PAUL WOKE-UP AT 9:31 AM BY ANNOYING MOTORIZED NOISES – in his half-kip, he cursed…

‘… why you vacuuming, Mom…?’

… he lacked sleep when light-out at the Walkers at 10 PM last night – but he ‘had’ indulged in episodes of Korean-drama on YouTube till late, since it was the weekend – he remembered going to bed at 1:11 AM…

… but around 2-ish, he was rudely AWAKENED BY NOISES – where he ‘had’ investigated by going upstairs of the Walkers – and there HE MET HIS ‘REAL’ 8-year-old brother…

‘… but… in the other-Perth – IT WAS PETER – who ‘was’ vacuuming…?’

… on the day of Hiro and Taro’s blood-test visit – where Paul did ‘not’ participate – but both Jane and Peter did…

Paul was in 2-minds to test his blood ‘today’ – in the realm of post-Treeton…

Looking at his bedside alarm lock – 9:33 AM…

‘… those Yanks WOULD-BE DOING JANE’S BLOOD-test at 10…’

But in the other-Perth – Paul ‘had’ Alicia, his girlfriend back then, WHO WAS HIS ‘SPY’ – at the Wilsons during Hiro-Taro visit…

Paul then ‘sensed’ a disturbance in the force – of ‘their’ shared-emotions of the Cursed-trio…

… of bad vibes of…

… Jane vs her bully-mom…

Paul reached out to his iPhone and ‘noticed’ that – Jane had’ switched-off her Samsung – he sighed…

‘… ‘why’ do you own a bloody phone – when you ‘don’t’ use it…?’

… he remembered Jane’s ‘terms-and-condition’ that – ‘only’ she would call him in-secrecy because of her strict doctor-mother…

He sighed again…

… remembering Jane’s ‘promise’ of calling-back yesterday evening to help him with the Math homework – where he waited-and-waited for her to switch-on her phone, and be online…

… but she didn’t…

Paul ‘wished’ that he ‘had’ owned an AI interactive-device – like Jane and Peter.

The mechanical noise of the vacuum-machine was ‘getting’ louder outside…

… he got-up from the bed and levitated over to change his shorts – and dumping his wet adult-diapers into the trash-bin. Sitting on the wheelchair, opened his door to exit to the kitchen.

-O-

At the kitchen, he saw the tween-Peter in the living-room – and he was standing on top of the small-rectangular automatic vacuum-crawler – which made a ‘struggling’ noises due to the one-armed boy’s body-weight…

‘… come-on mate, seriously… you’re ‘not’ 8 any-more…’

… the vacuum machine was one of his father’s his last ‘purchases,’ before he died in the tragic automobile-crash – where Solomon was impressed seeing the product in his brother, Murray’s house during their family-visits…

… Paul too remembered 4-years-ago – following their father to IKEA to purchase the vacuum-machine – where the salesperson promoted it as a ‘silent’ dust-collector, which ran automatically – to do its-task in the background…

… but the 8-year-old Peter ‘broke’ it a month later – by surfing on it, like a skateboard – which resulted in the ‘noises’ from the device’s motor when-ever it operated.

Paul peeked out of the kitchen window – and saw his mom’s Audi was ‘not’ in the porch.

Paul ‘wanted’ his wake-up-perk coffee and – noticed the mom had ‘not’ put-on the coffee-pot – and left earlier in a hurry. Paul picked up the glass pot on the counter, and rolled over to the tap, to fill it with water…

… he was ‘now-closer’ to Peter – who-with his back turned in the living-room… as he ‘rode’ the slow-moving vacuum-machine on the floor – unknowing of his twin’s presences at his-rear…

Peter was in-call on his iPhone…

‘… who is he talking to…?’

… with all of the choking-noises of the ‘poor-machine’ – PAUL ‘ONLY’ HEARD the partial conversation… which he eavesdropped…

In a lovey-dovey tone, glowing in reddish-hue was Peter – ‘teasing-aloud’ over the iPhone, while bragging…

“Hahaha, you should come-over and witness a ‘miracle’ that about happened later on this-holy Sunday – where my blood from Group-B would ‘transform’ to a rare-few of the world’s Golden-Blood type – which I can ‘profit’ to save lives-of-billionaires… and of-course… I’ll introduce you to my inspector-mom, the Perth’s famous policewoman from the news, hahaha!”

Paul observed…

‘… this is ‘not’ the 8-year-old… he doesn’t ‘glow’ – but it’s THE DEVIL HIMSELF – talking to Bella…’

… the next moments of the conversation was – inaudible for Paul…

‘… where ‘did’ my 8-year-old brother go…? Did the incubus ‘leave’ its possessed-vessel last night…? Could the Church do ‘something’…? Like… can Father Aloysius Brown perform an ‘exorcism,’ so that I can ‘get’ my brother back…?’

He heard Peter laughing aloud again…

“… hahaha, no-worries… I reckon she ‘WON’T’ KNOW ‘WHAT’ we did at the zoo, hahaha…”

‘… zoo…? ‘WHEN’ DID the you ‘both’ go to the zoo…and make-out…? ‘Why’ had Perth ‘not’ judged you… as it had labelled me ‘awful’ – as-me-as Tarzan ‘who’ rescued Jane…?’

At the sink, the unmindful Paul accidentally clank the glass coffee-pot at the metal faucet – the banging noise ‘distracted’ Peter…

… in spite, he glowered at his crippled-twin – and scoffed – getting-off the vacuum-crawler, he then went outdoors… to continue his-conversation with Bella.

Similarly, Paul too sighed and shook his head and he switched on the coffee pot – as he too ‘can’t’ figure-out his ‘mysterious’ twin’s ‘next-move’ in this dour post-Treeton…

-O-

Back in the other-Perth, Jane had INVITED ‘TROUBLE’ by – revealing the secret-identity of the Cursed-trio to her mentor-uncle Jack – who sent Hiro and Taro to Perth, for the blood-test…

… but in this post-Treeton, Jane ‘HAD-NOT’ contacted Uncle Jack.

And, Paul was ‘not’ buying the cancer-research angle either…

… BUT HE ‘SUSPECTED’ Peter – ‘had’ somehow contacted Dr Jack Turner – as he ‘too’ received his AI study-aid-unit, from the doctor himself….

Paul looked at the kitchen-clock – 9:58 AM – where Jane, his girlfriend ‘would’ be-going to have HER BLOOD TESTED at the Wilson residence.

‘… is it safe for me to ‘test’ my blood too, IN THIS PERTH-REALM – plus, what would Jane’s perception of me-be, if I DO ‘NOT’ PARTICIPATE…as ‘her’ blue-beacon?’

… where, in the other-Perth, ‘ONLY’ JANE AND PETER tested ‘their’ blood…

… and that ‘separated’ Paul…

It baffled Paul – where-as her-mission ‘partner’ – that he was left-out – from Jane’s ‘mission’ in their ‘shared’ OBE-ed sleep-cycle – where…

… she travelled ‘solo’ into the Dreamworld, and ‘exiting’ to…

… the hellish-Underworld – to rescue THE ‘SOUL-OF-PETER’ – from Asmodeus’ dark dungeons.

… she only ‘joined’ Paul and the Red-demon Mercury later-on at the Egyptian-desert – during the eclipse of the blood-moon…

… where she then went-up to the Dark-tower – to destroy THE ‘BLOOD-OF-PETER’ – guarded by Asmodeus’ vicious Fu-dogs…

… and, she then ‘destroyed’ the blood-vial of Peter’s blood – which HIS TWIN ‘MADE’ to proclaim his love…

… as Jane’s ‘soulmate.’

-O-

Paul ruminated, watching in heedlessness at the hot water bubbling in the coffee-pot…

‘… what-if… the ‘requirement’ TO ‘JOIN’ JANE in ‘our’ future-fighting against Asmodeus and his Army-of-minions – ‘was’ for me…

‘… to TAKE THE BLOOD-TEST later…?’

Paul reveries hissed-out, as he ‘heard’ the sound of the Audi parking at the Walkers porch…

‘… Mom is back...’

Paul made coffee.

<><>

AT 10:05 AM, CAROLINE ARRIVED AT THE WALKERS HOUSE with a box of pastries from Bakers Delight. She had earlier spent time in the suite with her ‘boyfriend’ in the John Blake Country Club.

“Hey-Mom, where you been…?”

The Inspector-mother stammered as she stepped out of her car, with her eldest-twin asking…

“… err, Peter… I was out, running ‘some’ errand…”

Caroline lied.

In the kitchen, Peter was making coffee and noticed that his twin who had gone outside to have ‘his-privacy’ with his girlfriend – was now talking to their mother as they were coming indoors.

“Come boys, eat these pastries to get your-sugar up – you’ll be taking some blood-samples later…”

Peter chuckled as he pointed his one-arm at Paul…

“You mean ‘him,’ hahaha– ‘not’ me, Mom – I’m an athlete who practices under-the-sun – and I don’t faint-easy nor… am I afraid of needles too like him… hahaha…”

Paul ignored his banter, as he carefully wheelchaired over to the dinner table with 2 mugs of hot black coffee. Caroline took the mugs from him…

“Thank you, Poe…”

Peter sat on his father’s chair at the IKEA-table, and open the box of pastries. He poured himself a glass of water from the jug at the table…

… seeing that she was drinking coffee – while she knew that Peter ‘only’ drank coke – she ‘felt’ guilty…

“… sorry Pete, I’ll do grocery-shopping later – and get you your cokes, dear…”

“… no worries, Mom – just rest this Sunday, YOU ‘DESERVE’ IT – after your crime-fighting for 6 days at work…but you can ‘make-it-up – by ordering an extra-bottle of large-coke while we order pizza for lunch later, yea?”

Paul rolled his eyes – observing his twin was ‘getting’ into their mother’s good-books – with his ‘fake-compassions.’

“So, boys… what have you been up to?”

Munching his sugar-glazed doughnut – Peter spoke…

“I have finally coded and ‘programmed’ my AI all-by myself, Mom!”

“…that’s great, good job…”

Paul sighed at Peter’s lie – as IT WAS ALICIA ‘who’ coded the device…

“Mom, I even put an incredible app THAT MY AI – would ‘recognize’ everyone there in my social-media accounts – let me ‘show’ you…”

Licking his fingers clean – Peter switched his AI device on…

“Pete2.0, mate…this is my ‘mom’…”

The device made a whirling sound…

“G’day Mrs Walker – I’m so glad to meet you…”

Caroline was delighted – as she chuckled…

“Mom… Pete2.0 has integrated all my Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts with yours – isn’t that cool?”

Even Paul was astounded – with the artificial intelligence’s capabilities…

“Pete2.0 is my ‘learning-buddy’ – he has ‘guided’ me these last days in my school-studies – I even completed that History assignment which-that Mr Hull gave to me AS HOMEWORK… ever since I’m ‘locked-up’ in my bedroom by the curfews…”

Paul almost scoffed aloud, with Peter’s lies told blatantly at their mother’s face…

‘… the devil is lying thru’ his teeth…’

… where it ‘was’ Paul-himself who was home-alone – whiles his 2-faced twin was out, practically 5 days-of-the-6 – drinking until he was sloshed… and sent home by his girlfriend, Bella in her superbike…

… after-sex, of course… 5 nights-a-row…

‘… in the ‘same’ zoo too – the place where I got into bloody trouble with the news-media, after fighting a rhino as Tarzan…”

Peter dominated the table-conversation, and soon was monopolizing every-opportunity to ‘get into’ their mother’s good-books… with occasional lies TO COVER-UP as his ‘alibi’ – for being-out on school-nights…

… Paul ‘felt’ guilty of dishonest too – with ‘his’ lies-and-deceits told too to their mother – to conceal his supe-secret identity from her knowledge…

… and, both the Walker twins -- ‘each’ has their own secrets…

… wherein the grand-scheme – Peter was the ‘Chosen-one’ of Evil…

… and Paul was the one – who was to ‘stop’ him, before…

… the destruction of Perth – from a future nuclear meltdown…

-O-

Paul sat for the next 15 minutes sipping his hot-brew – listening to his egoistic twin bragging to their mother of his ‘sudden-interest’ in school studies. Paul ‘knew’ of the plot-to-deceive that his insincere twin was pulling with his bullshitting – to mislead their inspector mother…

… Paul wasn’t hungry despite his mother’s persistence to eat another pastry – but all he had was 2… where he was ‘not’ hungry this morning, as his digestive system was slow intestinal like a Star Wars’ Tatooine’s desert Sarlacc dune creature…

… and still processing the gastrointestinal-efforts – of 11 large-size Marciano’s pizza –which he had for dinner last night…

… and 5 more-slices in the fridge – ‘planned’ as-his brekkie for tomorrow, while having coffee and cold-pizzas – while waiting for Gary, his Uber driver to send him to school.

Paul finished his coffee – backed his wheelchair saying…

“I think I go hit the shower – we have visitors arriving at noon…”

Peter immediately blurted as his twin who-was in the way of his conversation with their mother – where they were discussing the topic of Australia’s Colonialism era.

“Yea, you do that, Poe – you stink in here…!”

… Paul was baffled…

‘… is he talking to ‘me’…?’

“Peter!” Caroline spoke-out…

“I’m his big-brother… I ‘should’ say this – your room stinks too when you leave your door open. It’s your skid-marked soiled adult-diapers in your room… have you cleared that trash-bin of yours lately – since Mom wasn’t around for 6 days…?”

… Paul was still speechless…

“Hey, stop it, Peter!” Caroline responded…

“No-Mom, I should say this because we are ‘breathing-into’ it – the both of us-are, with his bloody room right-beside the kitchen – is that hygienic in here – for Christ-sake Poe, we are eating in-here, mate…? All-I think of… is that-if Dad ‘had’ forgotten to ‘build’ a dungeon for my Godzilla-twin brother to live-in this house…”

… the mortified, Paul ‘thought’ he had a comeback…

“Oh-yea, your room upstairs stink too, you-moron – it ‘reeks’ of…”

… Paul ‘wanted’ to SAY ALCOHOL but…

… Peter was smart-at-mark – as he ‘had’ taken his booze-smelling school uniform to the laundry after he returned home – TO GET ‘RID’ of evidence that he was sloshed-partying with Bella, in late school-nights…

“What does my room reek-of, Poe…hah…?”

“Stop it both of you!” Caroline raised her voice.

But Peter spoke-out…

“… ‘why’ I’m saying is that is … Dad is ‘dead’ – who ‘knows’ Mom wouldn’t be here too 20-years from ‘now’ – then ‘who’ is going to pick-up your piss-smelly diapers, Poe-pee-Poe? Do you expect me to do that, ‘while’ … as your big-brother ‘taking-care’ of you, in the future…?”

“I don’t ‘need’ you to take care of me – Rack off!”

“Peter-Poe, stop it!”

Both the twins scowled at each-other…

“… o’ yea… let’s see…”

“Peter, stop it!” Caroline held her palm to his mouth… and saw him snickering at Paul…

“Okay, Mom…”

The pissed-off Paul turned back and wheelchaired to the bathroom – hearing his mother saying in the background…

“… looks like the both of you are in speaking-terms ‘again,’ after more than a month…”

“… yea-Mom, tell me about it – as the elder brother, I’ve to humble myself to reach-out the olive-branch to him while you were away THAT-6-DAYS… I even sat in his stinking room at some nights as the drama-queen-twin of mine, pout and cried… as he was too afraid to-go-to sleep…”

Peter laughed aloud – as Paul slammed-shut the bathroom door…

… his twin’s ‘deceit’ as a ‘caring-son’ to fool their mother – was Oscar-worthy…

-O-

In the bathroom, the raged Paul levitated instantly from his wheelchair as he heard his twin’s laughter in the kitchen – and looked up to the bathroom mirror…

… to see an imagery-Peter laughing ‘at’ him…

… but he refrained punching’ the mirror – ‘KNOWING’ OF its consequences, of-in the other-Perth.

The negative-emotions that the cripple-tween emoted – which made him perspire all-over, especially his cursed-scar at his throat – his Cursed-trio ‘mark’ of post-Treeton…

… Paul ‘glowed’ in deep-purple…

He removed his clothes – and hit the shower to cool it off…

… Paul ruminated again-and-again…

‘… ‘why’ is Peter talking TO ME ‘NOW’ after more than a month of silent-treatment…? ‘WHY-NOW’…? And…

‘… ‘where’ is that 8-year-old brother-of-mine – where has HE ‘GONE’…?’

<><>

AFTER PAUL TOOK HIS SHOWER, he returned to his windowless room and dressed-up in his Sunday’s best of a smart long-sleeved shirt, black pants and leather shoes…

… his reason was since the WALKERS DID ‘NOT’ GO to church – at least look presentable to the visitors from America.

From his room, he ‘heard’ the kitchen was quiet outside – with both Peter and Caroline have gone upstairs. Paul looked at his watch – 10:55 AM…

… he sighed that he would have an-hour-wait before the blood-works…

Paul took a crack-at the uncompleted Math homework – his ‘most’ dreaded subject…

… which he ‘believed’ that it was a global-conspiracy – that ‘had’ Math put-into the schools’ lesson curriculum ecosystem worldwide, just to ‘fail’ students…

For the first-15-minutes, Paul was into a mental-paralysis with the maze in which the numbers ran into a dead-end…

‘… Jane… Alicia… where are you…?’

… there were also these ‘PLONKING’ NOISES that was irritating him too, from the kitchen – he ‘investigated’ by opening slowly his room door to look out at…

… Peter who-was looking-out of the kitchen window, with his back-turned – patiently looking at the road, for the visitors’ arrival. He was dressed-down in home-casual of shorts and his-fave John McEnroe t-shirt…

… multitasking by communicating with his AI, Pete2.0…

… and, the one-armed twin was ‘bouncing’ – a tennis ball on his Babolat racquet.

Paul scoffed to himself of the irritating noises, as he then levitated to his study-desk – he made a long sigh when looking-back at his Math workbook…

… he then decided to look back at the previous questions where Jane had ‘coached’ him in the past – and he ‘now-had’ a clearer understanding of ‘some’ of the calculation-problems. For the next-hour, Paul was engrossed with the mystery-of-numbers…

… and managed to ‘solve’ half of it – whether…

… it was the right-answer or ‘not’ – was left to be known until Jane checked it…

“Mom! Mom, they are here!”

… he heard Peter’s voice outside – looking at his bedside alarm clock – 12:21 PM…

‘… huh… they’re late…’

Paul put down his pen – HE WAS ‘DONE’ with school homework – and left the windowless bedroom.

<>

PAUL SAW PETER AT THE WIDE-OPENED FRONT DOOR – and Caroline running down on the staircase from upstairs – to welcome the visitors. Peter looked over to the approaching wheelchaired-twin – he pointed at laughed…

“Where are you thinking you are ‘going’ dressed up like that – you think mom is going to take you for ice-cream, and later to the zoo?”

“Peter! Behave yourself – stop ‘bullying’ Poe!”

… Paul was speechless – recalled a dream recently… where MOM ‘ACCUSED’ HIM for BULLYING PETER – for breaking the-arm of his Venom-toy.

He saw Caroline walking in a hurry outside – Peter did ‘not’ follow her and stood at the main-door… deliberately blocking the view of the wheelchaired-Paul, in his-rear.

Paul sighed…

‘… it’s all ‘about’ him….’

Caroline walked-up to the main-gate and open it – to a black hired-Mercedes Benz parked in front of the Walker House – where the visitors in white medical coats alighted from the vehicle, unloading metal briefcases. At the same time, a blue Mazda SUV too arrived…

… Dr Shelley Wilson introduced Caroline to Hiro Yamada and Taro Umemura – the visiting medical staff of Dr Jack Turner, her brother – of Kimura Star from America…

… they apologized for coming-late as they had luncheon at the Wilsons residence earlier, where their housekeeper Lola cooked-up a storm of local Australian cuisines.

Peter looked at the doctor-mother, who was a stern-looking person…

… he ‘joked’ to Paul…

“… here comes trouble – behold, your future-mother-in-law…”

“Stop it, you-moron – don’t get me started…!”

“… deal with it – you ‘were’ the Tarzan – ‘who’ took her-Janey to the zoo, hahaha…”

The 4 adults walked over to the hostile-twins and – they stopped their bad-blood rancour…

Peter was the first to greet the visitors…

“G’ day, Dr Wilson…”

… he then ‘bowed’ to Japanese-American visitors…

“… Hiro-san… Taro-san… welcome to our humble-abode of the Walkers, Downunder…”

Paul rolled his eyes at the moron’s theatrics – but was speechless – as the approaching doctor-mother looked-him directly into his eyes…

… Paul gave a tacit-nod to her gaze…

But to Shelley Wilson – THEY ‘BOTH’ WERE HER MAIN SUSPECTS – with one-twin who ran wild on the Treeton-farm, while the ‘other’ twin fought a rhinoceros at the zoo…

… where the horny-twins classmates ‘MAY-HAD’ CONSPIRED among-themselves to get her B-girl ‘pregnant’…

… where ‘they-both’ made their licentious way… to ‘both’ the bedrooms of Jane secretly – at the Hilton Hotel and the Wilsons… on the night of the black panther attack…

-O-

Although it was a gloomy and cloudy day, Caroline as the host offered cold iced-tea to her visitors in the living room – with both of her behaved-twins who too were seated. Then the adults began their ‘casual’ conversation of the lunch they had at the Wilsons. The visitors too told of their flight – that had to catch in the late evening, to return back to Washington.

The topic then went to Dr Jack Turner – where Shelley spoke fondly of her younger brother who went to America and made a ‘name’ for himself in Kimura Star…

… it was ‘old-news’ for Paul – as he had ‘did’ a background search of Jane’s uncle who was a genius scientist-inventor who – worked for the US Defence-department, before venturing on his-own by partnering – with a Japanese technological company, Kimura Star.

Taro Umemura spoke of Dr Turner was ‘currently’ researching with medical scientists from Japan – to find a ‘cure’ to cancer…

… the sceptical and ‘suspicious’ Paul, keenly listened – to the ‘new’ information…

Taro elaborated that there ‘had’ been some cases of cancer-victims who were struck by lightning which had – miraculously cured of the disease. The scientists believed that ‘it’ was the ‘radiation-levels’ of the lightning ‘WAS’ THE CURE – of a level to be ‘used-and-gauged’ in the chemotherapy-treatments, of the future…

… it was also the reason for their ‘visit’ – for ‘COLLECTING-MORE’ BLOOD SAMPLES of lightning-struck victims – for medical research…

Despite the dubious things ‘said’ by Jane-and-Alicia at the other-Perth – that Dr Jack Turner was shady and could ‘not’ be trusted – but the ‘same’ scientist was doing a great deed to humankind by – collectively finding a ‘cure’ for a deadly disease in the post-Treeton realm…

… Paul doesn’t know the mechanics of the ‘procedure’ of testing radiation-in-blood samples – but he was sold’ – and was ‘WILLING’ TO DONATE HIS BLOOD for the greater good of science in the name of humanity…

‘… I’m doing it – just like Jane…’

Unlike Peter – who was ‘bored-stiff’ at the adult table-chitchats – and, all he wanted was his blood to be tested positive for the Golden-blood rhesus.

Coincidently, a loud thunder cracked the skies outside…

Peter exclaimed, looking at the Americans…

“Dank Farrik! It's going to rain, Taro-san – aren’t you gents going to the airport later…? Better hurry… the traffic in Perth is standstill when it rains…”

… Paul was ‘amazed’ that his-twin had cleared the room – when the adults proceeded to the kitchen for the blood-testing procedure – he too wheelchaired over from behind.

The 2-medical staff of Kimura Star were setting-up their medical equipment on the IKEA table…

Dr Shelley Wilson’s Huawei rang – she excused herself to take the call.

… Paul saw the doctor-mother of his girlfriend returning to the kitchen – informing that she was on an emergency call from her clinic, and had to leave. She said her goodbyes to the American visitors.

Caroline accompanied Shelley to the door – PAUL OVERHEARD the doctor saying to his mother that – there have been a lot of ‘not-bitten’ victims… seeking treatments after being attacked by the ‘wanted’ perpetrator Hajji-and-his-monkey.

… Caroline too felt ‘guilty’ – as an inspector-of-Perth, who was ‘not’ involved ‘now’ – in thick of the action – IN THE SEARCH for the criminal who was responsible of the countless victims in hospitals, suffering from the feral rabid-disease…

Despite the police was on high-alert for 8 days -- the crafty-culprit had ‘not-been’ capture – whose MO was NIGHT-ATTACKS, in the heart of the Perth-city…

-O-

Seated in his wheelchair by the kitchen marble-top counter, Paul was observing that his mother did ‘not’ return to the kitchen, after sending-off Dr Wilson. She remained in the living-room on her cellphone – making her ‘duty-calls’ to her-PD to check-on the progress of her Hajji-case.

At the IKEA table, the Americans were setting up for the blood-works procedure – while his one-armed twin was ‘entertaining’ them by talking of the American sensation Women’s tennis player-sisters, Venus and Serina Williams.

Taro then-said…

“All-set, boys – who’s first?”

“ME!”

Taro, Hiro – and Peter looked BACK AT PAUL, who ‘voiced’ to-be-first…

“Ok, Paul – come to the table…”

… seeing Paul rolling-up his sleeves – Peter scoffed as the wheelchair approached…

… ‘failing’ to anticipate that his twin TO ‘PARTICIPATE’ today – as in the other-Perth, Paul gave ‘excuses’ BY ‘NOT’ GIVING his blood-samples to the visitors ‘there’…

…the devil instigated…

“… so, you’re ‘not’ afraid of needles after all… like you ‘pretended’ to the ‘other’ Taro-san, of the other-Perth…?”

Paul’s jaw dropped, while Hiro was strapping the rubberband-strap tightly – to find a vein – hearing-also the ‘curious’ Taro who questioned Peter, when ‘his’ name was mentioned…

“What ‘other’ Perth…?”

Paul ‘had’ a tunnel-vision episode – where he HAD TOTALLY ‘FORGOTTEN’ about the ‘SUPE’ QUESTIONARIES – that came ‘after’ the blood-works…

“Shut-up, Peter!” the troubled Paul warned.

… the devil sniggered…

“…what’re you ‘gonna-do’ about it – ‘hurt’ me…?”

‘… shit… he’s doing it ‘again’…’

“… huh, what-Poe – are you gonna fry-me with ‘your’ electric bolt…?”

“No!”

“Be still Paul, don’t move… here ‘goes’ the needle…” said Hiro as he jabbed the syringe ‘gently’…

Peter asked…

“Why is ‘that’ in the other-Perth – you sat-out on the test – while ‘here’ you are now, being a ‘trooper’ – why the ‘change’ of mind… ‘why’ are you giving ‘your-blood’…?”

… Paul chuckled with a ‘comeback’ – to ‘neutralize’ the situation…

“… just like Hiro-san said – the cancer-research ‘needs’ more blood-samples from lightning-struck ‘victims’…”

Both the Americans laughed and praised…

“Good job, Paul!”

Peter scoffed again as he looked over his shoulders, at their mother approaching – while ‘apologizing’ to the visitors, that she was away-making her calls…

She saw her ‘brave’ younger-twin – and placed her palm to Paul’s cheek, in affection…

… Peter scowled – and felt a deep-poke of jealousy to the attention his twin ‘was’ getting from the adults…

A clap of thunder roared in the sky…

Paul was ‘done,’ as Hiro placed his blood-vial in the cool-box – and looked up to Peter…

… who scoffed again – as he sat ‘cursing-mentally’ – that he was ‘not’ the first on-the-seat for the blood sample collection…

“Did you ‘change’ the needle, Hiro-san…? I don’t want to get some-other disease like-AIDS!”

“Peter! That ‘rude’…!” the mother cut-in…

“Yes, Peter – I’ve ‘changed’ the needle…” Hiro chuckled, as he tied the rubberband-strap on the ‘only-arm’ of Peter.

Holding-pressure to his plastered-gauze on his-arm, Paul rolled his eyes – ‘absorbing’ the AIDS-insult… and also-sighed…

… with his twin ‘TEACHING’ THE VISITORS – on ‘how-to’ do their job…

Another thunder rolled in a distance outside…

Taro said casually to Caroline – after looking out of the kitchen-window…

“We should get going ‘before’ the storm comes…”

Hiro stuck a plaster to the punctured-vein of the one-armed Peter – Taro spoke…

“Thank you so much, boys – for ‘YOUR’ CONTRIBUTION to the cancer-research…”

Peter stood-up asking…

“Not so-fast, Taro-san – what is the result – do I ‘have’ the Golden-blood…?”

“What ‘Golden-blood’…?” replied Hiro.

“What, DON’T YOU ‘KNOW’…? Where is the microscope-thing that you ‘tested’ my blood rhesus on-the-spot the ‘last’ time-at…? Did you ‘forget’ to bring it…?”

Paul sighed more at the confusion his-twin WAS CREATING – to the 3 baffled adults present – until Taro spoke again…

“We would ‘test’ your blood in our research-lab in Washington…”

Peter demanded…

“No! I need my ‘results’ now!”

“Peter!” shouted the mother…

“… but Mom, you were ‘there’… you ‘saw’ that ‘other’ Taro-san at the ‘other’ Perth – had tested ‘me-positive’ that I have the Golden-blood…”

… for a moment, Caroline looked muddled at the equally confused visitors, before she asked…

“What ‘other’ Perth?”

Peter was tongue-tied – while Paul facepalmed…

‘… shut-up, Peter – the ‘same’ rules DOESN’T APPLY to every-realms, you moron – you’re blowing ‘our’ cover…’

Peter felt the ‘vibe’ – he looked over to his wheelchaired-twin with his hand covering his face, and shaking his head…

… Peter felt Paul was ‘judging’ him – like in the other-Perth…

… as the ‘same’ dilutional-moron who ‘talked’ nonsense – and looked LIKE A ‘FOOL’ in front of the grownups…

It angered him but he did ‘not’ retaliate – instead, he scoffed in silent.

Paul saw the visitors were ‘wrapping-up’ by packing their medical equipment luggage – he anticipated the ‘questionnaire-session’ next – but the way the visitors were interacting with his mother…

‘… yippee! There would be ‘no’ 20-questions…

Paul smiled wide at the outcome – but Peter ‘saw’ it as a smirk – and thought his twin was ‘gloating on his-expense.

Then, Peter remembered ‘something’…

“Whoa, wait for a second, Taro-san – where is my prezzie – did you ‘forget’ that too…!!?”

The aghast Caroline replied aloud…

“Peter! What are you talking about – what prezzie?”

“This has ‘nothing’ to do with you, Mom – it’s my dealing with Dr Turner who ‘promised’ me a prezzie – for my blood-sample for… err… a something-something!”

“What!!? You ‘demanded’ something… you’re impossible – Haven’t Dr Turner ‘gave’ you a learning-device…?”

“This ‘something-something’ is different, Mom – please don’t interfere!”

Paul ‘had’ it figured and confirmed…

‘… yes… his ‘prezzie’ he ‘got’ in the other-Perth – PETER WAS THE ONE who ‘contacted’ Jane’s uncle – this post-Treeton realm…’

He then heard both the American visitors laughed, with Taro saying…

“No, we have ‘not’ forgotten the ‘gift’ from Kimura Star – which Dr Turner ‘reminded’ us to ‘give’ to you.”

Paul knew it was THE ROBOTIC-ARM ‘of’ the other-Perth…

Hiro placed a metal suitcase on top of the IKEA, and opened it slightly to everyone present…

… there it was – the black-metal left-arm…

“Gimme-my-Beauty…” Peter reached his right-hand to grab the robotic-arm, but…

… Taro closed the case – and placed a paper FILE ON TOP of the luggage, saying…

“Dr Turner ‘had’ instructed -- that you have to ‘first’ sign the terms-and-conditions forms…”

“Give it to me – I’ll sign it with my ‘own’ blood!” the enthusiastic Peter chuckled in euphoria.

“Actually, here are 2 forms that needed to signed – the other being the SIM™ learning AI device…” reminded Hiro.

Paul saw their mother snatching the file from Peter, asking her son…

“Have you ‘read’ the contract!!?”

Taro apologized and handed her a pen…

“We’re sorry, Mrs Walker – actually YOU’RE THE ‘ONE’ who would-be signing them – with your son-Peter being a ‘minor’…”

They all saw Caroline sitting slowly at the IKEA dinner-table with the file -- perusing the papers – while Taro summarized…

“It’s just standard release forms stating-that there is a contract between Kimura Star, the company with the Walker family to owning the prototype ‘invention’ of the company’s products devices…

“… where it also states that it is a one-time deal with no warrantee in ‘both’ the devices – meaning that – if Peter ‘break’ it… don’t come back to us for ‘any’ replacements…

“There is also, legal implications that the devices should ‘not’ be used for criminal and illegal activities both off-and-online – as Kimura Star would ‘not’ be liable for any lawsuits…

“… if you agree to the terms, Mrs Walker – then you can sign it…”

“… please Mom – I ‘need’ this…” as-Paul ‘saw’ the devil beg…

… then saw their mother was quiet for the next 10 seconds in thoughts – before she spoke…

“I’ll sign for the learning device – BUT ‘NOT’ for the prosthetic-arm…”

“WHAT!!? Why MOM?”

“You have anger-issues – remember… you hit a boy in school with your former plastic-arm – and I then get called to your principal's office to apologize to the parents!”

Paul recalled that incident in school after ‘their’ road-accident when Peter wore a fake-arm – where Peter got mad and attacked a student for making fun of his prosthetic arm – as a walking one-armed-bandit slot machine. And, days later – Paul too was slapped by Peter with the ‘same’ plastic-arm…

‘… my cheek was swollen for a damn-week… can’t speak, eat and drink well then…’

From the kitchen counter, Paul looked at the IKEA table where the ‘action’ was – where Peter broke down-and-wailed in-tears – in front of Caroline and visitors. The red-glowing lugubrious twin begged, urged and pleaded, in full-on melancholy monologue…

“… why-Mom, how can you do ‘this’ to me…? This arm is my future to ‘play’ tennis… I’m a southpaw like McEnroe, Mom – I ‘need’ this arm if I were to step-up my-game – to win school tournaments and many-more… so… ‘why’ are you putting a stop for my-birthright dreams…?

“…I ‘know’ my Dad wouldn’t do such an awful thing, right…? He ‘wants’ me to make ‘his’ Walker-family name proud, even after his death…

“… but ‘why’ Mom… why are you putting a stop and make your son into this one-armed-freak who is constantly bullied and made fun-of because I’m ‘no’ good with my right hand… just-cause I’m a leftie… this world is cruel and unfair to the least fortunate handicaps who are lefties…

“… you are ‘one’ of them in the world, Mom – you are ‘not’ fair to me – you pick a-small incident of my unfortunate past… and you then pigeonhole me to my ‘future-failure,’ of remaining life in my father's house as a ‘useless’ handicap…”

The observing Paul went…

‘… wow! What crocodile-tears and method-acting – give my twin an Oscar…’

Peter continued his mournful ranting – and made their mother ‘uncomfortable’ in front of the visitors…

“… I’ve ‘changed’ Mom… I did ‘not’ get into any single-fights with anyone in this final-term, have I ‘not,’ Mom…?”

Paul finally heard Caroline respond…

“But you ‘did-so’ a couple of months ago – when you bashed that Pakistani-student with your tennis racquet – and I’ve to come to your school-again – and see your principal, and get you to attend your student-councillor’s anger management sessions that you ‘skipped’…”

“… but I’ve attended ‘every’ of Ms King’s sessions this term since I had some’ quarrels with Zubeer Khan… but all has ‘been’ resolved, right? And, I took Principal Harris good-advice by-heart and had ‘not’ got in-trouble ‘ever-since’… please-Mom… sigh the form…”

Everyone saw Caroline silent, as she decided…

“NO, I don’t think YOU’RE ‘READY’ for it…”

“WHAT…? WHY, MOM!!?”

A loud thunder roared, ABOVE THE ROOF of the Walker House…

“Peter, I ‘know’ you – you’re unpredictable – you’ll next ‘get’ into fights and with a metal-arm… the damage ‘would’ be severe too – in-evidence, it would-be an assault-weapon for us-the-police… and you’ll be arrested-and-prisoned ‘if’ physical attack someone!”

“No! It won’t happen, I promise… I won’t hurt even a fly or a kitten with my-leftie – I ‘swear’ Mom… I swear upon my father's grave – I won’t hurt anyone…”

“You can swear all-you-want on your father’s grave – but I know you, my ‘boy’ – you’re irresponsible and you’ll break your grave-swearing promises the ‘moment’ I sign for it!”

“NOooo… please don’t say ‘that’ about my Dad – I know you ‘don’t’ love him – but I still do…as his-son…!”

Caroline was dumbstruck and horrified when Peter was airing the Walker-family’s ‘personal-dirty-laundry’ to the visitors. She spoke-next for a cover-up…

“… Peter, you are ‘not’ responsible yet – first, you continue ‘going’ for Ms King’s session – that ‘TEMPER’ OF YOURS ‘has’ to-go, because right-now your ‘words’ are no-good to me… and then I will come to visit both your student counsellor and principal to ‘see’ if you ‘ACTUALLY’ CHANGED – and ‘only’ then I would ‘sign’ any form, is that ‘understood’…?”

“NOooo…”

Everyone saw Peter wailing while he sat on the floor, and with his only hand on his head, trying to pluck his ‘own’ hair-out…

“Peter, stand-up – behave yourself – don’t be a drama queen!” said the ‘embarrassed’ host.

At the rear, Paul heard his mother utter – drama-queen for the first time in his tween-life…

… which reminded him of the ‘similarity’ of Korean-dramas he watched – where men ‘cried’ more than the women, in the dramatic situations…

“… you ‘all’ are unfair to me… YOU ALL-ARE… ‘why’ pick-on me…?”

Peter got-up on his feet – and went to Taro as he pleaded in desperation, tugging his arm…

“… Taro-san… please talk some ‘sense’ to my mother of the ‘benefits’ of this magnificent invention of Kimura-Star… I will ‘prove’ to your company… that I’ll do ‘great’ things with it as a one-armed handicap – who could ‘do’ incredible accomplishments with this device for the company’s testimony… so-that the rest of the world, in its own-eyes would-see that it is ‘true’ – I’ll even will ‘endorse’ it for free too – just give me a ‘chance’… that’s all I ask…”

Taro sighed and responded…

“… sorry-Peter – you’re a minor below-18… you still ‘need’ your mother’s signature as the guardian on the release-form…”

“Not ‘you’ too… pleaseee Taro-san…”

“… but Peter… I don’t ‘know’ you-well enough like your mother does… but the way I am ‘hearing’ things ‘now’ that you ‘fight’ in school – I ‘just’ have to let her decide on her professional capacity as a police-inspector… whether you ‘are’ responsible enough to ‘own’ this gift… mind you, Peter... this is ‘not’ a toy…

“I’ll ‘be’ responsible… please…”

Taro sighed again…

“This arm is a delicate piece of machinery – yes, it’s made of titanium -- but if you go-crazy and ‘uncontrolled’ by punching the wall or something hard surface – it would affect the mechanism inside, and would then-cause it to malfunction… that ‘was’ why Kimura-Star had this one-deal-off policy if it’s broken…”

“… I won’t ‘break’ it…”

“… since you said you’re a leftie – the capacity of this arm is for you to hold a fork when you eat, or hold a pen to write… and we even calibrated ‘enough’ force-power for you to ‘play’ a comfortable game of tennis, as an ‘abled’ person, and – NOTHING ‘MORE’ THAN THAT… and certainly ‘not’ misusing it like ‘some-silly-fictional’ superhero on TV…

“… like I said Peter, this is ‘NOT’ A TOY – you ‘should’ be seriously responsible – and, if you ‘manhandle’ it, you’ll either ‘break-it’… or in the worst-case scenario, ‘cause’ injuries to others…”

“… but I ‘promised’ – I won’t fight...”

Taro turned to Caroline…

“It’s ‘your’ decision, Mrs Walker…”

The inspector-mother exhaled a deep breath, as she weighed the ‘benefits’ as-well-as the ‘attitude-and-behaviour’ of her elder-twin son… EVERYONE SAW HER shaking her head, sighing – as she looked down at the pen-and-paper…before she spoke…

“No… I don’t think so he’s ‘ready’…”

At that same time, a bolt of bright lightning flashed from the kitchen window – as Paul saw a silhouette of Peter ‘glowing’ in crimsoned-red…

The one-armed boy was in a speechless-shocked state…

“… very-well, we will ‘return-back’ with the arm…” said Taro, as he closed the metal case, with the black-arm inside…

“NOOOOO!”

A LOUD THUNDER exploded, as Peter lunged-drop on the IKEA table – with his one-arm clinging a tight-hold on the metal-case…

… everyone then ‘FELT’ THE FLOOR OF the Walker House ‘rock’…

A frightened Hiro exclaimed aloud, squatting on the floor…

“Do they have earthquakes in Perth... like in-California…!!?”

A HUGE GUSH OF WIND blew into the Walker House through the open kitchen window – that terrified them further from the existing tremor…

Fortunately, it ‘only’ lasted 5 seconds…

Paul saw the kitchen was cloudy with falling dust and old-paint flakes from the ceiling – noticing too, as he heard the-still rattling sounds of dinner-plates and the crockeries at the washing counter, in the aftermath...

… dust was irritating everyone’s eyes as the kitchen-lights too flickered. Paul rubbed his teary-eyes to look at the terrified visitors and Caroline ‘recovering’ from the shock, as Taro was seen picking-up the scattered papers of the contract forms on the kitchen floor…

… he heard the petrified Caroline saying to Hiro Yamada, as she shut the kitchen window…

“What was that…? This ‘never’ happened before…”

… Paul recalled…

‘… yes-Mom – it ‘DID’ HAPPEN BEFORE during our group-session with Ms King… when you ‘were’ away – where PETER HAD ‘CAUSED’ the house to shake ‘before’…’

When the dust had finally settled-down, everyone saw the sobbing Peter lying on the floor – clinging-on to the metal rectangular hard-case with his one-arm. Paul then saw their mother rushing to him…

“Peter! Are you hurt?”

“… yes, I’m ‘hurt’ – ‘you’ ‘hurt me, Mom…” the ‘drama-queen’ was still lugubrious…

“Come, get on your feet-now…”

“… NOooo…”

Caroline was embarrassed that Peter was behaving in such manner in front of the visitors…

… she ‘had-seen’ younger children had done this before, when they had tantrums and cry falling to the floor of shopping-marts when the parent refused to buy them lollies-or-toy…

… but certainly ‘not’ her ‘grown’ tween son…

“Come-on – get up now!”

Paul saw Caroline and Hiro, trying to stand him to his feet – but his-twin was resisting the adults’ efforts. Soon they had managed to get Peter to stand on-his knees…

… clinching the metal hard-case to his chest with his one-arm, Peter wailed…

“Mom, if you ‘still’ love your handicap-son… please… please, let me ‘own’ my left-arm…”

Caroline shouted at him…

“OKAY! You can have your damn-arm – as long as you’ bloody-behave’…!!!”

Paul’s jaw dropped ‘when’ he heard that…

‘… a really-really bad idea, Mom – the devil – is going to ‘misuse’ it…’

Peter got up on his feet, and placed the metal hard-case on the IKEA table… wiping his tears…

… while at the rear, Paul sighed in disappointments that their mother WAS ‘FOOLED’ by his twin’s Oscar-worthy acting…

Caroline sat at the table and saw Taro – who tacitly nodded at her while handing her a pen and the contract papers…

… Paul sighed deeply – when he saw their mother signing the T&C papers – while his red-twin ‘glowed’ into a positive-pink…

‘… bad-idea…’

Hiro said to Taro…

“Shall we ‘test’ the device on the ‘recipient’…?

“Yes, we ‘should’ – and make it fast too, before the storm-hits-again…”

Both the visitors were setting-up their equipment on the IKEA table with Caroline sat quietly – to observe what the ‘fuss’ was all-about with this ‘arm’…

… she had bought Peter a plastic-prosthetic arm before WHICH HE ‘JUNKED’ at their garage-boxes – soon, this metal arm too will go INTO STORAGE ONCE her twin-son was either bored-or-done with it…

“Bring it on!” cried the excited Peter – as he removed his t-shirt and sat at the table…

Paul too was a silent-observer…

‘… wow, he’s rapt-and-cheery again – what an incredible crocodile-tears-fest performance, he’d pulled-on earlier…’

Taro was strapping the Velcro to fit the black-arm onto Peter’s stump and around-the-chest – while Hiro was sticking wired-electrodes to the Walker-tween’s temple…

“… he’s a Beauty – I’m ‘already’ feeling like the Winter Soldier…”

Paul noticed him making the ‘similar’ pop-culture references, like-of the other-Perth…

Hiro was calibrating a metering device to Peter’s brain-wave frequency – while Taro slid-open a small-panel on the black-arm’s wrist, and was fine-tuning between 3 small dials inside…

Caroline was astonished across the table…

‘… what is this – it looks like ‘science-fictiony’…?’

… wherein real-life, she ‘hates’ all of the bullshit in sci-fi TV programmes.

“I think we are ready-for a go…” said Hiro concentrating on the needle of his meter.

“Good – we go for a test-run – Peter, focus and move your-fingers…” Taro instructed.

Everyone saw Peter’s eyes closed – as he entered his-zone…

They were all delighted when Peter’s fingers moved – Paul saw the visitors congratulating themselves for a successful test… and he then saw the awed look in their mother’s face…

… they ‘were’ impressed…

… but ‘not’ Paul – where, it was a ‘rerun’ for him – WHO HAD SEEN the ‘episode’ from the ‘future’ other-Perth.

Peter open his eyes – he focused to the clench of a fist, as he opened-and-closed it, with ease…

“See-Mom – I can do this!”

Caroline was over-whelmed for words, as she nodded to him with tears in her eyes – that ‘one’ of her-boys was ‘whole’ again…

… after ‘more’ than 2 years AS A HANDICAP since the tragic road-crash…

Paul too was in a mixed-emotions state – of envious and disappointment…

… it ‘was’ his concept-art of a robotic arm that Jane sent to her uncle-Dr Jack Turner of the other-Perth… ‘that’ – gave him an-arm over there – where-else…

… he was denied’ of an invention-device that could make-him-walk…

… which was an impossible invention to science – DUE TO HIS severe spinal-cord damage from the ‘same’ car-crash…

‘… which Peter ‘caused’…’

“Peter, go-ahead – pick ‘something’ up…” instructed Taro.

Paul scoffed to himself…

‘… this is where the idiot WOULD SHOW-OFF – he did-so with the eating with chopsticks ‘demo’ in the other-Perth. What bloody-thing is he ‘going-to’ do now…?’

The bare-bodied, Peter stood-up from the table – as he swaggered to the kitchen window – to his Babolat and tennis-ball on a chair – he then looked over to his shoulder to Caroline…

“Come on, Mom – stop sitting ‘pretty’ over there – use your iPhone and video this ‘miracle’ of science – this is an ‘even-more’ important footage than my first’ baby-steps-video…”

Taro and Caroline were ‘recording’ Peter walking over and with his right hand he picked up the tenno-ball and before he ‘picked-up’ his Babolat – Peter called for confirmation…

“Are you recording ‘this’ – MY ‘FIRST’ BABY-STEP-PICKs with my-leftie…?”

“Yes-dear!” replied their ‘excited’ mother…

… Paul scoffed…

‘… sheesh-Mom! A moment ago, you were FROZEN IN FRIGHT – when the devil ‘shook’ the house – now, you’re sucked-into his ‘circus’ performance…’

“Okay-Huston – here it goes…” in-total confidence, Peter focused-on his black-metal arm to pick-up his tennis racquet from the chair…

… everyone cheered as he LIFTED HIS BABOLAT over his head, screaming aloud like-of Arnie…

“Hasta la Vista, Baby – I’m Back, you-minions!”

Paul saw their overjoyed mother rushing over-to hug him – Peter resisted…

“Save your kisses for-later, Mom – ‘KEEP-RECORDING’ – I need this for my ‘comeback’ archive!”

Paul sighed – recalling the moment-of 2-YEARS AGO – being in the YouTube-crew of the fame-demanding ‘champ-Peter,’ when he ‘challenged’ older players in the clay-court…

‘… you-egoistic show-off…’

“Quick… video-this!”

They saw Peter holding his racquet with his leftie and was bouncing the tenno ball – he was clumsy as he had ‘not’ much control-nor-focus – but the visitors cheered-on…

“Bravo! Bravo!”

The ball fell to the floor after the 6th bounce – Peter felt the robotic-arm heavy, sagging ‘lifeless’ from his stump – he panicked…

“Cut! Stop ‘shooting’, Mom!” Peter shouted like a movie-director…

Peter made a complaint about the ‘product’ to Taro…

“What happened, Taro-san? Why it ‘sagged’ limbless… like Poe’s legs – is it ‘broken’…?”

Paul was embarrassed when his twin ‘mentioned’ him – but the visitors didn’t take notice…

“No, it’s ‘not’ broken… come-on over to the table, Peter – we have a solution to ‘fix’ that…” Taro called…

Paul saw the visitors were modifying’ his twin's Pete2.0 – he didn’t know ‘what’ was going-on – so, Paul looked around the kitchen, as he ‘waited’…

… he noticed cobwebbed-spread of hairline cracks on the wall and ceiling – it was also where the refrigerator and the cabinet counters were…

‘… son-of-a-gun, we ‘could’ have us-all ‘died’ just now… when you ‘nearly’ brought the house down with your tantrums…’

… the only person whom HE ‘KNEW’ DIED under a ‘falling’ building was – Hajji of the other-Perth – when the armed criminal ‘infiltrated’ by posing as-a-fan into a crowded gym, during the PFC vs Doug/Zoe knockout tennis-match.

Paul was distracted when his girlfriend’s name was mentioned – when he heard Peter talking ‘about’ Jane to the visitors…

“… how-come Jane Wilson’s SIM has a google-sunglasses that calibrated ‘distance’…? I have borrowed her Boyyo ‘before’—and I noticed ‘that’…”

“Jane’s tech is ‘MORE’ ADVANCED of our-series – which ‘aids’ her blind-self to perform tasks of a sighted person…” replied Taro…

… Paul thought…

‘… ‘what’ more-advanced-series…? What façade is Kimura Star are into – are they ‘building’ cyborgs…?’

… he ‘recalled’ Jane in the other-Perth, telling the story of her uncle ‘building’ a cyborg – from a DEA narcotic-agent who had her limbs blown-off in a failed high-speed-car pursuit.

Hiro was fitting a Bluetooth kind-like device into Pete2.0-headset’s right ear-speaker – and was calibrating it with his meters, on the IKEA table. Hiro nodded to Taro…

“It’s ready – we can ‘run’ the test using the Spectral-3RX…”

Taro fitted the headset onto Peter’s head, saying…

“Okay-Peter, we have fit this ‘additional’ device – it is a tiny 16-pins that fits to your ‘right-temple to ‘simulate’ your left-brain – so that, it could give you more ‘control’ of your leftie. The sensation of the poking-pins would be uncomfortable now but you’ll get used-to-it…

“Come-Peter… do-continue ‘your’ demonstration…”

A hyped Peter stood-up from the table, looked at his mother – who ‘automatically’ knew her-role – as she recorded footage for her son’s 2nd chance to be a ‘functional-and-normal’ tween.

Paul saw his ‘show-off’ twin picking the tenno-ball on the floor with his right-hand – and he then ‘focus’ his leftie to pick-up the Babolat on the floor which – he dropped earlier when he ‘lost’ control…

… Peter continued to bounce the ball on his racquet with effortlessness – he laughed-out…

“It’s working! It’s working… it’s super-duper easy-peasy – Taro-san… Hiro-san… I have ‘more’ control of my wrist too…!”

The ecstatic Peter was laughing-silly that he ‘had’ RECLAIMED THE USE of his left-arm, after 2-years of the humiliation of being a one-armed boy with ‘big-dreams – as he bounced the tenno ball a-meter-high skilfully.

Everyone cheered in delight – except for Paul…

On his wheelchair, he saw the thrilled American-visitors who were hugging each other to their success – as they took pride in their company’s scientific-inventions. He then looked at his iPhone recording jubilant mother who-too shook the visitors’ hands – gratefully thanking them, over-and-over…

He looked-on his twin doing his circus-pony-trick, by his effectively bouncing the tenno more than 2 dozen times – BEFORE ‘SMASHING’ the yellow ball at the closed-kitchen window…

… Paul gasped – ANTICIPATING THE WORST – like a ‘broken’ window, just-like of his former bedroom upstairs…

… but the ball bounced off the sharp-edge of the window-sill – Peter then ‘switched-arms’ as his right-hand caught the Babolat – and WITH HIS ‘FREE’ black-metal arm, he jumped-up to reach-out ‘to-catch’ the return-ball.

That was Peter’s encore-feat – that ‘got’ his standing ovation, as he grinned and bowed with pride – as his mother-and-visitors cheered and came forward to congratulate his magnificent accomplishment…

-O-

As Hiro was packing-up his company equipment on the IKEA table – Taro gave Peter some last-minute reminders…

“… don’t get this ‘delicate’ Spectral 3RX in your headset wet in the rain – and ‘no’ swimming either in the pool while wearing the device… and also, don’t lift gym-weights or any heavy-objects more than 50 lbs – the Velcro-straps will ‘come-off’ your-stump… and you may tumble and hurt yourself…okay?”

Caroline chimed-in – to ‘support’ the ‘reminders’ – of the white lab-coat wearing Taro…

“Listen to the ‘doctor’ – behave yourself and don’t get hurt – or hurt ‘others’ too, with the metal-arm of yours…”

Peter ‘saluted’ to the inspector mother with metallic black-arm…

“… I ‘promise’ to behave, Mom – can I ‘hug’ you…? I ‘need’ a hug right-now…”

… his deliberate request was – for his ‘spying’ twin ‘to-see’…

“… by-the-way, Mom – how ‘many’ kilos is 50 lbs – I need to ‘calculate’ my tennis power-smashes…?”

The emotional and weepy Caroline was caught off-guard to his question, and was dumbfounded – to remember numbers – the ‘only’ number in her state-of-mind…

… was ONLY ‘ONE’ more-special child-of-hers… to take care of…

In the rear at the marble-top counter – Paul shook his head, sighing at ‘simple’ mathematics that Peter doesn’t know…

‘… ‘one’ pound = 2.2 kilos, you moron…’

Hiro at the IKEA table ‘answered’ Peter’s question…

“… 50 lbs are roughly more than 22.5 kilos… give and take in approximation…”

“… so, Peter… remember the terms-and-conditions too – it is a one-time-off for the devices – if you were ‘break-it’ and that’s on you. Goodbye, we have a flight to catch home…” Taro said their goodbyes to the Walkers.

-O-

The Walkers went outdoor to the porch – to send-off the visitors. Taro and Hiro hurried in the drizzle to their car -- to go to the Perth airport, before the storm hits. The black Mercedes Benz reversed from the front gate – with Peter frantically waving to the Americans with his ‘new’ black metal-arm.

At the same time, Paul noticed a pizza-delivery motorcycle coming over – and his stomach grumbled at the sight of food, during the wet-and-cold afternoon…

‘… what perfect-timing, Mom – you… ‘must-have’ ordered lunch during your phone-calls just now…’

He heard Caroline saying…

“… oh, the food is here – one-minute… let me go-grab my wallet from upstairs…”

Peter in rapt answered back…

“No-worries, Mom – I’m ‘buying’ today – let us sit at my father's table and celebrate!”

“Thanks, Peter – yes, we’ll celebrate alright – I’ll let you-both ‘drink’ a ‘small’ glass of wine in this ‘joyous-occasion’…”

Paul scoffed…

‘… I’m ‘not’ eating-it… ‘nor’ drinking wine… at that ‘bloody’ IKEA table…’

He noticed Caroline walking inside their house with 2 pizza-boxes – one small and the other was ‘large’ – he ‘guessed’ the small-one was Caroline’s vegan pizza – while the large box… was the one with 8 slices, where he ‘had’ to share-half with Peter…

‘… no-way – you ‘paid’ for it – you ‘eat’ it…’

He too left following his mother, with his shirtless twin at the porch – bragging and showing-off his metallic-arm to the pizza-delivery man, who was ‘wowed’ by it…

“Isn’t ‘he’ a Beauty, mate – the American ‘BUILT’ IT FOR ME for my tennis for my tennis-comeback – now, I’m the first-and-only Aussie ‘cyborg’ in the whole bloody wide-country! Isn’t that cool, or what…? Go-SPREAD THE ‘WORD,’ mate – that Peter Walker is Back!”

Peter was ‘generous’ when he took out his wallet and paid for the pizzas – also, tipping the man $10…

“Go-get yourself something warm to eat, cos – Winter is Coming…”

-O-

The gleeful Peter was practically dancing in his-bliss – waving his black-arm over his head, as he entered the kitchen, and-hearing Paul…

“Mom, I’m ‘not’ hungry – I’m going to my room…”

“Poe… you just ‘gave’ blood – come and eat your pizza…” said Caroline while pouring 3 glasses of Merlot.

“No! I’m ‘not’ hungry…”

He heard Peter calling him, as he sat at their late-father’s chair at the dining table…

“Come-on, bro – break-bread with us… we should eat-together when-ever we can, as a family…”

Paul scoffed softly, and did ‘not’ reply… as he wheelchaired-away…

‘… yea, getting ‘biblical’ aren’t you-you devil…? You can ‘fool’ Mom… but ‘not’ me!’

The windowless room’s door slammed-hard…

“What’s what him, Mom…? He’s been ‘acting’ like that since your absence lately – and here, I’m… ‘acting’ like good-Christian elder-brother looking-out for him – but he keeps avoiding me and even ‘not’ talking to me… he-too needs counselling from Ms King…”

“… stop it, Peter – Poe… he is ‘JUST’ DISAPPOINTED…”

Inside, the room – Paul could hear their conversation behind the porous room door… he was still annoyed and was rolling back-and-forth on his wheelchair – LISTENING MORE – of his twin’s pretentious deceit of buttering-up their inspector-mother to ‘trust’ his sham of his good-virtues.

Outside…

“Yea, I know he’s disappointed that he didn’t get a prezzie from Kimura Star… but I ‘got’ one – what am I to do…? I wished that Dr Turner had ‘invented’ a state-of-art wheelchair like the X-men’s Prof Xavier for him to whizz-around – and speaking of wheelchairs…

“… I’m glad you got him a manual wheelchair, Mom… since that ‘silly’ turtle-shelled automatic ride of his was ‘destroyed’ at that cow-farm in that disastrous school field-trip… this manual-chair ‘suit’ him-more – as he gets to move his elbow-muscles to exercise… and be-fit-like me – and ‘not’ fat-boy like he is ‘now’…

“… all Poe did was eat-eat-and-eat during the last 6 days – HE WIPED-OUT the entire everything in the fridge – and like Godzilla on his-hunger path… he raided the pantry too – and with no food in the house, and I had to-go and eat-out…

“Stop it, Peter! Shut-up – and eat your pizza!” said their ‘guilty’ mother.

Inside…

Paul was raged to his twin’s badmouthing about his WEIGHT-PROBLEMS – seated on his wheelchair… he was ‘punching’ his bed mattress hard as if it ‘was’ Peter’s face…

… he ‘needed’ a distraction – and reached out to his iPad to listen to loud-music on Spotify – to drown the ‘noise’ from outside his bedroom door…

… a random love-song of a band which HE HASN’T HEARD of sang-out – but it ‘reminded’ him of the ‘one-and-only’ good thing going in his life – Jane Wilson…

… soon, that ‘pure’ thought too was muddled with ‘negative’ emotions…

‘… what if you leave me too – AND-BE ‘HIS’ JANEY ‘AGAIN’…

… now that he is ‘whole-again’ as the Champ -- like in the other-Perth…

… when you had your ‘first’ bad-boy-crush’…?’

Outside…

Peter was eating his 3rd slice of pepperoni-and-ham pizza and he drank-up his glass of wine – he then reached out with – his leftie to grab a 2nd glass of Merlot, at the centre of the table…

“That’s Poe’s…” Caroline said…

“… but he’s ‘not’ here isn’t he…? Let me celebrate a-bit, okay…? It’s ‘not’ like I’m drinking ‘behind’ your back, Mom… cos I’m strictly a 2-glasses-only person since – I’m a responsible athlete knowing my limits. Since Poe is ‘not’ at the table with-us – let me drink on his-behalf… it’s like him… ‘congratulating-me’ of my-comeback and of my-future endowers…”

Inside…

Music as a distraction was ‘NOT’ WORKING FOR HIM – hearing the lyrics were like the song was ‘dedicated’ to the PFC’s ‘Jane-and-Peter’…

… soon, he was ‘picturing’ Jane making-out with his twin, on his bed, like in the other-Perth – where Jane ‘DID’ GO INTO his bedroom-upstairs… while he played Mortal Kombat on the PlayStation downstairs with Alicia – like a cuckold…

In jealousy, Paul let his mind go wild-astray…

‘… they-both were there FOR A ‘LONG’ TIME upstairs – did they ‘DO’ IT…?’

The cripple-tween wanted TO SCREAM OUT his frustrations ‘aloud’ – but he resisted…

… now, he needed AN ‘ESCAPISM’ from the love-songs – he levitated-over to plop on the bed with his iPad – as he decided to continue to binge episodes of his Korean drama-serials…

… where the broken-hearted actors – ‘cried’ more than the actresses.

<><>

IT RAINED HARD ON THE HIGHWAY – the American visitors’ car was stuck behind in the line of a mass traffic jam. Apparently, there has been a landslide from a hill that piled mud and boulders on the road…

… excavating crew in bulldozers were doing the clean-up, while the highway authorities were redirecting cars to use a different route – PASSING-THROUGH PERTH-CITY – and exit… to the road that led to the airport.

The American were ‘not’ bothered with the diversion -- having ample of time – to make it to the airport for their return flight to Washington.

-O-

It stopped raining when the American visitors’ Mercedes Benz got to the heart of Perth-city – but they were still stuck by the bumper-to-bumper traffic jam to reach the ‘exit.’ They had the time to make it for their flight, with the darkening streets-roads… brightened with night-time neon lights of business-ads.

In the car’s cabin, Hiro and Taro were both quiet and patient – as they wait-out the crawling road-jam while listening to jazz music from a local radio station. Taro was in the driver’s seat – and switched on the front windshield wipers to the drizzle outside…

… was thinking of his daughter’s birthday that was to be celebrated on the day of his arrival-back to DC – and, deciding on buying a plush koala-toy for her.

… while Hiro was bored – he rolled-down the passenger power-window to smoke a cigarette and watching the nightlife than theirs ‘first-visit’ of a different city of Downunder…

Suddenly – a small-shaped critter jumped into the open window and attacked the smoking and unsuspecting Hiro. He cried in pain as the infected-and-vicious Capuchin monkey bit his face and hands – while he fended himself-off from the SURPRIZED ATTACK…

… the terrified Taro too hollered in fright – as he saw his fellow-colleague being attacked by the monkey – and tried shouting-aloud to shoo it – but the creature wanted to attack him-too…

Thinking of his-safety, Taro rushed to open the Merc-door – to escape the peril…

… he was outside the car in the wet street – and wanted TO GET ‘HELP’ – that’s when he too was ‘attacked’ by a lanky wild Black-man with dreadlocks…

… the rabid-cursed Hajji pounced-on to the American – held him and bit his neck and face – the defenceless-Taro crumbled on the wet tarmac – as the African overpowered him by getting on top to bite him more.

The nearby stand-still cars in the rain – BLARED THEIR HORNS – at the chaos happening in front of their eyes…

… everyone was ‘then’ aware IT WAS HAJJI – wanted by the law – whose night-attacks in the heart of city resulted – many of its citizens hospitalized with the deadly-rabid disease…

Some brave Aussies-blokes armed with car-jacks and cricket-bats rushed to aid Taro – and, seeing their ‘numbers,’ Hajji and his-monkey escaped into the nearest dark-alley…

The crowd around the stationary Mercedes grew as they helped both the injured men – and noticing-also THAT HIRO IN THE CAR was foaming from his mouth and was beginning to behave in a vicious manner…

… they restrained both the ‘transforming’ into-biters-themselves – and immediately called the police-and-ambulance…

In the chaos…

… a woman ‘stole’ a cold-box from the Americans’ car backseat…

-O-

She walked carrying the cold-box case to the nearby parking-lot to her old green Volvo – Principal Tom Harris was behind the wheels – as he told Diane King…

“Excellent, we ‘got’ what we are searching for – LET’S HURRY BACK FOR THE ‘RITUAL’ – the Grand-wizard and the rest of the cabal are ‘waiting’ for us…”

The car soon-left for – the John Blake Country-club.

<><>

PAUL SPENT THE ENTIRE SUNDAY afternoon, bingeing episode after episode of his Korean drama-series. He ‘knew’ by the silence in the kitchen that his twin and mother have eaten their pizza-lunch and had gone upstairs…

… his stomach growled in the scenes when the Korean actors ‘ate’ food – as he had earlier ‘boycotted’ lunch because his twin had ‘paid’ for the pizzas… but he ‘still’ has his 5 slices of the leftover Marciano’s pizzas, delivered last night by Principal Harris…

… all he ‘had’ to do was – ‘nuke’ it-in the microwave – or eat it ‘cold’ from the fridge…

… but he was ‘lazy’ to get of the bed – as the story-plot was engrossing -- and so ‘was’ the unique culture… one-thing that baffled him for sure – was the bizarre-looking fruit called the Buddha’s Hand…

Reading subtitles, Paul watched the hero’s mother preparing candied lollies from the yellow-octopus-like ‘fruit,’ that has tentacles-shaped fingers. He ‘wished’ his ex-girlfriend, Alicia was with him to let him know ‘what’ the citron tasted-like… and, if her aunt’s restaurant in Chinatown ‘served’ it, so that he could go and taste it-himself…

… and, he made his bucket-list – to visit South Korea some-day – and taste every food… that his-actors ate at ‘their’ dinner-table in the show – that was shown as mouth-watering steaming hot in its succulent closeup-shots…

‘… maybe I’ll be a YouTube foodie vlogger – and get to travel to these exotic lands… and eat-eat-and-eat…’

-O-

He had only one episode to watch before the season finale – of the tragic love-triangle of 2 best-friends in love with the same girl. Paul can’t wait for how the story would end, but it was ‘bleak’ for the hero – as Asian storytelling…

… doesn’t have a sunset-Hollywoodish ending…

… his stomach growled in pangs of hunger – he decided to leave his bed to fix his late-lunch by microwaving the 5 pizzas from the fridge – and eat it on the bed while watching the finale…

Paul levitated-up and started stretching his back, after a couple of hours lazing on the bed with his ‘escapism’ – he was about to sit on his wheelchair – when his phone rang and when he picked up the iPhone – he looked at the time on his bedside alarm-clock – 3:31 PM…

It was Jane…

… his sense of hunger ‘vanished’ as his girlfriend called him now from-the-blues – as he had ‘waited’ patiently for her since last night.

“Cheers, Paul!”

Through facetime-chat, Paul saw Jane holding a bottle of white wine, and she was sloshed with her pale complexion which-went rosy.

It surprised the boyfriend – as the last time, SHE WAS ‘DRUNK’ was…

… in the video, he saw made in Perthland – where the ‘rebel’ teenaged Cursed-trio went on a drunkard havoc-spree and damaging public property.

The inebriated Jane then unrevealed her family problems at the Wilsons – where apparently, she had an argument with her ‘bully’ doctor mother…

Paul listened as he sighed to himself hearing the ‘same’ problem over-and-over… which he-himself was ‘relating-to’…

‘… yea, tell me about it – sometimes ‘real-life’ problems that we face are far-bloody complicated than ‘owning’ some mighty-godlike bloody-superpowers… that are shit-useless – to solving any-of ‘those’ domestic problems…’

He heard the sombre Jane suddenly chuckled – as she was telling about her ‘fight’ with her-mummy…

“… I ‘tricked’ her – I told my-mummy that I would go to the hair-saloon with her after the blood-test… after that – I ‘CHANGED’ my mind – and I said ‘NO’ to her… and she got really mad and we went on-about quarrelling till it got over-heated – then Daddy came in-between to put a stop… and mummy then ‘picked’ on him – and they both then were at each other's throats…

“… and-then… she left ‘alone’ – driving to the shop…”

Paul saw her swig-over the green-bottle to her-lips take a few glugs…

‘… will you ‘soon’ be an alcoholic later, O’ my sweet-Jane…?’

“She got no rights deciding things like ‘what’ I wear – and ‘how’ my bloody hairstyle looks like Stevie Wonder – and I shouted at her – ‘if you don’t like ‘what’ you see… put a bag ‘over’ your head-Mummy, I said’…” the blind-girl laughed aloud, rolling on her Queen-sized bed, before she sat up, to her Samsung-camera…

Paul cautioned her…

“Jane… your ‘voice’ is loud…”

Jane drank again, and replied…

“Rack-off with her – she would be ‘gone-out’ for a long-time – and Paul, we got 2 hours of uninterrupted airtime for ourselves…”

Paul was mesmerized that his girlfriend of 12-years-old -- had finished 2/3 of the bottle…

… his record was ‘only’ 2 glasses during his uncle’s wedding – where he and his crafty-cousins ‘secretly’ had their ‘own-party’ behind the celebrating adults – where Paul was drunk, and passed out during ‘most-of’ the dinner reception…

Blind-Jane blurted back to her ‘bully’ mother…

“She created a hell-of-a scene just now in the kitchen – shouting at Daddy that he ‘was’ wasting his life with his ‘new’ business-venture – she should-be ‘not’ shouting like that in the kitchen – stupid-Mummy – if you want to argue – do it in the bedroom, in both of your privacy… ‘not’ in the kitchen… ‘where’ people are…

“… then she took her car and left – and Jaheem was crying-hysterically that he ‘wanted’ to follow her – Daddy tried to pacify… and he then vomited-out his lunch… extra-work for my poor-father as he took Jaheem for a bath…

“… while Daddy was putting Samuel to his nap-sleep – I snuck this wine-bottle from the liquor-cabinet to my room…”

The intoxicated blind-tween laughed at her achieved cunningness to ‘steal’ a bottle – and Paul was passively lent a listening ear to his girlfriend’s woes – but he was ‘confused’ with the conflicting-events ‘timeline’…

“… I saw Dr Watson at around ‘noon’ with the Americans just-now – then she excused herself for an ‘emergency’ to her clinic – so ‘all-these’ things Jane told… happened ‘later’ – while I watching my K-drama…’

He saw Jane drinking ‘more’ from the bottle – he cautioned her…

“Whoa-Jane, take it slow…”

… but the blind-girl was stubborn herself – and finished THE WHOLE BOTTLE -- and laughed intoxication…

“Yay! I finished it! Sorry… ‘none’ for you, Pauly… now I’ve to get ‘rid’ of this evidence…”

Paul too chuckled – seeing a ‘different-side’ of Jane… holding an empty bottle.

“Wow! Jane-you sure can drink…”

Perspiring, the blonde rosy-skinned tween too giggled…

“Maybe I inherited my high tolerance from my Daddy – it was his big-mouth wife of his, who drove him to drink anyway… she ‘only’ thinks she could manage a business by running her clinic – and diss Daddy from starting his…”

From his iPhone screen he saw the jovial Jane was turning ‘sour’ – on her repeating-loop in trying to bad-mouth her ‘bully’ mother – so he ‘changed’ the subject to ‘distract’ her…

“So, Jane – how did you blood-test go…?”

“I’ve bled-more in my monthly period!” guffawed Jane – as she asked him-back…

“So Pauly… did YOU ‘BOYCOTTED’ like the last time… ha…?”

Paul was tongue-tied…

“…err…”

“What!!? You ‘GAVE’ THEM your blood – Why!!?”

He can’t find the words to tell her that he ‘felt’ insecure of losing her to his twin – but he too didn’t want to say ‘that’ too -- as it would make him look like a crippled-wimp… but he had to ‘say’ something…

“… err… but it’s for a good-cause – I did it to help Dr Turner’s cancer research…”

“How ‘do’ you know that there is an ‘actual’ cancer-research! Hah! Here we are – since ‘when’ we arrived in ‘this’ Perth – you told me ‘not’ to trust anyone, but ‘only’ ourselves…”

He saw her upset and annoyed ‘again’…

“But Jane…”

… she cut him off with a drunk-lecture…

“What you did was stupid… me… I don’t have a choice, Paul – he’s ‘my’ mother’s brother whom I ‘had’ trusted him once-before as my mentor – but… he ‘betrayed’ me in the other-place… and Alicia too indirectly hinted to me that he was ‘dishonest’ too… as he wanted to invade the privacy-data of those who used the Kimura Star techs – so… did Peter ‘receive’ his robotic arm?”

… Jane through her 3rd-eye ‘saw’ – her blue-beacon nodded to agree…

“Hah! Good luck to him!”

… Paul though that Peter by-nature would be willing to ‘brag’ ABOUT HIS PRIVACY for fame – as he suspected his twin was THE ONE WHO had ‘contacted’ Dr Turner in the first place – but he didn’t say a word…

He saw her burying her face in her palms of her hands – sniffling…

“Don’t cry, Jane… promise… we’ll ‘solve’ things together -- whatever it takes…”

“What about ‘now’…? Are you going to say – ‘enjoy your problems’…?”

“Touché…”

That’s ‘what’ the circumstances were IN PERTHLAND – where Paul gave-up hope to cope – and Jane was there to lift him up from his ruts… despite ‘being’ Douglas Zimmerman’s girlfriend, in that realm.

Jane began to chuckle as she wiped her tears – the ‘embarrassed’ Paul ‘too’ laughed – and decided to ‘change’ the topic of conversation-again…

“Hey-Jane, guess ‘whom’ I encountered last night…?”

… he gave his blind-girlfriend the ‘DETAILS’ OF THE 8-YEAR-OLD ‘frightened’ Peter … who was ‘trapped’ in his own-tween body – and, he was ‘not’ glowing…

“He was ‘not’ possessed too – did Asmodeus’ entity leave his ‘body’ last night…? But he was back being the ‘devil’ today… but last night…

“… I’m pretty-sure that I ‘spoke’ to my 8-year-old brother – what you think Jane…?”

Paul saw her shrugging her shoulders on the tiny-screen…

“I don’t know, are you sure, Pauly…? How come I did ‘not’ feel his presence…?”

“Yes, I’m ‘sure’ – I grew up with him in this ‘same’ house – I ‘know’ who I saw…?”

“Did he say anything out of the ordinary?”

“Nothing much… he ‘was’ freaky-scared like that movie of Vince Vaughn was-in… seeing ‘he’ was older but with one-arm, and he DID ‘NOT’ REMEMBER the car-accident too – he was then so-afraid to sleep… and I spent time in his bedroom with him until he finally knocked-out…”

“Did you sing him a lullaby?” the drunk Jane chuckled…

“No…” Paul saw her getting ‘jokey.’

“My radio-songbird mummy sings Jaheem to sleep…” the blind-girl teasingly laughed…

… before she doesn’t take his ‘discovery’ seriously – he cut-in saying…

“… my point being… Peter may ‘not’ fully-be possessed by Asmodeus DURING HIS SLEEP – and we can ‘somehow’ rescue him-then…”

“Good luck with that!” Jane said flatly…

… Paul was stumped after hearing that…

‘… was that a ‘stupid’ suggestion…? Sure-was… Mom ‘sleeps’ upstairs-too – well, anyway … I was just thinking-out aloud…’

Paul and Jane were-both quiet for a moment – with ‘no’ topics to talk about…

… Paul was’ still think about of ‘other-ways’ of saving’ his brother… when Jane said…

“Have you ‘done’ your school homework…?”

… Paul ‘had’ totally forgotten about it – it was the ‘sole’ reason he had patiently waited all-Saturday night for her call for tutoring him – but ‘events’ of the-Sunday with the visitors – had ‘changed’ the dynamics of his thoughts process-and-priorities…

He levitated fast to his desk to get his Math workbook… and returned to his bed…

… for the next half-hour, Jane switched-on her AI – and coached Paul…

… he was ‘glad’ that most of the ‘problems’ that he had solved ‘without’ her presence last night were the right answers – and made a mental note to take HIS ‘OWN’ INITIATIVE by referring to previous lessons to get the ‘clues-of-the-puzzle’ – instead of being in a state-of conscious helplessness…

… Paul too was impressed that Jane was sharp with her-numbers, despite in the state of intoxication, even-though her speech slightly-slurred – remembering-too that his girlfriend’s career ambition was to be a mathematician once graduated.

The boyfriend’s mind-too was into the rabbit-hole of the Matrix-numbers – as she guided him to ‘see’ the solutions – like Morpheus ‘did-with’ Neo…

… until…

… Boyyo then interrupted…

“Jane, you have an incoming call from Alicia…”

“Okay… leave a message that I’ll call her back…”

… Paul ‘gave’ a gentle-reminder…

“… hey-Jane… please don’t ‘involve’ Alicia-in – we don’t know ‘what’ Asmo’s plans are in this post-Treeton – we don’t want her to go into a coma, like in the other-Perth.”

“I know, no worries… I wouldn’t put me BFF in any danger…”

… he too was glad that Jane was ‘thinking-straight’ – and ‘not’ worried about her ‘blabbering’ their secret-identities as she had one-too-many drinks…

… he remembered Alicia – his girlfriend back-then – was brutally attacked with head-injuries in the other-Perth to end-up with an irreversible coma, and she was ‘dying’…

… where he had to ‘GO-AND-RESCUE’ her soul from the Diyu’s magistrate’s soul-carrier entities – that had the likeness of an ox-and-horse – where the tweens both eventually returned to ‘earth’ – and Alicia ‘regained’ consciousness, after that…

“Hey-Paul, are you following the ‘sum’…?”

“… huh… yea-yea, please go-on…”

-O-

Paul was pleased that he ‘had’ completed his Math homework – and ‘now’ had time with-Jane – as they spoke sweet-nothing for the next remaining-hour… until, Jane ‘panicked’…

“I ‘hear’ my mummy’s car – she’s back – I got to go…”

“Yea, kissey-kissey… see you in school tomorrow…”

“I love you.”

“I love you-too…”

Paul saw his iPhone screen go-black, as his blind-girlfriend was virtually ‘gone’…

… lying in bed, drunk-in-love as his thoughts of his ‘fear’ of losing-Jane was ‘gone’ too…

… the assuring ‘confirmation’ that Jane ‘WAS-HIS’ in this post-Treeton realm – while she was Peter’s in the other-Perth – and was of Dougie’s in Perthland…

… with that anxiety ‘gone’ – he had his thoughts IN-MINDFUL PEACE while catching up with his lack-of-sleep from last night…

Paul took a nap.

<><>

IT WAS A SHORT NAP as the crippled tween was ‘woken-up’ by his rebelling tummy-growls against his tiredness – to rouse-him-up like an alarm-clock in snooze mode – and, the mind reminding that he had ‘not’ taken his lunch…

… he wanted to sleep… but could ‘not’…

… the-flesh was-willing – but the-tummy was-weak…

He levitated weak to his wheelchair and looked-over at the time – 5:55 PM.

-O-

He rolled-outside to the kitchen and heard the TV news in low volume, and heard his twin’s voice talking. Paul looked out of the kitchen window – the Audi was ‘not’ there at the porch – and he assumed that their mother was out, doing the family’s Sunday grocery shopping.

As he approached the fridge, he ‘heard’ distinctly of his twin – who was ‘studying’ for his Geography by saying aloud the names of the country’s port-cities – Paul hissed softly…

‘… if only you ‘did’ study 2 years ago – Dad would-be ‘ALIVE’ TODAY… you… you ‘killed’ him that day…’

He saw across at the IKEA table where the half-opened box of the pizza that Peter paid-for – but he was more interested in the Marciano pizzas in the fridge – where the ‘overnight’ pizza taste better when the meat had ‘marinated’ itself in the cheese-and-dough…

… he opened the fridge-door and was HORRIFIED TO SEE – the Marciano-box was ‘not’ there…

…he looked over and saw it dumped in the black kitchen trash-bag – Peter heard his twin growl, and acknowledged him…

“Hey-Poe, you haven’t had your lunch just-now – there are leftover pizzas from lunch on the table – and-by the way, I threw-away the pizza in the fridge… it ‘smelled’ bad…”

Paul scoffed…

‘… how could last night’s pizza that was ‘delivered’ by Principal Harris ‘smell’ bad…? You ‘did’ it on purpose…’

The crippled boy was flabbergasted as he sat on his wheelchair for a moment, thinking…

… Peter ‘could-not’ have known… it was the dinner that should ‘HAVE-BEEN’ SHARED by the both of them – which Paul DID ‘NOT’ SHARE – because Peter had bought his own-pizzas last night.

‘… anyway… IT WAS ‘HIS’ SHARE – and he threw it away… no harm, no foul – Peter hates and don’t eat cold-pizza…’

With his growing hunger, he decided to eat the humble pie – paid by his antagonistic twin whom he was ‘not’ in speaking-terms. Paul made his way to IKEA table – and opened the large pizza box…

… and was shocked to discover 3 pizzas slices in it… that looked like the craters-of-the-moon – as Peter HAD DUG-IN by eating the pepperoni-and-ham toppings – leaving only the cheese-and-dough…

Annoyed, he pushed the box-away across the table – towards the chair his father once sat…

‘… I’m ‘not’ eating his spittle…’

Peter turned his head, and giving the evil-eye at Paul…

“… bloody-disrespectful… ‘somebody’s’ gonna ‘get’ it…” he punched randomly the clutched fist of his robotic-arm to his right palm…

Paul realized that Peter was trying to ‘bully’ him to get into a ‘fight,’ to ‘test’ his bionic-arm – with their mother-away from the house of Walker…

… he ‘did’ so when he attacked him in the other-Perth – where Paul ate a slice of his-pizza…

‘… ‘not’ today, moron – I can ‘easily’ electrocute-and-fry your robotic arm beyond repair – and you’ll be back to square-one… as a bloody one-armed fool…’

Since his-twin was ‘not’ biting his bait – Peter went back to his Geography lessons – while Paul put-on the kettle to make tea – and waited out for Caroline to return – who usually bought takeaways for dinner, each time she went for Sunday grocery shopping…

While waiting for the water to boil – Paul’s negative-emotions too brewed from the resentment he had on his provoking-twin – and later realised he was deeply thinking of ‘ways’ to destroy his twin’s robotic-arm – just-like he did with the Venom-toy in his dream…

‘… stop it Poe… you’re a Christian – a follower of Christ… IF YOU ‘DO’ THAT – you’re no different than the devil-himself…’

He then chuckled softly – thinking of his forgotten-lesson of his Sunday-school Catechism – but ‘re-taught’ recently by Alicia, who-was a Buddhist…

‘Ask and You’ll Receive – Seek and You’ll Find’

‘… ‘how’ lucky you’re Peter – you ‘ask’ and you ‘receive’… now, you got your AI to study, your metal-arm too – Mom must HAVE-BE THINKING that her bloody eldest-son is now ‘complete’…

‘… but I’ll ‘seek’ and I ‘ll ‘find’ the – ‘WAYS’ TO EXPOSE YOU – that those bloody ‘gifts’ were ‘not’ God-honest receiving…’

Paul was jolted by his TWIN EXCLAIMING aloud on the couch…

“Holy-Shit! What has happened!!?”

Paul rolled his chair over… hearing Peter instructing…

“Pete2.0… increase the volume…”

“Yes, Master…”

… the AI ‘performed’ as a universal-TV-remote-control, as it turned-up the sound…

From the rear, Paul saw the photos of BOTH THE AMERICAN-VISITORS on the large LED TV screen… and he RECOGNIZED THE NEWS-CASTER too as Lana Lane – who cornered him-and-Jane – to comment ON THE BLACK-PANTHER ATTACK last week at the Wilson residence.

“… visiting Americans – Taro Umemura, 38 and Hiro Yamada, 33 – who were on the way to the airport… but both were attacked in uptown Perth but fortunately they were rescued other drivers in the traffic jam when they chased the rabid-infected ‘patient-zero’ – also known as Hajji Ibrahim Eusoff Adeyemi and his Capuchin monkey – who were responsible for terrorizing and attacking and infecting several citizens for the past 10 days…

“… the perpetrators are still at large from law – and both the ‘bitten-injured’ Americans were rushed to Royal Perth Hospital for emergency treatment and quarantine…”

Paul was still in shock with jaw-dropped – but Peter ‘recovered-fast’ as he laughed in ‘relief’…saying to Pete2.0…

“Thank God, those Yanks delivered my prezzie ‘before’ they were attacked – or else, Pete2.0 – you wouldn’t have ‘met’ your brother-the-Smasher!”

… the inconsiderate comment of his twin flew over his head and – DID ‘NOT’ AFFECT Paul – as he was terrorized by the thoughts of…

‘… where are the BLOOD SAMPLES of the Cursed-trio – WHAT ‘HAPPENED’ to it…?’

<><>

AT THE JOHN BLAKE COUNTRY-CLUB a necromancy ritual was held – attended by the business community of Perth – where some were the captains-of-industry of the city. The private invitees were all gathered in a closed auditorium – where the men wore a full-hooded black robe and the women were in-purple…

… all of the 666 attendees were facing a ritual altar as they were incanting Sumerian dark ancient chants – witnessing THE GRAND-WIZARD in a full-red robe who had sacrificed a white new-born calf. The blood of the dead-cattle was collected by the witchcraft disciples before the remains of an animal were sacrificed at a burning pyre.

Metal bowls of the blood were ‘marked’ on the foreheads of the congregation –who were chanting-out aloud to a large statue at the altar.

-O-

Principal Harris and Diane King entered the smoky venue, carrying the cold-box – everyone bowed and got on their knees… as their chanting grew into murmurs…

… seeing them both walking over to the altar – with the wizard was still chanting-aloud.

The principal of Stamford High School handed the cold-box to the red-robed Grand-wizard and backed-away– as-the sorcerer then revealed himself by removing his hood…

… it was Jared Wilford.

He opened the case, and took out a vial of blood marked ‘Peter’ by the American-visitors – Wilford held the vial above for the 666 cult-members to witness…

“Behold the 2nd coming of the Son-of-Asmodeus!”

Everyone responded…

“Hail! Hail! Hail!”