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 wasnot’ 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 the 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…?’

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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 Topheth 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!”

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NEXT: BOOK 6 -- THE SON OF ASMODEUS

CHAPTER 1: THE RING OF AANDELEEB