STAMFORD HIGH RESUMED ITS CLASSES… after a-day of the emergency holiday, for the school’s safety-level of breathing air-quality – after Perth’s bushfire disaster… that-razed off a third of the reserved forestry, in the northern regions of the city…

… destruction unknowing and unsuspected happened with suffered Perth City denizens… which was caused by the invisible-dark forces of the Underworld… of Ammut and her fire breathing-pet, Ammit…

That Wednesday morning…

… the burdened Paul Walker rolled the wheelchair into his class.

His one-armed, identical-twin was already there, ‘before’ him – boasting about his soon participation of the school’s tennis mixed pair… for his ‘comeback.’ A small cluster of his classmate-fans-were mesmerized of Peter’s storytelling… armed with his Babolat in-hand.

The bell rang and the class started its first period of Mathematics, when Ms Constance Bloom walking into the class, as every student settled down in their seats. Paul realized minutes later, that Jane Wilson was absent that-morning with a sickie.

Gone were the memories… where the blind-girl WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED by Alicia Wong, her BFF – and both would be APPLAUDED BY EVERYONE, the moment they stepped into class, FOR THEIR ‘POPULARITY’…

… now, it would be one-long-day, TO BE ‘ALONE’ FOR THE CRIPPLE to march-on, on his own. Paul deeply wished, that he too had taken a day off today…

… after a sleepless night, full-of sadness of thoughts…

… that his girlfriend Alicia was in a coma – where he too…

… ‘HAD’ A BREAKDOWN, in the hospital ward in-his visit. But Paul picked up his courage, to-go-to school the-next day…

… hoping to be supportive, to Jane too-who would be missing her BFF.

At the hospital too, he remembered the blind-girl had hugged him tight, and he ‘felt’ her surge of positive-comforting energy-flow that pacified him, to have-control of himself...

… to carry-on the rest of the school’s final-term without Alicia.

-O-

Daydreaming during his Math class… the-sight of his girlfriend’s empty desk in front of him, brought tears in his eyes – and, when he was ‘obvious’… he would then go-on into the pretext-action of putting eye drops, with facing Ms Bloom ‘frequently’ noticing him.

One meandering long school-period after the other, as Paul patiently endured the slow-minutes, until the final bell rang. He left straight home, to his windowless bedroom, to be home-alone and into his brooding over – to thought, of ‘how’ he would survive the rest of Stamford High’s final term, all by himself…

… without his beloved-girlfriend, Alicia Wong Ai Choo.

<>

ALL WEDNESDAY IN CLASS… PETER was observing his cripple-twin, from the rear of the classroom. He can ‘feel’ Paul’s energy was low – in pale-blue, to sometimes ‘not’ glowing at all-at times...

… he smirked – as he felt Paul ‘deserved-it’ for interfering with his grand-schemes.

He was ‘not’ in speaking terms with the-cripple – since Paul imposed ‘his’ diktat with force and with-physical pain, on him… to ‘not’ to go to the national tennis ‘academy’ in Sydney, where Australian national players were ‘made.’

‘Suffer Poe… hike ya-Daks and bloody-suffer…’

-O-

His inspector-mother WAS IN-CHARGE, OF Alicia Wong’s assault case…

‘Good luck, to you Policewoman, ‘Angie-Dickinson’… LET ‘US’ SEE if you ‘can’ catch-us with your ongoing ‘bimbo-investigation…’

Peter’s grand-scheme consist of a cache of ‘his’ alibis and strategies…

… which ‘one’ was simply to-play-stupid…

… and deny ‘any’ involvement-in anything...

His alibi was concrete that night, as he was ‘present’ at home, for family-night-in – while, he had-attacked Chinatown Wong earlier…

… before returning-back in-time, in a flash…

… for his ‘home-cooked’ pasta-dinner.

The one-armed bandit played it ‘stupid’ in Stanford High since… and had spent his time talking more of his branding of ‘Perth’s famous couples’ involvement in their future tennis game – and-talk less of ‘whatever-secretly-happened’ during-Perth Great Fire.

<>

THE HOMELESS MAN SMOKED HIS CRACK-PIPE… and was feeling pumped-charged, to embark into his 800km journey by cycling to Leonora. But at dawn, his focus-diverted in the outer Perth city limits, when he was ‘distracted’ seeing-express buses travelling on the highway, exiting Perth…

… he gathered some fist-sized rocks, went to an overpass bridge-crossing, that had traffic flowing beneath him. Jimbo pelted any buses that crossed below, while he yelled from above…

“You bloody-can’t gimme $10, all yous bloody GREEDY-SELFISH TAKERS! Yous bloody always take-take and bloody-take! Y’all will go to bloody-hell and bloody burn-burn-burn!”

He hit a bullseye… and shattered the windscreen of a speeding express bus. The driver lost control of the huge vehicle – and crashed on the divider and overturned. The victorious Jimbo laughed aloud… exposing a mouthful of his-rotten teeth, as ‘SPOKE’ TO HIS BICYCLE…

“NICE SHOT KITT! Let’s go now buzz-buzz off, mate – Mary Lee is expecting us… quick-quick… we have a long journey to cover ahead, to THE ROAD TO LEONORA…”

-O-

But Jimbo did ‘not’ leave Perth, as he-had intended – the VENGEANCE IN HIM, that made him commit the ‘same’ serial crime again when he cycled along the highway. He got ‘away-successfully’ with it-too – UNTIL A 3RD TIME…

…when he was digitally-captured committing the dangerous act – which was caught red-handed by CCTV-cams, throwing rocks at fast-moving buses…

… the homeless drug addict was arrested, by a patrol car which was-sent, to the crime-location at the highway.

<><>

THAT SAME WEDNESDAY, JANE WILSON DID ‘not’ attend her classes… as the blind-girl was-now dealing with the tragic-reality of the ‘sighted-world’ – had sucked-into her-safe comfort-zone…

…blind-Jane stayed at home with a sickie excuse.

She was a total-wreck state, with occasional anxiety-attacks – to her thoughts of losing everyone she ‘loved,’ after suffering the loss of Piper and SIMY.

Her grief-guilt took-the blame, as she was cursed by Asmodeus…

… and took the-fault and blame personally.

Blind-Jane was too afraid to stay alone in her bedroom, even with Boyyo – her AI, to-be ‘personalized’ device in keeping her company. But she would rather-abandon her advanced technology device back, in her room to be downstairs – just to-be with her brother Samuel … watching Jungle Book over-and-over with him on the couch.

Despite her toddler brother knew his sister Jane was blind… but he was pointing at the telly screen, and Samuel was storytelling in his limited words, of the characters names on the screen, but – he was mashing-up with his ‘own’ personal stories, by digressing into his ‘own’ personal zoo abduction-adventure reality version… as the Black-boy also was mentioning ‘Peeta and Popobawa’…

…which reminded of her TALKING-PIPER. in her recent dark-dream – who ‘spoke’ to her – of ‘how’ the dog-himself had FEARED POPOBAWA.

Occasionally, the cuddling-the Jane, reminded Samuel of ‘Alicia,’ who came to the zoo-too, when her-brother rode horsie-back on her big-dog to ‘them’ in the rain. But her baby-brother don’t remember ‘that’ moment…

… but his memories were-more incline towards his close encounter inside the closed-enclosure cage…

… with Peter, Piper…

…and Popobawa the wild black panther.

-O-

Shelley, her doctor-mother noticed that her B-girl Jane – was-going downhill with her depression after Alicia went into a coma. Shelley Wilson wanted to-find ways… to distract her daughter with activities like sports – and-where she recalled…

… in the banquet dinner of the Mayor’ Cup, held in country-club, when Jane had won a lifetime ‘free’ tennis lesson…

… to be coached by the club’s in-house…

… tennis ex-international couple, of Perth Opens ‘79.

-O-

Dr Wilson called up-ex-international Coach Steve Connery, who gave-her his calling card at the banquet. He responded that now with the ill-fated country-club had been razed down in Perth Great Fire…

… and since then… he and his wife and majority of the ex-club staff… were absorbed and were working in ‘another’ club as tennis coaches – at HILLSIDE COUNTRY-CLUB, owned by Mayor John Blake.

Since then… the Connerys have been-resilient with their life-hood come back and have been giving private coaching lessons, in the new’ club which was renamed to ‘The John Blake Country-club’ since the billionaire acquired it. The Connerys were presently ‘surviving’ with the generosity-referrals… from some members of the former razed club.

Dr Wilson knew the John Blake was a savvy businessman before he entered politics and was elected as Mayor of Perth. He started in the pharmaceuticals industry where made his money marketing some famous brands, of household medicines. And…

… before long he bought the Perth’s tallest building into his list of real-estate portfolio…

… and named it ‘Blake Tower’…

… where recently, it too had a tragic fatal misfortune, where a fire broke out in a freak explosion, with its inferno that killed 29 construction workers, working on their nightshift.

-O-

Their phone conversation led to the recent tragedy of Alicia Wong’s unfortunate attack… and now admitted in a coma – Coach Connery-too knew the talkative Asian girl with Jane on the banquet table at the Mayor’s Cup – who was also a schoolmate of Douglas Zimmerman of Stamford High…

… who was the Connerys’ star-student whom he coached.

Dr Wilson found the coaching fees were reasonable – so she signed her depressed B-girl up, for his SATURDAY’S TIMESLOT in the morning, because...

… Mothers know best.

<><>

AT SCHOOL ON THURSDAY, PETER WAS LOOKING FORWARD to Janey who had ‘not’ arrived yet in class. The one-armed smirked and saw his depressed cripple-twin sitting alone in silence…

… facing 2 empty seats in front of him – Alicia and Janes’.

The blind girl walked in using her walking-stick before History period started. Every student was nervously-watching her… and no one came forward with sympathy, as she lost her best buddy during the Great Perth Fire…

… who was now in comatose, and hospitalized.

Blind-Jane walked straight into her-blue-beacon… and hugged the wheelchair seated Paul. They were hugging awhile like for 15 sec, where they both were consoling whispers to each other. It drew even ‘more’ weird, nervous stares from everyone, who were now-looking at Peter too…

… the other half of PFC…

… Peter played along, by ‘not’ caring – as nobody in the class knew, that Jane had been ‘cursed’ with 3rd-eye… and have ‘partial-sight,’ with her-2-beacons – that she depended on on-to ‘see.’

Then class resumed, late as always – where teachers were tardy for their first classroom lessons – since the teachers’ cars exploded a fortnight ago, at the school parking lot.

-O-

The ‘sight’ of an empty chair, where Alicia had-used to sit in class – silhouetted in blue glow of Paul, made the blind-girl sad – during Mr Alexander Hull’s History lesson.

History was one of Alicia’s favourite subject, where-she memorized her facts, events and dates well, so much-so, Mr Hull joked that Alicia having a photographic memory – which her BFF, wore it like a badge of honour, to both heart and mind.

The brooding Paul heard her BFF’s soft sniffles… in front of him…

<><>

DURING RECESS AT THE SCHOOL CANTEEN, Paul accompanied Jane over to eat. The 2 of them, isolated themselves by sitting together – with their secret and private discussions…

… Peter noticed them-both when he was with his student-fans… also eating with them, in their group. He noticed the Nurse Nancy… for the school’s infirmary, approaching the cripple and the blinds’ table.

The young nurse informed that student counsellor Ms Diane King – would want to counsel them-both after their classes in the afternoon. Both Jane and Paul thanked her, and she left.

<><>

AFTER THEIR SCHOOLING THURSDAY, both Jane and Paul accompanied-each other to Infirmary, where the student counsellor office was. The walking stick clacked the floor-top, beside the manually rolling the wheelchair, where the 2-tweens joked that now…

… that ‘even’ they too… need therapy-like Peter, in for his own-anger management…

… and, speak of the Devil…

… the one-armed Peter called Jane from behind…

“Janey, I’m so sorry… of what-I heard of Alicia, being in the hospital – so how you holding up?”

Blind-Jane did ‘not’ answer but replied with a tacit nod… as she proceeded walking to Ms King’s office.

Peter followed them. Jane turned around…

“What do you want, Peter?”

“Err…I was wondering – if I could ‘borrow’ Boyyo, for a bit while for ‘our’ training…”

Paul noticed Jane removing her headset and push it forcefully – to her ex-boyfriend’s welcoming single-hand.

… but that was still ‘not’ enough for the Devil…

“Thanks-Jan… err… can I also have the AI dark-glasses too…?”

From his wheelchair, Paul observed blind-Jane taking out her-Oakey from her backpack. She replaced both her dark-eyed-glasses and handed the AI unwillingly…

… she had ‘committed’ to the demands of this devil's promise, into partner-up with him, in the school’s mixed doubles’ knockout selections…

“Thanks, Janey…” The-rapt Peter responded when the trio reached the office door.

“Don’t break it…” The blind-girl growled softly.

Peter chuckled with a sarcastic response while holding-up the Boyyo’ dark-glasses…

“No worries Janey – I would be extra-careful coz’ I’m the responsible ‘one’ – and I won’t get into dumb-and-dumber-mode either, by ‘modifying’ it – to taser-zap like-the X-men Cyclops.”

Peter looked below at his twin, as he continued to chuckle. Paul looked away, and opened the doorknob, to be ‘first’ to enter Ms King’s office. The one-armed bandit stood, at the staring blind ex-girlfriend, and he ‘changed’ the topic…

“Okay-okay, I get it – I’m sorry dear… a Terry-Donovan-joke that’s ‘not’ so-funny. But anyways Janey – if you wanna ‘talk’ about it, my doors are always open…”

… Jane slammed the door-hard at his face.

-O-

… inside the office, the ‘victims’ of the Devil’s ‘curse,’ met in-private and in-secret… in the Cursed-trio cabal…

Instantly the emotionally bottled-up Jane cried aloud, and the sight of her ‘release’… which made Paul weeping too. Ms King came forward to hug both of the tweens – and she-too cried because Alicia Wong was her ‘sole-informant’ who told of what happened among the Cursed-trio…

… who-was now ‘gone’ as she too paid the ‘price’ of being a victim…

… of the evil curses of Asmodeus – the unleashed series of misfortunes and bad lucks.

The 3-all settled down – and Ms King began her counselling that encouraged them both… the remaining ‘survivors’ to be strong – and-soldier on, fighting the evil that Perth had-on coming…

…when the Evil-one himself walked-the earth… soon…

“… DO IT FOR ALICIA…” Ms King reminded.

The hour-long session also led them to talk the-business of strategies of fighting evil… where the quiet blind-Jane ‘heard’ carefully to Paul and Ms Kings’ discussions – as they did their own SWOT analysis of options of advantages and the disadvantages – that they had to deal with – of the now ‘controlled’ Peter WHO WAS-POSSESSED, by the dark-side.

To his question of his-recent adventures – in the dream-in-a-dream, of going to the realms of the Underworld to seek-answers, of how to ‘break’ the curse of his possessed-twin – Ms King responded to Paul, that she was ‘not’ familiar with the-path of the dream-in-dream ‘works’…

… Paul had-taken coz’ she WAS ONLY ‘FAMILIAR’ with the Middle Eastern prophesies of the medieval cult studies, only by literal theories…

… and coupled with, 20 years ago, where – the monk SeeIn – who manifested Himself to her, from the future Perth, foretelling of disastrous events were-to come in the city’s destruction.

Then Ms King made a ‘senior’ joke… where ‘since’ then, and she told of her own body, that was failing, breaking-down gradually with common-diseases of old-ageing – and WITH THE DOSE of medical medicines that she-herself took daily… that could even ‘knockout’ an adult Tasmanian Devil…

… and let alone for her venturing… into Paul’s dream-realms ‘path.’

Nevertheless, she-would deeply appreciate if the 2 of them, to KEEP HER ‘INFORMED,’ as to how Alicia once ‘did’ – and let her ‘be’ in-the-loop, with the capacity an adult-advisor and mentor – to WHATEVER THE FUTURE PLANS and the decisions of the Cursed-trio that ‘might’ take…

… to hold back Asmodeus’ arrival to Perth…

… when she said ‘that’ – the crippled Paul had a recall of the bits of information, that he had ‘forgotten’ from his dark dream – and he asked Ms King…

‘when the full moon in the Sphinx was…?’

… to which was when Asmodeus would walk the earth…

… offhand, the counsellor did ‘NOT’ KNOW WHEN-the ‘sign’ was – but she would look it up, in her personal library at home… later.

The clandestine, strategy-discussion-session, behind closed door, ended – with Ms King suggesting the 3 of them… to visit Alicia at the hospital, that early evening – which they agreed.

-O-

While the student counsellor exited her office with the 2 tween students, she was intercepted by the Vice-Principle, Mrs Burnell – who informed them the ‘good’ news…

… that Alicia’s attacker was reported captured by the media…

… who identified as a homeless, drug addict.

<>

THE SPITFIRE BALL-MACHINE was-spurting out tennis balls in random, while Peter on the go, was slicing and volleying them over, with his Babolat. He was alone at the courtyard until he heard… his-name being called, from outside the enclosure.

He saw-Jane coming down the stone-steps, using her blind-stick – and the one-armed boy also saw his twin too… above-at the grandstand gallery of the west-wing.

The rubicund one-armed Peter ran out… wearing Boyyo, from the fenced court to her.

“Why, Janey – why so early?”

“We are going to the hospital to visit Alicia, with Ms King – you wanna come?”

“No, I don’t-think so… I’m tired – I think I better head back home… and chill-lax and Netflix.” Peter said as he returned the Boyyo AI to its rightful owner.

“If you meet-your mother at home – say I said, ‘thank Insp Walker… for a job well done.’”

… that puzzled Peter. “What-job well done…?”

“’ That’ criminal… whom she had captured, arrested and brought to justice – for hurting and stealing Alicia’s bike.”

The blind-girl wore-back her Boyyo headset, and walked away, saying-her bye – to her speechless ex. The one-armed Peter watched Jane walking up the stone steps of the gallery to the waiting Paul. Paul saw his twin eyeballing at him, from below…

They both then entered indoors, of the west-wing… of the school building.

Below, Peter froze in fear – thinking of the possibilities of being ‘caught’… and, he would also be brought to ‘justice’ – together with that bogan-Jimbo.

The one-armed sucked-it-all-up, to psych himself mentally, that he would ‘not’ get caught because his ‘alibi’ was solid…

… as he ‘did’ was at home… for their family-time dinner.