BACK OUTSIDE THE MERCY & WILSON CLINIC, WHILE GETTING into the Audi… Peter whispered into his twin’s ear…

“Poe… don’t levitate, Mom’s watching, I-got it, mate.”

As he carried the cripple twin into the interior the car’s backseat with his one-arm… Peter ‘deliberately’ knock into Paul’s bandaged hand – and in-deep pain Paul yowled out… cursing at him…

“Hey-Poe… your big-brother has ‘only’ one arm, so sorry about it, mate.”

Paul scoffed and sighed deep at the backseat, thinking HOW MUCH LONGER he should be passive, while Peter was ‘PUSHING’ HIM TO BLOW-HIS-TOP, to use his superpower, to hurt him… in-front of their inspector-mom, that would REVEAL HIS SECRET IDENTITY – which he had been keeping it as his-own guarded-secret, from the world.

-O-

The Walkers left Mercy & Wilson, on a road home, with its traffic jam pileup earlier cleared.

Caroline drove back from the clinic with her 2 antagonistic boys, thinking about what Shelley Wilson had said ‘earlier,’ about busy working-mothers – who tend to neglect their adolescent children, as went into their busy working lives…

… and, their ‘neglected’ children who would have their ‘own’ personal issues later and get into deep problems, while don’t tell their busy mothers, until it got to the boiling-point moment, and that, could have lead into unknown repercussion next – as per, doctor-mother and her ‘depressed’ B-girl.

But Dr Wilson had resolved ‘hers,’ by distracting her blind-daughter to sports…

… Caroline felt guilty that she had failed her younger son, who was in a low-state in-life of sorrow and misery, since his girlfriend Alicia who was-attacked and now in a coma – ‘the’ girlfriend ‘who’ had nurtured Poe’s self-esteem to be an achiever like her, with confidence which he lacked ever since crippled by his auto-accident.

But Caroline saw the ‘changes’ in her-Poe – when Alicia entered in his life, and since then, Poe rode-on fast in her wings, that had boosted his self-esteem, when Poe emulated and leaned on her ‘mind,’ and went to excel in his studies. He had built a-big self-confident enough even, – to ‘stand-up,’ to shut his bully-twin, elder brother-up.

Caroline too wanted to ‘fix’ her son’s problems and ‘issues’… but as his mother – but does ‘not’ have a clue to how, unlike Shelley Wilson. She now had a ticking-clock of-2-days of her off-days, where come-on Monday…

…she would start her new promotion role, as Det. Inspector. If her deadline could ‘not’ be met, to figure-out a ‘solution,’ and if…

… she can’t find one at the end of her line, by-Sunday night – she would go to hook her-plan B – which was to get-outside help, of mother-and-sons’ psychiatric sessions…

… and to get to the ‘bottom’ of her working-police-mother’s dilemma… which she was stuck-into since she had been widowed…

… only then – she could…

… ‘bring’ Thomas Harris into her-life.

-O-

In the rain, the Audi waited at the traffic light, Peter on-her side, grumbled that he was hungry. Caroline then decided to treat her sons, to a fine Italian restaurant for lunch, to celebrate her police-job promotion.

They arrived at Marciano Restaurant… and had to wait at the-stand outside, to be seated. From his wheelchair, Paul observed the wet-attired Peter was shivering cold – and was complaining about the wait.

“Bbrrr, it’s so cold, Mom – feels, like-a ‘3 dogs night’ out there?”

“What 3-dogs-night?” Caroline asked him back.

By then… a pleasant, waiter youth-of mixed-Aboriginal, came to greet them…

“Welcome to Marciano’s – a table for 3 then?”

Peter winked at his mother… and said to her, in a low tone…

“Let us get ‘it,’ from the horse’s mouth itself.”

…Peter looked at the waiter in front of him…

“Shambhala! Glad to be here at Mario’s, it had been raining-g hard-d out there-e, mate – so cold-d – like a ‘3 dog night,’ right-t mate…?”

The waiter was confused.

“What 3-dogs-night, sir?”

… Peter ‘acted’ like he was peeved, shaking his head and pointed his finger, of his single arm, at the youth the youth’s face, saying…

“You don’t know ‘3 dog night is…?’ why… you new-breeds – coz’, where-else back at the outback, some of you guys go into a hole, in cold-nights and-cuddling your-dingo… and on even colder-nights, you CUDDLE 3-DINGOES to prevent from freezing to death… don’t you know that, mate…?”

The aghast Caroline smacked hard on Peter’s head with her handbag, and replied to the waiter…

“Yes-please, table for 3...”

… Peter grumbled…

“Mom, what-wrong with me ‘re-educating’ them – or they might-forget their culture and lose-their identity…?”

They followed the waiter to the far-end of the restaurant, close to the kitchen. Peter saw the proprietor of the establishment, a big moustached Italian, was speaking to the chef, in their native tongue.

The one-armed boy was excited, as he sat…

“Hey, look-there, Mom – Mario is speaking ‘italic.’”

Caroline corrected him. “What italic… it is ‘speaking Italian’ – and his-name is Marciano – what a waste for me, in sending you to a prestigious school, when all that comes-out, from your-brains, are bloody-crap.”

“Whatever…”

Yes-whatever…

… ‘this’ was her difficult eldest-son of her twins – who kept pushing her boundaries by operating-himself by saying whatever he-wanted, every time, and get away with a ‘free-pass’ because he was a police inspector's son. Maybe she had been soft-hearted…

… while the bully-Peter should have-gone to a delinquent-camp years ago, for his antisocial, criminal-minded behaviour to be re-educated himself…

… and that Plan B did ‘not’ happened too… since Solomon Walker was alive then…

… with Peter being his ‘favourite’ son – who was the ‘Champ’ who won the title in the juniors’ schools district competition.

The waiter dropped 3 menus on the table and left without recommending, the specials-of-the-day. And, since they had been eating lots of pizzas, both the twins decided on the main course, of the rack of roast lamb with mint sauce. The greedy Peter-ordered another side-dish, of white-sauced Carbonara, with crispy bacon-bits too.

When the food arrived, the mother used the steak-knife to slice the rack, for her one-armed son. Peter picked the bone-and-meat… and teased it-by bringing the food close, to his vegan mother’s face.

“Mom-nom-nom – come back, to the dark side.”

His behaviour reminded a lot of Solomon – his father – who was a-tomfoolery himself when Caroline was swooned by his silly-humour when they first dated. He came out of college back then, and landed a junior architect job, while she was still in police academy…

… she could have ‘fallen’ for a policeman-boyfriend, like how her academy-best-buddy Laura Jensen, then-did – but a CERTAIN TRAGEDY STRUCK, when the-boyfriend was shot dead, in a pawn-shop robbery, that resulted in Laura quitting the police academy all-together, and returned back to her normal life of being a housewife when she got married a fireman later in her life and have a son named Reeves…

Caroline ‘too’ did ‘not’ want to date anyone-in-uniform – and so, Carol then married the architect, Solomon, when she graduated as a police cadet.

-O-

Paul ate quietly after his mother had sliced his meat, because of the pain in his injured hand. He was observing the talkative Peter clowning-around the table with their mother – his behaviour in public was getting bad, with his secret opioids-usage. And, he remembered his-Alicia, who then had to ask Ms King whether Peter should go for a urine-test – but that would lead to other repercussions and consequences, as he was now the pawn-of-Asmodeus, in Perth.

He was-reading that Peter… who was trying to get into their police mother’s good-books – they spoke of Mom’s cooking recipes, compared to Marciano’s and contrasting to the ones, the one-armed had watched in YouTube. Their conversation varied, and next, it went to a her-job promotion, to where Peter reminded of an ‘increase’ of his personal allowance. Then came to the topic of Caroline’s unsolved crimes, of Hajji who… was still at large, in the Greater Perth.

The mother tried to ‘pull’ the silent Paul… into joining their table conversation, while he quietly finished his meal, with the throbbing pain of his hand…

... but Poe, rather ‘not’ weigh-into their topics – as he rather sat around in his wheelchair as a-video-minded-gamer – who ‘PLAYED’ A MENTAL-FANTASY-GAME OF 100-ways – he would electrocute the possessed, demonic-Peter, in front of his mother.

Caroline finished her vegetarian risotto… and they both waited for Peter to finish his Carbonara. The one-armed boy only ate a quarter of the pasta, forking-up all the bacon bits, as he pushed the plate.

“Okay… I’m done – let’s go home.”

“No, you finish-that plate.” Said his mother.

“Choke-a-block! I’m full, Mom!”

“’ You’ finish that plate!” His mother-was firm.

“No way, I might puke-up – let Mario there doggie-bag it… and we throw it in our fridge-when we get-back – and come tomorrow… Poe here – can-feed on it.”

“I’m ‘not’ eating your bloody-spittle!” The angry Paul scoffed back.

“Whatever…” Peter chuckled.

“Peter, you ‘finish’ your pasta now!” The angry mother demanded.

“What Mom, you gonna give me a hungry-African story…? If everyone in Africa is hungry, then why is that their animals are ‘not’ – like elephants and hippos, are big and fat like Poe!”

Caroline sighed deep… seeing her handicapped sons at each other’s throats once again. But she managed to stop the rivalling squabble before more heads in the fine-restaurant turned. She did ‘not’ ask the waiter for the bill… as she marched her ‘cat and dog,’ to the cashier of Marciano, to pay her bill.

In her Audi ride back home, she decided for Plan B…

… and, to- get the professional ‘help’…

… that she long-long needed.

<>

THEY REACHED HOME, OF THE WALKER’S HOUSE – leader-like, Peter walked into, the front door and shut the house’s security alarm. He went into the kitchen and announced-out...

“I’m gonna have ice-cream… who is gonna join me?

Peter took the ice-cream tub and put on the marble-counter. Caroline asked Paul…

“… Poe, you want ice-cream…?”

“No-Mom… I’m going to my room to rest.”

“Don’t forget, to take-your meds.”

Her one-armed son, while scooping, asked…

“How about you, Mom – butterscotch vanilla?”

“Okay, just a little.”

-O-

In his small, windowless room, Paul’s excruciating pain had returned in his-right knuckles, and he swallowed his meds. The rainy-weather was cooling, so he didn’t turn on the air-cond…

… he levitated-to climb into his comfy-bed, while holding his bandaged hand, to his chest as he laid to rest…

… through his porous room-door, he heard Peter and his mother eating their ice-cream, in the IKEA dinner-table. Soon, Paul was eavesdropping into their ‘tone,’ of their conversation as Peter was ‘bonding’ with their mother…

… but ‘knowing’ his twin like a great conniving manipulator, and he hoped his mother’s police-instincts would ‘kick-in’… and-catch his twin’s-ANY ‘SLIP-UPS,’ that would prove that-her son Peter, was indeed dangerous… in his-other facile-faces of frauds and cons….

… anyway…

…Paul ‘had’ already caught his-today…

… of – THE TALKING BICYCLE…

-O-

After eating their ice-cream, the mother with her one-armed son settled down in the couch, in the living room. Caroline was silently observing Peter flipping channel after channel in the remote control, ‘not’ satisfied with the content, of what the national TV programming had to offer.

She sat there, and was worried for Paul, and how he was slipping away, just like Alicia, his girlfriend – who was put into a coma, by ‘Jim Hatcher.’ At work, Caroline had read the text-transcription of the criminal’s interrogation of another-police station of the interrogation by Det. Phil Johnson… prior to Hatcher’s trial and sentencing, which read…

“I don’t know the one-armed guy’s name – but he goes around in his fancy-DeLorean.”

When she read that, Caroline STRAIGHTAWAY SUSPECTED ‘Peter’…

… but DeLorean…?

… the police-department ran a database-check on the particular-automobile and came to dead-end results. That make of car was ‘not’ popular in Australia – and with a search, of its ‘one-armed-owner’ drew to nil. Police concluded the interrogation ‘was’ of the unsound meth-addict, who has a deranged mind…

“… a penny for you thought, Mom?”

Caroline was stirred from her reverie… as she sighed and responded softly…

“No, I was thinking about Poe…”

“Yea-Mom, I ‘feel’ that-too for my big-little brother – who ‘lost’ his girlfriend, just like me – and makes me wonder, of what’s ‘wrong’ with the-Walkers – all ‘not’ good, at their love-fronts.”

“What…? You too broke-up?”

“What, Mom… you don’t know…? Are you living on-earth or Planet-Perth?”

“When this happened…?”

Peter scoffed, before saying…

“Oh, now-you-don't remember, Mom – the break-in into my room, and our CCTV cams and my computer tablet were hacked…?

“Oh yes, that was ‘not’ your case, Mom – but those bloody-hackers then created a viral ‘PFC-break-up’ videos… that linked to phone-bomb attacks in ‘my’ school – oh-yes, that was not’ your case too.” Peter scoffed again, and continued…

“Since then, Janey’s doctor-mom told her ‘not’ to be close to me – and since then… we broke-up.”

“What about the tennis-doubles signup…?”

“Oh, that ‘deal’ is still on – we should both-now, put-on our scripted-reality-TV-show-game-face out there… to continue marketing our ‘PERTH’S FAMOUS COUPLE’ FAME…while it bloody-last-up, even if we had broken-up…

“This internet-beast would make us-dance, with its ‘musical-chairs’ moves, a blink of an eye, your-spot on your-chair is ‘gone’… I feel no-shame that PFC broke-up – as long it keeps me, going-playing my tennis…

“That how the online-world works, Mom – you have to be on your toes, and be always ‘RELEVANT’ – THAT’S THE ‘KEY,’ and I have it – with the masses of the ‘Perthian’ crowd out there, who love their blind-girl-Janey – who lost her fleabag dog and now-play tennis, which I taught-her, with the aid, of her AI Boyyo…”

Caroline was listening to her eldest-son speak, but was ‘not’ listening – she ‘lost’ him at the school bombing part, where it was ‘not’ her police case, but of the counter-terrorist units’ – that was where she met the dedicated and youthful Agent Joe Dickson…

... and, the CTU agent planted a thought in-her that… Peter was the harmless-twin that was ‘simply’ narcissist-into himself, of-the-high-ego kind – but ‘not’ Paul – who was seen as the ‘mastermind’ – who might be a saboteur too, with ‘outside’ help…

… coincidently…

… the break-in at the downtown of the Perth’s veterinary-hospital occurred the same night after the Sunday’s Mayor’s Cup – where the blind-girl’s dog was freed, in the wee morning later. But she caught-Paul sleeping in the garage, that Monday morning where her crippled son, gave an excuse of ‘forgot-his-key’ – then…

… Mayor Blake had phoned-her that day, onto the ‘kidnapped-hero-dog’ case…

… where the Gurkha eyewitness, gave an account that the perpetrator WORE A SPIDERMAN-MASK, which they had ‘proof-of-evidence’ by pulling-off his head…

… but the ‘criminal’ escaped, by ‘flying-away.’

It led to Caroline, further suspecting her younger son, where he also had a ‘similar’ Halloween mask, and when she then later spot-checked his windowless bedroom – for the ‘clue,’ but-found none. When she asked him about ‘his’ Spidey-mask, he gave an excuse that it was ‘broken, and he threw away…

“Hey-Mom, have you spaced-out? I know this is info-overload, to your OG-older-generation jellies to process – but ‘this’ is today’s world’s reality-of the internet – just embraces it, and you be fine…”

Both mother-and-son laughed…

Maybe Caroline should ‘let-go’ of her-suspicious nature with Paul – maybe his-excuses of forgetting his keys, and his broken Halloween mask were ‘true…’

Her job promotion to Det. Inspector was COMING THIS MONDAY – the police-Mom wanted to give ‘clean-slates’ to both of her twin-sons, WHO WERE LIVING WITH THEIR-handicap lives, within coping with their ‘own-separate’ INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITIES…

… under the same-roof – of Walker’s house…

… which their-late father, built for them…

… to-abode as her family.

<><>

IT WAS EARLY EVENING AT THE WALKERS HOUSE – Paul was awakened by his bandaged hand, that was throbbing with pain and him cursed-in-tears, as he swallowed his med. Even as a secretive superhero, he felt this much amount of pain – but ‘unlike’ for an action Hollywood actor, in the Netflix movies – he would miraculously bounce back… saying something like…

‘… it just a flesh wound – no worries-my audience… the bullet went ‘through’… without hitting any of my vital organs and major arteries – I’m back-now to kick more-ass, for your entertainment…!’

… does this logically make every action-film genre, which does ‘this’ stunt, in their lazy script-writing, to be a superhero film…? Unlike Mercury… who badly hurt himself, while fighting the hell-beast Ammit, but-the Red-demon regenerated mystically back, from his fatal wounds.

‘Where are you, Mercury – where are you…?’

… Paul slept back, as he summoned...

-O-

… the Red-demon felt the Good-one’s vibe, in an-all DIFFERENT-REALITY dimension-world… neither earth nor the Underworld – as being on-the-run, he took temporary refuge at the mountain top, in a Buddhist monastery, in a place in the east, called-Kampuchea…

... he was ‘not’ alone, and he fled along with the Mother of Virgos, Venus – and her-mate, Leeu – the man-Lion.

It was ‘not’ safe to remain in the Underworld… where they-3 had a bounty, on each of their head – and was hunted by a horde of bounty-hunters and the army of Asmodeus for treason.

The one-armed Mercury was in a monk’s robe – meditating alone, seated on a mat at the monastery courtyard, beside the-Well of Truth, that was in the centre of the monastery.

An old monk with his 2 assistant-monks came-to the Red-demon. The over 120-year-old monk sat on the ground, opposite the hideous-red-creature… and the old-monk began to chant the Holy Scriptures. He was regarded as a wise man by everyone in the holy-community, known as SeeIn… who was someone as-great as the Dalai Lama.

Inside the temple, through the open window, Venus dressed in veils, gazed at the Mercury at the courtyard, going through his ‘purification’ rituals in the SeeIn Temple…where-time stood-still, in that reality dimension.

The Mother of Virgos heard a blood-curdling roar from behind her, from her aggravated mate…

“What you looking there, woman…? get away FROM THE WINDOW – are you making me JEALOUS…!!?”

The loud negative-roar from the room was heard outside the serene temple – where scores of monks were routinely-chanting scriptures, and in-meditations. ‘It’ had-been interrupting the tranquillity balance for everyone in the sanctum of TEMPLE FOR 3 DAYS… ever-since they had the trio, from the Underworld… as-their unwelcome ex-communicado visitors.

Some even doubted the old monk's decision of allowing-the trio as ‘refuges’ of the Underworld – into the holy-abode, was ‘not’ a wise move.

Venus the beauty, came and sat on a stool beside her lover Leo, who was eating a bowl of rice, soup and vegetables. He slammed the chopsticks on the bowl and further complained.

“Bah! The food here sucks! Why is there ‘no’ meat! Why do these puny-humans stop eating meat, and eat ‘grass’ like cattle? Bloody veganism – where humans’ mouth, having their canine-teeth, is such a waste!”

“Be patience, my dear-Lion... we will return back home soon, once Mercury is ‘ready.’”

“You-still foolishly ‘trust’ him!!? He is the bloody reason we are on the run – when he brought his problems to our doorstep, and into our lives – in form of that scum-bloody in-betweener-boy – wished the meat-bag was here… and I will eat him, in front of your eyes!”

“Please control your anger, my love!”

The African-lion shrugged her off, and he stood-up tall from his stool… which he kicked it then to end of the room, that broke it…

“Why are YOU STILL DEFENDING HIM…? Do you ‘still’ have FEELINGS FOR HIM? Tell me, woman – are YOU BETRAYING ME!!?”

Outside, the commotion in the couples’ room… had attracted a gawking group of servant-boy-monks, as they stood-short in curious, looking into the opened room. They saw the most beautiful creature they-had seen – and the woman-visitor in-misery, who was on her knees, clasping tight to her lover, the hulking-giant-of-a-lion’s left leg… when the beast reached-out to grab, his weapon of choice from the wall – a 2-sided spear. And, the lion roared out…

“STAND ASIDE, WOMAN! I’m going OUT THERE NOW, into that courtyard… FOR A DUEL TO THE DEATH – and, let’s see ‘WHO,’ GETS TO-KEEP YOU!”

“Noo, he ‘will’ kill you, Leeu! I don’t want to lose you, my Prince of the Sun, I love you and ‘not’ him! Please don’t go out there, please!” Venus in tears pleaded.

The raging beast calmed, and the beauty then spoke…

“We both had followed Mercury because he has the ‘best’ demon-mind, to start the revolution of the old-gods – to break the bondage of chains and shackles of the evil, King of Djinns, where the All-Father Asmodeus who had tricked us all, by stealing our godly-souls and then had enslaved-us all in his clutches in the Underworld for so-long… just believe me on this one, my love.

“We trust the Red-demon, who has enough-firebrand, to ignite the end-fight, to would fall the mighty Asmodeus, the Soulless-one here in the Underworld itself, during the full-moon of the Sphinx, rather than we bring the-fight to earth, where his demonic plans, were to rule-above, and enslave that realm too.”

“What happens to us-2… when the fight ‘had’ won…?”

Venus hugged her towering lover…

“Then we go home ... and I marry you, and have your cubs.”

“You do that for me – you marry me, my love…?

“I’ll do that, in a blink of the 3rd-eye, Leeu!” And, she kissed him.

Outside the room door, the gawking monk-boys smiled-wide, twitching nervously about – until they saw the most-beautiful woman gagging and choking when the lion kissed back – and, to-their horror, the big-lion had deep-throated her-mouth, with his big-tongue.

Some boys ran-away scared… others stood frozen in their feet, until they-too were smacked on their bald heads, by a hunchbacked, caretaker old woman-monk of the SeeIn Temple…

… who was cursing as she shut the door close…

…as the man-lion was unveiling his lover’s veils…

… on the wooden, planked-bed.

-O-

At the courtyard… the purification ritual continued the demon’s meditating and the old monk chanted, while his 2 assistant-monks were filling up, large wooden bucket-pails with 7-kind of flowers, at the containers’ base, with the water from the well of Truth.

The monks doused the meditating Red-demon, with the ‘holy water.’ The cold-water ‘burnt’ and formed smoking vapour. The tattoos on his face and body were crawling, to align…

… Mercury opened his eyes…

… and…

… he-was enlightened.

<>

PAUL WOKE UP AN HOUR LATER, by a phone call from Jane. In pain, he replied her when the blind-girl asked-him…

… why was he feeling-low, as she felt his low-vibe all Saturday morning. He was contemplating to ask if she knew that he was earlier at her mother’s clinic when he met-Dr Wilson in the surgery-room, where she spoke to his inspector-mother… while himself-being stitched-up 9 times by her clinic-partner, Dr Mercy – to-a wound, he got – when he punched into his bathroom mirror.

The cripple realized the doctor-mother neither, did ‘not’ tell her blind-daughter about the ‘incident’ – nor about ‘seeing’ Paul in-her clinic.

“Pauly, are you okay? I still can ‘feel’ a-pain in you – are-you hurt…?”

Paul deflected her ‘unknown.’

“Yea, I ‘felt’ you-too, this morning – are you okay, Jane?”

“… yes-I’m fine but no – I’m ‘not’ okay, that’s why I’m calling you.”

His blind-friend told him that her doctor-mother was-now a member of the of the John Blake Country-club, where she had been ‘forced’ her to take-weekend tennis lessons, from the inhouse, ex-international coaches.

“That’s okay-Jane… just-listen to your mother.”

“No, that is ‘not’ the point… Douglas Zimmerman is also there at the practice, and what-if Peter finds out – and, you-yourself told me… to stay away from Dougie, because of he-was one of Peter’s anger-triggers, and what if he-finds out…?”

... Paul was tongue-tied, every problem he had, shared a common denominator of a conflict, that INVOLVED HIS TWIN-PETER – when he was still dealing, with his ‘clues’ regarding Alicia.

He sighed, and replied…

“We keep-it ‘away’ from Peter, at the moment…”

But Jane cut into…

“What if Peter then finally-finds out, and what if he gets crazy-angry? He already tried to kill Dougie, the ‘last’ time-at-school, now – what do we do, Paul?”

“Jane, we will ‘both’ deal-with it – just like how we dealt with the Perth Great Fire before – no worries, okay?”

“Okay… but Pauly, I still ‘sense and feel’ that you are in-pain-hurting – is it Peter, did he ‘hurt’ you...?”

“Yea-sort of, he has been testing me – by annoying-me whole of this morning, so that I would use my-supe ‘electro-shocker’ on him, in front of my Mom.”

“But he is ‘possessed’ – and we have ‘no-right’ to hurt him.”

Paul scoffed…

“I don’t care… after what he must ‘have’ done to Alicia?”

“What…? What-had Peter got to do-with Ali? it was that addict Jim Hatcher, who did the ‘wrong’ and now arrested and sentenced in the mental institution, isn’t that-it, Paul?”

“What if Hatcher is the ‘wrong-guy?’ and, Peter was the ‘one’ who did it, all along.”

“What are you talking about?”

The agitated, Paul scoffed again…

“Hey-Jane, do you remember at the library, Peter said ABOUT ‘TALKING BICYCLE?’ – there was when I ‘caught’ him-today, where-he slipped-up… I believe if we confront Jim Hatcher ‘ourselves, we will get a true-confession out of him – to reveal that Peter was ‘behind’ it somehow!!?”

“Stop it, Paul – the criminal-addict has been put-away, and ‘justice’ had been-served – and Ali herself, would ‘not’ want-you to ‘threaten’ Jim Hatcher, in any way!”

“That where you are ‘wrong.’ Hatcher is ‘not’ the criminal. that landed-Ali in a coma – I can viscerally ‘feel’ it, that something in-it that has got to ‘do’ with Peter!”

“Pauly, you-drop it! Don’t do something that you may regret later, with some irrational-and irresponsible actions!”

“That what I-am ‘going’ to find out-myself … for Alicia’s sake – for ‘true’ justice to be served for her.”

“That is ‘not’ what Alicia, would have wan – and, for you to go-anywhere, inflicting ‘negative’ vengeance to others, in her name.”

“How would you KNOW ‘WHAT’ ALICIA WANTS…!!?”

“We had discussed in Ms King’s office, and agreed to do the ‘right’ things, to end this evil that was going to happen in Perth soon – so don’t-go out and be-evil-yourself, Pauly – with thoughts of-revenge – Peter is your twin brother, you would ‘not’ want-to hurt your brother… I too ‘wouldn’t,’ to my own brother.”

The angry cripple yelled out…

“You of all-person – her bloody-best-friend… WOULD GIVE UP on Ali! If you can't ‘see’ justice, then you are blind in your ‘heart’ too!!!”

… Paul cut off his phone-call – leaving the blind-friend in some thoughts. Jane proceeded to next move…

… by-calling Ms King, their student counsellor – to alert her…

… that Paul had gone rogue…

… and what to do ‘next,’ for her cause of action.

<><>

IT WAS SUNDAY, THE CHURCH-DAY FOR THE WALKERS – the mother and sons went to St. Michaels Church early for their Holy Confessions before the Holy Mass. Rolling into the church in his wheelchair, Paul gazed at the mighty statue of the Archangel inside, at above the altar…

… and he felt ‘guilty’ of betraying his Guardian angel…

… Paul felt that he would be at peace if he went to his Holy Confession. He rolled his chair and headed to the confession-booth, where the parish-priest Father Augustine Brown was. Already 5 parishioners were-in line – but they let the special-need tween, in front of the waiting queue. When his turn came, he entered the confessional-box…

The priest, Father Augustine Brown instantly recognized Paul, as one of Insp Walker’s sons. He was the parish-priest who gave the twins, their ritual-phase of the Holy Communion when both the Walker-twins came to their Age-of-Reasoning when they were 7-years-old… and-now, they would enter the phase of Holy Confirmation-soon, into their tweens – to be a full-fledged Christian, who belonged and served the Holy-Catholic Church.

Father Brown also remembered the Walker-twin, who had served as altar-boys, for 2 years before they both were crippled in the tragic accident.

Since-then the twins, were regular parishioners every Sunday – ‘not’ as altar-boys or it would be a weird-pose, for the one-armed Peter, who don’t have 2 hands to clasp for prayers… to be holding his one-hand up-like a Shaolin monk.

And, the priest knew Paul, as the good and obedient Walker twin – unlike Peter, whom he had caught him once during altar-boy-duty, snacking on wafers-of the Holy Communion.

That Sunday morning, Paul had a LIST OF 5 QUESTIONS, to use his parish-priest, Father Brown – as a talking-Google search engine…

“Father Brown, when you are sleeping at night, is it a sin to commit a serious-crime in ‘your’ dreams?”

The priest was flabbergasted and thought a bit.

“Is this a sexual-context question, Paul…? Did you rape anyone in your dreams? In that case, it is ‘not’ a sin, I think… because you are ‘not’ physically conscious and in-control as to, you would be committing an actual rape when you are consciously awake.”

“Okay, my next question, Father Brown – is it a sin in the ‘same’ dream, to take sides with a friendly-demon and – and go-oppose… and fight against my-personal Guardian angel, St Michael?”

… Paul did ‘not’ get an answer beyond that. He was halted in his question 2-of-5, when the angry Father Brown who thought it was sacrilegious-thoughts at play – which was ‘sinfully’ holding-up the true-concessioners, of his true-parishioners’ line outside, the confession-box.

Father Brown slapped a HEFTY ACT OF CONTRITION – of 50 Our-Fathers and 50 Hail Marys – into the conscious of the guilty-Paul, to get busy to atone – before sending him rolling out, banished from the box. And, the man of God blamed the ‘HERETICAL’ VIDEOGAMES they play a lot, for the profane-thoughts in the youths today.

The next cause-of punishment Father Brown thought of was – to ‘not’ to give ‘Holy Confirmation’ to both the Walker-twins – and the corrupted-2, may ‘not’ be allowed to belong in the Catholic Church…

…until they both ‘repent’…

… be it – their MOTHER, WHO WAS the Police-Inspector of Perth.

-O-

Caroline Walker sat in the church pew, with the separated twin-sons, on each of her sides… when Father Brown addressed the Holy sermon.

The mother saw Paul with his eyes-shut in thoughts, sitting on his wheelchair at the aisle, holding his bandaged right hand to his chest and in his left hand, rolling HIS ROSARY-BEADS. She had ‘not’ seen Paul, saying his prayers with a Rosary – since his father’s death.

The earnest, Father Brown-was preaching devotedly of the dangers of the evil-technologies that were taking over the busy-modern world – that it was also corrupting the-minds, and enslaving the Christian Church youths today, and bring them and the church, down-and fast, like a mother-star-ship falling into the depth of fires of hell.

Softly, Peter sniggered when his parish priest’s examples and explanatory were superficial nor-neither logic, like he does ‘not’ know-hoot either head-or-tail, on the-technological subject… that the Old-generation-leader was uttering-about…

…to that, he felt sharp, elbow-nudges from his mother at his stump… to stop him from-laughing in church.

One-armed Peter then, tried to video-record the ‘ridiculous’ sermon, and his annoyed mother SNATCHED HIS IPHONE and put it into her handbag.

It was stressful these Sundays, for Caroline to have peace in the church, with an angel and the devil in-both of her shoulders…

… that made her guilty as a failed mother...

… she then prayed for a FATHERLY-FIGURE would come…

… and enter into her twin-sons’ lives…

… to care and guide-them both.

Throughout Father Brown’s ‘sci-fi’ bashing sermon, Paul said his Rosary, but was in another world of what-ifs, as he wondered – have demons ‘ evolved’ or shapeshifted… to walk among men on earth, and if so…

… could they enter a church, even if they asked for ‘permission’ like the vampires who-do that… but can-they enter the house-of-God, while vampires also cringe to crosses and Holy-water? And, how about ‘possessed’ men can they too, enter a church…?

Paul opened his eyes and gazed slightly towards his mother – and caught his twin ‘watching’ him – and, Peter grinned-wide at him and winked…

‘… ‘this’ here – was the living-example and proof-of evidence, that ‘possessed people, ‘who’ could come… walk-into the church of God.’

Paul then closed his eyes again… and went back into his prayers. He was in a reversed biblical situation, where Abel-kill-Cain. He would do so, if he would have to resort to his ‘Plan-B’ where, he would kill his twin before-Asmodeus, walked on earth, in Peter’s physical body, during the full-moon in the Sphinx.

Before that moment-come, he should ‘first’ do something for his-beloved Alicia, which was to get her, the-deserved justice – and, that would be ‘tonight,’ when he go-paid a visit to the church of evil-men, in Graylands Institute of the mentally insane.

The cripple on his wheelchair, prayed-to God for clarity – and, to-St. Michael, for safety.

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THAT SAME SUNDAY MORNING, DR SHELLEY WILSON drove her blue SUV Mazda, to the John Blake Country-club for swimming. Beside her in the front seat, was her B-girl, and at the backseat were Samuel and their nanny, Lola.

Shelley wanted-changes in her life, and with her-approaching her 50th birthday – she decided, changes would ‘come,’ by being an active member of the country-club which she joined yesterday, after her daughter’s tennis practice. And, the doctor-mother would want to spend the weekend, doing fun-activities with her 2 children.

Yesterday, after dropping Jane off at home, Shelley drove to town to shop for new swimming suits. Shelley returned home, that afternoon after shopping at the Gucci store. She felt proud and good of the ‘little’ changes, that she brought into her lonely and empty life – in comparison, to a ‘major’ change which she-took, where she needed to protect her children too…

… and that’s when she bought a Glock-34 from a gun-shop last week…

… Anthony, her anti-gun husband freaked-out… when Shelley told him ‘what’ she had bought.

She reminded him that Hajji the kidnapper, was still at large in the Greater Perth and she was afraid for her young-ones – and coupled with Alicia’s attack, the doctor-mother had decided to purchase the firearm and would go for the training of how-to-use it ‘soon,’ because of ‘the’ Perth today…

… was ‘not’ the city she once she ‘knew’ that was safe-to stay – where today it was inhabited with dangerous and insane, psychotic individuals… lurking among the weak and the unsuspected.

During the journey to the country-club, the car-stereo played Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You,’ which Baby Samuel knew the song – but the 2-year-old can’t pronounce the words, which ended up with him using the F-bomb. Everyone then laughed, and then Lola praised…

“Sammy-boy, will be a rapper someday, yea?”

Déjà vu – blind-Jane had heard ‘that’ before coming from Peter – when they invited the Walkers over for dinner, some time ago… where the earthquake at the Great Barrier Reef HAPPENED THAT SAME EVENING – and, when Piper too… ran away, from home...

… Jane began to feel anxious, whether Douglas Zimmerman would be there in the club-now, which would further complicate things and situations in Perth, by-Peter’s wrath.

At the club’s rotunda by the pool, the Wilsons came out from the washroom, with identical swimsuits – and even Shelley bought a bather for her maid Lola, and paid her overtime for half-a-day, to come and keep an eye on her children – while she put-on her ‘socialite-hat’ and networked with wives of club members, and getting acquainted with her-club, that she had just signed-in to join.

The excited Baby Samuel laughed, as he ran ahead to the mini children's pool… with the worried babysitter chasing after him. The Black-toddler reached the pool-first, and took off his swimming trunks… and leapt into the pool nuddy, like in his bathtub at home.

At the rotunda, Shelley wrapped in a towel, and wearing a sun-hat, was having Mai-Tai with some women that she was just been acquainted. Everyone knew ‘who’ her daughter was, as one-half of ‘Perth’s famous couple’ from the Mayor’s Cup, that had telecasted live in Perth, last Sunday evening. They were all praising her B-girl – and Shelley felt like a proud mother. She looked over to see Jane was sitting-alone on a deck-chair, while her brother and the nanny, were in the water.

In the morning sun, in her pink bather, Jane sat a moment-by herself… despite Samuel yelled to her to come and swim, while Jane… hated water and feared of drowning. She was now thinking about Paul – whom she had quarrelled-with last night…

… where they disagreed of him – finding ‘justice’ for her-bestie Alicia in a coma, whom, Paul was insistent that the ‘wrong-man’ was convicted, for hurting his-beloved girlfriend.

She then called up Ms King – and told her of the Cursed-trio situation – and the student counsellor told the blind-girl to keep an ‘eye’ and monitor him in class tomorrow, for his behaviour was irrational blinded-by love.

Since Dougie was ‘not’ here today, and after hearing some repeated, annoyance calls from Samuel, Jane got up and walked to the kiddies-pool and sat at the edge, wadding her feet in the water. Before long, the blind girl was in the shallow water having fun with them…

… and, Lola Flores had taught her how to float...

… the blind-girl and her baby-brother then held hands…

… while they float in the pool, in the sun.

… the clouds then darkened…

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SINCE COMING BACK FROM CHURCH, the twins had Thai food takeaway, which they bought on the way home for lunch. IT POURED RAIN-THEN, so the hungry mother and sons decided, and had an early brunch.

… Poe ate his chicken green-chillies curry with rice, with his spicy Tom Yam Gong soup, with his family in the rainy afternoon – and then he excused himself from the IKEA dinner-table, and rolled himself away into his windowless room – for the planning of his ‘solo’ clandestine-mission, later tonight.

In his locked room, he levitated from his wheelchair – and Paul thought of his Holy Confession – that didn’t go well with the angry Father Brown earlier, where he was ‘kicked-away-outside’ the sacred confessional-box, for asking ‘presumably-silly’ questions, where the parish-priest himself don’t have a ‘clue’ of – as, Father Brown didn’t go through the ‘vortex’ – into a vivid DREAM-IN-A-DREAM realm, to meet gods and demons – like he had-did, with Mercury.

And, Father Brown only ANSWERED ONLY ‘ONE’ in his list, of his 5 questions, as he recalled…

Question #1: ‘Father Brown, when you are sleeping at night, is it a sin to commit a serious crime in your dreams?’

Answer #1: ‘Is this a sexual-context question, Paul? Did you rape anyone in your dreams? In that case, it is ‘not’ a sin, I think… because you are ‘not’ physically conscious and in-control as to, you would be committing an actual rape when you are consciously awake.’

… Paul KNEW HIS ‘LOOPS’ – as Father Brown was the one, who ‘taught’ him and his twin-that in the Catechism in Sunday-school, where he told youngsters back then, about 2 kinds-of-sins – when they were 7-years-old.

The cripple-boy remembered Father Brown who warned everyone, of committing the severe MORTAL SINS of the 10 Commandments – the gravest Cardinal sins, where one burned in hell. For examples, if one committed and broke #6 and #8 of the 10 Commandments… which were the serious murder and stealing, they will be condemned with ‘one-way-ticket’ to hellfire.

And, just now Father Brown gave an example of ‘rape’ which was CATEGORISED AS ‘LUST’ – which was the 2nd kind – the Venial Sins – that something a Christian can get away with ‘it’ – and the penalty was a cold-storage in the in-between world, of heaven and hell called PURGATORY, AND WHEN after serving-time, the sinner’s wrongdoings would be absolved – and the soul of ‘rapist’ could go-to Paradise someday.

With-those options analysed… the cripple-tween concluded that – sinning in his dream was ‘NOT’ A SIN, as he was ‘not’ in the conscious-world when he committed them – and. next to his question #2…

‘Father Brown – is it a sin in the ‘same’ dream, to take sides with a friendly demon and – and go oppose, and fight against my Guardian angel, St Michael?’

… in theory, the answer Paul would get was the ‘same’ as Question #1, and therefore – it is ‘not’ a sin if any serious crimes were committed in a dream nor, whoever, you commit with – the good-side or the bad-side – and, it does ‘not’ matter because it just happened in a dream.

All of those ‘heaven or hell’ brain-rattling church related-thoughts, had a put-a toll on him… since he took his meds for his ‘injured’ hand after lunch. Paul levitated to his comfy bed and took a nap – which a ‘good-rest’ was crucial-to his ‘solo-mission,’ later tonight… on a school night.

He laid in bed, and he remembered Father Brown’s sermon, as he eavesdropped earlier, while saying his Rosary – while the parish priest had-bashed, and slapped both cheeks of science and technology, with his limited pop-culture references examples – while the priest himself was living ‘today,’ under a church-rock… in an age of intelligence-explosion on the internet – with the RISE OF AI – where there were already driverless cars on the road in Perth…

… and even a blind-girl who played tennis on the telly, with the aid of her personal AI…

… what Father Brown should be worried about, would-be the next 50 years in the future – where a SMART AI WOULD THINK it was a new-God, and then create its own ‘weapons,’ to hunt and terminate – ‘his’ old-god-church’s parishioners’ genocide in time, yet to come.

With his pain in his injured hand-gone, and ‘having’ clarity-of his conscious for ‘his’ mission – Paul dozed off, wishing MERCURY WAS THERE, to accompany him later…