THE AUSTRALIAN WEATHER DEPARTMENT had ‘seeded’ the clouds that morning… and it rained in the areas of the raging forest fire. It eased the efforts of the firefighters below momentarily, until…

… the-Egyptian she-demon of death, Ammut blew her Blackmagic spelled dust from her left palm-into the air, and the WIND HAD CHANGED DIRECTION – and the rain clouds were blown away, to coastal rains in Perth city.

The firefighting men were back on their backs… fighting the smoke and blazing inferno, created by the ‘INVISIBLE’ AMMUT…

… her fire-breathing pet-named… Ammit.

<><>

AT LATE EVENING, PAUL AND MERCURY FLEW in the smoky atmosphere… while they both headed to the Wilson residence. They landed on the roof, outside blind-Jane’s bedroom, and she was-too napping…

… after her night-long ‘quest,’ of rescuing her dog yesterday.

“Jane! Jane.” Paul rapped, her closed window…

… Jane was rudely awakened, and with her 3rd-Eye – she saw both ‘blue and red’ glow outside her window.

“Paul…?”

… Jane got off her Queen-sized bed, and walked to the window and ‘saw’ Paul – and, she opened the window despite it was smoggy outside. The cripple-tween-then slide horizontally, into the room.

The blind-girl gasped in fright… ‘seeing’ a glowing Red-demon outside her window waiting. It looked ugly, dark and menacingly radiating in crimson – and, had only one-arm, holding a threatening, burning sword…

… which reminded Jane of PETER, AND HIS Babolat racquet.

“Jane, don’t be afraid – HE IS my friend.”

“Pauly, he-is a ‘demon’ – how can you say, he is a friend, and trust him…?”

“Well, Mercury had helped us ‘before,’ when we faced BlackStar, in the Aurora Australis – now, he WANTS TO HELP PETER to ‘break’ the spell of Asmodeus – where, he ‘himself’ is now in trouble-for his life, for ‘doing-it’ so because, Asmodeus had PUT A BOUNTY on his head – that is why, I trust him of ‘WHY,’ HE CAME HERE… to help us.”

“Help us how…?” Jane responded.

“Jane, for now, we have to defeat this Ethiopian demon…”

“Egyptian!”

The Red-demon corrected Paul, from outside.

“…sorry, yes-that she-demon – called Ammut… whom Peter has been-fuelling her, to be strong – WITH HIS TOXIC NEGATIVE FEELINGS, bad emotions and evil intentions… just like he ‘had’ fed BlackStar before…

“…we have to defeat THIS DEMON, TO PROTECT and save the whole of Perth-city… from being razed to the ground – Jane, will-you help us…?”

… instantly, the blind-girl nodded.

<><>

CAROLINE WALKER WAS COOKING PASTA Bolognese for her boys – and a vegan, Olio-olio for herself. She heard Peter coming down the stairs, talking in his cellphone…

The one-armed son popped his head in the kitchen...

“Mom, I’m going out to the store… I ran out of my supply of energy-drink...”

“No, Peter it-is hazy outside… and you will get sick!”

“My purchase, won't ‘buy-itself’ – will-be back for dinner…”

The main-door slammed…

… the mother shook her head and sighed deep, realizing that despite being a police inspector of Perth, her elder-born Peter… ‘still’ DOESN’T FEAR OR RESPECT her ‘decisions’ because of his rebelling and bullying nature since birth...

… he had bullied Paul the most, in his life – but recently, Caroline was glad, that passive-Paul had been built up HIS COURAGE TO STAND UP for ‘himself,’ against his bullying twin, where lately she ‘saw’ it – at the deli, after church.

<><>

THE CURSED-TRIO STOOD ON A HILLOCK, after the rain. The weather was cooling over there… and an a-circular rainbow had formed around, where they stood.

All 3 of them were looking at a ‘distant,’ at the grey smoke of the forest fire… licked with bright flames, which-lit up-to-the sunset firmament.

“We have TO KILL-HER PET first… without ‘it’ protecting its Master – then it would then, be easier to slay Ammut.”

“How will we do that, Merc…?”

The levitating Paul asked. The Red-demon then chuckled, and took out a medium-sized leather sachet, from his belt.

“We use the entrails of the Olatunji serpents – they are reptile-legged snakes, in the Underworld, which-AMMIT FEEDS on.”

… Mercury opened the bag, and a nasty, stinking and putrid smell hit the air – Jane and Paul backed away… and were choking, and were making vomit, throat-growling noises.

Paul spat, and uttered…

“Put that away, it is horrendous – and, my Mom-complains my piss reeks…”

“Yes, Good-one, this IS THE ‘BAIT’, which I would use to lure Ammit out to the open before we kill it.”

The Red-demon flamed-on, and it spoke instructions…

“2-of you – WAIT FOR MY ‘SIGNAL’ – and, strike!!?”

Mercury-flew solo towards the blazing forest, leaving the handicapped tweens behind… at the hill.

… the demon landed in the unburnt area in the woods and flamed-off. His tracker skills kicked in, of a skilled hunter – as he went deeper into the dark timberland, at night.

He finally spied and tracked, to THE-SOURCE OF ‘inferno’– in the belly-of the woodland – and the Red-demon ‘SAW’ THE INVISIBLE Ammut ambling… who was pulling a chain, to her huge pet Ammit…

… her Ammit was the biggest the Red-demon had seen, of ‘all’ of Ammut’s hybreed pets, which she owned. It was 50 meters in its-length, from head to tail-tip – it was also gigantic-in-size of an African elephant, with a croc-head. But was shorter, with the hind legs of a scally hippopotamus…

… with a long reptile-spiked tail.

With the head of a crocodile with its big, gaping jaws, that was SPITTING OUT JET OF FIRE, like a flamethrower. The male-lion mane growth was fire-proof, as it-fluttered majestic with its roar, as THE BEAST FROM HELL… RAZED THE TREES, in front of it.

Its forebody of a lion, moved in amble, with flinging-fires destroying anything, on its path. And, its curling tail, was sweeping the trail, with the satisfaction of its destructive effort.

… Mercury hid as he saw the beast, led by its master on its leash… with chanting uttered by the she-demon. The Red-demon then set his ‘trap’…

… Mercury dipped his hand, into the sachet – and smeared the blood on to a dozen of tree barks. With a mischief grin… he made ‘loud’ clicking sounds with his tongue.

The sound of the clicks was even heard, echoing ‘OUTSIDE’ THE FOREST where the tweens were. Paul alerted…

“That is the signal, Jane – get ready…”

Deep inside the burning woods, the huge beast felt the ‘strong-scent’… like a shark-to-blood – and the hybreed too, HEARD THE CLICK-SOUNDS that directed it… to the source of its favourite food. It got fidgety, and was ‘on’ edge…

… its master Ammut was struggling hard, to control her chain of the tugging pet moving sideways, who was ‘given’ in, to the magnetic-scent. But the powerful she-demon… subdued her roaring killer-beast with-a spell…

… and led it into the deep inferno…

The Red-demon followed them into the hellhole. He circled ahead, and he continued to click his tongue. Ammut and Ammit saw Mercury ahead, in the furnace.

Ammut appeared scared of-her pursuer, Mercury – who has a deadly reputation of his sharp-killer-instinct, in the Underworld…

… she let go of the chain…

Ammit darted towards the Red-demon… to confront and protect its master. Mercury with his flaming sword saw the roaring, gigantic beast-coming in, at full-speed straight at him. He dodged it by his high summersault, as he stabbed its upper body. Before backflipping to land, on the burning ground.

It was just a needle-prick to its scaly-armoured skin.

… the behemoth creature kept on running for a hundred metres, before HALT TO STOP – and turned U-IE back… for its 2nd chance, of its next attack.

While Mercury waited for its-sluggish return, and he saw… the Egyptian funerary deity running away from the fiery scene. He was in 2-minds, whether to chase her – as he ‘too’ heard the galloping footsteps of Ammit, coming behind him.

<>

AT THE MATAHARI HAIR SALOON, the proud mother, Robin Wong was directing a relative, to hang-up a large photo-frame, of a blown-up of Australian Chinese Daily newspaper cutting…

… with a photo of Mayor John Blake handing Alicia, HER BRAVERY AWARD in Stamford High School.

Customers in hair-dressing chairs were recalling ‘stories’ they had heard and read, of the incident of blind-Jane’s baby brother taken-and-hidden at the zoo.

At the saloon back, Alicia was in her mother’s small office… seated behind the business desk. She stayed indoors, as the air was ‘not’ healthy outdoors, with the forest fire from the north, razing various parts of Perth for 3 days.

She was on social media platforms, reading up on various hot-trending posts, that was Perth-fire related. The trending top was the mayor ‘postponing’ Hero Award giving to hero-dog Piper, because of the ‘fires’ – which itself was ‘fake-news’ – where the-was fact-of-the-fact was that the mainstream media doesn’t know the Piper was taken-and-freed… because it was a hush-hush police investigation.

But ‘only’ the tabloids’ online-news portals were reporting THE BREAK-IN, of the veterinary-hospital…

... but the ‘fire’ was a SAVING GRACE FOR THE MAYOR, or else he would suffer facing some media embarrassment for the RE-MISSING FAMOUS DOG – that left to… no-dog-and-pony-show of GIVING THE DOG-A-MEDAL ceremony, for his coming re-election.

Then came a bombardment of groups, in WhatsApp, of the fire – with shared videos, voice-messages of victims worrying-REPORTING OF ‘MISSING-PERSONS’ – and a ‘list’ of areas in Perth, that WOULD NEXT BE RAZED…

… and, Wilson’s residence-by the hill-WAS IN THE LIST.

The anxiety-stricken Chinese girl grew more worried at that moment and was also in contemplation if it ‘too’ as fake-news. She called up her blind-BFF but got no response. Alicia then left several messages for Jane, to confirm if she, Samuel and her family were ‘alright,’ and to RETURN HER CALL – but there was ‘still’ no response…

… Alicia was losing her mind by the passing minutes… and decided to take her ‘own’ action – by disobeying HER MOTHER, AND SNEAKING out without permission.

She got outside, from the saloon’s backdoor, and got on her bike… and raced off to her BFF.

<>

MERCURY NOTICED AMMIT WAS COMING in from the rear… as he stood firm on the fiery ground. At the charging crash-point, the Red-demon flew ahead and above…

… as he clicked his tongue…

“Here, boy, here…”

… Mercury wanted to lure Ammit out to the ‘open’ from the inferno – where his-waiting ‘posses’ were… and THEY WILL ‘together’… kill the beast.

The crocodile-headed creature chased the demon, who was flying over its head – teasing by holding the satchel of Olatunji-bait, to its snapping jaws.

“Good boy…come, follow me…”

… Mercury flew into the area of the woods, that was un-razed by the fires – where he had smeared the whiffy Olatunji, AT RANDOM TREE-BARKS earlier. He noticed the Ammit was ‘not’ following him. and the beast ‘stood’ on its fiery ground, and growling angry at him.

The Red-demon clicked his tongue… and raising the satchel with his one-arm.

“Come on, boy…”

But Ammit DID-NOT ‘BUDGE,’ and stood in its inferno ground.

Mercury unfastened the half-filled Olatunji bag, on his waistband – dipped his hand into the MUCK, AND LICKED his palm.

“Here boy, yum-yum…”

The Ammit was in rage seeing the demon ‘EATING-ITS-FOOD,’ and it came ‘out’ off the hellhole – charging at him, with loud lion-roars.

… the roars were so loud, that Paul and Jane outside in the open hillock, HEARD IT coming.

The cautious, Paul alerted to blind-girl…

“Jane, this is it!”

“Yes, Paul we ‘can’ do it!”

… both the handicapped tweens, then high-5-ed – as they both transformed into their bright-fiery celestial like-personas…

… like-while they fought with BlackStar, at the Aurora Australis before.

<>

PETER WAS CHUCKLING AWAY, seeing the Perth country-club, that ‘humiliated’ him, on live-television ‘that’ Sunday…

… was now BURNING TO THE GROUND, in front of his eyes.

The one-armed tween was at the club main-gate, witnessed the-chaos that was happening, where the club’s staff, were SALVAGING WHATEVER they could carry, and running out helter-skelter from the blaze. Even some of the drunkard ‘optimistic’ guests, who thought the FIRE WOULDN’T ‘REACH’ their prestigious club – but-saw their iconic building crumbling down, like the roof of the Cathedral of Notre Dame.

… Peter was admiring his ‘masterpiece’ as he was chanting a spell – with the ‘invisible’ Egyptian, goddess of death – beside him, chanting along.

The one-armed boy’s hypnotic-spell was INTERRUPTED, BY 2 glowing jets – of yellow and blue – darted above the fiery-lit firmament – heading towards… the ‘root-of-fire’ at a distance.

StarGirl and Gemini-Blue.

“Bloody-dag! You bloody-fools! Why should-you always interfere…?”

Fleeing the crime scene, he cycled back home, thinking of possible outcomes of the evening but everything, seemed in ‘FAVOUR’ TO THE CURSED-TRIO, with the first win under their belt, by defeating BlackStar at the Aurora Australis…

… soon,’ a 2nd victory, when they put off the fire.

But-for now – Peter had his ‘sweet-satisfaction of his revenge,’ by seeing the clubhouse, razed to the ground…

“Hey, I ‘won’ Steve and Amy – Screwth you-both!”

<>

FROM THEIR AERIAL POINT OF VIEW, they saw Mercury-running out of the woods, and followed by bulldozed ‘snaking’ path, behind him with falling trees. StarGirl and Gemini-Blue then saw the roaring monster… coming out into the open, chasing the Red-demon.

… Mercury flung the blood-bag, 100 meters high up, into the air and the 50-meter crocodile-headed, AMMIT LEAPT FULL BODY, vertically up-for its feed.

“NOW!”

As the gapping jaws caught the Olatunji satchel, and both the cosmic-tweens blasted its belly and neck, shooting the creature in mid-air.

The huge beast dropped-down hard on its back, roaring in pain. But it recovered fast when it got back on its 4-feet – and continued chasing the fleeing Red-demon… while also breathing-out jets of hellfire at the flying celestials, buzzing above.

The clever Red-demon ran in a circular motion to counter and confuse Ammit… while the brute-monster tried to swat Gemini-Blue WITH THE SPIKED-BONES OF its tail – that was a mace-weapon-like, on its own... but it missed him…

… flying above, StarGirl shot multiple blasts on the crocodile-head. While, Gemini-Blue flew low, and discharge electro-shock to its hind hippo-legs.

The Ammit stopped chasing, and went into ‘defensive,’ as it stood its ground… to fire-360 at the flying Cursed-trio. Mercury came up from the back, jump up high to decapitate it… with his mighty sword, and also avoiding its mouthful of discharging fires.

But Ammut used its other-only deadly weapon – which was its swatting mace-tail – that hit Mercury ON HIS SHOULDER, above the demon’s stump-arm. The 10-meter-long tail whirled the helpless and hurt Red-demon around in the air…

… WHO WAS IMPALED by the thorny bone.

With skewered Mercury still hooked in its tail, he was dragged to the ground, when Ammit ran to leap in the air, to bite the blue-glowing Gemini-who flew low. StarGirl came to his defence, as she bombarded shots, at the gaping jaws with sets of spiked teeth.

… the gigantic Ammit fell back, to the ground on its back in pain – while Mercury recovered fast and used his burning SWORD, TO CHOP its mace-tail to free himself.

Losing it deadly weapon, and also in pain – the losing crocodile-headed beast WENT AMOK-crazy – as it roared madly, snapping its jaw at the flying celestials.

… Mercury sneaked up from behind – and he leapt high, to decapitate. The clean, cut-hew dropped the crocodile mane-head, APART FROM REST of its massive body.

The cosmic-tweens saw a dying Mercury ‘drop,’ lying beside the dead Ammit. The celestials descended to the ground, TRANSFORMING BACK to Paul and Jane…

… running towards their ‘comrade-ally’ from the Underworld…

“… Mercury!!!”

… they found the injured demon, chanting-spells softly.

… Paul was sad to see his ‘friend,’ of his astral travel world, fading away. Beside him, the blind-girl whispered…

“What is he saying?”

“Probably his ‘last’ prayers…”

The levitating, Paul approached with sorrows… seeing the bleeding demon with eyes closed and incantation...

“…Merc…you alright…?”

Then the crippled boy saw the ‘most’ amazing thing – the wounds were closing-up, as the Red-demon WAS SELF-HEALING. Mercury opened his eyes, and chuckled…

“No need for tears, O’ Good-one… I heal fast.”

The fooled Paul denied.

“Nah-I’m ‘not’ crying…! It was the smoke – it got into my eyes.”

The one-armed Mercury sat up… and was good as ‘new’ – and he exclaimed…

“Do you know what ‘time’ it is?”

“Huh… is it ‘clobbering-time…?’”

“No, you buffoon – it-is supper time!”

The excited Red-demon jumped back to its feet, left Paul – running and cheering, towards the dead, headless Ammit… lying stiff on its back. He jumped up on its big hippo-belly with a bounce…. and used his sword to gut it across.

… the tweens looked in peculiar of the demon’s cannibalistic antics, when he was nose-deep, reaching into the dead Ammit’s paunch. They heard a-plucking forceful noise… when the Red-demon ripped out, RETRIEVED-AMMIT’S liver.

… it was the size of an over-grown watermelon – while joyfully Mercury publicly displayed his hunt-trophy, by lifting it over his head… and ululating gratitude in a demonic tongue.

The salivating Red-demon took a huge bite on the blood-slimy liver… drip-oozing over his body. The tweens looked away, and blind-Jane vomited…

“… disgusting…”

…Mercury saw them, and offered…

“… want some…?”

“You-mate, you are disgusting!” Paul spat as he remarked while… rubbing his palm to her back, to relieve the sick-Jane.

They kept a ‘distance’ while it feasted. Jane spat, saying…

“How can he eat that ‘thing?’”

“Maybe it is a demon-thingy – like how you-yourself, can eat Taiwanese stinky-tofu…”

-O-

While in that moment of waiting, for Mercury devouring on his delicacy, Paul saw the CHANGING WIND-DIRECTIONS had driven the conflagration, closer to the city of Perth.

“Hey-Merc… have you ‘done’ yet, we have GOT A FIRE to put out!!?”

“Huh? My invitation to you both… was ‘ONLY’ EXTEND TO HUNT Ammit.”

“What…? Hey, my-city is going to be burnt to the ground – and here you are, binging on some, dinosaur’s ass-tasting bowels!”

The Red-demon replied while gorging…

“You cannot find Ammut on your own, because you 2 cannot ‘see’ her, you fools! She is invisible to mortal eyes, and EVEN YOUR 3RD-EYE would ‘not’ work, O’ Blind-one – and even if you ‘both’ are now going on-your-own, into this Hell-fire that Ammut had created, even-with your cursed celestial-forms… it won’t work too, as-hell-fire is ‘cursed,’ – Paul-you will be charred-black as human-corpse.

“Just give up, Good-one!”

Both Paul and Jane stood speechless and helpless for a ‘moment’ – before Paul spoke up…

“… it can’t-be Mercury, there-must be a way…?”

“WHAT WAY…? Ammut controls the ‘wind’ and its directions’ flow – with her Blackmagic spell-powder, which she blows into the air – and you WILL RUN IN ‘CIRCLES,’ chasing your own burning tail.

“If I were to go in alone, into the Hell-fire… I might take hours to track her – and by then, HALF OF YOUR CITY WOULD be burnt to the ground…

“Just GIVE UP, Good-one.”

… Jane heard Paul protesting…

“No-no-no! There-must a way to save Perth!”

“…think of ‘ONE’ GOOD WAY, O Good-one – and LET ME KNOW ‘later.’”

The squatting demon, mocked and continued its eating… Jane saw the frustrated blue-glow walking back-and-forth, mumbling out to himself.

“…Paul thinks outside the box… outside the box…”

… Paul thought of-how his twin, Peter – was ‘involved’ in this – burning Perth situation – consciously or unconsciously in the state-of his DEMONIC POSSESSION – where he has been 2 steps ahead of him, in any given situation…

‘…how-would Peter ‘think,’ outside the ‘box…?’

Paul recalled his childhood of being bullied by his bigger and aggressive identical twin. The ‘only’ thing he did was – HE RAN AND RAN – and got better and was faster for his aggressor to catch up… so-much so he had teased Peter lagging behind…

‘…I’m the Flash… come catch me…”

He recalled an episode of the DC’s TV series – where his favourite superhero, ran in ‘circles’ and PUT OFF A HUGE FIRE, by sucking out the oxygen in the air…

…it was logical, pure physics-101.

Jane heard him exclaiming out…

“That’s it – RUNNING AROUND, outside the ‘box!’”

“Okay, O Good one – spit it out.”

Said the demon, while using its claw-like-fingernail to pick its teeth.

“No, Mercury – I have NO TIME TO EXPLAIN… you have to ‘trust’ me on this one – furthermore, you would come up with some Underworld mumbo-jumbo ‘EXCUSE,’ TO DISS and refuse my idea!”

“Then SAY IT, Paul – for I, Mercury HAVE BEEN AROUND since the dawn of the Roman civilization… to HAVING EXPERIENCES OF SERVING Apollo and Jupitar with vast wisdom…”

“JUST SHUT UP, you coward – JUST STAY BEHIND… and eat your muck!”

… Paul shouted back – and-turned to Jane…

“Jane, our city is burning – do you ‘trust’ me?”

“Yes, Paul… I-trust you.”

Paul held the blind-girl’s hand and led her away. The Red-demon cried out…

“… where you 2 going…? WAIT!”

“No…! Screwth…!”

“Wait! I’M FOLLOWING too…”

The tween turned their back, to see the demon with the half-eaten liver, but was still squatting.

“What’s with you impatient young Virgos and Geminis these days…? ‘But’ are ‘both’ still under my RESPONSIBILITIES-BECAUSE you are mere-minors…”

“Hey Merc… TIME IS RUNNING OUT here – we don’t ‘need’ our fortune-telling told – are you COMING, OR NOT?”

“Just give me a moment!!!”

They saw the Red-demon yell out as he stood… and stepped up onto the dead Ammit’s belly again. He cursed profanities in demonic-tongue… as he gutted the corpse-Ammit’s stomach, with his flaming sword…

… then-with his single arm deep, into the spurting lava of the beast’s gastric and other bodily fluid… to RETRIEVED HIS SATCHEL. Mercury emptied the leather bag out with the entrails of the Olatunji and HE ‘STUFFED’ HIS HALF-EATEN Ammit’s liver… sloshing into it before, strapping the bag like a sling, across his STUMP-SHOULDER... as he approached…

Both the-sickened tweens shook their heads, in disbelief…

“What…?”

“Nothing…” The tweens chorused ahead.

“…you both saw-how hard it was, TO HUNT an Ammit, right…? Then, why-go waste good food…”

<>

ALICIA WONG WAS RIDING HER BIKE on a highway at night…that led to the suburbs, from the city. At a distance, she saw the horizon of forestry landscape glowing with flames, and… was approaching rapidly to the suburbs.

… random cars on the road were of families, who were evacuating for their lives, at the last minute. The smoke and the-heat were blown at the road. Visibility was poor… and headlights of cars silhouetted, opaque in the hazy.

Despite, Alicia who was wearing her medical mask, was coughing hard… when she rode her bike. She hoped and prayed, that the WILSONS WERE ‘ONE’ OF THOSE cars – escaping out of the soon engulfing, dangerous and deadly fire.

<>

THE CURSED-TRIO WERE BACK ARGUING. The horned-Mercury was stalling the crippled boy’s ‘idea’… and said – it was impossible…

… to stop Ammut’s hell-fires by FLYING AROUND IT in a circular motion.

“It will work – if the 3 of us, flew around it at very high, neck-breaking speed!” Paul argued. Even the blind-girl backed him…

“Yes, that would ‘choke’ the fires – FROM ITS OXYGEN – we learned in-Science...”

“… but-you BOTH WILL DO IT ANYWAY, and I might as well then ‘join’ you… just to say ‘I told you so’ later – if this lame and impossible EFFORT FAILED.”

The Cursed-trio came to an agreement – all 3 of them placed THEIR HAND-ON TOP of one another’s – and together, they glowed back into their celestial forms.

… Gemini-Blue held both StarGirl and Mercury’s hands… as the trio made a lift-off…

“GO, GEMINI GO!”

They made their first circle… flying around the radius of hectares burning forest fire – in 14 seconds… with StarGirl as the timekeeper.

… in V-formation with Gemini-Blue spearheading holding their hands – THEY MADE THEIR 2ND ROTATION around the blaze.

“11 seconds,” StarGirl said.

“We must go faster,” Gemini-Blue responded.

They were-in no time speeding around, IN DECREASED RECORD-TIME… and ‘closed’ into the area-gap, of the burning radius.

The phenomenon was witnessed by denizens of Perth in the night on the road– as A HUGE RING – of red, yellow and blue glowing lights… formed around the emerging fires.

“… 4 seconds…”

“…we-go… even…faster…”

They raced around the fire which was ‘trapped’ in the centre. Then Mercury cried out…

“… g-Good-one… c-Can’t… h-Hold on… g-Gonna… p-Puke…”

… the demon let go-Gemini-Blue’s grip, and HE FELL-SPIRALLING INTO the hellfire, with-only the younger celestials on the-kept paced-mission…

“… 3 seconds…”

They were rotating in super-tempo… as the fire emitted lots of black smoke to the lightning-speed…

<>

THE PANTING CHINESE-GIRL STOPPED riding and had-rested a bit. She was gasping and caught her breath… in the poor quality-air road…

…the masked Alicia realized that… she WAS ‘NOT’ WEARING her ‘bike-helmet.’

… while in panic just now, at her mother’s salon – she HAD LEFT-IN A haste, forgetting her head-protective gear…

… which she had left on her mother’s business ‘desk.’

She then looked at the fire, and removed her medical-mask… and Alicia laughed aloud, punching the air. WITNESSING THE YELLOW AND BLUE RINGS… intertwining the forest fire – Alicia was in-frenzy, that it was her ‘BFF and BF’ above there…

… fighting the evil fire.

Alicia in total bliss, shouted out in glee, at the direction of the ring-of-fire.

“Janey, YOU GO GIRL…! Pauly – I LOVE YOU…!”

Realizing that she had been in the state of panic-and-anxiety, a moment ago was for ‘nothing’ – while Jane and her-Paul WERE-OUT THERE… to take care, of the perils that had fallen in Perth…

… Alicia was in total relief…

She looked at her Swatch – 8:33 PM – Alicia wanted to SNEAK-BACK INTO her mother’s saloon unsuspiciously… before it closed for the night at 9.

She raced back home, sing aloud to-one-of her fave-K-pop song.

<>

AMMUT SAW THE GYRATION OF THE FOES ABOVE, that had created a vortex to suffocate, her hellfire. The Egyptian SHE-DEMON USED HER LAST RESORT, of using her best-for-last Blackmagic spell-powder – and she blew it up into the winds.

At the speed-of-light…

… StarGirl and Gemini-Blue were still pivoting zooms-circling the hectares of the forest-blaze. The glowing celestials witnessed…

… the birth, of a tornado-of-hellfire, emerging at the centre…

… of the womb of the evil-blaze…

… the fiery maelstrom towered mighty, as AMMUT DID HER DANCE OF DEATH, on the pinnacle, to-intimidate her adversaries. The celestials then-saw THE EYE-OF-THE-STORM – as the eye of a cobra…

… that HISSED FIERY-VENOM.

Both of the cosmic-beings were ‘not’ threaten nor ‘taken-in’ with the evil’s scare… and they continued-their gyratory motions, to protect Perth-city. The fangs-of the fire tried to ‘bite’…

… but had-a pushback – by the reversal-winds, that were created by the tween’s fast-rotations.

Ammut the funerary deity of death WAS WEAKENING-fast – as the stronger whirlwinds were like…

… fitting a ‘stopcock’ to her fiery-hole…

… and the she-demon felt trapped… like a genie-in-a-bottle, by her foes.

The demon ceded her defeat – as she went-down… with her weakened and shrinking twister. Ammut fell from above… to earth, into the smoke and hot ashes.

When the smoke and dust had settled down… StarGirl and Gemini-Blue descended slowly to earth… for assessing THEIR ‘DAMAGE-CONTROL’…

... they noticed the hellfire which was so intensely hot… that had burnt up hectares of woods to ashes – by creating a significant misty grey-open field.

They both noticed… A WOMAN, LYING in the ashes, at the centre of it.

The fallen and weakened Ammut saw her enemies were approaching… and she ran in fear...

… A PORTAL TO THE UNDERWORLD had opened… and was 10 meters ‘away’ from her… TO JUMP IN TO ESCAPE...

… the she-demon shrieked in fright… as she saw the aerial formation of the fanned-out celestials in-her rear… shooting their fire-bolts and electricity flares, at her running footsteps – as her ‘head’ turned back and forth… when she screamed in terror and ran…

When she ‘last’ looked ahead – she HEARD A VOICE…

“Hello-Ammut…”

… Mercury-then slew Ammut…

… by slicing HER IN-HALF FROM… her head to belly-button…

“Thanks-too – for the mouth-watering supper…”

The flying celestial descended to earth again, to TRANSFORM TO JANE AND PAUL – witnessing the dead demon was decomposing… to blown-of as dust, into the scorched earth.

The Cursed-trio rejoiced, that they had managed to save Perth-city at its ‘final’ moment, before the brink of its destruction.

<>

THE ONE-ARMED BOY SAW THE TORNADO OF FIRE being put out, from afar…

… the ‘show was over’ so… in disappointments, he cycled back home…

He-then saw the Chinese-girl ahead on the other road…

In hatred, Peter scoffed at the sight of ‘Chinatown Wong,’ whom he had A ‘SCORE’ TO SETTLE with her…

… for insulting him, yesterday at the country club’s courtyard…

‘That girl ‘needed’ to BE PUT IN-HER-place by, ‘knocking some tofu-senses’ into her head – to show, ‘who’ is the bloody Tong-Boss here now.’

-O-

Alicia was worried when she saw her Swatch – 8:52 PM – she had 8 more minutes, before her mother ‘closed-shop’ for the night… and Alicia would ‘not’ make it on time…

… she saw a shortcut road…

‘Lucky 8!’

It was an old road, branching from an underpass – which was dark, full of potholes, and lonely – but, it WOULD GET HER BACK home, in the nick of time. And, Alicia took it…

The hooded, Peter stalked her.

-O-

There were fewer cars travelling the thoroughfare, where the stretch of dark-road with its old STREETLIGHTS KNOCKED off. Alice was careful-too… as her bike lamp torched ahead of her, showing the big potholes on the surface…

… she turned her head left, and caught a glimpse from behind her, noting…

… ‘another’ cyclist was approaching-fast to her – in the dark, without his light.

The girl was scared and rode her bike faster.

She saw the-biker catching up... on the downside stretch. When SHE LOOKED UP ‘LAST,’ at the hoodie-rider – she felt an excruciating, painful hit behind her head…

… that made her go off-road, crashing into the grass…

… Peter had clouted the Chinese girl on HER HEAD, WITH HIS Babolat. His stopped, and saw-her bike on the road…

… with his ‘kill’ rolling down into a dark, and dry ditch.

He chuckled to himself, FEELING SELF-SATISFIED in a bad way.

“OII!!!”

The one-armed boy was with his foot on the road off his bike… when he-THEN ‘HEARD’ a deep and loud male voice, that called-out at him in the dark.

‘WILL’ HE BE ‘CAUGHT?’ was his immediate thought…

…seeing…

… a man was nattering to himself, as he approached closer to Peter from the murk – but when he got nearer, Peter HAD KNOWN AND RECOGNIZE him as the meth-addict, homeless man in his 40’s, with a mental disorder…

… with an IQ of, a ‘gullible-10-year-old.’

“It is ‘you’ – the owner of the DeLorean!” The bearded man accused.

“Hey-you-Jimbo… where is your bus-ride to Leonora…?” Peter asked.

“No one wants to give Jimbo $10 for bus ticket… so I decided to walk to Leonora before the ‘big fire’ comes to get me. My sister Mary Lee is there waiting for me in Leonora bus station, and she had-also prepared lunch… when I arrive there soon…”

-O-

… Peter ‘knew’ Jimbo…

… who was a ‘look-out-for-cops-guy’ – for drug dealers in the street – where the simpleton stood and waited outside McDonald's… and alerted the dealers for passing police cars – for his ‘free’ meth.

Peter befriended him because he frequents the Maccas in the same street… where Jimbo also guarded – and he also WASHED PETER’S BIKE FOR A $1. They both share an ‘insider-joke’ as they called the BIKE THE DELOREAN because Jimbo claimed he had seen the movie ‘Back To The Future’ ‘10’ times before… when he was growing up as a boy – which he repeatedly told the one-armed boy every time, while he washed ‘DeLorean’ with a rag and mineral water bottle.

Jimbo also begged for small-change to passer-byers, and they will always give ‘something’ to him, to avoid his chattery annoyance. And, all the denomination of currency Jimbo could ‘ONLY’ COMPREHEND WERE $1 AND $10 which was why dealers don’t trust him… to sell their products because Jimbo could be ‘easily’ fooled…

… but the loyal druggie was honest-to-God…

... and would NOT ‘RAT’ HIS DEALERS – when Jimbo was pulled aside before by the narcotics, for-information. They detained Jimbo for 3 months… and ‘tortured’ him but-got ‘nothing’ – and, before long…

… Jimbo was back on his street ‘corner’ again…

Yesterday… while washing the bike…

… Jimbo asked Peter $10 for a bus ticket to Leonora, as he can no longer sleep in the streets, because of his breathing problems, that he suffered from the poor-haze air-quality…

… but who would give a meth-addict $10…?

… so-Peter ignored him and left him standing, bare…

-O-

… now…

… Peter Walker stood-arrested, at the approaching drivelling Jimbo – who intend to backpack and hike, to his sister’s in Leonora… which was over-800km away.

“Why did you HIT THAT ‘BOY,’ mate – what did ‘he’ do to you, that made you club ‘his’ head…? It’s ‘not’ good to hit anyone in the head – you better call an-ambo, mate – or else, that ‘boy’ would suffer brain damage…”

… Peter was quiet as the assessed his situation – where Jimbo ‘saw’ ALICIA AS A BOY, in the dark – because of her short haircut.

“But-Jimbo… that ‘boy’ STOLE MY ‘BIKE.’”

It confused the child-mind of the homeless man…

…as the nattered a bit to himself, before his mouth with blacked meth-teeth spoke out…

“…yes-yes, stealing is bad, and you would go the hell for that! But if ‘that’ is your bike, and THIS IS YOUR DELOREAN… there are-2… WHO-IS WHO…? I’m confused here, mate!”

… Peter pointed at Alicia’s fallen mountain-bike…

“’ That’ is my ‘talking-bike-Kitt’ – do you remember seeing the ‘Knight Rider,’ Jimbo?”

“Yes-yes, Knight Rider – I love the talking Kitt, which I, seen 10-times before!”

… Jimbo had a eureka-moment of the ’80s, glued to his-telly... growing up in Leonora… the man-boy exclaimed…

“Yeah, Big-boy, I love it too – with ‘same’ technology, MY BIKE TALKS too,” Said Peter.

“… is that-so… then-ask-Kitt to call an ambo – that boy is-hurt… down there, in the ditch.”

… it got Peter mad – and… he ‘schooled’ Jimbo…

“Hey, listen to me, Jimbo… that ‘boy’ doesn’t deserve to be saved as-a thief, and instead … ‘he’ deserves to be put in hell fires! Yes, THESE ARE THE END-TIMES Big-Boy… and it is the SURVIVAL OF THE ‘FITTEST’ from now on...

"... and you should take whatever you ‘want’ for yourself – because egoistic PEOPLE ARE SELFISH, and would ‘not’ giving help to you… when they themselves, keep on ALWAYS TAKING AND TAKING…

“You had asked money for your bus ticket… DID THEY GIVE IT to YOU? No, they did ‘not’ – they did not give you ‘$10’ for your ticket TO LEONORA… TO SEE YOUR SISTER… you get me, right Jimbo…?”

The goofy man nodded…

“I have ‘not’ seen Mary Lee for 10 years… and she is expecting me for lunch tomorrow…”

“Okay-okay, Jimbo you now caught me in MY GENEROUS MOOD-MOMENT, to make you an offer…

“… I’m giving you my beloved ‘TALKING-BIKE-KITT’ TO YOU… so that you can make it to Leonora, and be-on time – for lunch with your sister, Mary Lee, HOW ABOUT IT…?”

“You seriously giving… this ‘talking Kitt’ to me, mate?”

“Yes Jimbo, IT’S ALL ‘YOURSS’...

"... and, before the big-fire GET YOU IN PERTH – your ‘mission,’ if you were SHOULD ACCEPT IT… is to go to Leonora and see your sister – ‘GOOD LUCK, JIM!’”

The teary-eyed, homeless, drug addict THANKED THE ‘GENEROUS’ one-armed tween.

… both Peter and Jimbo parted ways…

… and cycling in the opposite ways in the dark, and lonely road…

... where-below…

… Alicia laid unconscious in the ditch…

<>

CAROLINE STIRRED PAUL’S ARM… as she was seated on his bed-side… of his dim-lit, windowless bedroom.

“Poe, wake up-you, sleepy-head…”

‘… huh…hey Mom, what time is it…?

Paul remembered a time, when his mother would ask him when he was little – ‘Poe, what did you dream?’

… and, ‘little-Poe’ would parrot away, his imaginary wild, tall-tales. But when Paul reached his adolescence, his-mother stopped asking...

… now, Paul wished Mom would ask ‘that’ – and he could tell her-of how, he and his ‘friends’ have KILLED ITS SHE-DEMON MASTER and her-dinosaur-creature. But that would ‘not’ sound right too… with Mom being a police inspector.

“It’s 9:00 PM Poey, and you have been sleeping-a long nap of 7 hours and you promised ‘us,’ to have a family dinner, with your mother.”

… Paul chuckled… as he remembered saying ‘that,’ to his dear Mom before taking his nap, who was cooking back then.

“Your wish is my command, Mom.”

They both laughed before Caroline helped him to his wheelchair. She ferried Paul outside his bedroom door, where the glare of bright fluorescent kitchen lights hurt his, still ‘injured’ eyes from yesterday’s ‘Hero-dog rescue-mission.’

Behold…

… he saw the one-armed ‘possessed-Peter,’ who was helping out…

… setting up the dinner table…

… his dark hair was still damp like he just had a shower.

Paul parked himself at the ‘chairless’ side of the dining IKEA table. He noticed an empty bottle of red wine, on the marbled kitchen counter – where his mother had drank-her wine, and cooked for hours…

… and probably, CHATTING TOO WITH a certain-someone.

-O-

… Caroline was filling pasta Bolognese on plates for her sons, with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a garnish of lots of Parmigiana cheese flakes. She came to serve them at the table.

Peter sat at the head of the IKEA table… where his-late father sat once, ‘sometimes’ ago. His mother sat at the opposite, with his twin, by her side. And, Paul said grace… before they ate.

The one-armed boy was surfing on his iPhone while he ate – and the TV big screen was on in the living room, playing the news of Mayor John Blake praising the Perth’s brave firefighters – who had put off the big-forest-blaze that lasted for 3 days…

… and saved the city. He also declared tomorrow-too as an emergency-holiday… for the unhealthy air to settle.

… Caroline said she was glad the fire was put out… because of her Cousin-James Murphy… who was a firefighter marshal… who was there, in the centre of the action.

Then came in the TV news of bizarre occurrence phenomenon, of bright RINGS OF RED/YELLOW/BLUE rotations that surrounded a tornado of fire, and ‘snuffed’ it out.

The TV reporters were calling it, as a ‘spinning Aurora Australis.’

… Peter looked up… at his twin, Paul, and both had TACIT UNDERSTANDING, that the Cursed-trio was behind the actual ‘scene,’ of the extinguished fire.

-O-

The mother and her sons finished their pasta dinner. Paul thanked his mother for the home-cooked meal. Caroline asked Peter across the table…

“How about you-Peter… how was your spag-bog?”

“Hmm-I have ‘tasted’ better.”

Paul was angry when he said that…

“You-ungrateful son…! You always undermine Mom, whenever you can…”

Seated in his father’s chair, Peter raised his voice…

“Poe! ‘shut the front door’ – DON’T INTERRUPT ‘ME’ WHEN I’M TALKING – what I was saying is, it NEEDS PRACTICE JUST LIKE TENNIS, to ‘cook’ good food. If you can’t do it regularly… just don’t do it – but INSTEAD HIRE A ‘HELP,’ like in Janey’s house… where they have their own cook, right?

“And, since you already got your job-promo, which means Mom… you CAN AFFORD TO HIRE one… while you go off to YOUR WORK OF ‘CRIME-fighting-spree.’”

… Peter laughed as he recalled the past-Walkers’ X’ mas BBQ…

“Had a good time once, at our Chrissie barbie, where Dad… used to grill his-own recipe of chook and shag, at our lawn – those were the good ol ’days with all the-rello gathered over there at the lawn. So much so-since ‘then,’ each time Easter Sunday came…

… I go-to search in church, if Dad did ‘come’ back from the dead… to me, Dad…

“… he is there, somewhere out there.”

… Paul too was quiet – and noticed, a tear dropping off, his mother’s eyes.

-O-

The Walkers’ family ‘quality time’ continued… in the living room with ‘Choccy Biccy’ snacks while watching telly. Caroline was lying down on the couch, with Paul in his wheelchair – and Peter was in his favourite spot, his father’s armchair.

They were all laughing at an episode of ‘Supernatural’ where the brothers, Sam and Dean… were ‘schooling’ the son of Lucifer, named Jack… to be good.

It was 10:03 PM when Paul’s cellphone rang, and Peter shushed… Paul rolled his chair away, before answering.

“Paul, it’s me Robin, Alicia’s mother – is-Alicia with you…?”

“No ma’am, she is ‘not’... have you tried calling Jane, Ali always hang out, around with her?”

“Yes, I did and Jane-gave me your number – she too told me, that Alicia is ‘not’ there with her… I’m so worried…”

“Have you tried calling her other-music class ‘friends?” The equally worried Paul asked.

“Yes, I have tried them too… but she is ‘not’ with any of her friends that I know of – and her bike-helmet is here… but HER BIKE IS ‘NOT.’ Where would have she ‘gone’ at this hour?”

… Peter eavesdropped to his twin’s ‘one-sided’ concerned conversation. He PRETENDED TO get ‘angry’ at the noise level’…

… and said to Caroline…

“This is why I subscribe to Netflix and WATCH MY GOOD SHOWS, peacefully-in my own privacy.”

The one-armed boy approached her, and pecked a ‘Judas-kiss’ on her cheek, and winked.

“G’night Mom – no-heart feelings, earlier ya…”

… Peter walked up the stairs – smiling to himself…

… that HIS ‘ALIBI’ OF FAMILY QUALITY TIME was over, for the evening…

<>

BEHIND THE CLOSED ROOM DOOR, Peter heard his mother’s ‘voice’ talking on the Poe’s phone.

‘… go on Mom, put on your cape and fly… out there to solve your crime-fighting business, and get us-some over time, while you are at it.’

… Peter walked him tennis rack, with 8 racquets in a row – and he picked up his Babolat, still in its zip-bag. The one-armed boy unzipped, and pulled out his ‘weapon of choice.”

He took a bottle of cleaning alcohol and rag…

… he noticed bloodstains at the racquet’s rim, with a couple of Alicia’s hair-strains – he had his sly, evil wide-grin back…

The one-armed mocked himself as a Chinese-martial-arts swordsman…

… as he swung his Babolat around with his one-arm…

… and KICKING THE AIR…

… while shrieking Bruce Lee’s war-cries…

<><>

IT WAS OVER 10 HOURS…

… BEFORE ALICIA was discovered… still unconscious in the ditch, that morning by joggers. The police and an ambulance arrived-at the crime-scene.

-O-

That afternoon, Caroline drove her son, Paul to the hospital. At the parking lot, they met a Blue Mazda SUV and – Caroline waved at Shelley Wilson…

… who also drove her-daughter Jane, to visit the admitted Alicia.

Both the mothers ferried their handicapped children… to the emergency wards. Paul saw the quiet Jane walking ahead, with her AI shades on, hiding her tears behind.

They-then saw a lot of Asians gathering outside a wardroom corridor. And, the sombre looking, Cousin Lily Wang was there too, greeting them…

“Dr Wilson… Insp Walker… please go in.”

Lily led-the Caucasian visitors… into a small single ward-room, with other visiting relatives inside…

… Lily said in a low tone…

“She-was attacked last night, with a single blow to the head – and now Alicia-is in a coma.”

The anxious Paul saw a seated Robin in tears when he wheeled his chair forward – and to see ‘his’ Alicia-laid comatose…

… on the bed, head bandaged and on IV drips.

Openly, the devastated Paul wailed aloud, crying-out...

“O’ My God, my Alicia – ‘WHO’ COULD HAVE DONE this to you!!?”

His-head was down on Alicia’s bed, as he wept-hot tears…

… both Robin and blind-Jane hugged his back, to console him.

And, everyone who was present there, sobbed…

<><><>oOo<><><>

To be Continued in Book 3 ...

<><><>oOo<><><>