THE HOTEL PHONE RANG A HALF-A-DOZEN TIMES, and on the 7th ring, the groggy blind-girl answered…

… it was her daddy…

… who told her that the family were going out for dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, in half-an-hour – and, told Jane to get ready…

Jane said yes – but deep-down-inside, she wanted to go back to sleep…

… she was mentally-exhausted…

… as dream-in-a-dream worlds were too A PHYSICAL-STRAIN – TO HER ‘DUAL-SELF’ – while operating in the other-realm…

… and-added to – HER NORMAL LIFE, as a blind school-going student.

It was like being on a 24-hours ‘peacekeeping’ duty – IN BOTH WORLDS…

Jane sat on the hotel’s King-sized bed – trying to recall ‘what’ she dreamed of, just now…

… she ‘remembered’ fuzzy-bits of pieces…

… of when she first had a feeling that she WAS ‘LOST’ – and Paul ‘found’ her – after that, she couldn’t remember anything…

… but ‘somehow’ Boyyo – had ‘annoyed’ her a lot in the dream…

Then, she remembered sensed ‘attending’ the BTS concert – that her BFF was going…

“Boyyo! Are you asleep?”

“No Jane – I was in standby mode, in 40% capacity – you ‘forgot’ to plug-me in…”

“Sorry about that,” the blind-girl then-charged her AI device, and asked…

“Boyyo, can you ‘RECALL’ MY DREAM – the one that you were ‘with’ me, just now…”

“What dream – we… Ais ‘don’t’ dream…?”

“… sorry… silly question, my bad…”

Jane stood-up – took her Samsung cellphone and called her BFF – but no-pickup…

“Boyyo, what time is it now…”

“It is 7:34 PM.”

“What time is the BTS concert starting?”

“BTS? BTS… as in the one Alicia is attending tonight?”

“Yes…”

“… let me check…”

On the bed, blind-Jane heard the AI’s whirling sounds, on speaker-mode…

“… Jane, the concert had ‘started’ half-an-hour ago, at 7 PM–is there any trivia info I should ‘search,’ in regards to the concert…”

“No… that wouldn’t be necessary…”

Jane went to the bathroom and locked herself – from the ‘would-never-know’ Peeping-Tom-Boyyo’s ‘sight’…

… in the past, she was comfortable in changing-and-speaking in ‘front’ of SIMY, her female-voiced AI – but ‘not’ with Boyyo…

… whose ‘creepy-voice’ was similar to Peter…

‘…was Peter ‘there’ too in my-dream…?’

Standing in front of the hotel-bathroom mirror…

… she was still having some ‘bad’ gut-feelings that Alicia would be in some-sort of danger in the BTS concert – but she ‘stopped’ worrying as she THOUGHT OF POSITIVE THOUGHTS of her BFF having a good-time at the supergroup K-pop boyband, whom she adored.

But her focus went back to Boyyo…

‘… I sure-know that Boyyo was ‘there’ in my dream-in-a-dream, which I can’t remember now – but it’s possible he was ‘there’ … just-like where SIMY WAS THERE in the Underworld – when she RESCUED ME FROM being the Old-man Asmodeus’ child-bride…’

She was still in the bathroom, in front of mirror – trying to ‘RECOLLECT’ WHAT WAS her dream-in-a-dream was bout…

‘… ‘why’ can’t I remember this ‘one’? I can remember the previous ones… in the Underworld – and also the ones, during ‘Perth Great Fire – where I fought along with Pauly-and-Mercury, when we defeated Ammut, and her fire-creature pet, Ammit…

‘… but WHY NOT’ this dream…? … why-B-girl-why…???’

Her focus went back to Boyyo again…

‘… that Boyyo outside on my bed, is ‘useless’…

‘… but the Boyyo of my Dreamworld is whom I TRUST-MORE among the 2 – although, I ‘think’… he was ‘irritating-nag’ like SIMY, but…

‘… it was COMFORTING TO HAVE ‘him’ around, as a B-girl superhero’s ‘side-kick’ – during the ‘loneliness,’ in my solo-dream trips so far…

‘… so, if Peter can call his AI as Peter2.0 – I will call mine as Boyyo2.0…’

Jane chuckled – and realizing that she had spent the last 15 minutes of ‘worrying-for-nothing’ of negative-emos – on situations…

… that she HAD NO-CONTROL of…

Jane decided ‘not’ to shower – and washed her face, in the front of the mirror – cos she was running late…

… and her daddy was punctual-man…

-O-

She was back in the bathroom, in a Gucci dress which her mother bought on her last birthday – the blind-girl was applying lip-gloss in front of the mirror, after brushing her teeth. She used her damp hands to manage her blonde-hair as it tends puffs-out – and at the same-time, she was curling her 3 dreadlocks.

The door knocked…

Jane responded…

“Coming Daddy…”

Jane opened the door – and in a cheery-voice she asked…

“Daddy, how do I look?”

Anthony saw his daughter’s bed-room was in total darkness…

“Jane, why have you ‘not’ switched the lights-on…?”

“Opps! My bad… I totally forgot.”

The blind-girl laughed-out at her ‘mistake’ – and went to switch the light-on.

“… you look beautiful, my-dear – for a moment, I thought that the Hilton would save a mountain-pile of money in their electricity bill… if everyone of their guest, was a ‘blind’ person like you…”

Both the daughter and father laughed…

“Are you ‘ready’ to go for dinner?”

“Yes-please.”

“… err, where is your AI headset?”

“…oh-I left Boyyo to power-charge…”

“…mmm, where is your walking-stick then…?”

“… I don’t want to use it… everyone in the restaurant would ‘look’ at our table later – Daddy, can I instead hold your hands please…”

“…sure…”

-O-

Holding hands, the father and daughter walked up to the floor elevator – and, blind-Jane asked…

“… where is mummy…?”

Anthony sighed…

“… she had gone ahead to the restaurant with your brother…” he sighed again.

“Daddy, what’s wrong?”

The lift door opened with a ding, they stepped into it. As, Antony pressed the lower-floor button, he told her…

“Your mother and I are having frequent arguments, ever since I started my own business company… she doesn’t understand that I’M DOING IT for the family’s financial betterment of the future…”

Jane was quiet…

… it was ‘what’ she-too had been ‘TRYING’ TO TELL her daddy, to ‘not’ go on ‘that’ path – because she was from ‘THE-FUTURE’ OF ANOTHER-PERTH – where, months later, her ‘original-version’ of HER FATHER-ANTHONY – had suffered a stroke and a heart attack…

… because of unhealthy-lifestyle due his late-nights of smoking and drinking – while entertaining his business clients.

‘… ooo-dear… ‘how’ am I gonna tell this…?’

“… Daddy, you are 50 years-old, you should slow-down – and ‘listen’ to Mummy… she is a doctor… and she ‘know’ best – I heard you have not’ gone for your personal medical check-up for years… please-Daddy, why is that…?”

She did ‘not’ get an answer when – the lift stopped with a ding, and a hotel guest stepped in…

Finally, they were on the floor of the restaurant – and the elevator door opened. Anthony held his daughter’s hand, as they-all stepped-out…

… and, blind-Jane ‘anticipated’ for the reply to her-question – but it never came, as…

… her daddy got a phone-call from his business-partner.

-O-

On the 4th day of previously eating room-service dinners – the Wilsons decided to dine out at the Adelphi Grill at the Parmelia Hilton Hotel. The ala carte menu-cards were presented at their table – and her daddy was reading it to her…

… Jane had a craving for a succulent 12 oz rib-eye steak tonight – after 3 nights of ‘whacking’ chicken-chops, pork-chops and lamb-chops in her nightly room-service orders…

… she knew that she was gaining weight – as her panties-gatters were getting tighter…

‘… just this ‘once’ – I’m a growing-girl, but I can lose weight off my baby-fats fast – I should start going for my evening ‘runs’ again with Piper – now that, the black panther is dead and ‘not’ a ‘threat’ any more…’

… it ‘used-to-be’ Lola Flores – their housekeeper’s cooking was praises of every visitor –who visited the Wilsons, but…

… in this-Perth, her ‘health-freak’ doctor-mother had particularly told Lola – to reduce the usage of salt, sugar and oil-fats into their family’s daily meals, for a healthier but ‘bland-tasting’ home-cooked-food diet.

Her tastebuds were spoil-as-sin, by her ‘foodie-BFF’ who take her out, in the ‘other’ Perth – where she would go for lunch and high-tea after school, at Alicia’s aunt’s Hokkien restaurant…

‘… duck-meat noodles… dim sums… ooo, my favourite of them all – my Taiwanese stinky tofu…’

The blind-tween’s belly ‘growled’ with stomach-juices churn as – she worked up an appetite, but have to wait for a little longer-more, for the fine-dining chefs to cook their ‘delicate’ meals…

… while waiting, she expected ‘some’ conversation – BUT ‘GOT’ NONE…

… everyone was either ‘not’ in talking-terms with each-other, or was transfixed with their hand-held devices – just like in everybody in society:

Her father was google-searching for something, his business partner had ‘mentioned’ to him in the phone-call earlier… Her doctor-mother was on her Huawei – Facebooking to her circle of friends… for sure, she would be sharing a ‘photo’ of the pizza Marinara in her Facey-timeline soon. Her baby-brother was engrossed with live-animation of the ‘Lion King’ on his tablet.

Jane missed talking and playing with Samuel – after 4 days of staying in separate hotel rooms… she acknowledged him…

“Samuel… Samuel, look here…”

“Shut-up, Jane! I’m busy … watch Lying King…”

Shelley snickered… when her-son told his B-Girl sister – to shut-up…

… so, quiet she was – as Jane was the only one at the table without a device – as she next chilled and she was into the groove of an uptrend jazz music playing in the restaurant – eavesdropping to conversations of next tables…

… like blind people do…

The table from her left and right were chatting softly… but the table at the rear were tourist guests of the hotel, and the family was quite boisterously spoken in their foreign language – Jane doesn’t know if its Japanese or if was Korean…

… and, her mind drifted to her Chinese BFF – who is ‘partying’ herself with her cousin-sister, at K-pop boyband concert @BT…

‘… Have fun, Ali – hope you are safe, girlfriend…’

Anthony phone rang – Jane overheard her father speaking with the renovation-company, stating that the works had been completed at the Wilson – and the family can move-in by noon tomorrow’s Friday…

… it was ‘GOOD-NEWS’ – Jane was glad that her mummy-and-daddy WERE SPEAKING AGAIN, as they had planned to check-out out of the hotel, tomorrow after breakfast.

Jane too, cut into by saying…

“… Daddy, you’re still sending me to school tomorrow, yea? It’s Friday.”

“Yes-dear, I have to go to work too…”

The blind-girl was eager to go to school tomorrow – to see her boyfriend-Pauly…

… she wanted ‘badly’ to know ABOUT HER ‘FORGOTTEN’ dream-in-a-dream which she ‘collectively’ SHARED WITH HIM – as her counterpart, of the Cursed-trio.

<><>

HE TOO OVERSLEPT IN HIS AFTERNOON NAP, in his windowless bedroom. The widely-awake cripple-tween stared at the darkened ceiling of his small room – to recall his dream…

… which ‘happened’ in a ‘new’ realm-world, of POST-NUCLEAR PERTH.

Instantly, Paul thought of PERTHLAND…

… where the Prime Minister of that realm-country, John Blake – had launched a series of nuclear industrial projects, to boost the economy, after signing a deal with the trillionaire from the UK, Lord Stamford Crowley…

… who was the alteration-being, ‘posing’ AS A MORTAL imposter – TO ASMODEUS – the ‘one’ of the 7 princes of hell.

‘… does old-man Stamford ‘EXIST’ HERE in ‘this’ Perth…?’

Paul wanted to google-search, and reached out to his iPhone – but his stomach growled out in hunger, as he had skipped tea-and-dinner…

‘… later…’

He procrastinated as he got up to levitate, from his bed…

‘… what time is it…?’

He switched on the fluorescent room light – to squint at his alarm clock – 10:10 PM…

“Jesus… I’ve slept more than 6 hours… thank God, there is no Math homework today…!”

He said aloud… as he then checked for ‘any’ messages in his iPhone…

… there was ‘only’ one – FROM HIS MOM – who had texted hours-ago, that she ‘won’t’ be coming home tonight…

‘… 3 straight days, so far…’

Suddenly he was worried about the safety of his mom out there solving criminal cases – of Hajji in particular…

… who was ‘now’ rapidly infecting the society of Perth with the Popobawa-virus – and, victims would be contracting the rabid disease, that led them turning into feral and savage zombie-biters…

Paul had an experience of the Popobawa virus in the ‘OTHER-PERTH’ – where Jane’s dog, Piper was feral after being bitten by the Popobawa-black-panther.

-O-

Home alone, he levitated into the kitchen dark hallway to the bathroom – he wanted to badly pee. He sat on the dunny to urinate…

… the voices of the school-bullies taunted him…

‘… Poe-pee-Poe urinates by sitting on a dunny – like a girl, hahaha…”

Paul sighed – as he suspected those bullies were the ones who – ‘broke’ his-single toilet for the handicaps in school’s Boy’s room…

‘… what have they ‘got’ against me – I’m a cripple…”

His stomach growled again – like the ‘repeat’ of the snooze-mode in his alarm clock – he levitated-up to his feet, flushing behind, and moving towards the mirrored sink…

… as he washed his hand, he looked AT HIS TIRED REFLECTION… the thoughts ‘came’ – of him punching the same-mirror in the ‘other-Perth’…

… when he so-driven in anger with his twin – who would ‘not’ admit to the ‘talking-bike’ allegation – that left…

… Alicia, his ‘back-then’ girlfriend, who went into a coma – and 9-stitches for him – for punching the ‘same’ mirror…

“STOP IT – POE!!!”

Paul shouted to himself, as his mind was ‘flooding’ with negative emotions memories – of the ‘other-Perth’…

‘… focus on THE ‘NOW’…!’

He thought of Jane in their ‘shared-dream’ just now – Paul remembered again of the episode of him and Jane in the OBE ‘dream-in-a-dream’ mission of post-nuclear-Perth…

… where, in front of THE DARK-TOWER – were a gathered horde of Amadeus’ African demons were into their Blackmagic voodoo rituals…

… a red-portal THEN OPENED – a big-werewolf and a long-tailed Incubus entered it – Jane also went INTO THE ‘SAME’ PORTAL – and, by the time I ‘wanted’ to enter — IT CLOSED…

‘… is Jane trapped inside…!!?’

He wanted to call her, and looked at the time – 10:31 AM…

‘… better ‘not’ – she might be sleeping cosily in her hotel bed, as it’s school night…’

Paul was ‘not’ worried…

… as Mercury once told him, that in the ‘dream-in-a-dream’–THE ‘IN-BETWEENER’ won’t be harmed or hurt by demons and ‘other’ dark-entities…

‘… Hah! Jane can handle it – her superpowers ARE ‘MORE’ powerful than mine…

‘… what SHE ‘LACKS’ is self-confidence…’

His tummy growled for the 3rd time – and Paul decided to eat ‘something’ – he switched on the kitchen light and levitated to the fridge to find it bare…

… gone were the sight of stocked-up food and snack… and lots of canned cokes cans – as mom had ‘not’ shopped her weekly groceries…

Paul was in a situation of a lot of bread, and too little cheese to make his ‘special’ ham sandwich.

He put the last-2-slices of cheddar on white unbuttered bread, as he was ‘too’ hungry to deal with the rock frozen-butter – spread the leftover modicum of ham on it – to make 2 slim-sized sangers, which he grilled in the sandwich-toaster.

While his dinner was ‘toasting’ – he checked his online bank account, to see if mom had deposited his weekly pocket-money allowance…

… he sighed when she had ‘not’…

‘… yikes! What am I going to eat at the canteen tomorrow…?’

But he understood the predicament that his mom was busy at work – and furthermore, she was facing FAMILY MONEY-PROBLEMS… and as her-Good-son – he should ‘not’ demand and impose as his twin does…

… and, speaking of the-Devil…

‘… where is Peter…?”

His twin WAS ‘NOT’ in the house…

… probably ‘still’ in his school-uniform – hanging-and-making out with his ‘new’ girlfriend – drinking and smoking – after receiving…

… the same ‘text-message’ from their mom – that she was working her police-cases, and was ‘not’ coming home.

‘… as long you ‘behave’ – ‘not’ go batshit crazy…’

And, behave Peter did,’ at post-Treeton – IT’S BEEN 2 WEEKS – Paul had monitored that there were no significant natural disasters happening in this realm…

… unlike in the ‘other-Perth’ – his one-armed ‘terror’ of a twin WAS THE CAUSE of the Great-Perth Fires and the earthquake and tsunamis in Queensland.’

But he should ‘always’ be vigilant of THE CHOSEN-ONE of Asmodeus – Paul suspects his twin was somehow ‘related’ to the zombie-virus but can’t find the piece to the puzzle…

… the version of Peter ‘boggles’ him… as Paul couldn’t figure him out…

… as his-twin was ‘still’ a miscreant of nature in his anti-social behaviour – BUT ‘NOT’ criminal, as far as he observed.

… his-twin ‘still’ makes-use of people – and even ‘rewarded’ with an AI learning device, which he named Peter2.0

… his-twin ‘still’ heads-logs with their mother in ‘this’ Perth – and every mother-versions of Caroline Walker – and THE WORST WAS the fate of Caroline Dickson’s version – when he ran away from home and lived at the Stamford Hotel in Perthland…

… and, Mrs Dickson balled her eyes-out – cos Peter was her favourite son of-the-twins.

But he had a tacit understanding with Peter, that WOULD ‘NOT’ RAT-OUT-EACH-OTHER – and let Caroline-herself AS A POLICE-MOTHER, catch the ‘culprit’ herself...

Paul should ‘not’ tell mom – about Peter’s nightlife with his lifestyle girlfriend – and sneaking-in back, at wee hours. Peter should ‘not’ tell mom – about Paul’s double-life alter-ego as a superhero.

-O-

Never the less, he should never let his brother’s keeper guard down – and be consistently monitor, as to surveillance to any major events or disaster, that was happening in Australia…

… to find a ‘sign’ – to clue the PIECES TOGETHER – in his ‘mysterious Peter puzzle…

… he stacked the 2 sandwiches on a plate, and with a glass of H2O… Paul levitated to the living room. He sat on the couch and watched the national TV news to ‘spot’ any of Peter-tell sign…

… there was none…

… EVEN NO REPORTS on the rampant cases of the zombie rabid attacks, for 3 days in the streets of Perth which – kept his inspector-mother to be ‘busy’ in her police procedure…

‘… is Mayor John Blake playing-down or cover-up this current city’s rabid-pandemic… for the sake of the economy?’

Before long, his sandwiches were ‘gone’ – as he stared at the empty plate… and he’s still hungry…

… remembering the leftover white-bread loaf – now, he had to find ‘something’ to dip-in, and eat…

Paul was back in the kitchen, ruminating the high food-closet where his mother stock-up the canned processed food items – and, eureka…

… there was a single can of baked-beans with bacon, orphaned in the dark-cupboard – which, Caroline used to serve her twin-sons when she made home-cooked hamburgers.

He could heat that up, and eat…

… he took the loaf of bread – and counted the slices – there were 6…

… he opened the fridge’s bare freezer – with a single beef-patty in it…

‘… what am I going to eat for dinner tomorrow – if Mom is ‘not’ home yet…?’

He decided ‘not’ to eat tonight…and planned tomorrow dinner menu:

4 slices for the bacon-baked-beans. 2 slices for a beef-patty sandwich.

He still had an after-dinner sweet-tooth crave – and looked for lollies – the only ones were Caroline’s cough-drops… he took a couple, and levitated back to the telly, still on the news.

… there was ‘more’ economic news report – and the bored tween switched stations…

… there was ‘Wentwork’ – a women-prison series… which Paul had ‘not’ followed the drama episodes…

… he surfed a dozen more stations… and stumbled on…

… a reality-show called – LOL: Last One Laughing Australia – a game show, where the straight-faced last contestant win A$100,000…

… Paul too watched the show with a straight-face – until a comedian ‘cracked-him-up’ – the crippled-tween laughed aloud, almost choking on the cough-drop sweet.

At midnight, he went back to his windowless bedroom – as it was school night…

… his twin was ‘not’ back home ‘yet’ – and, Paul doesn’t care…

… the one whom he cared ‘most’ for was – Jane, his-girlfriend…

… and, ‘was’ curious too…

‘… StarGirl, what DID YOU SEE, ‘INSIDE’ the Dark Tower…?’

<><>

AT PAST 2 AM, THE DUCATI PANIGALE V4S ARRIVED at the House of Walker. The youngsters kissed their goodnights – Bella reminded Peter that she was picking him up, in the morning for school. The bike left – and the one-armed tween entered the house, disengaged the home-security alarm – went up to his bedroom.

Now, he was ‘alone’—and recalled ‘the-failed’ HATEFUL-8 MISSION -- @South Perth Zoo…

… where an animal-activist member – called Horse, died ‘tragically’…

Peter remembered Charlie Ross that evening at the motel, where the Hateful-8 gathered for drinks, to celebrate his belated birthday…

… and that same night… he died… 3 days after his 27th birthday…

Peter was worried…

‘… what-if the police ‘find’ the Horse’s blood DNA in the zoo compound – and later find his charred body in the nearby bushes – and ‘LINK’ THE 2 CRIMES…

‘… the domino-drops – when they 'would' round-up Kirk and Daniel – as-HIS ACCOMPLICES…

‘… next… the coppers will question – THEIR ‘EMPLOYER’… Bella-Frenchie…

‘… it won’t be long – they will get ‘me’ too … the ‘EMPLOYER’S BOYFRIEND’…

‘… we would all go to jail… I don’t wanna go to AN ADULT-PRISON…’

“You stupid Horse! You should’ve bloody heard TO YOUR TEAM ‘LEADER,’ Kirk just now! Now, you’re bloody headless corpse!”

… Peter shouted out…

“You were a ‘fool’ – you laughed at me just-now – when I told, I’m from the ‘future-Perth’ – where my MOM ‘ARRESTED’ YOU, once you stupidly posted photos in Instagram!”

He thought of Bella…

‘… Frenchie – will you ‘crack’ under pressure…?’

Peter then remembered when HE WAS ‘CAUGHT’ in the gym Boys room recently – making-out with her in school premise…

‘… where were you, Bella? YOU RAN AWAY – where-else, I ‘stayed-back,’ and had to ‘cover’ up for ‘YOU’ WITH LIES… to set your name ‘free’…’

Still drunk, one-armed Peter took out his AI device from his school backpack…

“Pete2.0! You were there’ at the zoo – what are the POSSIBILITY ‘CHANCE’ of the Hateful-8 getting caught, by the law tonight?”

“I can’t answer that, Master – due to insufficient data…”

“What you bloody ‘mean’ by insufficient-data – you are an AI, aren’t you ‘not’ – you go search for your own raw-data – and feed me with bloody-answers, to my ‘every’ question, yea!!?”

“My algorithms don’t work that way, Master – my link was ‘severed’ the moment the ‘broken’ GoPro’s visuals were cut-off just now!”

“Your excuses! Bloody mediocre!!!”

The drunk one-armed boy sat on his bed – thought of the zoo-incident, that went side-ways…

… and he got ‘theatrical’…

“… I screwed-up tonight! Mom… COME ARREST ME, your ‘own’ flesh-and-blood… THAT’S ‘WHAT’ your intentions are… since dad died – which-is to get rid of me…

“… I shouldn’t have gone out with those incompetent Hateful-8 fools, just now… but I screwed-up…”

Peter laid to rest on the pillow, with his AI headset still on his head…

… contemplating whether to spend the whole night worrying or… to sleep it off, as it was school night…

… he ‘chooses’ the latter… mumbling…

“… I’m here, Mom… ‘not’ running-away… come arrest me… for being an accomplice to murder…”

He was about to doze-off – PETER2.0 THEN SPOKE… it alerted Peter ‘back,’ into semi-conscious from his kip…

“Master, I’m on ‘only’ 10% power-capacity – please put me to power-charge – for your optimal usage of my ‘system,’ for school tomorrow…”

Peter plucked the AI-headset from his head – and flung it onto the wall across – Peter2.0 crashed and fell on the floor, beside his tennis racquet rack…

Peter pointed to it, saying…

“… rack-off, Peter2.0… you’re a bloody disappointment of a ‘useless-tech’ … more useless than… the worst of the China-made cheap-techs out-there… I’m ‘punishing’ you ‘now’… you… ‘starve’ tonight… zzzzz…”

Lying on the floor, the ‘bullied’ AI-on-speaker responded to the sleeping tween…

“Very well, Master – initiating sequence shutdown 2 sleep mode – Good night 2U2, Master…zzzzz…”

<><>

PAUL HAD DRESSED-UP FOR SCHOOL, and while waiting for Gary, his Uber driver – he had to make his own coffee in the coffee machine because his mother ‘not’ around – even the ground-coffee-bean tin-can was empty…

… and had to settle for the 2nd ‘best’ option – by drinking black-coffee, of-the sachet-kind.

While on his wheelchair, sipping the Indonesian-java, Paul noticed his twin descending the stairs, while speaking on his iPhone…

‘… what time did the devil ‘come’ home last night? … I slept at midnight… I ‘really’ hope Mom doesn’t ‘catch’ you, mate…’

Peter spoke on his phone, as he left out, through the main door – Paul thought…

‘… my lunch money…’

He wanted to chase after Peter – and ‘ask’ if he can borrow him some cash, and mom ‘could settle him later, when she paid the next pocket allowance…

… ‘but’ he hesitated on his wheelchair…

‘He won’t give – we’re ‘not’ in speaking-terms – he might even ‘bark’ insults at me…’

Paul saw Peter out of the window – at the front gate, in his unkempt crumpled unform…

“… huh, why is he ‘not’ biking to school, on his ‘talking-bike…?’

… then came, a red Ducati superbike…

‘… ooo-okay…’

Seeing, Bella kissing his-twin before she was fitting a black helmet onto Peter’s head – then, the one-armed boyfriend hopped on, as the pillion-rider…

… the Ducati sped off – and a Nissan Almera arrived…

Paul hurried up to lock-up the House of Walker – as he was the last to leave home, to go to school.

<><>

THAT FRIDAY MORNING, THE BLACK MERCEDES was heading to Stamford High. Jane was in the front seat as her father drove, and he spoke to his business-partner via Bluetooth.

The blind-girl was ‘not’ feeling well – she overate last night’s dinner at the Hilton fancy-restaurant… she was still feeling unease of the sensation of a ‘full-tummy’ – and, a 12 oz steak was a lot to ‘digest.’

Listening to her father’s phone-call, blind-Jane hid her left-hand under the school-blazer – her palms became ‘warm’ and, she placed it on her stomach – the emitting low-level cosmic heat that aided the ‘digestion’… but she was sweating profusely from her forehead diamond-scar hidden under the beanie she wore, in the air-conditioned car cabin…

Anthony was in-conversation on the line – Jane heard her father ‘mentioning’ the name of his business company, Jansa – which was an abbreviation of both Jane-and-Samuel’s names…

… her father was leaving ‘HIS’ LEGACY, in Perth…

But… WILL THERE BE 'any' Perth, in the future?

… she had ‘gone’ – and had a first-hand OBE experiencing of – the NUCLEAR DESTRUCTED Perth-city last night…

… to-which she can’t ‘remember’ THE DETAILS.

-O-

The Mercedes arrived at the school’s parking lot. Blind-Jane kissed her daddy goodbye – Anthony reminded his blind daughter…

“Today we are moving back to our house – I have to go early and pick-up the house keys – your Mummy will pick you up after school, yea?”

“Okay.”

Anthony saw Alicia running over…

“G’ day Mr Wilson…”

“Hi, Lily… how you doing?”

“It’s Alicia, Daddy – Lily is her cousin sister… how many years my best-friend had come-over, and you still get her name wrong.”

“Sorry, Alicia…” Anthony responded with a nervous laughter.

“… no worries, Mr Wilson – bye!”

Jane got off the car – Alicia took her blind-friend’s hand while waving to Anthony, who was reversing his car.

“Your daddy is cute and funny…”

“Hey, how was the BTS concert, last night?”

“… great…” Alicia said plainly.

“What? Just ‘great’ … they are your ‘exciting’ favourite boyband, and all…”

“Janey, something tragic happened at the concert – people at the back row were ‘bitten,’ and now admitted in the hospital FOR RABID-DISEASE – our classmates Charlotte and Zoe too were at the back row… and Charlotte was bitten by a tiny vicious-monkey… but Zoe got away-safe, while Charlotte is hospitalized…”

“Oh, my-Gawd!!!”

Blind-Jane had flashes of RECURRING ‘PAST’ MEMORIES…

‘… the curse IS ‘REPEATING’ again – over at the ‘other-Perth’… Charlotte Thompson too was hospitalized when she WAS ‘BLINDED,’ in both eyes when a phone-bomb that circulated the viral video-file of THE PFC-BREAKUP – which blew-up on her face.’

“Ali, we should ‘visit’ her…”

“No, I don’t think that is possible – no visitors are allowed into the rabid-disease wards, in this current city-pandemic.”

The blind-girl remembered the feral Perth citizens-turned zombie – IN HER ‘RESCUE’ Kitty at the dog-pound mission, where she recently went with Paul.

<><>

THE 2 BEST FRIENDS WERE TALKING WHILE they walked along the school’s east wing, with other students to go to their classroom. They were still were on the subject of Charlotte Thompson – as they sympathized with her, although…

… she was the ‘insecure’ class bully, WHO HATED THEM because they were the better’ classmates than her in school studies.

At the turning, blind-Jane looked up and saw a ‘blue glow’ at some distance away – she pointed and asked…

“Ali, is that Pauly?”

“Yes… wow! How ‘did’ you know…?” said the surprised Chinese girl wondered…

“… excuse-me… I ‘need’ to talk to him…” said the blind girl, who practically ran to him…

… flabbergasted, Alicia wondered if her blind-BFF had a ‘superpower’ that she could ‘spot’ her boyfriend – but DEBUNK IT as she ‘suspected’ her AI device, Boyyo ‘that-told’ her via the headphones.

-O-

In unease, Paul was parked at the front of the school’s noticeboard in the east-wing corridor, watching students passing-by, going to their respective classroom. He then saw a yellow-glowing Jane running towards him, calling out his name – the boyfriend was glad to see her.

Jane openly-hugged him, exclaiming…

“I was so afraid for you – I thought I would never see you again… Pauly, you ‘heard’ about Charlotte…?”

Since coming to school, that was what the gossip was all about, that Charlotte Thompson would-be the FIRST ZOMBIE-STUDENT of Stamford High.

Still hugging, Jane kissed him – and the passing students looked-on at the odd-couple – until a man’s voice was ‘heard’ cleared his throat…

“Ahem…”

Paul looked up at the History teacher, Alexander Hull passing…

… and, remembering the version of the History teacher in Perthland…

… and ‘that’ Mr Hull gave him a tough time, during when he was ‘accused’ of molesting the platinum-blonde Alicia Wong – then another time, while in the 131st Stamford High anniversary after-party in the school gym…

… where Mr Hull who ‘cleared-his-throat,’ when seeing – Paul’s teen-self also ‘kissed’ Jane Wilson in that ‘other-Perth realm.

“Sorry, Sir…”

... Paul apologized for their’ inappropriate behaviour, as the teacher walked away. He then whispered discretely to his girlfriend…

“Jane, what happened in ‘our’ dream-in-a-dream…?”

“I don’t know, Paul… I just can’t remember ‘much’ of it…?”

“Huh-what? Then… what do you remember?”

“… hmm, I KNOW GOING to this ruin of Perth, ‘destroyed’ by a nuclear-war of the future – and… all the evil demons were gathered in front of the Blake-tower… then I was ‘afraid,’ and my mind blanked-out…”

“You and I… we then ‘became’ StarGirl and Gemini Blue – and we ‘fought’ them…”

“… what? I transformed into StarGirl!!? I ‘seriously’ don’t remember that…?”

“YES, YOU DID, JANE – those flying army of Gorilla-Grodds were no-match for you – you blasted every single of them dead – THEN A ‘PORTAL’ OPENED – IT WAS RED – can you remember that…?”

“… no, I don’t – what happened next?”

“… the big-assed werewolf and the long-tailed incubus entered the portal – and the both of us too wanted to ‘follow’ them… and you entered the portal first – but when I wanted to enter, I was attacked by the Batman-Popobawa… and by the time I defeated him – and came-back… but the portal closed ‘after’ you – can you ‘recall’ what went on inside?”

“What…? Did I follow the incubus inside…?”

… Jane recalled the insidious sex-demon ravaging the sleeping teenager of herself in Perthland…

“Yes, YOU DID – what happened inside, Jane? This is crucial for us – the inception to the nuclear destruction of Perth, which we should prevent…”

The miserable blind girl was distressed…

“… no… I seriously can’t remember… sorry… did I screw-up…?”

Paul saw tears flowing on her cheeks – he held her hand…

“Whoa… no worries, don’t cry, Jane – we’ll roll the dice and figure it out when the time comes…”

Paul thought that the terrified Jane was in a stage of shock and trepidation, when she ‘faced’ the demons ‘inside’ the Dark-tower – and, her mind blanked-out that – she could ‘not’ remember her ‘revelations’…

… unlike him, who was ‘trained’ by the Red-demon Mercury – to take check-and-balance of remembering ‘signs’ that occur in his dream-in-a-dream OBE excursion.

“Come, Jane, let’s go to class – it’s Ms Bloom’s Math period – I ‘need’ you on this one…”

<><>

THE DUCATI RIDDEN BY THE UNDERAGED, arrived in the Stamford High’s carpark compound, after dodging several police roadblocks. Peter got off the superbike, and removed the visored-helmet, saying…

“Hey, Frenchie – we should talk – have Kirk contacted you, SINCE ‘LAST’ NIGHT!!?”

“Shhh, Peter keep your voice down – yes, he called… he has the situation under control – and told us to lay-low…” Bella cautioned while taking off her helmet.

“What lay-low! Those fools disposed Horse’s body-and-bike close to the damn zoo, where we sprung-out those bloody monkeys earlier – isn’t that a coincident happening on one-same night? My inspector-mother is ‘sharp’ and would figure it out without using her ‘eye’ in the back of her head – I know that-cos, living in that house for 12 over years with her, and ‘playing’ the cat-and-mouse game!” rambled the hungover one-armed tween.'

“Peter! You are talking-loud…”

Bella looked around at the late-comer students that arrived before-the-bell – at the teacher’s parking-bay, Coach Jonah too arrived in his Toyota…

… she came close, and whispered-hard at his face…

“Peter you’re ‘STILL’ DRUNK, and you are acting paranoid… Kirk was ‘right’ – you would FREAK-OUT ‘BEING’ the Perth’s inspector’s kid – and we will all go-down because of you – that WAS ‘WHY,’ I have to babysit you!”

“What ‘kid’ – what ‘babysit’ me!!”

Bella used her helmet and KNOCKED HIS HEAD – the dazed Peter backed a-step…

“…Coach Jonah is nearby, you-idiot…!!!”

The school bell rang…

… Peter turned around to see the Head Coach walking nearby, to the west-wing entrance.

Bella kick-starts the Ducati while saying…

“I’ll pick you up later after school – you-too, stay sharp!”

The superbike sped away – the annoyed one-armed tween scoffed…

The riled-up Peter walked up the stone-steps of Stamford High – to go to his classroom…

‘You rich-bitch – you think you’re ‘BETTER’ THAN ME – I’m ‘the’ one-armed-bandit mastermind… and, THIS IS ‘NOT’ my first rodeo, I’m the ‘one’ who ‘got-away-clean,’ while putting a loudmouth Chinatown Wong INTO A COMA, in the ‘other’ Perth…’

And, mentally strategizing…

… his next-steps and ‘alibi,’ for the murder-case…

… of ‘disposing’ of the dead Horse’s body.