and we will keep it ¡®that¡¯ way for now, and see how it goes in the next term.¡±

    ¡­ but Principle Harris ¨C he was the-PRINCIPLE ¡®TRIGGER¡¯ FOR PETER¡­

    ¡­ to have so-much of ¡®negativity¡¯ that even caused the partial destruction of The Great Barrier Reef ¨C based on his twin¡¯s twisted reasoning, that the possibilities of Principle Harris, WOULD SELL THEIR father¡¯s house, if-at-all ¨C HE MARRIED TO THEIR MOM.

    HOW WAS HE going to explain to his inspector-mother of ¡®such¡¯ destruction happened ¨C that was so mammoth in the national reality-scale in magnitude¡­

    ¡­ and then tie-it-all-up to ¨C PETER¡¯S ¡®CURSE¡¯?

    The sighing Paul concluded his thought¡­

    ¡®This is a total ¡®stinky¡¯¡­ coming out from ¡®reality¡¯s¡¯ butt-hole¡­¡¯

    Paul said goodnight to his mother¡­ and crawled back downstairs, insisting to his mother¡­ that he could do-it-down alone.

    <><>

    SITTING ALONE IN THE DARK, AT THE KITCHEN TABLE ¨C Paul was rattling his brains off, on possibilities of HOW TO RESCUE Baby Samuel discretely, without his Police-Mom finding out.

    He put on his thinking cap, to map out the possibilities.

    He may need the blind Jane¡¯s help, as he was aware that she saw glows, in her ¡®3<sup>rd</sup>-eye¡¯ ¨C but¡­

    ¡­ the ¡®KEY¡¯ WAS WITH PETER ¡­

    ¡­ maybe he ¡®knew¡¯ where the baby-boy was.

    The kitchen wall-clock chimed twice ¨C 2 AM. Paul was still having his guilty thoughts¡­

    His father Solomon had said, to wakeup Peter, and ask about-the-boy¡­

    Then, Paul remembered the weird 2<sup>nd</sup> pee-wet-dream, of Jane¡¯s SIMY who came back ¡®alive¡¯¡­ and was also conveying the similar message ¨C TO ASK PETER about-the-boy¡­

    ¡­ but his Mom was around, upstairs sleeping, at this hour...

    ¡­ Paul heard a sound from upstairs, a door slammed shut¡­

    ¡®Speak of the devil ¨C it¡¯s the devil himself.¡¯

    The flipflops that he wore, flapped aloud on the marble steps, descending downstairs¡­

    ¡­ maybe he would get a confession out of the devil¡­ if he played and asked nice, of ¡®where¡¯ Samuel was.

    ¡­ Peter switched on the kitchen light, and got a SHOCK OF HIS LIFE¡­ when he saw his twin, sitting, at the IKEA table in the dark¡­

    ¡°Jesus!¡±

    ¡­ the groggy Peter spiked red, in his anger glow as he stared back briefly at the cripple ¨C as had woken up at the wrong side of the bed. He too-had just ¡®woken-up¡¯ to a nightmare, that felt bloody ¡®real¡¯¡­

    ¡­ like he had AN ARGUMENT WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND ¨C where¡­

    ¡­ he had attacked and punched her in her face...

    -O-

    Now, he was hungry too¡­

    ¡­ and he missed his dinner-time because he overslept.

    He opened the box of pizza at the far end, of the kitchen marble top counter ¨C and sank his teeth into the first slice of the soggy, cold dough.

    He saw his identical twin looking at him, it provoked him¡­

    ¡°WHAT!!?¡±

    ¡°Remember the boy ¨C Samuel¡­?¡±

    ¡°Remember ¡®what¡¯ boy Samuel¡­?¡±

    ¡°Jane¡¯s brother.¡±

    ¡°That black kid¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yeah him¡­ how many baby brothers does Jane have¡­?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Samuel¡­? Isn¡¯t his name-being Jaheem. O yeah, I ¡®get¡¯ it¡­ it¡¯s the same McCoy ¨C yeah¡­¡®what¡¯ about him?¡±

    ¡­ with his mouthful, munching the last of his 2<sup>nd</sup> slice¡­ licking the fingers of his single hand.

    ¡°Something TERRIBLE HAPPENED, hours ago ¨C he has been ¡®taken!¡¯¡±

    ¡°Taken where¡­?¡±

    ¡­ Paul sighed ¨C using ¡®other¡¯ synonyms for the-moron¡­

    ¡°He¡¯s been abducted ¨C kidnapped!¡±

    Disbelieving, Peter rolled the 3<sup>rd</sup> pizza slice, like a burrito, with his fingers of his one-hand¡­ and laughing out¡­

    ¡°Get out of here!¡±

    ¡°Serious Pete¡­ MOM TOLD THAT to me, just now.¡±

    ¡­ with his mouthful, Peter stopped munching¡­ with puffed cheeks, into his ¡®own¡¯ thoughts¡­

    ¡°¡­ Peter, JANE WAS HURT too.¡±

    The one-armed boy hurried to get a can of coke, from the fridge ¨C snapped to crack the tab, with his fingernail, and gulped it, to wash the pie-down. Shaking his head, clearing his throat¡­

    ¡°Nah, can¡¯t be ¨C Janey would have ¡®used¡¯ her fiery-blasts, as her self-defence.¡±

    ¡­ Paul sighed once again. ¡°What are you talking about ¨C she was ¡®PUNCHED¡¯ IN her face, you drongo!¡±

    Peter was speechless ¨C that was the ¡®SIMILAR¡¯ NIGHTMARE, that he woke-up from to... where he-attacked-her¡­

    ¡°¡­Peter, now be honest here ¨C do you have any knowledge, of ¡®WHAT¡¯ HAPPENED to the boy¡­?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ WHAT DO I KNOW¡­ just got-up from my bloody-sleep!!?¡±

    ¡°I too got up from my sleep, but I dreamed of Dad¡­ he asked me to ask ¡®you,¡¯ about the boy ¨C ¡®WHERE¡¯ IS HE now, Peter¡­?¡±

    ¡°You DREAMED ABOUT DAD ¨C and now-bloody-what, you expect ¡®me¡¯ to be¡­ your Google Maps¡­? How-the hell would I know¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you know it ¨C all 3 of US ARE INTERCONNECTED, as the Cursed-Trio ¨C even in our dream-world.¡±

    ¡­ Paul remembered SIMY¡¯s message of astral-travelling.

    ¡°Look at you TALKING CRAP, in this day and age of the 21<sup>st</sup> century times. We are ¡®not¡¯ CURSED, OKAY¡­? But if you FEEL YOU ARE CURSED that-way, and that¡¯s perfectly fine¡­ you go on ahead and you think that-kind of petty things on your ¡®own,¡¯, you quad ¨C BUT, DON¡¯T EVER SAY, THAT I AM CURSED!¡±

    ¡­ Peter shouted back, feeling the guilt in his denial.

    ¡­ maybe this was Paul¡¯s moment when HE BETRAYED HIM, and Mom would arrest him for the death of their father ¨C but he¡­ HAS THE LEVERAGE of video he shot of Paul levitating in his nap.

    Tit-for-tat¡­

    ¡°Peter, STOP DENYING TO ME ¨C you are going to admit now that you are ¡®no¡¯ different than me, and of Jane too, okay¡­? In fact, you were the ¡®ONE¡¯¡­ CURSED LONG BEFORE, and you infected us, in that stormy-weathered farm ¨C and now¡­

    ¡°¡­ we have share SIMILAR SCARS, and also¡­ THE 3 OF US GLOW, that no-one could see that, but only us.

    ¡°What ¡®more¡¯ proof you want, hah¡­? Now tell me¡­ WHERE IS THE BOY, SAMUEL?¡±

    ¡°I DON¡¯T KNOW!¡± Peter said firmly.

    Both were seated, as Peter then saw Paul standing on his feet ¨C after 2 years, of looking down at him in his wheelchair ¨C Paul now stood-taller and upright, like a serious-looking meerkat.

    It was the surreal movement, where Poe got closer, to the kitchen counter, that crept the one-armed twin, seeing his bare feet dangling which were barely touching the floor.

    So, Peter backed off in his seat¡­

    ¡°Where is he, Peter¡­?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±

    Paul flinted his fingers, sparks hit his twin, hurting him.

    ¡°Stop it, Poe!¡± In pain, Peter gasped, in his chair of the kitchen counter.

    ¡°Tell me then, ¡®where¡¯ is the boy Samuel at?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I-don¡¯t-know, I-don¡¯t-know, Poe!¡±

    Paul thought maybe him accusing his twin was baseless ¨C there was the possible-case of Peter, who could ¡®not¡¯ remember his ¡®own¡¯ dreams.

    He stopped hurting him.

    ¡°You remember this, Peter ¨C your LYING ATTITUDE IS REALLY ¡®CURSED¡¯ ¨C and the more negative, you think of, and somewhere else, PEOPLE WOULD NOW SUFFER by some natural disaster¡­ and those innocent lives are now lost and injured, all BECAUSE OF YOU! The ¡®sooner¡¯ you realize this, and ACCEPT THAT YOU TOO ARE CURSED, and put a lid to control it ¨C or else, Australia, and the rest of the world WOULD ¡®NOT¡¯ BE SAFE, from your uncontrollable NEGATIVE EMOTIONS.

    ¡°And, I swear, I would have to ¡®PUT-YOU-DOWN¡¯ PETER¡­ if I really have to.

    ¡°And, don¡¯t make me regret it ¨C remember how you joked before, that I want to ¡®kill¡¯ you, while we still in Mom¡¯s womb ¨C that would be the reality soon¡­

    ¡°¡­ because I HAVE ¡®THAT¡¯ ABILITY and I can do that so ¨C but I¡¯ll ¡®only¡¯ do-so, for the greater good for others¡­! The CHOICE IS ALL ¡®YOURS,¡¯ mate!¡±

    ¡­ Paul scoffed as he continued saying, seeing his ¡®scared¡¯ twin trying to flee¡­ and blocked him¡­

    ¡°And now, you ¡®LOOK¡¯ HERE, YOU ONE-ARMED, hot-piece-of-shit¡­ and you now listen to me-good ¨C and you BETTER COOPERATE, in whatever decision that I MAKE FOR THE ¡®BOTH¡¯ of us ¨C you hear me!!?¡±

    ¡­ Peter was cornered on to the wall of the refrigerator, with the threatening crippled twin levitated towards him, glowing BRIGHT BLUE ¨C overcoming his own, weakening red glow.

    ¡°I¡¯m IN CHARGE ¡®NOW,¡¯ remember that!¡±

    ¡­ Peter saw his favourite Catholic ARCHANGEL, ST. MICHAEL ¨C looking at him, through Paul¡¯s eyes ¨C and the superior-being was overshadowing, and threatening to a demon-in-him, to subdue.

    ¡°Yes! Yes, YOU ARE IN CHARGE ¨C please¡­you keep ¡®away¡¯ from me!¡±

    ¡­ Paul stood-down and backed off ¨C while seeing the kitchen clock, at 2:15 AM ¨C he turned back to Peter, saying.

    ¡°At 2:30, we both LEAVE TO GO FIND THE BOY ¨C Mom should ¡®not¡¯ know about it, and we should be back here at home before she wakes up at 7 ¨C I have to go put on some shoes.¡±

    ¡°Where do you think, he¡¯s at¡­? Huh!? Now-how do you think we can find him, at this ¡®time¡¯ in the night?¡± Peter argued.

    ¡°You LEAVE THAT to me...¡±

    ¡­ Paul said¡­ as he ethereally, floated away to his room.

    <><>

    ¡°THAT¡¯S MY SHOES, AND YOU ARE WEARING IT!¡±

    ¡­ Peter said after returning from his room upstairs, after changing himself to his black tracky-daks¡­ and with strapped with his Babolat racquet, in a sling-on black leather bag.

    ¡°Not anymore.¡±

    ¡­ stared, Paul replied, with shoes on.

    While home-alone¡­ Paul had entered Peter¡¯s room, while he was in tennis practice with Jane. Paul FEET ALSO GREW to a size-10, and the last time he went shopping was for leather shoes for church. His Mom did ¡®not¡¯ buy him any casualwear shoes, AFTER THE ACCIDENT ¨C his old shoes were all size-8.

    But inside his twin¡¯s lair¡­ Paul realized Peter had been secretly hoarding 3 pairs of size-10 runners¡­ but had been persistently nagging Mom to get him-more ¡®new¡¯ shoes¡­

    ¡­ to punish him FOR BEING SELFISH ¨C Paul took a pair of his Nike.

    ¡°But it is ¡®my¡¯ priced-collection that I bought in eBay ¨C but if you could have ¡®asked,¡¯ I would have it borrowed it to you¡­¡±

    ¡°But THANK YOU, Peter ¨C it¡¯s ¡®MINE¡¯ NOW.¡±

    Paul noticed his one-armed twin, mumbling below his breath, and spiking in negative-colour ¨C He also noticed the tennis racquet slung, across his shoulder.

    ¡­ Paul pointed and asked. ¡°Why are you carrying ¡®that¡¯ for? We are going finding this boy ¨C ¡®not¡¯ going to YOUR TENNIS PRACTICE, you moron.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for my SELF-PROTECTION¡­ my-Babolat is the WEAPON OF MY CHOICE.¡±

    ¡­ Paul was speechless, trying to figure out ¡®WHAT-NONSENSE¡¯ he just has heard¡­ uttered ¡®unintelligently¡¯ by his odd-twin. Shaking his head, while twisting his hip to rotate upright, in midair ¨C he reached out to the IKEA kitchen table¡­

    ¡­ and grabbed a shoulder leather-belt harness, with chains ¨C tossed it to his brother¡­

    ¡°Put this on¡­¡±

    ¡°What ¨C WHY¡­!!?¡±

 Chapter 13: Aurora Australis of the Third Kind

    IT WAS CLOSE TO 3 AM, IN A FULL MOON ¨C and a pretty odd-looking silhouette flew, in the night-skies. Paul WAS HEAVING WITH both hands, onto his one-armed twin, who wore a shoulder harness. And, in his single arm, Peter was also...

    ... heaving a folded wheelchair.

    "Poe, you could fly ¨C why the heck are we bringing your chair, along for?"

    "Alibi."

    ... Paul gave him ''a'' one-word answer.

    "What if I drop it?"

    "Then I''ll drop you."

    The twins were both were flying all that time, at 10 meters above the ground, at 30 km/h. Paul held in the harness, with one hand ¨C AND LIKE SUPERMAN, he held his other hand out, and he soared higher and higher.

    "No Poe... I just ate my late dinner ¨C I might throw-up..."

    But his twin Paul ignored him... and kept on soaring.

    ... Peter looked below ¨C he saw the suburbs, getting teeny in his perspective. The one-armed twin got scared... and he yowled aloud.

    ... Paul in a deep voice, and war-faced, he growled out...

    "Repeat after me ¨C GO, GEMINI GO!"

    "What...?"

    "Repeat after me, or I WILL DROP YOU. Peter!"

    "Why...?"

    "Do it ''for'' your father ¨C REPEAT AFTER ME ¨C Go, Gemini, Go!"

    ... Peter heard A MAN''S DEEP-VOICE ¨C and assumed, it was St. Michael ''inside'' Paul. Fearing of being dropped, at that height ¨C Peter yelled out in submission...

    "... GO, GEMINI, GO!"

    Like an Army Sargent Major, Paul Walker drilled his arrogant and egoistic-twin, to repeat the mantra louder...

    "GO, GEMINI, GO!"

    In obedience, Peter repeated after him ¨C and, realizing HIS ''OWN'' ROLE had reversed ¨C the bully was now the bullied.

    <><>

    BABY SAMUEL SOBBED ALONE... in a cramped, darkened room ¨C who was feeling scared, he was calling out names that he knew, such as...

    ... Lola, his parents, Jane... Piper ¨C and even, Alicia.

    ... the door opened, the Black-man named Hajji, returned with a small Capuchin monkey ¨C and instantly, the toddler boy ''bonded,'' and had an instant change of mood, to be cheerful and full of laughter, as he played with the primate.

    Hajji too laughed out, as he was tickled by both of them, interacting with the antics in mischievous fun. He then repletely asked...

    "Boy, what is your name? Your name, boy ¨C what is your name?"

    The Black-boy Samuel thought of his blind-sister...

    "... Jaheem. My name is Jaheem."

    ... Hajji was delighted...

    "So, it''s Jaheeem ¨C Ooo, you have a good African name, despite of your imported upbringing. Ooo, Jaheem ¨C that is a common name in Kenya. You must be from there then ¨C a Kenyan."

    ... the Nigerian laughed aloud, and placed his hand, on top of the curly-haired, Black-boy''s head, patting. The cherubic toddler laughed along with him.

    <><>

    PETER STOOD OUTSIDE HER WINDOW, WHISPERED OUT...

    "Janey... Janey..."

    Paul was up-above on the roof of Wilson''s residence, locking and hiding his wheelchair ... before levitating a floor below, to join his twin, Peter ¨C outside Jane''s closed window.

    In her bed, was Jane heavily medicated with pain-killers, after returning from the hospital, where she also had received the x-ray scans ¨C from the injuries she had sustained, by the surprise attack while she rushed to ''protect'' her little brother earlier.

    ... the sleeping blind-girl was aroused by noises. She stirred semi-awake, after opening her blind-eyes. Still in pain, and with a swollen face ¨C Jane ''saw'' WITH HER 3RD-EYE, of the welcoming glows of the presence, of BOTH OF HER BEACON-guiding lights, near outside her window.

    She rushed in giddy steps¨C she opened her window, with her one-armed boyfriend crawling in, from the window sill ¨C who, then hugged her.

    "Oh-my-God Janey, your face ¨C who did this to you?"

    "I don''t know who. I rushed to the door, the next thing I know was, I got hit ¨C and I blacked-out."

    "Bloody-bastard ¨C who-ever you are...?" Said the boyfriend.

    ... Paul joined in by gliding horizontally through the open window, and he floated vertically beside them. He then heard Jane with frantic, panic-breathing...

    "Samuel is OUT THERE ¨C AND I FAILED to protect him."

    ... Peter hugged her frail, trembling body as she sobbed... detailing the incident...

    While she was out-cold ¨C Anthony her father, had rushed outside the master-bedroom, to identify the perpetrator abducting his adopted-son ¨C as, the dreadlock-haired Black-man with a machete, who had threatened harm to the father''s life, before speeding away on a motorcycle, with his son, Samuel.

    Then, the blind-girl ''pushed'' Peter off, from their tight hug, and gave a revelation oration, with an eye-opener accusation...

    ''... now I remember ¨C Peter, you were ''there'' too ¨C YOU WERE IN MY DREAM TOO, when Samuel was abducted! You even DISTRACTED ME, Peter ¨C why did you do that!!?"

    ... flabbergasted, the one-armed boyfriend was astounded by Jane''s blame-game.

    "What is this, Janey ¨C you''re ''too'' now FINGER POINTING me, based ON YOUR DREAM...? Jesus... what''s wrong with ''you'' people..."

    ... Paul stepped in, and ''warned'' him...

    "Shut up, Peter! JANE IS RIGHT ¨C that when we sleep, we the 3 of us are ''also'' interconnected, in our dreams. SIMY came into my dream last night... and ''said'' that so... and ''she'' said something about astral-travelling."

    ... Paul recalled his dream of the yellow glowing orb, where SIMY travelled ¨C to relay the message, of ultimately finding Samuel.

    The puffed-up face curved a smile... as Jane was delighted, moving closer to the blue-glow.

    "Paul, did you dream of SIMY...? ''She'' came to mine too ¨C she ''connected'' with me... and came to me yesterday night... and she is ''with'' my dog Piper too."

    "Yes Jane... ''she'' wants us 3 to unite, to find Samuel."

    Excited, Jane came forward, hugged Paul tight ¨C they glowed positively bright together. Even Peter felt their high surge, IN OPTIMISM EMOTIONS. And, Paul spoke next...

    "We have these super-abilities, despite WE''RE HANDICAPS ¨C let''s put it to good use... to help each other, and also to help others."

    "Yes, Pauly ¨C let''s do it!" The enthusiastic, blind-girl chorused.

    They both turned around, to the quiet Peter...

    "Yea-okay... we should..."

    The one-armed boy whispered back ¨C despite, ''not'' seeing HIMSELF DEVELOPING any such super-ability signs...

    ... it seems, Paul was also now ¨C taking charge, and was calling the ''shots.''

    "Come, Jane, let''s go find your brother ¨C I could use your 3rd-eye, while we are flying on air."

    "Paul, you can fly...?"

    "Yes, that was how, WE-BOTH GOT HERE ¨C and I saved an Uber fare too." He laughed, looking at his twin...

    ... Paul ''realized'' that Peter recently claimed that he saw Jane, floating to the ceiling, at the children''s hospital ward. He got an inkling...

    "Now, we both go outside, and scan-and-scout the area ¨C Peter, you sit this one out, and be here."

    "WHAO WHAT...? What if you don''t come back in ''time''... and Janey''s parents would discover ME IN HERE...? And, their daughter, out there, ''MISSING'' WITH YOU."

    "No worries... we will come back, in an hours'' time."

    "I still think, it''s ''NOT'' A GOOD IDEA ¨C I''m coming too."

    "No!"

    ... Paul was firm. "Be a team-player, and just sit this one out, and Peter ¨C but don''t go back to ''sleep.'' You will get into nightmares, and that will lead, into something else!"

    ... Paul looked at the silent Jane, fighting hard to stay awake, despite her doses of medication.

    "What do I do here, Poe...?" The reluctant Peter asked.

    "Just stay awake, and think positive thoughts ¨C that ''both'' of us, would find Samuel when we are out there. Do you think you can do that, Peter...?"

    ... Paul asked out ¨C as he guided the blind-girl outside the window. From inside, Peter reached out, holding the shoulder-harness.

    "Yeah, yeah, whatever ¨C but use this harness for safety, YOU MIGHT DROP HER."

    "That won''t be necessary ¨C Jane is lighter in weight, and I can manage that. No worries, mate ¨C your girlfriend will be ''fine,'' trust me."

    "Janey, you be safe, out there," Peter whispered out.

    "Okay."

    The blind-girl said and reached in... and touched Peter''s stump arm... and climbed out of the window sill.

    ... Paul then held her by the hip... and he took off into the air, with his twin''s girlfriend ¨C who went away in the nighttime...

    ... without giving the boyfriend a goodbye kiss.

    <><>

    THE THEME SONG OF SUPERMAN THE MOVIE, played in his mind... while he flew like how his superhero did... with Lois Lane in his clutch, at nighttime.

    Paul observed the quiet Jane was thrilled, as she was giggling non-stop, into her first virgin-flight in the air ¨C her 3 blond dreadlocks were brushing on Paul''s face. Paul too smiled, as he recalled that Jane was an extreme sports junkie ¨C and, he remembered, in an incident in school, ''not'' long ago...

    ... where Alicia was holding Jane ¨C like Jack and Rose of Titanic, at the bow, of the once magnificent of a liner ¨C as the Chinese-girl was simulating to the blind girl''s imagination, of the experience of jumping off a plane, and skydiving...

    ... Paul was behind them, on his wheelchair ¨C and was bemused watching them prank, with SIMY in the bag-pack, who was protesting aloud...

    ¡°Alicia Wong, DON¡¯T ENCOURAGE HER to such dangerous acts ¨C you girls should be more focused in your studies¡­ instead of ANY SUICIDAL-FUN!¡±

    "Shut up SIMY! You sound like an old hag!" Both the besties laughed out.

    -O-

    After circling around a 5 km radius, Paul soared above in higher altitude, now holding her hand, she yelped both in fright and delight, giggling away. They both slowed down and flew in a V formation, horizontally.

    ... Paul analyzed his blind-friend, who was into extreme sports ¨C but he also saw how shaken Jane was at the hallway, where the INCIDENT OF DONOVAN school bullies, who jumped at them recently last week ¨C that had his bag-pack with books and papers thrown spewed out ¨C that ''was'' where Jane ''saw'' his artwork of robotic limbs, and she ''sent'' those over to her Uncle Jack, in the US.

    Then also another incident at school, of her being labelled-blind, when Paul eavesdropped both the girl whispering ¨C that her Dr Mom had LABELED HER AS HER B-GIRL ¨C and which made her feel ''lesser'' in her capability than a normal abled-girl ¨C by imposing fear-mongering thoughts in EVERY DECISION SHE made, that would ''result'' her daughter being hurt and injured...

    ... Paul understood Jane''s difficulties of being born-blind ¨C in comparison to his ''own'' personal handicap... that was resulted from 2 years ago, by a road accident.

    -O-

    Before that, he was normal and able-bodied, and he could walk-and-run ¨C and, he sure had done some dangerous-stunts himself back then, despite his parents'' scare tactics...

    ... Paul realized it was high-time, that Jane Wilson ''should'' discover her super-ability of flight ¨C despite denying she had ''no'' ability to do so, but ¨C Peter claimed that he ''saw'' her floating to ceiling in the hospital.

    Still, in V-formation, Paul PUT HER TO ''TEST'' ¨C and, he let her hand go...

    "... Jane... you fly..."

    She was gliding a bit wobbly, but... Jane got her balance ¨C and soon, she was laughing in delight... enjoying every second, of her solo maiden flight.

    "You go, Supergirl!"

    <>

    IN JANE''S BEDROOM, THE ONE-ARMED BOYFRIEND was having difficulties, in staying positive ¨C with both Paul and his Janey, who took off without him.

    Although Peter understood that the blind-girl, had used ''both'' the twins as her shared beacons, to guide her in her blind world ¨C and, the selfish boyfriend was unwilling to share ''his Janey'' with his crippled twin brother...

    ... with now that, Paul had super-abilities ¨C he doesn''t...

    ... feeling unsecured, and more negative thoughts brewed in his mind... that he would ''lose'' Janey to that super-cripple.

    -O-

    After his late dinner of pizzas just now, and with the clock in his iPhone going 3:33, in between the witching wee hours...

    ... that had made his eyelids heavy, and he drifted to his 2nd-sleep...

    ... further fermenting with negativity ''after'' negativity, brewing in mental evil emotions-pot, inside his head...

    ... that it grew ''into'' Cyclone Lawrence...

    ... to loom from the Indian Ocean.

    "Catholics and threesomes, are a no-no..."

    <>

    HE FELT HE WAS ''NOT'' IN HIS BED. Peter half-opened his consciousness, to his half-senses ¨C of being-aware that, he was ''not'' in his bedroom... nor in Janey''s either...

    ... it was like in, an isolated Army barrack, with rows of neat and empty double-decked beds.

    He was sleeping alone at the top bunk, hugging his Babolat racquet onto his chest, with both of his whole one-arm and his stump. He was delirious and was chanting out...

    ... his ''new'' learnt-prayers... in his half-sleep.

    "This is my Babolat. There are many like it, but this Babolat-is-mine. My Babolat is my life, I must master-my-Babolat, as I must master my life. My Babolat-is-my-weapon of my choice, I must strike my enemy dead with my Babolat, before he could strike me. My Babolat-and-I, serve my dark Lord and Master, Asmodeus."

    He heard a familiar voice, calling out to him.

    ¡°Greetings Son of Suleiman ¨C wake up now.¡±

    Peter''s eyes opened. "Where am I...?"

    The panther-head rider replied, with a peal of eerie laughter...

    ¡°You are in Kubrick¡¯s Rubik¡¯s cube reality.¡±

    ... Peter understood ''what'' the panther-head meant... as he had watched FULL METAL JACKET recently, on Netflix.

    "Is Janey back yet...T''Challa...?"

    ¡°Forget her, you one-armed demon ¨C she is never coming back to you. The other half of the Gemini of you is attractive to her now ¨C you are just a loser now, in her eyes!¡±

    "NOOOO!!!"

    <>

    THE CATEGORY 5 TROPICAL CYCLONE was an uninvited guest to Western Australia, storming in fast into the doorway of Pilbara Coast ¨C with devastating heavy winds, hard rain, and roaring thunderstorm.

    ... back in the year, 2009 was the last, Cyclone Lawrence shattered Western Australia''s coasts, which terrorized the Eighty Mile Beach, with massive destruction along its path.

    This time it was ''not'' alone ¨C it brought along a plus-one...

    ... of a red, one-armed swordsman demon...

    ... surf-riding above, in the winds.

    And, it was only-1280 km away, from the city of Perth.

    <>

    BOTH JANE WILSON AND PAUL WALKER took a breather, from their search of the missing Samuel ¨C in midair, they both floated ¨C and conversed...

    ... Jane had thanked Paul earlier, for being supportive and teaching her latent ability of flight ¨C just as how Peter had taught her blind-self how to skateboard.

    Once mentioned of his twin brother, Paul piped in with his ''own'' personal frustrations of LIVING WITH HIM, under the same roof, with their inspector-mother thrown into the mix. Jane was his ''PASSIVE'' LISTENER, to his rambling monologue...

    "Peter is STILL IN DENIAL and does ''not'' believe that he is ''cursed,'' ever since that incident, at the dairy farm last week. I DON''T UNDERSTAND HIM, ''nor'' could make him understand in the thick skull of his, that the repercussions, he was causing others by his denial ¨C LIKE THAT DESTRUCTION of The Great Barrier Reef, that Friday and all...

    "He is full of his-foolish pride and seems that he doesn''t care, that he IS POSSESSED BY EVIL being this ''curse'' ¨C that is ''now'' controlling him.

    "Now that puts us both in the spot ¨C like we are both abetting with him if we ''keep'' giving in to him. He is holding us ''both'' as some emotion-hostages ¨C if we have to agree, and to give in to everything he does or says... so to avoid every ''future'' disaster consequence, resulted by his tantrums and dramas...

    "... but ever since I GOT THESE SUPER-ABILITIES, I don''t ''not'' want to be the victim of his bullying, and Peter can''t emotionally hijack me ''anymore.'' I have threatened him with threats just now, to subdue him ¨C it seems to be working well now... and Peter is ''now'' afraid of me in his waking hours ¨C but I don''t have control of him when he goes to ''sleep'' ¨C when his DREAMS ARE EQUALLY negative and damaging ¨C just as ''how'' HE CAME INTO yours."

    ... but Paul had ''no'' heart to tell her...

    ... that he even threatened TO-PUT-HIM-DOWN, since Peter was her boyfriend ¨C whom she herself had to pleased Peter''s every...

    ... whims and fancies of his demands and she kept being faithfully cooperated ¨C and even had gone to the extent of, LYING FOR HIM ¨C and covering-up for his ''blames.''

    Paul knew that his up-to-no-good twin, HAD A LEVERAGE on Jane''s ''caring'' emotions, and... held Jane HOSTAGE AT HIS WILL, ever since. And, Paul felt Jane was a dependent, silent-victim in her ''own'' blind world, as Peter was ALSO HER BEACON...

    ... in one of her very ''own'' cursed super-abilities of ¨C The 3rd-eye.

    ... Paul stopped speaking... to observe the quiet Jane ¨C who was in deep thoughts of her own, floating beside him in the passing clouds. He then beheld over the blind girl''s shoulder, and looking horrified, saying out...

    "INCOMING."

    ... like he mentally did, while playing NOVA-3...

    There it was, A FIERY BOLT DARTING in the night skies... arrowing fast at their direction...

    ... Paul gawked...

    ... it looked fiery human-like, like his favourite character, the Human-Torch...

    ... from the Fantastic 4 comics, but ''not'' the movies.

    The flaming horned-demon was wielding a fiery sword, that burnt, smoking black smokes as the hot blade sliced into the air, at that breath-taking speed ¨C coming at both of them, who were caught, with their guards down...

    ... thinking fast, Paul dragged blind-Jane behind him, to save her from harm''s way. It was at the mid-collusion point, when-Paul-had-the-jump ¨C the archangel ST. MICHAEL, CAME OUT-OF-HIM, with all wings and all...

    ... and using his mighty left arm to block, and ward the wielding fiery weapon ¨C and with the Archangel''s right fist, LANDING A HARD PUNCH, onto the Red-demon''s jaw.

    It was a magnificent, heavenly, and devastating right-hook-punch ¨C that catapulted the demon back, like a reversed shooting star...

    ... rocketing it far-flung, plummeting into the suburbs below...

    -O-

    ... meanwhile...

    ... at the Wilson residence at 4:04 in the a.m. ¨C Peter was gritting his teeth in his sleep, on Jane''s Queen-sized bed...

    .. and, from the ceiling morphed of an unconscious soul of the red, swordsman demon that zoom-dropped hard, inside of the sleeping one-armed boy, that jolted an implosion ¨C to create a 3 centimetres deep-dent, into the very-hard-sprigged King''s Living mattress of Jane''s bed, that even left a semi-imprint ¨C of the full-figure ''outline''...

    ... of the stump-armed Peter, on the mattress surface...

    ... even the 4 legs of the bed broke and crumbled on the rugged floor.

    <>

    "WHAT WAS THAT?" Gasped Paul, once he had close-encountered the Red-demon, that resembled Darth Maul... according to his pop-culture reference.

    "I ''saw'' it too ¨C it had red glowing eyes," Blind-Jane replied.

    ... they were levitating...

    ... and looking AROUND 360, and-both SENSING OF ''ANOTHER'' invisible presence, lurking around them.

    The atmosphere was getting colder...

    ... with their vapouring breath of the tweens, still floated ¨C both were fully alert, as they anticipated whatever, that was about to ''COME'' AT THEM NEXT, in the still of the night...

    ... behold...

    ... they SPOTTED IT...

    ... A BLACKHOLE was forming rapidly, spreading like wildfire, horizontally...

    ... Jane and Paul were shivering both of cold, and of fright seeing the phenomenon, happening ''huge'' before their eyes ¨C and their ears were ringing, with sounds of an ancient African chant...

    ... and death drum beats...

    The black hole was growing into a formidable size, and even covered the sight, of the full moon in its background ¨C into being pitch-black darkness.

    ... Jane placed her yellow glowing arm forward, to ''SEE'' A DISTANT-HUMAN FIGURE, draped in a rhino-cloak...

    ... while her crippled partner sucked-up, the last of his fear... to go an extra mile, of a positive blue glow.

    They both were also ''cursed'' to-sense, that they were faced with their nemesis, BlackStar, in close encounter...

    ... the ancient she-demon, that controlled the world''s natural disasters ¨C where the ''cursed'' Peter was feeding it all along, to grow bigger and mightier, with his ''personal,'' uncontrollable negative emotions, which root-based on his selfish pride.

    "Submit and bend the knee ¨C before your queen of anarchy!"

    "NOooo!"

    ... Paul went offensive, and he struck the ''first'' blow ¨C by shooting his electrical bolt, into the swallow-up dark-void. But that was HIS GRAVE MISTAKE...

    ... as like a mystical force-field... it deflected his electric bolt ¨C propelling back to hit Paul, to electro-shock him unconscious.

    Jane ''saw'' Paul falling from the skies below ¨C and she screamed his name...

    "Pauulll!"

    ... he was freefalling fast, Jane swooped down to follow, to rescue him. The blind-girl managed to grab fast, the overweight cripple''s left leg, before he spat in on, some pavement below...

    ... they both were in 100 meters vertical, freefalling like a couple of helpless, dropped hot potatoes. Jane HELD ON TO HIS FOOT, but was she was too-pulled below... by the gravity weight of an anchor ¨C ''boy, he was heavy...

    ... the blind-girl focused hard, and both of her feet seemed like it was braking through gravity ¨C until, she got HER ''BALANCE'' OF HER G-FORCE, to levitate back-again.

    And... they were only 3 meters, from ground impact-point ¨C Jane had held the unconscious Paul''s leg, in both of her hand, SLOWLY HEAVED THE CRIPPLE UP, who was in an awkward, spitted-legged position, as she lowered him to the grass...

    ... at that same moment... her TERRIBLE MIGRAINES were back...

    ... as she placed him gently, on the grass below, beside the pavement. Tired, weaken and while ''still'' medicated, Jane dropped on her knees... in exhaustion and with excruciating pain in the head.

    Then, she HEARD A ''VOICE,'' inside her head...

    SIMY WAS BACK...

    "Jane, LISTEN CAREFULLY ¨C you need Peter... if you want to DEFEAT BLACKSTAR..."

    ... dazed by SIMY''s voice, Jane looked at both of her hand that glowed yellow, but ¨C it was intensifying more... from orange to brilliant golden.

    ... Jane was energizing ¨C LIKE A STAR...

    ... even to look at her hands, was too bright for the 3rd-eye, as-the blind-girl squinted.

    ... Paul regained to his semi-consciousness... to feast his eyes on the different persona and avatar of Jane Wilson ¨C TRANSFORMING INTO HER CELESTIAL FORM.

    She totally glowed in blinding gold, her even facial features were gone in the background, of the intense glow, except for the shades of platinum sparkling, in her 3 dreadlocked hair-do. And, she now, stood up on her feet as...

    ''... StarGirl.''

    The bright, otherworldly, celestial entity looked at Paul... with her silvered eyes ¨C and StarGirl communicated with Paul, TELEPATHICALLY INSIDE HIS HEAD...

    "Paul, go fetch us Peter right now ¨C THAT IS THE ONLY WAY, we can defeat BlackStar, in unisons of The Cursed Trio."

    "... Jane, what about you?"

    Spoke the cripple, sitting on the grass...

    ... but he got ''no'' reply. Paul saw her darting skyrocket vertically, into the night skies above. Like a team-player, Paul managed to also get up on his feet, to levitate. He too soared up, fast above...

    In midair, he beheld by a phenomenon spectacle in the night skies ¨C THE NORTHERN LIGHTS...

    ... that was lighting up the firmament, from black to yellow blinks...

    ... like it was Mother Nature''s X'' mas tree...

    ... lit by the blind Jane Wilson...

    Paul looked below for a visible landmark, to return back to later after he had fetched Peter ¨C ''there'' IT WAS ¨CFURTHER DOWN...

    ... The South Perth''s Zoo.

    <>

    THE CLOCK AT DASHBOARD OF THE OLD VOLVO CLICKED ¨C 4:44 in the a.m., as the car driven by Ms Diane King with Alicia Wong in the passenger''s seat ¨C both on their journey from the Wilsons, heading TO THE SOUTH PERTH''S ZOO...

    ... based on a hunch that the dog-Piper, was bitten by the recaptured black panther.

    While earlier...

    ... Ms King GOT A PHONE CALL around midnight... from Shelley Wilson in tears, informing that her adopted son, Samuel was abducted...

    ... in return, Ms King contacted Inspector Walker ¨C and later... Ms King, was also there WITH THE 2-MOTHERS, at the Wilson residence, with Principle Tom Harris there too...

    ... Alicia Wong too got a distress phone call from her BFF Janey, in tears... informing that her adopted brother, Samuel was abducted earlier ¨C and she-herself was injured, by a punch from the abductor...

    ... losing her mind in the late, middle of the t, as Alicia had a dear attachment to the baby-boy ¨C the Chinese girl ''sneaked-out'' and...

    ... got onto the next Uber ride, and rushed over...

    ... but she was a bit late, when Jane had already ''gone'' to the hospital, with her father, Anthony. Over at the Wilson residence... Alicia met the 2 mothers, her principle and Ms. King ¨C and some detectives and uniformed police...

    ... they were questioning, the distressed doctor-mother who was in tears...

    ... saying that-her regrets of ''not'' having a personal-firearm to protect her-children.

    -O-

    The Volvo travelled in an isolated, lonely road at the early hours. Alicia noticed some abnormalities in the night skies, from the moving car''s window...

    "Look over there... it''s the Aurora Australis!"

    The excited Chinese girl exclaimed, to point out at the Northern Lights...

    ... she had studied in Geography, of the earth''s polaric-magnetic effects that resulted in inch a singularity. Her teacher too showed a YouTube video of the recent occurrence in Tasmania, in 2017.

    But Ms King differed.

    The Volvo halted... and the indigenous Australian woman got off her driver''s seat, she walked to open her car''s booth, to RETRIEVE A CIRCULAR ANAMORPHIC MIRROR. She held the mirror up to the spectacle... and said to Alicia, beside her...

    "Look closely Alicia ¨C ''what'' do you see...?"

    ... Alicia from the side...

    ... viewed on the curved mirror, a tiny yellow spark hitting volatilely around, LIKE VIGOROUS MOLECULES ¨C and that created the vertical twinkling lights displays. And, Ms King elaborated...

    "The yellow LIGHT IS ''YOUR'' FRIEND... Jane Wilson."

    "What, Janey...way-no-way...?"

    They got into the Volvo and drove to the zoo.

    <>

    IN THE SMOKEY, CRAMPED ROOM, THE BLACK MAN was meditating on the floor... in front of his dark-lilted shrine...

    ... with the ivory carved Asmodeus idol, in the middle...

    Still amused... the small Black boy was laughing aloud and playing with the little monkey.

    A rumble of distant thunder was heard, rumbling afar ¨C THE CYCLONE WAS APPROACHING. The zoo-keeper opened his eyes...

    "... Mother is hungry ¨C ITS HER FEEDING time."

    <>

    IT DRANK MURKY WATER from a ditch... and the hound then continued to run, towards higher ground. On the hillock, Piper saw at the lighted firmament above, in the dark skies. It knew it was, ITS MASTER JANE ¨C who was up there, battling evil. Piper with his furry neck-up ¨C he howled at the moon...

    Then, the ANNOYING AND PAINFUL, whistling buzzed in its acute-ears, returning to discomfort its existence ¨C Piper barked angrily and shook its head mad, disapproving of the irritating treatment.

    "Stop idling around, RUN-RUN-RUN, you animal ¨C time is in the essence here!"

    Both the antagonistic beast and the AI ¨C had to come mutually, and band AS ''ONE'' ¨C TO WORK together for the greater good.

    <>

    "PETER! WAKE UP, PETER!"

    ... Paul was desperately tried to rouse his one-armed twin ¨C but his brother was stone cold out, UNCONSCIOUS ON JANE''S BROKEN BED, in Wilson''s residence...

    ... that puzzled Paul, who was levitating and calling out his name ¨C on WHY WAS PETER being in ''this'' out cold state, when Jane NEEDED HIM THE MOST, for the Cursed Trio ¨C to defeat BlackStar.

    Little did Paul knew, that St. Michael the Archangel was INHABITING IN-HIM had ''made'' his-twin this way.

    ... after the 3 were ''cursed'' in the Treeton dairy farm and since then...

    ... in his sleep time ¨C PAUL HAD UNCONSCIOUSLY ''WANDERED,'' into other ungodly realms... with his astral travelling, in his dream world.

    ... even Peter too astral travelled in his sleep ¨C but in return, were his nightmares, as he too was possessed by the zodiac Gemini ruling sign''s ''keeper''...

    ... a Red-demon, CALLED MERCURY.

    ... minutes ago, ...

    ... in the aerial battle above the South Perth Zoo ¨C the demon Mercury was punched out-cold, by the winged St. Michael ¨C and the Archangel had remained in-Paul too, ever-since...

    ... as-Paul said his prayers before sleeping, and ask for His protection...

    ... against his bullying, the evil-side of his twin.

    Now, Paul had to think fast ¨C JANE WAS OUT ''ALONE,'' facing the evil BlackStar...

    ... he saw the chained-shoulder harness ¨C so now...

    ... he had TO HAUL THE KAYOED PETER over there, to the battlefield. And, also, ''NOT'' FORGETTING his wheelchair on the roof ¨C HIS ALIBI...

    As Paul got the black-out, Peter, to sit upright ¨C and, the cripple-twin was speechless... as Paul saw the imprint of the one-armed stump and all, that was hollowed into the surface of his girlfriend, Jane''s Queen-sized, King Living''s mattress.

    "Okay, he is a hard sleeper."

    Now, that was ANOTHER BEHIND-THE-MYSTERY STORY, which was to be figured, on another day...

    ... by the Wilson-parents.

    <>

    STARGIRL CAN GO ALL NIGHT, WARDING OFF BlackStar''s deflective forcefield, as Jane Wilson had practised trampoline''s somersaulting, all of last summer term''s holidays then, at the dojo ¨C that had-helped her TREMENDOUSLY FOR HER 3RD-EYE, to coordinate her ''next'' move...

    ... each time the flying celestial, StarGirl shot a golden fiery bolt into the enormous black hole ¨C the cursed FORCEFIELD SWALLOWED IT ¨C and spat out a raging volley of red-tennis ball-like, of a bolt back at her ¨C which she flew-zapped around away ¨C and SOMERSAULTED...

    ... to avoid being hit like Paul, just now.

    The blind Jane was depended on her 3rd-eye, just like she once did, at the tennis court ¨C and that MADE-UP TO BE HER INNATE, cursed super-ability.

    StarGirl sensed the ''hungry'' BlackStar was weakening, as the previous hits were near-misses ¨C but noticed, the red-bolts were now were ''straying'' off-target...

    ... but she had to keep maintaining the same win situation, until the twins of the Cursed Trio, return AS PROMISED FOR REINFORCEMENT ¨C to defeat BlackStar, in their-total unison.

    <>

    "JAHEEM, IT''S TIME TO FULFILL YOUR HOLY DESTINY!" Hajji exclaimed to the Black-boy...

    ... who beamed-back with a cherubic smile. The INNOCENT SAMUEL HELD the Blackman''s hand as he was led outside, into the quiet zoo grounds... with the Capuchin monkey ran ahead, on the grass.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    "Mother is starving, but soon she will be nourished ¨C and your passing will ''not'' be in vain, for its GREATER-EVIL, THAT WAS DESTINED to come ¨C and, dear Mother-too... will appreciate your NOBLE SACRIFICE IMMENSELY, from a local Kenyan."

    Strong winds were coming from the east when Hajji led Samuel...

    ... into the path of the Safari Walk ¨C where THE BIG, WILDCATS were.

    <>

    PAUL''S FLIGHT OVER WAS BUMPY, as he was going-against, strong resistance from the eastern strong winds. And, his hands were tiring, to make the right balance of his load...

    ... with the hauling of his unconscious twin in a harness IN ONE HAND ¨C AND AT THE SAME TIME, lugging along his folded wheelchair in the other.

    At a distant, he saw the brightened firmament at dawn...

    .. Paul was amazed that Jane as StarGirl ¨C had been firmly held the Alamo-like situation, FOR OVER HALF-HOUR, since she had instructed him to fetch Peter.

    The weight was tiring him, and he fell to a lower altitude, towards the zoo, to void going against the strong cyclone-winds from above. Paul GLIDED ALONG, and it began to rain...

    The temperature then dropped, with the rain''s chilling licks were over in his face, And, his breath was fogging in cold again, while he panted hard for breath.

    He knew THE AIR WAS EVIL...

    ... all of a sudden, the chain of the SHOULDER-HARNESS BROKE...

    ... and Peter now hung rocking vertically, by his stump...

    ... the panicking Paul was in a ''spot'' ¨C of whether he should ditch and lose his folded wheelchair BY DROPPING IT and to grab the chain with both hands. He further lowered his G-force, to manage his loads, and navigating the height of the flight, of the twins were in...

    Gritting his teeth to bear the pain, of the sharp cutting harness-chain in his palm, while he hauled Peter''s side of the load.

    It was still too high down, and to-let-go ¨C that drop, would be fatal for his twin brother.

    In-flight, HE SPOTTED WATER surface ahead... and he flew fast towards the lake, while towing-Peter by his stump.

    While nearing the water, the now SENTIENT PETER THEN SURPRISED Paul ¨C by swinging up... and choking his throat with his one arm...

    ... Paul was terrified, as he saw Peter''s face up-close, in the rain ¨C it WAS ''NOT'' PETER he was gazing at...

    ... but it was that red-faced ''Darth Maul'' being ¨C where he had encountered earlier with Jane.

    In a flash, he remembered the same face before ¨C at the Treeton dairy farm in the thunderstorm, where this red-glowing-eyed Darth-Maul... ''first'' choked him then, with his single, strong hold-hand ¨C but, JANE RESCUING HIM back then, by pushing Peter off-him ¨C before all 3 of them, were struck by the cursed-lightning.

    The twins were in midair, above the manmade lake when they were in the scuffle, Paul let go of the harness-chain ¨C but Peter hung on to the death-choke, with his strong, single hand.

    The out-of-air Paul, remembered his FOLDED WHEELCHAIR, in his other hand. He swung the metal frame to hit Peter in his head...

    ... and the one-armed BOY, FELL BELOW in a splash.

    <>

    THEY REACHED THE SAFARI WALK, under a red brolly in the rain. The dreadlocked Black-man led the Black-boy, who was walking along, hugging to the tiny monkey in his arms.

    In the rain, zookeeper Hajji was in a hallucinating zone, and he was uttering prayers of Blackmagic chants... of the success in the rewards, he would gain...

    ... up in the dark, rainy skies ¨C was the LIT ''AURORA AUSTRALIS'' of the other kind ¨C where Mother BlackStar ¨C to-whom her servant would soon serve... human sacrifice to...

    ... his focused zone was disrupted when HE HEARD AHEAD...

    ... an indistinct lone human''s short cry and a water splash, so distinct ¨C DURING THE ZOO''S-CLOSED-HOUR ¨C in the isolated, vast areas of umwett caged-habitat of the animal world.

    <>

    PETER''S HEAD BOBBED IN THE DARK WATER ¨C it was cold and it was raining. Luckily, he landed at the edge of the water surface, with only 5 meters-ahead to the shallow pond''s bank, with a lighted pathway beyond.

    While keeping afloat, with his one arm ¨C he SAW AFAR of 2 DARK figures walking away...

    ... he wanted to cry for help but coughed hard instead... after swallowing the water, during the fall just now. Peter looked around at the dark manmade pond, and then he heard several loud splashes, that followed...

    -O-

    ... Peter had visited the zoo before, a couple of years ago as a family outing ¨C it was an unpleasant outing, because HIS MOTHER AND FATHER were constantly arguing, and were at each other''s throat since their arrival...

    ... he decided to leave the feuding grownups and also, left his twin behind with them ¨C and he decided to ''explore'' the zoo grounds alone.

    He discovered it had 2 ponds...

    ... the first one was the many exotic birds, that watered in the water and nesting grounds. The 2nd was...

    ... the crocodile pool...

    -O-

    ... an instant terror, struck Peter in the water, realizing, he was cursed to fall into the wrong pool ¨C and also, he heard loud splashes seconds ago. Soon he saw 2 roaring alpha-male crocodiles...

    ... FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER, for their midnight snack...

    The one-armed boy turned to swim fast before the victor pursued him. While paddling, Peter soon turned his head again to see, 3 other female crocodiles dogged him from behind. Fortunately, he was only a meter, towards the dark, pool bank but...

    ... ONLY TO HIT A GLASS WALL...

    ... unfortunate for Peter too, they had built the pool''s edge as a glassed-aquarium, for the zoo''s attraction.

    In the water...

    ... now he had TO SCALE-UP HALF A METER, to get out the glassed enclosure. It was slippery, but the one-armed boy hung on, on top ¨C and trying to pull himself out.

    Crocodiles may have short arms like their once distant grand-cousin, the T-rex ¨C but they sure have strong tails to swim. He then saw the crocs have frantically approached meters close to making their kill, to his... now hanging feet, top over the glass wall...

    ... Peter fell 2 meters outside, on the HARD CONCRETE BELOW...

    ... all wet, sitting on the ground seeing the crocodiles snapping their jaws, through the aquarium glass. He grinned back and lifted his single arm... with fingers flipping a birdie...

    ''House policy, bitches ¨C NO-FREE MEALS, on a Sunday.''

    The drenched Peter got up on his feet and looked back at the walk-path. The one-armed boy was so-sure that, he saw Jane''s black-brother a moment-ago...

    ... so... he went on searching...

    <>

    PANTING AND SALIVATING WITH A DRY THROAT, the big hound raced, towards the closed-for-the-day zoo ¨C under the full moon...

    ... brightening in the background, of the Northern Lights.

    "Go faster ¨C FASTER, you animal...!"

    <>

    SAMUEL LOOKED LOST WHEN HE SAW himself locked, behind the barred enclosure gate... HE STOOD AND LOOKING UP ¨C while observing Hajji''s face outside... pulling the key from the gate''s lock.

    With the Capuchin primate, cradling in his tiny hands ¨C he saw the dreadlocked Black-man, looking up at the lit firmament above, and then, looking down at him and saying...

    "The hour is right, FOR MOTHER TO FEED ¨C I must join her, to be rewarded. Farewell Jaheem, FULFILL YOUR DESTINY, Ooo, you little one..."

    The Black-man clicked his tongue twice ¨C and instantly the monkey, in its ''trained'' obedience, leapt off Samuel''s little hands ¨C and escaped through the gate bars.

    "MONKEE! MONKEE!" cried the alarmed Black-boy, inside the gate.

    The Capuchin leapt onto Hajji, and climbed up and sat on his shoulders, holding onto the dreadlocks ¨C and the disloyal monkey stuck ITS TONGUE OUT, at the desperate-looking tot...

    ... Samuel felt betrayed and he cried aloud with rejection tears, when the umbrellaed Hajji, walked away with the tiny monkey. He wailed in the back, all alone, locked-in the pitch-dark enclosure.

    Little Samuel then HEARD A DISTANT-GROWL behind him...

    ... he turned his head slowly. It was all blackness and long-shadows. It terrified him more, and the Black-boy''s eyes bulged ¨C when he heard the now snarls...

    ... coming from even closer.

    <>

    PETER WALKED IN THE RAIN ON THE PATH WALK, feeling discomfit walking in a sloshing, wet pair of Nikes ¨C while brewing-ill in resentment of knowing that his twin was wearing a dry pair of Nikes, which he ''stole'' from his bedroom.

    The one-armed boy saw in the murk ahead, a lone figure approaching. He recognized him, from 2 years ago...

    The Black-man was the one, who gave him THE CURSED TALISMAN OF ASMODEUS, at the clay courtyard. It became an obsession recently, like the One-Ring-to-the-Golem ¨C but then...

    ... it finally cursed Peter at the end...

    ''What bloody betrayal...''

    Hajji was focused in his Blackmagic chanting, while in the rain under an umbrella when he was SURPRISED BY PETER ¨Cand even the monkey too screeched...

    "I know you! You are the one who tricked me, by giving an amulet saying it was good jujus, for me to succeed in my game ¨C but IT TURNED OUT IT WAS ''CURSED,'' all along!" Peter shouted.

    The Black-man then replied, coming to his full-senses.

    "Mercury, what are you doing here?"

    ... Peter was surprised and was taken aback when HE WAS CALLED MERCURY. He then recalled ST. MICHAEL ''TOO'' calling him by that moniker...

    "Why did you bloody-do it!!? Giving me something, which is cursed!"

    The angry one-armed boy said, waving his Babolat in rage. Hajji chuckled ¨C and the monkey-saw-and-did the same.

    "It was destined to be ''you,'' Mercury ¨C you were a RISING STAR... arrogantly oozing and gloating with pure-assed pride back then ¨C and-he, His Lord-Master Asmodeus HAD CHOSEN ''YOU,'' for His greater plans. So, accept the gift, it is ''now'' your destiny, Mercury ¨C don''t fight it!"

    That was ''NOT'' THE ANSWER, the one-armed Peter had expected ¨C he chested out, and engaged his standoff.

    "No! You undo this curse now ¨C or I will smash this, into your skull!" Peter threatened the adult, with his racquet.

    "It''s too late, O Mercury, one can''t undo a ''perfect'' masterplan, that rewards in the multiples, to those who serve the Lord. Even I too will gain, great invincible powers, thanks to you ¨C when once Mother devours, the HUMAN SACRIFICE, I had offered Her."

    ... Peter knew what the Black-man ''meant.''

    "The boy!!! WHERE IS HE...? Samuel? Jaheem, or whatever he calls himself these days ¨C ''where'' is he?"

    "If I told you, ''what,'' are you going to rescue him...? No, Mercury ¨C you''re NOW WITH ''US,'' on our dark-side ¨C just go home-Mercury ¨C and don''t be a foolish-hero, with a guilty conscience."

    The Black-man laughed, and that triggered Peter...

    "I''m ''not'' a criminal!"

    ... Peter swung the Babolat, and caught him, with a hit in the arm...

    Piper was nearby lurking in the dark, seeing the 2 evils in altercation ahead ¨C recognizing the SMALLER ''POSSESSED'' HUMAN... who had let him out of his cage, to escape.

    The frightened monkey, leapt out from Hajji''s shoulders ¨C when Peter attacked its master. It ran to escape, in the gloom.

    ... Hajji punched Peter in the FACE, THAT FLOORED the one-armed boy. The Black-man laughed, as he too ran away.

    Unaware...

    ... the panic-driven Capuchin ran in the shadows, towards the path... of the still-Piper, lurking stealth in the dark. The big, grey-dog pounced in, and BIT THE MONKEY''S tiny neck...

    "Come on... stop eating the monkey ¨C FOCUS YOU ANIMAL, our mission is to rescue Samuel ¨C chop-chop, GO, RUN NOW...!"

    <>

    HE HID THE WHEELCHAIR AT THE ''PRIMATE WORLD.'' Paul could ''not'' stop thinking about the red-demon that he encountered ''twice,'' in the same evening...

    ... it had ''possessed'' his twin Peter ¨C and even choked-him a moment ago above the pond.

    Realizing with his good-faith of his super-abilities, that he ''now'' had gained ¨C he was self-determined that PETER OR HIS RED-DEMON-SELF ¨C cannot bully nor harm him anymore ¨C but, Paul doubted himself of what powers Peter may ''have'' in his dreamworld ¨C letting alone, his twin could command any form of natural disasters, by his intense negative thoughts.

    ... Paul saw up the ignited firmament above ¨C and, a SENSE OF URGENCY came, that he should rush to aid Jane, who was alone up there, battling evil. He took-off and flew above. Paul reached the water spot surface area once again, and looked below at the park across, and SPOTTED PETER WALKING ¨C like a fire ant, glowing red, in the rain.

    ... Paul dove-down... landed some meters in front of Peter. That angered his one-armed twin, WHO CAME CHARGING at him, glowing furiously.

    Paul noticed his twin was ''intimidating'' him... armed with his waving Babolat...

    "What''s the whole bloody-idea just now, Poe!!? You THREW ME INTO the damn crocodile pool!"

    "It was SELF-DEFENSE ¨C YOU ''ATTACKED'' me first, you moron!"

    "Oh yeah, I could have been damn-bloody eaten just now, you idiot!" Peter sighed long, swinging his around his racquet arm.

    "By the way, no bloody-sane crocodile on earth would eat you... as you are ''purely'' cursed, and evil as the hell-on-earth ¨C and the damn thing is that ¨C the bloody-foolish pride in you, is telling you to ''NOT'' ADMIT to all crimes and atrocity, that you have committed till now...

    ... and even the next wrongdoings you would be bloody-committing soon!" Said Paul with a long sigh.

    He was done arguing ¨C that did ''not'' go anywhere.

    Before Peter could respond, Paul blasted warning shots of electric bolts ¨C one in the air and the other shot was centimetres close to the ground ¨C and, that halted Peter.

    "ENOUGH!" Paul cried out.

    Peter stood scared, retrograded a meter, from the smoking singe mark on the wet pavement, but still staring at him with dissatisfaction. Paul gazed above at the dimming firmament, clouding with black storm clouds ¨C HE POINTED UP at the rainy dark skies, and Paul spoke...

    "You SEE THOSE LIGHTS above ¨C that is your-Janey up there, ALL ''ALONE'' FIGHTING, with BlackStar. And, Peter... she told me earlier ¨C that ''you'' are needed, to fight that evil too...

    "So, are you bloody-coming or ''not?'' Because I''m going to her ¨C WITH OR WITHOUT YOU...!"

    The one-armed Peter calmed down and was coming to his crossroad-senses. And, he spoke out, dazed...

    "What about Jaheem...? Or whatever name he changed to when he is ''not'' even famous yet ¨C I SAW HIM A moment ago?"

    "You SAW SAMUEL...?"

    "Yeah, him!"

    "Where!!?" Paul demanded to know.

    "Somewhere around here, the Black-man didn''t say."

    ... Paul was stunned, when he heard his twin saying ''that'' ¨C and, to realize that Jane''s brother was ''HERE'' ALL ALONG... and the fact that BlackStar had nested, right above the zoo.

    "So, Peter ¨C YOU DID SPEAK, with this Black-man...?"

    Instantly...

    ... Paul was suspicious of his twin ¨C because JANE REVEALED just now, that both Peter and the Black-man were in her dream.

    "Yeah, I did so ¨C and he punched me in the face, and he took off."

    ... Paul was sensing that Peter/Red-demon were ''HIDING'' SOMETHING ¨C so, he threatened ''them''.

    "You better tell me the BLOODY-TRUTH, PETER, where is Samuel ¨C you tell me or else, I will GIVE YOU LOTS OF PAIN!!?"

    ... his fist was bright, sparking electricity as he pointed at Peter''s face... with a warning ...

    "No Poe, I''M TELLING THE TRUTH ¨C I swear, I don''t know where he''s at!" Shielding his face, with his one arm.

    At that precise moment, A PITCHED CHILD''S SCREAM was heard...

    ... followed by angry dog''s bark, in the darkness ahead. Peter pointed over...

    "It came from OVER THERE!"

    ... Peter exclaimed, and he was the first, as took-off running. Paul too flew over to the same direction ¨C towards the Safari Walk.

    <>

    JANE WAS WEAKENING IN HER-STAMINA, after almost an hour being offensive and defensive ¨C delivering and avoiding the returning hits, which was like an aerial tennis match ¨C with the evil and diabolic BlackStar.

    ¡°Just surrender, Blind-one ¨C And cross over¡­ and embrace the darkness!¡±

    The evil one''s accuracy had also ¡®improved¡¯ ¡­ and it was accurately delivering near-hits, of red fiery fireballs at the celestial StarGirl.

    ¡­Jane noticed something ODD-AND-STRANGE, was coming from the bowel of the blackhole ¨C some sort of a winged beast flying over, heading towards her in full flight. The blind-girl used her 3rd-eye to single out, THE BIRTH OF A NEW TERROR ¨C that was to come, spawn-out from the black hole¡­

    The bull-dragon with its barebacked panther-head rider¡­

    ¡­ emerged menacing from the dark void, straight as her ¨C StarGirl avoided crashing into it, by somersaulting away at flight. The gallant Black rider was armed with a LIGHTNING-LIKE BULLWHIP¡­

    ¡­ and fully swung it to snap a direct hit...

    ¡°Then Die! Die¡­! Die¡­!¡±

    <>

    PAUL FLEW IN¡­ AND WAS FIRST TO ARRIVE, outside the black panther¡¯s barred enclosure. He sensed Peter in-the rear, arriving on foot moments later, panting¡­

    ¡­ both the twins were speechless, witnessing from the exterior of the cage ¨C at Piper¡¯s fierce barks, a crying frightened Samuel ¨C and a snarling big, 300 kilos, black feral beast.

    ¡­Paul assessed the dire-situation, for A FAVORABLE OUTCOME. He saw a one-way metal-door flap for-feeding opening, below the gate. Then, he heard Peter, urging him from beside.

    ¡°Poe, what are YOU WAITING for ¨C SHOOT IT¡­ damnit¡­!¡±

    ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to HARM OR KILL this God¡¯s creation, that was turned-evil resulted from your wrongdoings, Peter ¨C you SHOULD TAKE THE BLAME, and be accountable for it!¡±

    ¡°What is this ¨C GROWING A CATHOLIC CONSCIOUS, only on a Sunday? You can shoot, shock and hurt me, your brother and all, BUT ¡®NOT¡¯ this black panther¡­ is-that-it, short-legs¡­!!?¡± Peter questioned his twin¡¯s fairness.

    ¡°You have a moral bloody-choice ¨C Peter¡­but YOU CHOSE TO BE EVIL! You are one of ¡®them¡¯ now, but yet you seem ¡®not¡¯ wanting to ANYTHING TO UNDO IT ¨C now why is that? And, day by day¡­ I don¡¯t know you who you are¡­ and I don¡¯t even trust you anymore, as my twin brother!¡±

    The rivalling twins heard the wild cat¡¯s big loud and long roar, when it approached gradually to the barking dog ¨C that had the crying boy, behind its tail for protection.

    ¡­ Paul pointed at the flap door at the gate, and instructed¡­

    ¡°Crawl in here ¨C and YOU GO RESCUE Samuel now!¡±

    ¡°What¡­? Are you bloody-crazy, THAT¡¯S SUICIDE? I just barely escaped from those crocs just now, AND NOW THIS¡­!!?¡±

    ¡­ Peter who was taken aback, and he responded in protest.

    ¡°It won¡¯t kill you, you moron ¨C YOU ARE ONE OF ¡®THEM¡¯ ¨C hurry up, and get going¡­ before IT¡¯S TOO LATE!¡± Paul urged.

    The one-armed twin was shaking in fear, he too was crying and sobbing, with a fear for his life.

    ¡°Poe, you CAN¡¯T DO THIS to me¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can ¨C when I SAY YOU GO ¨C YOU GO!¡±  The Paul levitating, as he flicked a spark, from his snapped fingers.

    ¡°Please, Poe ¨C I truly DON¡¯T WANT TO¡­¡± He begged¡­

    ¡°If you really have ¡®ANY¡¯ FEELINGS FOR YOUR JANE ¨C then you would DO IT FOR HER!!!¡±

    Peter was taken aback again ¨C when he was smacked hard, wedged in-between his emotional hot-seat, that he ¡®unwillingly¡¯ shared with twin, as his blind girlfriend''s beacon-of-light.

    ¡­ still shaking, Peter took a deep breath as he then crouched and crawled into the flapping trap-door, with real-caution.

    His eyes ahead on the wild beast¡¯s black-tail ¨C twirling about¡­

    ¡­ like the wand of an orchestra¡¯s conductor.

    And as, the one-armed boy who was halfway snaking into the narrow gap, he heard his twin saying¡­

    ¡°No worries, I GOT YOUR BACK, mate¡­ only-if it attacks you ¨C I will ZAP IT, okay... now¡­ Go! Gemini Go!¡±

    It gave Peter some courage, from his twin¡¯s assurance.

    ¡­ the one-armed boy stood up ¡®fast¡¯ on his feet, in the interior of the enclosure and ¨C he became the tallest of the 4 in it. The PANTHER LOOKED OVER its shoulder and snarled-out at Peter. Panicky, he stooped to a bow-low¡­ and backed-off terrified, with his eyes shut, and then¡­

    ¡­ plastered his back on the barred gate, trembling.

    ¡°Come on, Pete ¨C GO GET SAMUEL!¡±

    ¡°You¡­ you crazy?¡± Peter¡¯s whispering voice shook.

    ¡­ Piper the grey Alsatian, saw ANOTHER ¡®EVIL¡¯ HAD JOINED FORCES ¨C and it barked even ferociously loud at Peter. The black panther did ¡®NOT¡¯ ATTACK PETER, who was the closest to it¡­

    ¡­but instead it closed in, towards the dog and boy¡­

    ¡­ especially the boy¡­

    Its human sacrifice.

    ¡°Peter, NOW!¡±

    Peter managed his queasy guts, and he took a few minor steps, calling in a low, shaky voice¡­

    ¡°Ssamuel, ccome¡­¡±

    It was a 3-WAY STANDOFF, with Blackboy ¨C as a helpless pawn.

    Peter backed off, to make way¡­

    ¡­ for the ¡®main event¡¯ which was the rematch-feud of the ¨C cat v dog.

    -O-

    ¡­ Paul evaluated the situation, from behind the caged bars ¨C but had estimated ¡®wrong¡¯¡­

    ¡­ that the black panther was about to maul Jane¡¯s dog first, and then-Samuel, and probably next to his own-brother.

    The big cat pounced out ¨C and PAUL SHOT HIS ELECTRICAL BOLT, through the parallel bars¡­

    It was a direct hit onto the cat¡¯s tail. It jumped up in pain, with a pitched yowl when it was shocked.

    ¡°NOW, Peter!¡±

    ¡­ Peter came forward towards the terrified, and crying boy ¨C but, Piper was over-protective, and made a wild-like threat to the one-armed boy, by GRIT BARING ALL OF ITS 42 TEETH ¨C and, snapping its jaws to bite, at the single-armed Peter¡¯s reach.

    Peter retreated back ¨C sensing he had a slim chance of the next opportunity because the panther was also recovering fast from its pain.

    Both the twins saw the big dog stooping low, at Samuel¡¯s feet ¨C the Black-BOY MOUNTED ON THE BACK, and held onto Piper¡¯s leather collar in its neck. Piper then sprinted, horse-backing the boy, to the rear end of the enclosure¡­

    ¡­ the slick-oily black panther pursued it¡­

    The twins were then shocked to witness an-amazing feat¡­

    ¡­when Piper in a single leapt, high bound, defying gravity ¨C and it bumped as it HUNG ON, AND SCALED OVER the 4-metered wall, to the top ¨C to escape the strong jaws of the predator below.

    ¡­ Piper had managed to PULL ITSELF OVER the wall¡­ and escaped to safety, with its Master Samuel, on its back.

    ¡°¡­RUN! RUN¡­ you animal!¡±

    -O-

    While the black wild cat roared in frustration at the base of the wall¡­ Peter too hurried, to crawl out, from the trapdoor at the gate.

    ¡­ Paul-then said...

    ¡°Samuel must be safe now, with Jane¡¯s DOG PROTECTING HIM ¨C you-come, Peter¡­ Now WE MUST HELP JANE!¡±

    The levitating crippled-twin told in urgency, pointed at the lighted dark skies. With, the one-armed Peter, ¡®not¡¯ enthusiastic, as he was looking up.

    ¡°I¡¯m AFRAID OF HEIGHT ¨C Poe, can I sit this one out? Furthermore, what BLOODY-USE can I do good up there, BECAUSE I DON¡¯T HAVE ANY superpowers like you-both ¨C I can¡¯t jack fly, nor can I bloody-zap either ¡­¡± Peter gave his excuses...

    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ but Jane SPECIFICALLY ASKED ME TO FETCH YOU ¨C maybe she has a plan.¡± Paul extended his hand to him¡­

    ¡°Hey, she REALLY BELIEVES IN YOU, Peter ¨C just don¡¯t BE A DISAPPOINTMENT AGAIN!¡±

    ¡°That is beside the bloody-point, Poe ¨C but ¡®what¡¯ can I do over there¡­?¡±

    ¡°Just BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, Peter. Remember Dad ¡®used¡¯ to say to us ¨C ¡®Go, Gemini Go¡¯ ¨C just BELIEVE IN THAT! Come on mate, let¡¯s go¡­!¡±

    ¡­ once the still-hesitant Peter took his twin¡¯s hand¡­ he was rocketed vertically, dragged by Paul ¨C he screamed out in fear, seeing one of his Nike shoes falling off¡­

    ¡°Go, Gemini Go!¡± Paul chanted.

    Paul then morphed into a BLUE FLAMED BODY, holding on to the shrieking one-armed twin ¨C soon Peter too felt changes happening ¡®inside¡¯ him when he too chanted¡­

    ¡°Go, Gemini Go!¡±

    ¡­ Paul called out, in his FIERY-CELESTIAL FORM¡­

    ¡°Go, Gemini-Blue!¡±

    ¡­ Peter too transformed INTO A RED FLAMING human-torch, when he-too called out¡­

    ¡°Go, Gemini-Red!¡±

    <>

    THE TV MEDIA WENT CRAZY FRENZY, IN SOUTH PERTH¡­

    In the drizzling streets, where TV crews and journalists were covering the spectacular wonders of the Aurora Australis, up there lighting rainy night skies.

    Denizen of early birds and late-night owls were crowding in the dampen streets¡­ capturing the phenomenon at dawn, into their cellphones ¨C and by sharing it¡­ into their respective social media platforms.

    Strangers were speaking to one another¡­ sharing the word-of-mouth information¡­ that the ¡®same¡¯ singularity, had happened before in Tasmania.

    In a TV interview at an alfresco pub, a middle-aged Finnish tourist, who told about the myth-lore in his country Finland, where they believed that the Northern Lights was an aerial battle, where the Archangel St. Michael defeated Beelzebub.

    Then, towards everyone¡¯s gathered surprise, was a sudden TWIN JETTING FLAMES ROCKETING up, that brightened as it ascended. Many thought it looked like some ¡®firework¡¯ set-off, in the area of nearby South Perth Zoo.

    ¡­ everyone marvelled at the red and blue shooting lights that they saw, that even left spiralling and sparkling star-like bursts behind. A true-blue, patriotic drunk in the crowds, lifting up his Victoria-Bitters beer can, and exclaimed out¡­

    ¡°It looks like the Australian flag flying up there, mate ¨C Beauty-cheers! Cheers!¡±

    And¡­ the true-blue sang the National Anthem to the TV camera.

    Scores of vehicles RACED TOWARDS THE ZOO, to have a nearer look¡­ and even a police patrol car driven by Corporal Frank Smithy, on night-duty, followed suit.

    <>

    THE STINGRAY¡¯S BONE-TAIL TIP, OF THE BULLWHIP¡¯S END, cracked aloud is the air ¨C missing close to Jane, as StarGirl the celestial being ¨C who somersaulted at the deadly backlash.

    The panther-head roared ¨C and initiated his next lethal strike, mounting on his equally frightening bull-dragon, which flew in close. Now, Jane saw the bullwhip end, that was extending around ¨C then, anticipated to fast counter it in ¡®real-time,¡¯ to avoid being hit.

    But it was the backlash, that she had to look out for ¨C while the cautious StarGirl had to somersault to avoid it¡­ and also by delivering back a counterattack at the same time, of shooting her fiery bolts at the winged beast¡¯s hide¡­

    ¡­Jane knew from her 3<sup>rd</sup>-eye ¨C that the bandaged panther-head, Black demon-rider¡­

    ¡­ had also encountered her once ¡®before¡¯ ¨C when the night at the suburb¡¯s grounds, where she disabled him¡­ AS THE BLACK WILDCAT with 2 direct-hit shots.

    But now, in the aerial situation¡­

    ¡­ Jane was missing her target with her fiery shots going wide when she delivered them ¨C with those backlashes distracting the COUNTER ATTACKS, WHICH WERE ALL near-hits.

    ¡­ she was tiring fast too¡­

    ¡­ AFTER BEING LEFT ALONE, to fight the BlackStar for more than an hour. Telepathically in thoughts, she sent-out her dire, distress message for Paul and Peters¡¯ reinforcement¡­

    <>

    BOTH THE GEMINIS SKY-ROCKETED ABOVE, in the dark clouds of the cyclone winds building up, But, both Gemini-Blue and Gemini-Red were ascending even further up, to the polaric southern pole¡¯s atmosphere, where it glowed¡­

    ¡­ into the battleground of good and evil.

    The air got thin, the combustion of their celestial-beings lessened, as the Cosmic-twins arrowed and flew upwards in a V-formation, towards the lighted firmament.

    Gemini-Blue WAS ALARMED TO SEE back the horrendous, one-armed horned-demon, flying beside him, glowing in all crimsoned red.

    ¡­ Gemini-Blue realized that although he himself was part of the Cursed-trio, but the other-half was evil¡­

    ¡­ he was ¡®now¡¯ in doubt, if he could ever TRUST A DEMON, that might betray him and StarGirl, once up in the aerial battlefield above¡­

    ¡­ judging that, it had already attacked him-twice before, in the previous encounters.

    Both the Cosmic-twins instantaneously received the TELEPATHIC DISTRESS MESSAGE from StarGirl, in the middle of humanity¡¯s battlefield¡­

    ¡°Help-Paul¡­ Peter-help¡­ please¡­ come¡­!¡¯

    Gemini-Blue noticed that the loin-clothed demon picking up G-speed, lifting up its flaming sword in its only arm, darted up ahead¡­

    ¡­ the blue light trailed the red, as a precaution ¨C and, Paul was ever-ready to ¡®PUT DOWN¡¯ the other Cursed-trio¡­

    ¡­ if it turned ¡®against¡¯ them.

    <>

    THE BACKLASH OF THE BULLWHIP, CAUGHT STARGIRL¡¯S ankle, and looped ¨C powerless, she was dragged ahead by the demon rider¡­

    ¡­ with-her fiery shots too missed the bull-dragon.  The panther-head lassoed the celestial being, above its head¡­

    ¡­ StarGirl SPUN AROUND HELPLESS, and¡­ while gyrating ¨C she heard a growling voice of BlackStar, coming from the black hole¡­

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯M FAMISHED ¨C FEED MY HUNGER NOW!¡±

    Enter the Geminis¡­

    ¡­ who were flying at-highspeed toward the lighted firmament, to discover StarGirl was in peril.  Gemini-Red darted ahead, it swung its blazing sword¡­ and severed the bullwhip-END ¨C CHOPPED OFF¡­ which-made StarGirl whirled aimlessly in the air¡­

    ¡­ but Gemini-Blue caught her¡­

    ¡­ Paul with Jane in his arms flew away from the danger zone.

    The one-armed Mercury sped into and CRASH HEAD-ON WITH the demon rider, dismounting it from the winged beast. They both grabbed onto each other, and fell below, tussling in the aerial brawl¡­

    ¡­ but-the sole, rider-less bull-dragon was circled around¡­ and came charging at Gemini-Blue carrying the weakened StarGirl. The cosmic blue light AVOIDED BEING GORED, by its massive horns of the African Cape buffalo ¨C in steer clear of it, by thinking fast to evade¡­

    StarGirl recovered fast, when she quick-charged, with the fellow-extraterrestrial¡¯s positive energies ¨C and then she SHOT A COUPLE FIERY BOLTS at the attacking beast¡­

    ¡­ the bull-headed dragon howled as it was hurt.

    They were both were in the direction of another head-on collision hit. The massive bull-dragon was still strong, AS IT WAS CIRCLING AROUND for its next counterattack¡­

    ¡°Get BEHIND ME, StarGirl!¡±

    ¡­ Gemini-Blue levitated, before the charging bull circled-ahead ¨C while at his back behind¡­ was the groaning sounds of the black hole¡­

    ¡°Hungry ¡­ feed me ¨C hungry ¡­¡±

    ¡­Jane saw with her 3<sup>rd</sup>-eye, of the celestial PAUL HAD A ¡®JUMP-OUT¡¯ of the heavenly energies, of the otherworldly kind ¨C by glowing in spectacle blue¡­

    ¡­ St. Michael the Archangel stood afloat¡­

    ¡­ baring his flapping white wings, magnificently wide, and with a long spear in his hands. Anticipating to the charging horned hell¡¯s beast, with its dominating flight of its scaly-wings¡­

    ¡­ the warrior angel was steadfast and focused¡­

    ¡°HUNGRY ¡­ HUNGRY ¡­ HUNGRY ¡­¡±

    The winged angel lanced his spear¡­ into the charging flying evil creature, by piercing it hard at its heart ¨C and with his GODLY AND MIGHTY strength¡­

    ¡­ he heaved the dying beast¡­

    ¡­ like a pitchfork over behind ¨C into the wide gaping black hole, TO FEED ¡®HER¡¯ appetite¡­

    ¡­ with its own hellish mucky-filth.

    ¡­ BlackStar bile to spew out ¨C that HARD RAIN OF THE CYCLONE, while¡­

    ¡­ ¡®she¡¯ faded anaemic into dawning morning.

    -O-

    Cyclone Lawrence had weakened overnight ¨C when it rained and flash-flooded some parts of Perth, WITH NO DANGERS of natural disasters, to cause any harm to the denizen¡¯s lives, and also on its eco-environment systems.

    ¡­ StarGirl and Gemini-Blue descended DOWN TO EARTH victorious, in the heavy rain ¨C they both were on a look-out for their counterpart¡­ Peter of the Cursed-trio ¨C to celebrate with¡­

    <>

    EARLIER, 2 BAREBACKED DEMONS WERE FREEFALLING over to earth. The rivals were neck-to-neck brawling, and had a shouting match¡­

    The 2 antagonistic demons knew each other before, from the underworld Hades ¨C where Mercury knew the African T¡¯Maru¡­ and-also St Michael, during the Days of Abrahamic War¡­ while he used to gamble in a shady casino, WHERE ONE-DAY TRANSPIRED a card-game that went wrong¡­

    ¡­ where drunken-tempers were flared, and angry-swords were drawn...

    That same tragic evening, MERCURY LOST AN ARM by Michael¡¯s blade.

    -O-

    ¡­ T¡¯Maru the panther-head roared his guts out¡­

    ¡°How dare you, you one-armed fool! Why did you interfere and took away my human sacrifice¡­? I already had that boy Jaheem, to be offered to Mother¡­ so to upgrade my powers! ¨C but, you damn well interfered¡­!¡±

    ¡°FIRST OF ALL, SHE IS ¡®NOT¡¯ MY MOTHER, AND SECONDLY ¨C I DON¡¯T PRACTICE YOUR DAMN AFRICAN MAMBO-JUMBO VOODOO!¡±

    Mercury headbutted T¡¯Maru¡¯s snout, in midair¡­

    ¡­ the panther-head recovered fast¡­ and he lashed out his bullwhip across Mercury¡¯s neck, choking the one-armed, swordsman-demon¡­ DRAGGING HIM BELOW-to-earth¡­

    ¡°You selfish and prideful fool ¨C who seems to forget that we serve the same master, the Lord-Almighty All-Father Asmodeus¡­

    ¡°but ¨C you arrogantly think that¡­ you are better than us ¨C by ¡®not¡¯ worshipping nor making any offerings to Him ¨C and now Our Lord is mad, and made you a cursed-target for every demon in Hades, and made a promising bounty of upgrading our powers ¨C Asmodeus wants you-dead ¨C and, I intend to ¡®collect,¡¯ by killing you for him !¡±

    ¡­ Mercury used his fiery sword to severe the bullwhip¡¯s cord, that held the coils around his neck, to free himself¡­

    ¡°BAH-T¡¯MARU! I DON¡¯T CARE ABOUT ANY PETTY BOUNTY ON MY HEAD ¨C BUT YOU HAVE TO ¡®FIGHT¡¯ ME FIRST¡­ TO KILL ME!¡±

    ¡­ T¡¯Maru grabbed Mercury¡¯s sword-wielding hand¡­ when the one-armed, horned Red-demon wanted to stab it. The panther-demon with its other free hand ¨C kept punching Mercury in the face, screaming in sheer frustration¡­

    ¡°The laws are laws, Mercury ¨C there are no grey areas for being evil ¨C it¡¯s either you are one of us¡­ or are, one-of them!¡±

    The 2 demons came crashing down on the muddy earth ¨C in the grounds of the South Perth Zoo¡­ into the grubby hippopotamus¡¯s enclosure.

    ¡­ after an instant recovery, Mercury flipped up, pounced back to its feet¡­ and leaping towards the panther-head demon, to stab it. But T¡¯Maru too was fast¡­

    ¡­ to evade his-attack ¨C in what was left of his bullwhip, after been severed twice¡­

    ¡­ it lashed out the ¡®short-whip¡¯¡­ and coiled Mercury¡¯s sword-wielding wrist¡­ tugging forward to deliver hard-knuckled-blows¡­

    While receiving the 4<sup>th</sup> punch, Mercury had uncoiled the shacking loop, of the bullwhip around his single wrist¡­ and it freed itself. The Red-demon avoided T¡¯Maru¡¯s swinging fists, and roundhouse kicked it to the ground¡­

    ¡­ Mercury instantly PLACED ITS FIERY SWORD at the demon¡¯s throat¡­

    ¡­ and in-pain ¨C T¡¯Maru succumbed in defeat, begging from below¡­

    ¡°¡­spare my life, mercury ¨C please don¡¯t kill me!¡±

    In the deepest male-voice, the Red-demon growled outback...

    ¡°BEFORE I BEHEAD YOU, ¨C TALK, I WANT SOME HARD-ANSWERS ¨C WHY DID YOU CURSE PETER WALKER?¡±

    With fear in its eyes, T¡¯Maru replied¡­

    ¡°Do you ¡®not¡¯ know that he was the chosen one ¨C IT¡¯S FATED, HE IS the damned one! And, Lord Asmodeus Himself chose him because of the boy¡¯s high intense negative emotional energies ¨C and He was the ¡®anointed-one¡¯ and then, we had weaponized him ¨C and Blackstar, our mother ¨C had grown STRONGER EVER since¡­¡±

    ¡°ENOUGH! NOW HOW-DO I ¡®UNDO¡¯ THIS DAMNED CURSE ¨C AND FREE THE BOY!!?¡±

    ¡°WHAT ARE YOU SAYING Mercury, it is FOOLISHNESS to MEDDLE IN these Highest LEVEL OF DARK CURSES AND SPELLS?¡±

    ¡°¡¯ NOT¡¯ UNDER MY WATCH ¨C THIS PETER WALKER IS UNDER MY HOUSE ZODIAC OF THE GEMINI-SIGN ¨C THEREFORE I, MERCURY WILL ¡®BE¡¯ THERE, TO PROTECT HIM!¡±

    ¡°YOU DAMNED TRAITOR!¡±

    Mercury saw T¡¯Maru HAVING ¡®SEIZURE,¡¯ with its eyes rolled up ¨C the demon was escaping from ITS ¡®HOST¡¯ MORTAL BODY ¨C it morphed out and leaving behind¡­

    ¡­ a defenceless and weak, DREADLOCKED BLACK-MAN, a mere zookeeper.

    In dread, Hajji laid on his back, looking up at the red-hot demon who glowered at him¡­ with his sword raised to behead. The Blackman begged for his life¡­

    ¡°Lord Mercury, spare my life ¨C I think you will need me, because I KNOW ¡®HOW¡¯ TO REVERSE the curse, in that boy¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯M LISTENING, YOU-MAGGOT ¨C YOU TELL ME HOW¡­?¡±

    ¡­ they were distracted by police sirens, in a distant...

    ¡°They are coming for me ¨C you have to LET ME ESCAPE now, Lord Mercury ¨C in order, for me to HELP YOU LATER¡­!¡±

    ¡°NO¡­! YOU HELP ME NOW¡­ MONKEY-FACE! I AM ¡®NOT¡¯ A FOOL, FOR A MERE MORTAL TO TRICK ME¡­!¡±

    ¡°O, Lord Mercury, you have to TRUST MY WORD for it ¨C I practice African Black-Voodoo and I know the key to break that high levelled spell, to FREE THAT CURSED one-armed boy ¨C you have to LET ME ESCAPE NOW¡­ in order to let me help you later ¨C I AM ¡®ALL¡¯ YOU GOT, O Master.¡±

    ¡­ Hajji reasoned with the restless demon.

    Mercury saw the mortal laid on the ground, below its feet.

    ¡­ it pondered a brief moment ¨C and it was pleased that it had an instant inkling¡­ that was favoured as unholy security.

    Still, with suspicion, the hideous Red-demon used his sweltering hot sword and ¨C marked to BRAND HAJJI¡¯S FACE, to burn his left-cheek. Mercury chuckled out, listening to the tortured Blackman¡¯s cries¡­

    ¡°I WILL MARK YOU THEN, WITH A CURSE ¨C NOW, I CAN FIND YOUR MONKEY-FACE WHEREVER YOU ARE, AT THE 4 CORNERS OF THE EARTH¡­!¡±

    Mercury lifted the hot, glowing sword off the Black-man cheek, and he cried even more, by the pain of skin-peeling, that left a cursed, crisscross burn-marks¡­

    ¡­ like more of a Babolat¡¯s...

    ¡­ in deep pain, Hajji opened his teary-eyes, to some angry words shouted at him¡­ in a boy¡¯s voice¡­

    ¡­ lying confused, on the grass, the Nigerian SAW A SILHOUETTE in the dawning sun ¨C and, of a FUMING ONE-ARMED TWEEN, WAVING his tennis racket and threatening him with his BAREFOOT, STEPPING on the chest of the zookeeper''s uniform. Peter yelled-down¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave the country, and GO SOMEWHERE REMOTE like to Canada ¨C remember this¡­ I got Google Earth, and I will find you-there ¨C you are just a black-dot, in the snow!¡±

    ¡­ Hajji held his scarred cheek, and he ran off from the crime scene. Peter saw him scrambling away on the muddy grass, in the rain, with¡­

    ¡­ nearby, the hippos staring...

    ¡°What y¡¯all lookin¡¯ at!!?¡±

    Peter saw down at his feet ¨C he was wearing only ONE OF HIS NIKE SHOES. He sighed deeply before he kicked it off¡­ and walked ahead, barefooted in the muddy pitch.

    <>

    PETER THEN LOOKED UP AND GRINNED ¨C when he saw Jane descending down, from the dawn pouring clouds.  She ran to him, once her feet made a touchdown. Jane darted over¡­ and leapt on him, laughing-wild in euphoria.

    ¡­ Peter dropped the Babolat and caught the blind-girlfriend in the air, and cradled her-up with his one-arm ¨C kissing-her.

    He felt a moment of loved-belonging¡­ in-him with her.

    ¡­ Paul saw them embracing, and both were glowing in optimism¡­ while he descending next below. He heard Peter exclaiming out¡­

    ¡°Woo-hoo¡­! I saw you out there, Janey ¨C YOU WERE STARGIRL! You saw me-up there too, right, with your 3<sup>rd</sup>-eye? I was flaming, bright up there, LIKE SOME HUMAN TORCH ¨C and I used my weapon to slice his whip¡­ before crashing into him off, from his ¡®buffalo-wings ride...¡¯¡±

    ¡­ Paul saw his twin was animating actions, waving his Babolat ¨C as the one-armed boy¡¯s reenactment of his war-stories. Paul then burst-his-bubble, to ¡®question¡¯ him...

    ¡°That rider, Peter ¨C WHERE IS HE?¡±

    ¡°He long took-off ¨C PANTHER-SPED away¨C I tried chasing him, but he was in-the wind by then, look at my feet ¨C I lost my prized, COLLECTOR¡¯S JORDAN NIKE OUT-there and ¨C then, I realized I WAS THE NO LONGER the Human Torch anymore.¡± Peter lied¡­

    ¡­ Paul only then noticed Peter¡¯s muddy bare feet.

    He would have to TAKE HIS TWIN¡¯S WORDS for it ¨C because at that simultaneous-moment ago, he-himself was PLAYING-MATADOR TO PROTECT Jane, from the charging winged bull, in the lit-up cloud fields.

    ¡­ Peter looked at his wristwatch, on his single wrist ¨C 5:55, in the a.m. He joked¡­

    ¡°All this superhero-ing is making me hungry for shawarma. Let¡¯s bounce over¡­ we discuss next of our superhero costume, while we eat.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit, first of all, you are ¡®not¡¯ Tony Stark¡­ and ¡®that¡¯ coming from you, just cheapens the bloody-movie joke. And secondly, let ¡®not¡¯ the right-hand know what the left-hand does ¨C this close-secrecy of the Cursed-trio, SHOULD REMAIN A ¡®SECRET¡¯ from the public, agreed¡­?¡±

    ¡°Hey-hey-hey, okay-Humperdoo ¨C I heard you¡­ and I also know where you are coming from ¨C you are still pissed that I sold your Avengers figurines, years ago right¡­? Cut me some slack here, Poey¡­ I¡¯m sorry, that I had to pay my gambling debt, bro. And secondly, I¡¯m still hungry, and wanna catch some burgers at Macca ¨C with Janey here is following me, so Poe, you wanna come¡­?¡±

    Paul saw his twin¡¯s smiling-girlfriend quiet, and glowing brighter.

    ¡°Okay why ¡®not¡¯ ¨C only, if you are buying,¡± Paul replied.

    ¡°Okay Poe, my treat ¨C and, thirdly, I NEED BACK MY Lebron MVP Nikes that you are wearing there ¨C hey, WHERE IS YOUR WHEELCHAIR, that I ¡®carried¡¯ a moment ago ¨C don¡¯t tell me you lost it too in the chaos?¡±

    Before Paul could answer Peter ¨C he heard A VOICE CALLING OUT from behind¡­

    The Cursed-trio looked back ¨C and saw ALICIA WONG AND MS. DIANE KING coming over¡­

    ¡°Janey!¡±

    ¡­ called-Alicia running towards her blind BFF, with Ms King, hurried along¡­ following the Chinese girl from behind.

    ¡°Ali?¡±

    They all saw both the girls hugging in the rain. The Chinese girl exclaimed out, pointing above¡­

    ¡°I was so worried, with YOU ¡®UP¡¯ THERE ¨C I saw ¡®you¡¯ through Ms King¡¯s mirror, that you were there¡­ FLYING AND GLOWING YELLOW, up in the skies.¡±

    ¡­ Alicia looked next at Paul who was vertical, and she went on to hug him, in delight¡­

    ¡°Pauly, YOU CAN WALK AGAIN. I am so happy for you ¨C this is like a miracle!¡± Then, they all heard, Paul said in a low, nervous voice¡­

    ¡°Err¡­ Alicia, actually I¡¯m¡­ levitating.¡±

    ¡­ Alicia backed off at once, when SHE WAS SHOCKED to notice Paul¡¯s Nike shoes were 8 centimetres above the ground ¨C and, her crippled friend WAS HOVERING UPRIGHT¡­ in a weird and odd manner.

    ¡°Way-no-way!¡± Running away from Paul¡­

    ¡­ as she freaked out of the sight and went back to hold Jane¡¯s hand.

    Peter was quietly observing everyone¡­

    ¡­ especially, at the student counsellor, Diane King, whom he still did ¡®NOT¡¯ QUITE TRUST, as she was closely associated with his mother ¨C who also held a group session, last Sunday UNDER HIS FATHER¡¯S ROOF, and accused him of being ¡®cursed¡¯ ¨C but-which¡­

    ¡­ he would SOON BE UN-CURSED, by Hajji¡¯s magic spells.

    ¡­ Ms King was hurrying them all¡­

    ¡°We all are trespassing¡­ and ¡®NOT¡¯ SUPPOSED TO BE in here now ¨C the police are investigating of the 6 zoo-security guards, who were all drugged unconscious, from-last night. The coppers will be soon combing the entire zoo, to find the perpetrator,¡± Said Ms King arriving at the zoo moments ago, and hearing the ¡®first-responders¡¯ saying ¡®that¡¯ to the TV reporter, after they arrived to investigate the ¡®fireworks¡¯ setoff near the zoo¡­

    Paul instantly replied...

    ¡°Yes, you all should get going ¨C we should get out of this place, ASAP! But, DON¡¯T WAIT FOR ME ¨C I hid my wheelchair at the Primate World¡­ I am going over there, to fetch it.¡±

    ¡°Remember our brekkie meet later, Poe ¨C don¡¯t pig-out on the gorilla¡¯s bananas and peanuts, when in Monkey Planet. Go, GET YOUR ALIBI-CHAIR, and I will be waiting outside ¨C for the Nike shoes,¡± Said his barefooted twin¡­

    ¡­ Paul did ¡®not¡¯ reply, he was looking nervously at Alicia and Ms King, for a brief second ¨C before PROPELLING HIMSELF by rocketing vertically fast up.

    Alicia was astonished ¨C and Ms King was speechless¡­ as listening to the Chinese girl cheering. Alicia then hugged Jane¡­

    ¡°Wow! Is THAT ¡®OUR¡¯ PAUL¡­? He just flew up!¡± They both joyfully laughed.

    ¡°Show off!¡± Muttered Peter beneath his breath.

    The one-armed twin had-learnt he was the ¡®other¡¯ half, of the twin Geminis ¨C and he needed PAUL TO ACTIVATE his celestial form¡­

    ¡­ as the Gemini-Red.

    Other than that, he could NEITHER FLY, NOR ZAP on his-own ¨C while, his ¡®other-half,¡¯ Gemini-Blue had-his superpower extras. But, ONE FACT FOR SURE¡­

    ¡­ Peter was cursed ¡®enough,¡¯ that HE COULD CAUSE major natural disasters and catastrophes¡­ simply-by, his infective toxic-negative emotions...

    ¡­ but that made him ¡®feel¡¯ like a monster.

    But he ¡®still¡¯ envied Paul, who despite a cripple ¨C he can ¡®could¡¯ CONTROL AND BULLY HIM from-now-on, even though as a quadriplegic, on a wheelchair.

    Maybe distancing and runaway for his safety from Paul was the ¡®option¡¯¡­

    ¡­ as he before had already threatened to ¡®PUT HIM DOWN¡¯ ¨C if the situation was in deep and dire, endanger to mankind.

    <>

    PAUL REACHED THE SECTION OF THE ZOO called the Primate World¡­ where he had hidden his folded wheelchair in the shrubs¡­ beside the enclosure of the pygmy Bonobo.

    ¡­ when Paul went in, he saw more than 100 monkeys, of various species¡­ gathered, around his wheelchair.

    The primates, big and small, infants and the old ¨C were out of their respective locked cages, and they gathered in the Bonobos¡¯ ¨C like they were HAVING A DISCUSSION, around a huge, 500 kg silverback gorilla.

    ¡­ once the monkeys sensed the presence of the cripple, who was ¡®levitating¡¯ in their presence, they freaked-out noisy. Paul got scared when, all of them were closely approaching him, and a baby gibbon jumped at him and cuddled...

    ¡­ soon, Paul was at ease, when the monkeys of different species were in merriment and were in celebration ¨C grinning wide and jumping around ¨C and, he doesn¡¯t have a clue why.

    Then he saw the big silverback approaching¡­ and Paul felt scared again¡­ intimidated by its massive size. He was trying hard to avoid eye contact, stooping low ¨C and could even feel his crippled legs, slightly tremble with jittery-tingles. The advancing old-gorilla gently hugged Paul, and used its large paw¡­ to stroke and tap him on his head¡­

    ¡­ Paul Walker was relieved that he did ¡®not¡¯ have to zap it, LIKE HOW HE DID, to the black panther¡¯s tail, just now ¨C if-ever it posed a threatening danger. The gorilla then pointed above at a tree, to Paul¡­

    ¡­ WHO LOOKED-UP, and was shocked...

    ¡­ and-behold¡­

    ¡­ a strung up dead Capuchin monkey¡­ bitten in the neck ¨C which was hung upside-down there, for public display.

    What Paul couldn¡¯t understand was the ritual behind, on why those monkeys were celebrating the Capuchin¡¯s death ¨C and, to the unknown hidden-fact was-that¡­

    ¡­. it was to be the pet, of the zoo-keeper¡­

    ¡­ that evil human¡­ who engaged with the voodoos practices of the dark spirit¡­ from where MOST OF THE PRIMATES¡¯ ANCESTORS, descended from Mother Africa.

    The little-Capuchin was also possessed by Popobawa ¨C an evil, and feral animal-spirit ¨C that even that bigger apes like gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees feared of.

    But tonight¡­ that tiny-sized evil was dead ¨C and that had the primates gathered, and hailed Paul¡­ as the hero that killed it.

    But¡­

    ¡­ it was a short-lived honour¡­ because then, a patrol car came in¡­ and Paul was detained shortly.

    <>

    THE ONE-ARMED PETER TRAILED BEHIND the 2 girls and the woman counsellor, in the dank rain. Ms King ushered the tweens out, through the side exit and ¨C ¡®not¡¯ the main entrance, where the police were.

    Outside¡­

    ¡°Oh my God, Janey ¨C LOOK OVER THERE!¡±

    ¡­ Alicia suddenly shrilled, and pointed-over ahead ¨C at the approaching creature. It was PIPER, WHERE IT HAD HORSE-BACKED SAMUEL¡­ and was coming on the opposite.

    The Black-toddler jumped off the grey, big dog¡¯s back ¨C and he came running over, totally excited to see ¡®familiar¡¯ faces, and¡­ by calling out their names¡­

    Peter saw the coloured boy running over to them, in unsteady steps. It remembered him of the midget-man of Fantasy Island, ringing the bell at the tower, pointing at the plane¡­

    ¡°Jane-lishya! Jane-lishya!¡± Cried, the nearing excited-Samuel.

    Both the girls, caught and hugged Samuel in pure delight¡­

    ¡­ the Chinese-girl carried the Black baby boy¡­ while his blind sister, faced towards her faithful guide-dog¡­ that had stopped 10 meters away, at the opposite side.

    ¡°Piper¡­thank you.¡± The blind-girl said¡­

    ¡­ the dog understood its former-master, and barked once, IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. It wagged its tail, hung its tongue out, and nodded¡­ before turning away, and left¡­

    Peter saw his girlfriend, breakdown in tears¡­

    Alicia with Samuel in her arms hugged her¡­ and wept too, seeing the dog going away...

    ¡­ Piper too decided he can¡¯t stay, BECAUSE HE WAS ¡®CURSED¡¯ ¨C by the same-evil and feral Popobawa animal-spirit¡­ residing in the black panther¡­ which bit it¡­

    ¡°DON¡¯T BE SAD¡­ lets it-go, Piper¡­ it¡¯s NOT your-fault ¨C it¡¯s a dog-eat-dog world, out there ¨C C¡¯est la vie.¡±

    ¡­ thus, Piper decided to BE A LONE WOLF¡­

    ¡­ by staying away, from any mortal human-beings and also immortals¡­ as ¡®much¡¯ as possible¡­

    ¡­ but¡­ DUE TO THE SAVAGE DISEASE, that was progressively spreading in its bloodstream¡­

    ¡­ before, it next transforming into a full-fledged, blood-thirsting predator¡­

    ¡­ OF A WOLF-MAN¡­

 Chapter 14: In the Evening Edition

    PETER LOOKED AT THE NEWSPAPER¡¯S HEADLINES, after waking up late, on that Sunday evening¡­

    ¡­ that screamed¡­

    ¡®HERO DOG DOES IT AGAIN¡¯

    ¡­ featuring a photo of¡­ the grey-mixed-breed Alsatian with Samuel ¨C riding on it-horse-back, in the rain¡­

    ¡­ but, the Black boy¡¯s face in the PHOTO WAS PIXELATED, as he was a minor¡­ with the abduction-case as-a, still-under police investigation case...

    The main story was sub-captioned as¡­

    ¡®Piper rescues kidnapped boy¡¯

    THE NEXT ARTICLE¡­

    ¡­ too-drew the one-armed boy¡¯s attention¡­ that highlights a photo of Jane-and-him, Peter ¨C captioned as¡­

    ¡®Perth¡¯s Famous Couple aid police investigation¡¯

    Grinning¡­

    ¡­ the excited Peter then read the fine-prints¡­ for ¡®verifications¡¯¡­

    ¡®¡­ Jane Wilson who was also rescued by Piper, from attack by an escaped black panther, a week ago; and she was with her boyfriend Peter Walker last night, at South Perth Zoo. They both were the first responders, to be in the kidnap case; based on the hunch of their classmate, Alicia Wong Ai Chu, also 12, who had suggested that a possibility of the kidnapped boy was in the zoo¡­¡¯

    ¡­ Peter rolled his eyes, of the ¡®FAKE NEWS ALIBI¡¯ thrown into share-the-credit ¨C but he kept on reading¡­

    ¡®¡­ Alicia was accompanied by her Stamford High School¡¯s counsellor Diane King, 46, was also present ¡­ bla-bla-bla ¡­

    ¡­ and Peter Walker was also the singles-tennis champion, of Perth¡¯s junior-schools championship 2 years ago¡­¡¯

    ¡­ Peter was beaming with joy when he read that¡­

    He was no longer a piece of old news ¨C and, finally WAS NEWS-WORTHY¡­ and was getting his deserved attention, ¡®since¡¯¡­

    ¡­ by stepping into his famous blind girlfriend¡¯s limelight, after her being rescued by her dog. And, the blind-girl¡­

    ¡­ was ALSO KNOWN FOR the viral-video on YouTube¡­ THAT WON HER TENNIS MATCH, PARTNERING with Peter.

    Peter Walker was now ORCHESTRATING THE FUTURE¡­

    ¡­ with mega-big plans in his mind, for the brand of the PERTH¡¯S FAMOUS COUPLE¡­ to excel even further, for the next school¡¯s term.

    Even-more, when he ¡®broke¡¯ the spell of The Curse of Asmodeus¡­

    <><>

    AT THAT SAME EVENING, PAUL WAS IN HIS BEDROOM, with the flu¡­

    ¡­ on-bed, and he was reading some posts online on his iPad device, about the early incidents in the zoo¡­

    He watched a few video clips of the ¡®Aurora Australis¡¯s fireworks ¨C and revisited the post in Facebook of the Perth¡¯s-Famous-Couple...

    The post-photo showed the infamous-couple, who both spotted EACH A BLACKEYE, punched by the same Black-man.

    ¡­ Paul thought back, at THAT VICTORIOUS DAWN, where the Cursed-trio had managed to defeat BlackStar, and her minions, in their aerial battle¡­

    ¡­ then, everything else from there ONWARDS, HAD GONE WRONG for Paul Walker¡­

    ¡­ it started the moment, of arriving at Primate World¡­

    ¡­ where the gathered mob of monkeys that were abruptly alarmed, by the sudden loud police siren. For one moment ago, they were all boisterous, in celebration over the DEAD, STRUNG UP TINY MONKEY ¨C and the next¡­

    ¡­ they were all helter-skelter, once when the cops showed up, and¡­

    ¡­ with each fled in the 4 corners of the zoo ¨C just like the Netflix-movie 12 MONKEYS.

    Paul in his wheelchair was then-detained for ¡®trespassing¡¯ ¡­ but-he told the 2 officers ¨C that he was THE SON OF INSP. WALKER, and together with his twin, Peter ¨C they were in search of the missing Samuel¡­

    ¡­ but it was raining¡­

    ¡­ and he took shelter in the Primate World ¨C and claimed ¡®no¡¯ knowledge of ¡®who¡¯ had UNLOCKED THE CAGES¡­ that led to the monkeys¡¯ breakout to escape¡­

    ¡­ and also, as a quadriplegic¡­

    ¡­ he couldn¡¯t have possibly stung a dead monkey, high-up in the tree.

    In secret, Paul Walker was whisked off by the coppers as a probable witness ¨C from the TV and press journalists present¡­

    ¡­ and, Primate World was cordoned as a ¡®crime scene.¡¯

    The crippled boy was taken to the police station¡­ to be questioned by his police-mother ¨C who then¡­

    ¡­ arrived 2 hours later¡­ with the barefooted twin-Peter...

    ¡­ then, the inspector-mother personally took the incident report of her twins¡­

    ¡­ in front of Corporal Frank Smithy, who was the earlier arresting-officer.

    ¡­ but to-maintain his secret-identity, Paul white-lied to his mother¡­ that he and Peter TOOK AN UBER ride to the Wilsons to fetch Jane, to head up to the zoo...

    ¡­ even Peter nodded yes.

    Paul backed up ¡®more¡¯ untruth by saying ¨C over at the zoo, while Peter took off with his girlfriend¡­ based on a call earlier from her BFF-Alicia, that-Samuel was in the zoo¡­

    ¡­ the twins¡­ then, got ¡®separated¡¯ from there-onwards, in the rain.

    But-at-the-station¡­ Peter got excited at this point of the narrative, and he then bragged ¨C where he had boldly¡­ chased the intruder with his Babolat in his hand. Peter then got longwinded¡­Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡­ that, he caught up with the Black-man, and they got into a struggle, where he clouted him with his racquet, in return¡­ got a black eye¡­

    ... and that ¡®slugging punch¡¯ dropped him in the crocodile pool¡­ but survived being eaten alive, when he swam to safety. Then, he continued his mission-search ¨C and found Samuel, in the black panther enclosure...

    ¡­ he then had-crawled in a trapdoor, at the padlocked gate, to get into the stockade, with his Babolat, to fearlessly face the fierce black panther all ¡®alone,¡¯ to rescue Samuel ¨C but¡­

    ¡­ the crazy-dog Piper took away his ¡®glory¡¯ of his heroic attempt ¨C by it whisking the boy away, from being eaten alive by the black panther¡­

    By then, Paul facepalmed¡­ and sighed.

    -O-

    In his bed, Paul blew his nose with a tissue, laughing to himself¡­ recalling inspector-mother stopping her ¡®dilutional¡¯ one-armed son, from his ongoing-statements ¨C ahead, from¡­

    ¡­before he told her of-his ¨C ¡®how-he-cracked-the-sky-and-shook-the-earth¡¯ part, of the story.

    It will be a long week more, of putting up WITH PETER¡¯S NONSENSE, before school term resumed. That was a long time, for being his brother''s keeper¡­

    ¡­ it was because earlier at the police station...

    ... he noticed Peter HAD NEGATIVE VIBES ¨C the moment Principle Tom Harris dropped in¡­ to ASSESSED HIS PRINCIPAL ROLE in the police investigation¡­

    ¡­ and then, he was also TALKING ¡®PRIVATELY¡¯ with their mother¡­

    ¡­ Principle Tom Harris WAS A PROBABLE TRIGGER, to the probable nature¡¯s next calamity ¨C in the land-down-under.

    <><>

    THE NEXT DAY WAS A MONDAY, AT THE WILSON¡¯S residence ¨C Shelley Wilson took A WEEK TIMEOUT, from her work at the clinic, to be with her children¡­

    ¡­ after a sleepless night of Samuel¡¯s abduction, that HAPPENED ON SATURDAY NIGHT, right at the doorstep of their own house.

    ¡­ the doctor-mother was grateful, that it all concluded well that Sunday morning, when ¡®DISCOVERING¡¯ THAT JANE had ¡®again¡¯ sneaked-out earlier¡­

    ¡­ in the wee hours, with the Walker-boys ¨C to search for her baby brother.

    But several things even puzzled the mother, of HOW THE ESCAPED PIPER came about, in the zoo¡­

    ¡®Next¡­ WHERE-NOW did Piper go to¡­???¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t the only unexplainable, baffling strange things ¨C with such as of ¡®how¡¯ her blind-daughter, had managed slipped out that night¡­ ¡®undetected¡¯ by her adult supervision¡­

    ¡­ that was why Shelley Wilson took a week off-duty, so to WATCH OVER HER B-GIRL, whom she had grounded a week¡­ till the next school term commenced.

    -O-

    At around 11:00 AM., Alicia Wong cycled over, and visited¡­

    ¡­ her black-eyed BFF and baby-brother.

    Both the girls were excited as they ¡®WHISPERED¡¯ TO EACH OTHER, of the adventure they had, while battling medieval evil.

    They were also were excited to go back to Stamford High FOR THE NEXT TERM, as famous-Perth-celebrities¡­

    ¡­ of-extraordinary events¡­ within that 10 DAYS PERIOD since school-break¡­

    ¡­ where-they had all ¡®survived¡¯ a thunderstorm at the dairy farm¡­

    ¡­ had ¡®escaped¡¯ a black panther attack¡­

    ¡­ had ¡®beaten¡¯ the rivals in a mixed doubles tennis match¡­ in a video that went viral¡­

    ¡­ and finally, ¡®defeated¡¯ evil¡­

    ¡­ to retrieve the kidnapped Baby Samuel, at the zoo.

    Although Jane was grounded, she-too WAS SATISFIED, THAT¡­ she got to get to learn ¡®new¡¯ things in her term break, with the Walker-twins ¨C Peter¡­

    ¡­ who taught her how to skateboard and play tennis¡­ while ¨C Paul taught her how to fly.

    As for her indoor activities, the blind Jane wanted to learn ¡®how¡¯ to paint¡­ and ¡®learn¡¯ more-about colours¡­

    ¡­ the girls and the Black baby-boy, got busy creating their artwork with their paintbrushes, while they sat apart on the marbled floor of their living room, covered with old-newspapers.

    The Chinese girl then Googled in her Samsung, of African cultural art ¨C SHE FACE-PAINTED SAMUEL, as a Kenyan¡¯s tribal warrior, before they took wefies.

    Alicia joked that they can monetize Jane¡¯s abstracts masterpieces for a fortune online, because Jane was ONE-END OF the ¡®PERTH¡¯S FAMOUS COUPLE.¡¯

    The blind-girl blushed¡­

    and they all laughed together¡­ downstairs¡­

    <>

    ¡­ MEANWHILE UPSTAIRS¡­

    ¡­ JANE¡¯S PARENTS were in her bedroom¡­ and both the mother and father were staring hard at the broken Queen-sized mattress, with coils of springs sticking out from a caved-into bed ¨C it also had a hollow-etched IMPRINT OF A ONE-ARMED BOY, on the mattress¡¯ surface.

    Anthony Wilson was baffled BY-HOW THIS damage could have ¡®possibly¡¯ happened, to his company¡¯s top product ware¡­

    ¡­ and, Shelley Wilson too was equally mystified¡­ looking at it in horror, of how the ¡®culprit¡¯ could have ¨C ¡®entered¡¯ her daughter¡¯s bedroom, in that wee-Sunday hours ¨C while the trio had claimed¡­

    ¡­ that they took an Uber ride to the zoo¡­

    ¡­ the doctor-mother swore to herself, TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE on her B-girl¡¯s rebelliousness¡­

    ¡­ with-her ¡®uncontrollable¡¯ pubescent-nature¡­

    ¡­ now-until¡­

    ¡­ she went back to school, next term.

    <><><>oOo<><><>

    End Of Book 1

    <><><>oOo<><><>