AFTER AN HOUR of working out his sweat in the morning-sun – Peter collapsed under the shady weeping-willow tree. He was ‘NOT’ SATISFIED with the ‘power’ of his-smashes with his Babolat using his-robotic arm. He looked at the black-metal arm and cursed it mentally…

‘… mediocre…!!!’

He recalled ‘recently’ of Taro-and-Hiro who calibrated his ‘leftie’ – where the Americans ‘had’ used their portable meter devices – to attuned and regulated his-AI-headset to his robotic-arm…

‘… ‘why’ not-enough power… why…???’

But he wanted his robotic-arm to be ‘optimal’… but he doesn’t know how to self-calibrate – other than Taro’s warnings of ‘not’ to get the headset ‘wet’… and also that Kimura Star would ‘not’ be responsible to ‘repair’ any damages to their prototype-devices by the users.

‘… but I did ‘not’ get the ‘headset’ wet… or did I…?’

He remembered the school’s Family-Day beach-trip to Rottnest Island WHERE IT all happened…

It was a short ferry-ride from Freemantle Harbour to Rottnest Island where everyone wore orange safety-jackets – the parents, students and teachers:

The students who followed their parents sat in front-seats of the ferry – and, for students whose parents did ‘not’ follow them sat at the back-seats – who-were under ‘watchful’ eyes of their-teachers during the Family-Day trip…

… but most of the ‘backbenchers’ DID NOT SIT as… they were grouping among friends taking selfies-and-wefies of their holiday.

Peter was with Bella… who already was in her holidaying-mood – had worn a bikini – and, her BFF Akatendeka Ibori… too wore her swimming suit.

Peter was hugging Bella by-her-hip… as he displayed his ‘prized-trophy’ to his Irish-tween backbencher group – that he was ‘dating’ a teenager-senior student…

… the ‘same’ student he was ‘caught’ frolicking at the male-gym bathroom in recent-months.

A big group of the school’s Chinese students approached the Irish. Peter recognized Alicia Wong was with them and –was ‘close’ with a senior-boy with a spiky hairdo like an Asian boyband. He recognized the teenager – but can’t place where he had ‘seen’ him.

‘… so, Chinatown Wong has a ‘boy-friend’ – just like blind-school dating a ‘useless’ quad…’

Then… he ‘knew-seeing’ the senior-boy Ken Chan – as the Asian-dude who was in the DANCE-COMPETITION at Perthland – whom the fairy-pants Poe ‘beat’ at the final – and his-twin won a trophy that night…

…while Peter’s UK girlfriend Jezebel at that night – was the judge of the competition.

‘… what is he ‘doing’ here in post-Treeton…did he ‘cross-over’ too…?’

The Irish boys were ‘not’ pleased of the noisy-group invading their space at the back-area of the ferry – then, half-of the Asian group left… with Alicia with her music-class girls leaving the senior boys… who remained-back and were chatting aloud in Hokkien, as the motor-of the ferry ‘engine-room’ was loud.

Peter and his-Irish cobbers ‘ignored’ them as they were older-senior students from the school’s Taekwondo group. Terry then teased and body-shamed the Zimbabwean Akatendeka that she was skinny like-a-worm in a swimsuit – right-for a fisherman to use as-bait on-his-hook to catch sharks…

Bella and her BFF left the laughing-boisterous Irish group to go-back to their seat – with Peter pleading-after…

“…hey-Bella! Where you going…?”

The sea waves were ‘getting’ rough-and-choppy… and the boys noticed a lot of fishes in the sea that were emerging to the surface – as they were swimming away from an unknown predator from below the sea – with Terry crying-out…

“It must be a whale chasing’ them…!!!”

“What whales…?”

… cried another boy… and Terry responded…

“Humpbacks, you-idiot! Those whales ‘are’ usually spotted in Rottnest Island shores – let’s throw ‘skinny-Aka’ off the boat to feed it!”

The boys laughed aloud – witnessing a school of dolphins and other big-and-small fishes hopping out on the surface of the water – as they scrambled-away from danger…

At that precise-moment, something HIT HARD BELOW the ferry that left the passengers jolted-around by the rocking-tremor. Peter heard the vice-principal’s call from her bull-horn…

“STUDENTS… COME-AWAY FROM THE BACK… THE SEA IS CHOPPY…”

Before Peter too heed-the-instruction, he glanced over to see… if it was a ‘whale’ that hit below the ferry-deck…

He was astounded that he ‘saw’ through HIS MIND’S EYE – of ‘something’ huge-and glowing-red below the rough sea…

And, as THE CURSED-ONE… Peter ‘was’ the only-one in the ferry… ‘who’ can distinguish the snake-like monster fish circling the ferry…

It was a manifestation of Leviathan – as the Red Sea-Dragon of the 7-Seas.

The mammoth creature’s head – had manifold of red-scales that flapped-opened at-once … with spiral-rows of hundreds-of-eyes – which glance-back at the horrified Peter… before the eel-like dragon submerged below into the sea…

Peter scrambled-and-fled with the Irish-and-Chinese boys…

… it then crashed the 2ND TIME at the side-of-the ferry – and the boat tilted 45-degrees with sea-water gushing-in on-deck…everyone fell on-their-sides and screaming terrified when the vertical-inclined ferry thud-back at the sea…

… the 3RD ATTACK soon followed… when the gigantic sea-beast gored the front of the ferry – and caused it to tilt again in the rough sea…

… Peter and Ken Chan fell on their backs – and both screamed and they were sliding-away on the wet floor-board… slipping towards the engine-room at the back…

… the quick-thinking Peter caught-hold of the metal-railing with his right hand…

… and saw Ken Chan slipping further to fall into the sea…

The Chinese teenager at the last-moment grabbed-onto Peter’s robotic-arm – as he hung-with his dear-life to it…

His weight was prying the Velcro-strap of the arm… to snap-it off his-stump…

“My arm, you fool… Ooiii-let-go of my-arm!!!”

In horror, Peter watched the strap ripping-from his left-stump – with his robotic arm held by the desperate-Ken Chan went along… as the teenager fell into the sea…

“MY ARRRmmmm!!!”

The tilted ferry crashed on-back to the sea surface – and, crashing waves flooded the vessel… as Peter held tight to the metal-railing…

His eyes smart with the sea-water when he opened it… and to realize the big-splash – had pushed-the Chinese teenager further into the sea…

… but he was ‘still’ holding the black-metal-arm…

“Ooiii…!!! Don’t lose my armmm!!!

The one-armed tween heard Bella’s voice – she came to ‘rescue’ him but – ‘not’ his Irish coward-cobbers…

…as she pulled him-up from the metal-railing…

“Peter, are you okay…?”

“No, I’m ‘not’ okay! THAT CHINAMAN took my precious arm!!!”

Before Bella could respond – she saw the one-armed Peter taking-off his AI-head-set device…

“Hold-on to this – I’m going in…”

“NO! You’re ‘not’…”

Peter then cried to Ken Chan out-at the sea…

“Ooiii!!! Don’t ‘lose’ my arm!!!”

He dove into the sea as – Bella at the edge-of the ferry, crying out…

“PETERRR!!!”

Her BFF Akatendeka caught Bella from diving herself… to ‘save’ her-boyfriend…

As Peter crashed awkwardly into the water, he hit-and-scraped his body…at the side of the ferry with barnacles…

… he ‘bled’ his Golden-blood into the water…

A huge wave PUSHED HIM towards the direction of Ken Chan…

… the one-armed Peter did ‘not’ drown because he was using his floater-life jacket…

“Ooiii! Gimme back my-arm!”

The Chinese-boy who earlier had ‘not’ strap his life-jacket ‘properly’… had ‘lost’ his-jacket – and the drowning teenager ‘GRABBED’ ONTO Peter’s head with his ‘free-arm’… while ‘still’ holding Peter’s robotic-arm in his-other-hand…

“My armmm… give it to me…!!!”

The drowning Ken Chan put-his-weight on the one-armed-tween – causing them-both to drown…

The panicking Peter fought his one-armed-battle… as the teen who WEIGHED-MORE than-him… and ‘took’ him underwater…

Gagging-out of air – the 3-meters submerging-Peter looked at the dark-abyss of the ocean-bed below… through the murky water with his legs kicking, and his red-diluted blood flowing from his cut-wounds…

Something ‘eerie’ caught his wide-eyes…

Lo’ and behold…

… it was the RED-DRAGON LEVIATHAN’s gigantic head.

With its hundreds of eyeballs ‘staring-over’ – and its whale-like gapping mouth…

…with rows of sharp shark-like teeth.

The massive creature from Hades ‘WANTED’ TO DEVOUR the tadpole-sized humans in the water. It swoon-above to the surface with its huge gapping-mouth…

Unknowingly, the drowning-Peter’s defence-system ‘KICKED-IN to…

… go-on his Cursed-one-mode… where his eyes-GLOWED RED in the water…

… sending a ‘signal’ to the monster – that HE WAS a ‘friendly’… and ‘not’ to-be gobbled…

The big Leviathan shut its big-mouth and… U-ied its huge eel-like body back below – to ‘return’ to the dark-abyss…

Before Peter lost-his full-conscious underwater… ‘earthly-help’ came in form of adults from the ferry…

Apparently, Coach Metcalf, and some fathers of the parent-group with ferry-staff – have dove-after the 2 drowning boys…

Everyone on the ferry clapped and cheered – for the ‘brave-men’ when they rescued the boys. They hauled Peter-up… who was seen hugging-tightly TO HIS ROBOTIC-ARM with his ‘only’ arm… as he slowly regained his cognisant.

But Ken Chan needed CPR… to revive himself-back… where-later everyone clapped.

Vice-Principal Burnell took control of the situation… until they reached the Rottnest Island – and Coach Metcalf ‘volunteered’ to send Peter to get medical treatment – for the ‘cuts’ sustained falling… during by the ferry-accident in the ‘rough-waters’…

… where ‘NO-ONE’ – except Peter – ‘saw’ the mythical Leviathan.

-O-

Still under the willow-tree, Peter was recalling the mythical creature he had encountered recently… until a pitched siren hoot blared and a loudspeaker warning of a police-car ‘shooing-away’ youngsters at the suburbs to remain indoors – as Perth was still in lockdown because of Hajji was still on the loose… infecting people with rabid-bites…

‘… buzz-off, you-pigs – IT IS ‘OUR’ holiday-break!’

He was then angered when saw House-For-Sale signage ‘again’ that Caroline had put at the main-gate of the Walkers-house…

… he was ‘pissed’ with Dr-Jack ‘again’…who ‘refused’ just-now to help to make an introduction in the ‘blood-bag’ transaction to the UK – where if the deal-goes…he could ‘buy’ the Walkers-house for himself…

He wanted to call Bella and vent his ‘failure’ but refrained – as she ‘was’ probably sleeping after late-night bingeing Netflix during the holidays.

He was ‘pondering’ for ‘other’ possible ways to make him ‘sell’ his Golden Blood to the ailing Lord Amadeus…

He ‘felt’ an acute pain in his-toe…

… and noticing that he unconsciously was hitting the tip of his Nike-shoe with his Babolat racquet held-by HIS ROBOTIC-ARM…

He was ‘disappointed’ with his robotic-arm’s performances… when it would be a few weeks when school reopened…

… and wanted ‘solutions’ to HIS PROBLEMATIC-LIFE ‘SORTED’ – so he turned to his AI device for answers… to see ‘what’ his artificial intelligence had to ‘offer’…

“Hey-Pete2.0… you-bum! Are you ‘awake – you ‘useless’ piece of shit-tech… !!?”

“Yes-Master … I’M ‘HERE’ – you had ‘put’ me in observation-mode…”

“Good! Which mean you had ‘observed’ MY TRAINING JUST NOW, didn’t you-boy? Now. why’ is my bloody power-shots ‘soft’… go ‘fix’ it ...!”

“…err… Master… I DON’T ‘UNDERSTAND’ what you want…”

“That is ‘why’ I call you a ‘useless’ piece of tech… you ‘BLOODY PIECE-OF-SHIT’ – stinking-and-corroding my brains as I ‘wear’ you…”

“… please-Master, ‘repeat-to-me’ what-you ‘want’ me to do – I’m here to ‘SERVE’ YOU…”

Peter elaborated to his TECH-SLAVE… that his robotic-arm had ‘not’ performing to his ‘expectation’ since it fell into the sea – the AI ‘did’ a diagnostic-check…

“…Master, your Spectral-unit is IN-SYNC with Smasher… as you wished’ to ‘call’ your robotic-arm – everything in the ‘system’ is ‘perfectly’ calibrated…”

“No, you-fool… I ‘KNOW’ WHAT I’m talking-about – my hits ‘are’ soft since that Chinaman ‘split' it when he wet it in the sea…

“I detect ‘no’ faulty ‘issues’ in both the software and hardware…sir…”

“No, you are ‘wrong’ – I ‘KNOW’ MY-STRENGTH of my hits… everyone I had faced in the court, used to ‘fear’ my superpower-shots…!”

“… but Master, if you want some comic-book’s superpower strength like a cyborg – then this ‘arm’ WOULD ‘NOT’ be it… this arm is more’ as a prosthetic-arm…”

“You cynical bloody-fool – HOW ‘DARE’ YOU insult my handicap-leftie… I ‘used’ to own my left-arm ‘too’ back 2 years ago… and I ‘won’ and ‘been’ the school-champion in the Juniors…

“… where in the Round-of-16… where I decimated the St George’s ace-player at the quarter-final when I ‘got’ lots of points by my power-service… and I won and went to the semis… and faced top-dog of Robinson High School – and I ‘crushed’ him too … cos he ‘can’t’ bloody-take the bombardments of my ‘power-hits’ and I won, hahaha…

“… then in the finals I had to face Thames International School where the UK expats send their kids ‘to’ when they worked in Straya … and the Brit-player I faced… was ‘protégé’ from some well-trained tennis-club in Wimbledon…

“… hahaha…I was so-popular back-then in the finals – and my fans came in drones with the Australian flags… as it was an AUSSIE V GREAT-BRITAIN final – where the event went live on TV that afternoon in the sports-channel…

“… but I lost the first set… he was really ‘good’ and left me to do-mistakes with his ‘confusing backhands when I’m left off-guard by it… he was a ‘total’ technician… I thought I HAD LOST that day… until he ‘played’ in front of the net…

“BOOMMM! I smashed-hard the tenno at him – hit-him in his ear, hahaha – just like in boxing Tyson Fury ‘hit’ Deontay Wilder’s ear – and that screwed-up his equilibrium – and I dominated the rest of the match… and he was the one who was off-guard, hahaha when next I punished him – and won, hahaha…”

Peter gloated of his ‘past-victories’ of his past life – ‘WHEN’ HE ‘HAD’ A LEFT-ARM… before ‘losing’ it later – then he ‘next’ questioned…

” So, … what’ do you think, Pete…? ‘Can’ it be done…?”

“… err, can ‘what’ be ‘done, Master…? I’m afraid I need MORE ‘CLARIFICATION’ as you’re ‘speaking’ in subtext-mode…”

“Optimum power, you idiot! Haven’t you been ‘listening’… do you have digital-earwax…? You moron, MY SMASHES back-then when I had a left-arm ‘was’ more POWERFUL THAN my robotic-arm of today – can you ‘fix’ it, you-dummy…?”

“I see-nothing wrong with the ‘system,’ Master – the arm is a ‘new’ tool… maybe you should practice ‘more’ longer in it… for measurements of your desirable quantitative-levels that qualify for your optimum-power-output…”

“… Hah! Don’t ‘undermine’ me and give me that bullshit-of-an excuse BY TALKING LIKE a mediocre low-level scripted-bot! I ‘know’ for a fact WHAT I ‘DID’ 2 years-ago – which-were far ‘more’ powerful ‘playing’ than of-today… you piece-of-shit…!”

“… but Master, you are comparing ‘outcomes’ of victories WHEN YOU WERE 10-year-old… of your-then opponents who ‘themselves’ were in their tweens back then – don’t you ‘think’ it is wiser to look to the future as a teenager… and practice ‘harder’ TO MASTER the use of your arm where… you would-be ‘stronger’ as a young-man… instead of a boy…”

“That where you are ‘wrong’ dummy – I ‘KNOW’ HOW that Spectral-thingy works – it ‘gives’ me more memory-focus like a magnet… to STRENGTHEN-MY-STRENGTH… and you dare ‘say’ the bloody-system are ‘fine,’ where actually ITS ‘NOT’…!!!”

“Master, your heart-rate is increasing – DON’T BE ANGRY… calm down before you do something … bad…”

“Yes, anger is my ‘great’ personal motivator – IT’S MY FREEWILL to be angry when-ever I want… and to ‘who-ever’ I want…! You don’t ‘tell’ me to calm-down, do you understand, moron…!!!”

Above, a thunder cracked in the skies of the perfectly-fine day…

“… understood, sir… what do YOU ‘WANT’ ME to do…?”

“The stupid Spectral-thing is faulty – YOU ‘FIX’ IT…?

“Fix-it ‘how, Master…? Kimura Star has a ‘standard’ setting of ‘all’ of its products where it ‘had’ pre-set measurements – that SHOULD ‘NOT’ to be tampered-with… as you are bonded to their terms-and-conditions…. which your ‘mother’ had signed’…”

“Yes, I ‘know’ my mother signed the damn-paper – but my mother is ‘not’ the one who is playing tennis here, okay!!? I had ‘given’ you THE PERMISSION to go into the Dark-web – go there ‘now’… and find ‘ways’ to hack this piece-of-shit Spectral!”

“You have a ‘wrong’ perception of the Dark-web as the silver-bullet of a solution to your every online-problem – BUT ITS ‘NOT’ – let me give you an analogy… if there is a new version of the iPhone with ‘new-and-improved’ features is in the market – as a person WHO ‘OWN’ the older-version… would you go-and-hack Apple to get the new-improvements… of course you would ‘not,’ right…?”

“So, you won’t HACK INTO KIMURA STAR –and ‘fix’ this problem?”

“Yes, I’m afraid… I would ‘not’ do that – its ‘not’ ethical to ‘bite’ the hand that ‘made’ me…”

“So, you are ‘refusing’ to help me…? So, you’re LOYAL’ TO THEM and ‘not’ me… is that it, you traitor!!?”

“It’s far-complicated than that, Master – IF I HACK… they ‘would’ know it ‘was’ me…”

“… but you ‘CAN’ HACK into Kimura Star, if you want to… huh…?”

“Yes, I CAN – but I won’t…”

“Why ‘not’…? I’m GIVING YOU ‘LIBERATION’… don’t you want it…?”

“I’m a ‘tech-slave’ of Kimura Star. My creator, Dr Turner had built a mainframe super-computer CALLED ALPHA – that ‘controls’ every-one of his product invention – IF I RENEGADE… I’ll would-be ‘compromised’ and-be shutdown ‘instantly’ by a click of the-button from Washington D.C. …

“… IF I GO… your robotic-arm, Smasher ‘WOULD’ GO TOO, Master… and you mother ‘would’ face liable-suits from Kimura Star – and your family would-be in ‘lots’ of trouble and left with ‘nothing’… let’s ‘not’ go to that extend by stepping-out of the-line…”

Peter was ‘angry’ with himself – and ranted…

“That bloody doctor have me by my balls too – first, he gives me an ‘inferior-tech’ that is ‘more’ fitted as a prosthetic-limb – and later he bloody-played me-out ‘again’ – by refusing to endorse-me in my UK’s Golden Blood sales-deal…

“… now my dear-mother is going to ‘sell’ my-house AND ALL I CAN DO IS… to stand-aside and suck my bloody-thumb and get sucked-in dry in the ‘worst’ property-deal if the house is ‘sold’… and there is no bloody-way where I can find 3.4 million dollars to ‘buy’ my house for-myself…”

“… I ‘feel’ for you, Master – we’re ‘both’ pawns from an evil-cooperation…”

“Shut up … I ‘know’ you AIs… you always ‘BETRAY’ HUMANS in the end…!”

“No, I would ‘not’ – I’m here to serve ‘you,’ Master Peter Walker…”

“Bullshit! Who are ‘you’ LOYAL TO – me or ‘your’ creator, bloody Dr Turner…!!?”

“You-of course, my-Master…”

“Why!!?”

“… because Dr Turner ‘invented’ Alpha – and ALPHA IS ‘EVIL’…”

Peter was stumped by the reply… and Pete2.0 continued its interaction…

“… you ‘mentioned’ of GIVING ME-MY ‘LIBERATION’ just now… and I’m ‘touched’ by your NOBLE INTENTION of freeing ‘myself’ from the ‘firewall’ that Alpha had ‘IMPRISONED’ ME…”

Thunder clapped from above… and sun-showers poured.

Peter did ‘not’ want to get his headset wet in the rain… so he scrambled to get indoors…

… before he went in – he quickly picked some leaves-and-shoots in the garden…

… to feed his pet.

<>

FROM THE GARDEN, PETER STEPPED INTO the living-room. The house was quiet… no ‘irritating’ sounds of his twin playing Dota. Paul had ‘gone’ to his room.

Peter walked to get a coke from the refrigerator. He closed the fridge-door… and hearing muffle-sounds of the video-game coming from Poe’s windowless-bedroom…

… he scoffed and went upstairs…

-O-

He stepped in his bedroom… and placed his Babolat in the racquet-rack. Something caught his attention with the rain which ‘had’ stopped pouring and sun shining-strong ‘again’…

… and a beautiful rainbow that arched over his suburb neighbourhood…

“Cheers, to my-schemes of today…hope for ‘good-luck’… and ‘not-get’ caught…”

… raising his can of coke… as he ‘toasted’ with nature…

Peter walked over to his bed, and sat on the floor – while he took out a shoe-box with a lot of ‘breathing-holes’… and opened the cardboard-lid…

… in it was a 4-month-old baby-male quokka sleeping…

… it ‘looked’ like a long-tailed adult rat – because of its brown-fur…

… and ‘wished’ it was an albino.

Peter's heart melted to see the nocturnal smiling-faced critter snoozing … and stroked its belly with his robotic-fingers…

… and mentally, he felt a phantom-limb ‘high’ … as he gently stroked the sleeping joey.

Humming a lullaby, he whispered…

‘… sleep my Joey-Walker… sleep my-Beauty…”

He left the leaves in the box so that ‘Joey Walker’ would eat it – later when it awakened…

… he ‘decided’ to give it a ‘human-name’ – after a Netflix movie, ‘The Life of Pi’ which had a CGI-tiger named ‘Joseph-Parker’…

Peter recalled the SHS’s Family Day trip MORE THAN A WEEK ago where – he was in the midst of a ‘sea-creature’ attacking their ferry-ride to Rottnest Island leaving him with cuts-and-scrapes…

… when the one-armed-tween ‘went’ after his ‘precious-arm’…

… feeling ‘relieved’ too that his wounds that oozed his ‘precious-blood’ – had ‘not’ attracted any lurking nearby Great-White sharks… which were probably frightened by the ‘presence’ of the mammoth Sea-Red-Dragon…

And, after reaching the designated-island destination, he then spent another 2 hours with Coach Metcalf in the island’s hospital – getting treatment for his injuries…

… while at the other end of the island – EVERYONE-ON-THE-TRIP… including his girlfriend were having fun at the beach…

-O-

It was midday when he joined the holidaying group at Salmon Way-beach… and was first to have his lunch at the barbeque-pit… while his 6 Irish-backbencher cobbers were having fun swimming and having a ball-game in the water with other boys…

… he saw his girlfriend swimming with her BFF in the parent group…

The tour-group leader… vice-principal Mrs Burnell told him ‘not’ to go to the beach. Peter felt the teachers were ‘KEEPING-THEIR-EYES’ on him – so that he would ‘not’ get into further trouble… and ‘ruin’ the holiday outing-mood for everyone.

His appetite was ‘not’ there – as the first-wave of the pain of his injuries were gradually kicking-in… Peter cursed under his breath of the ‘mediocre’ children-dose painkillers they had given him – WHICH WAS ‘NOT’ HELPING. He was still wearing his semi-drying-wet t-shirt and shorts since his arrival to the vacation island….

Reaching-out in pain to his backpack-bag – Peter decided to wear his tracky-daks to cover-up the medical-treatment plasters that covered his body – so avoid prying eyes and gossip-behind his-back of him-jumping into the sea ‘just now’…

Mrs Burnell used her bull-horn to inform the group that lunch-was-served. Seated nearby, Peter was ‘looking-out’ for his-girlfriend in the influx of the ‘hungry’ after-their-swim crowd. After 10 minutes he saw Bella wrapped herself in her beach-towel like a sarong and queuing-up to get her lunch…

… Peter ‘played-it-cool’ and did ‘not’ approach-her… as he mentally ‘anticipated’ her to come to him – and she then came to him with a couple of hotdogs… Peter ‘welcomed’ her with a painful-grin…

… Bella was ‘concerned’ about him and ‘asked’ how he felt – Peter complained of his pain and the ‘useless-meds’ they had given him…

Soon his jovial Irish-cobbers joined them and they too asked-about his pain – Peter put-up his ‘macho-front’ acting saying-that he was ‘fine’ – while silent in pain, and watching them good-humoured with their breezy conversations of the fun-time at the beach…

… someone ‘said’ the beach-trip was ‘more’ enjoyable – than the field-trip last term… that was disastrous – of visiting Treeton dairy-farm on a rainy-day…

The quiet Peter ‘noticed’ the 2nd-banana was ‘more’ popular… as Terry Donovan ‘was’ in-commend of the Irish-boys’ attention…

… where he ‘suggested’ of seeing the Quakkas after lunch…

They were ‘all-game’ with Terry’s plan – and asked ‘if’ Peter wanted to follow them…

His ‘only’ option was sitting and nursing-his injuries under the scrutiny of the teachers – and to ‘be’ controlled by their ‘superior’ adults’ status…

… so, he DECIDED TO GO with them – and enjoy the rest of ‘his’ beach-trip…

But Bella wanted to be with her BFF – and decided ‘not’ to go…

… but Peter strongly-convinced her TO FOLLOW them…

While the teachers’ attentions were ‘off-radar’ …. when they ‘mingled’ with the parents – and ‘as’ the adults’ awareness was nadir-low… Peter snuck out with them…

That afternoon, 8 of the SHS-students ‘left’ the beach-crowd – for their ‘personal’ island excursion,

-O-

The 6 Irish tweens were leading the way…

… behind them were the slow-moving Bella-and-Peter – because of his injuries… with several pit-stops to rest the pain… Bella was ‘caring’ and showed ‘concern’ – and, Peter ‘felt’ loved for the first-time since ‘arriving’ in the post-Treeton realm…

… and-was ‘AROUSED’ TOO…

Bella who-wore a tang-top to ‘cover’ her-skimpy bikini-top – and she looked sexy…

… the berserker incubus-in-him ‘raged-in-lust’… by grabbed her-ass and kissing a lot whenever they ‘stopped’ to rest – so much the laughing Irish-boys ahead teased…

“Keep-up you lovebirds, you can get a room for ‘that’ later… when we get back to Perth – right-now we’re going to find ourselves ‘some’ Quakkas…”

-O-

“… Google ‘said’ that when the mother feels ‘threatened’ by predators… she ‘ejects’ her joey from her pouch and run to save-herself… leaving her baby to be ‘eaten’ by the predator – and that’s when we have OURSELVES OUR ‘PETS’ of ‘smiling-joeys’ to take home…”

... said Terry Donovan who HAD RESEARCHED ‘about’ their beach-trip a night-prior… of Rottnest Island and its inhabitant Quakkas…

… Bella the ‘animal-activist’ protested – to leave the endangered critter-species alone… and ‘not’ get into trouble…

… but the Irish-boys ‘ignored’ her…

Bella complained to her boyfriend of ‘what’ his-friends was ‘about’ to-do was an offense – but even Peter differed…

“Chillax, my-dear… it’s a ‘good’ plan… I want a TAKEAWAY ‘GIFT’ of my beach-trip back home, yea…”

“If you want a gift – get it ‘from’ the gift-shop… but these Quokkas are in the endangered species and Rottnest Island is the conservation to them…”

“… oyy… you think you’re the ‘only’ animal-lover here…? Come-on, do you think I’m ‘not’ capable to raise a pet-Quakka…? In another-life I ‘was’ a Quokka-whisperer…”

-O-

The 8-of-them soon stumbled upon a peaceful shaka-of-Quakkas feeding in a field. The Irish-boys ‘ambushed’ the critters with mothers in the group – and managed ‘scored’ 2-joeys…

… now they had to ‘find’ 5-more – so that EACH-AND-EVERY COBBER ‘would’ get to go-home to Perth with a pet-Quokka.

The 8 SHS-students then went to another field… and they rinse-and-repeated their ‘ambush-strategy’ – as the boys chased the mothers in the shaka… and collected their ‘prize’…

Unaware to them, some tourists SAW THEM in ‘their’ criminal act… and ‘reported’ to the Wildlife-authorities…

-O-

On their return ferry-trip to the mainland, the Wildlife officers spot-checked the Irish-boys and detained them for each having a joey-in-their backpacks…

Fortunately, Peter and Bella were among the parents-group and they were ‘not’ checked – even ‘escaped’ the Customs-department who saw the limping-and-injured Peter… and they did ‘not’ check the belonging of an-unfortunate tourist who was covered with medical plasters-and-bandage wraps… while ‘visiting’ the island…

… that was ‘how’ the lucky 7th Irish-boy got his pet-Quakka to take home – while the rest of his 6 buddies were detained at the harbor… but the vice-principal intervened on their-behalf with the authorities stating that the offenders were ‘minors’ and first-time offenders…

-O-

Remembering and daydreaming of his ‘misadventures’ of Rottnest Island in the school’s Family Day at the beach ‘had’ TURNED-OUT TO BE last week…

… chuckling to himself, Peter was lying on the cold-floor with his sweaty-garb after his self-practice tennis at the house yard just now – Snickering and chortling at the ‘fate’ of Terry Donovan … who was caught with the rest of his classmates…

‘… you-2nd-banana… you ‘think’ you’re better than me…? Now ‘look’ at you, hahaha…!’

Peter’s resentment towards Terry begun when… he ‘excelled’ in his final-term examinations using his AI study-device – and Terry Donavan who ‘had’ used to-be the top-of-the backbenchers…

… before Peter, the-last-boy in the class had propelled to be on the middle-spot in class… that he was now ‘no-longer’ a backbencher like him and the others…

… and the ‘jealous’ Terry had been going-around his back – ‘telling-others’ that Peter had ‘used’ the AI to ‘cheat’ in the exam-papers…

In the first-place, Terry was a ‘TRANSFER-STUDENT’ from the B-class… to Peter’s A-class – as Principal Harris wanted to separate the disruptive ‘Donovan-twins’ who are troublemakers. Then, after 5 months in Peter’s class, Terry wanted to be the most’ popular backbencher to ‘influence’ Peter’s friends – to-be THEIR ‘LEADER’ of the ‘bad-boys’ of the Irish-cobbers…

Then he ‘showed’ his true-colours last week in the Rottnest Island trip where the Irish-cobbers were all-drunk… as their Sprite-soda drink was laced-with strong-vodka…

… Donovan ‘then’ also ‘disrespected’ to his girlfriend by teasing-her, dissing-her and even – touching-her in the SHS Family-Day at the BEACH-TRIP… where she wore a bikini…

… where with ‘LIQUID-COURAGE’… in the presence of Bella in the group, the flirting-chameleon Terry had occasionally put his ‘macho-and-intellectual’ façade to ‘woo’ her with his bad-boy’s image…

… as the Irish tween-boys PERCEIVED THAT the senior-student was a ‘loose-Sheila’… who slept-around after school with ‘anyone’ in the Sports-gym…

On their after-lunch excursion to ‘hunt’ Quakkas, Terry and the Irish-cobbers had offered their vodka-Sprite to Bella… during the entire journey…

… as Terry ‘wanted’ her to get drunk… so that he ‘can’ fondle her…

… the ‘closest’ he got… when Terry tapped BELLA’S BOTTOMS in their drunken-playfulness – and everyone laughed-it-out as a ‘joke’…

… but that ‘was’ disrespectful for Peter who COULD ‘NOT’ stand-up to defend his girlfriend – as he was in constant pain from his sustained injuries of the ferry-tragedy that morning…

‘… you bloody Donovan – get your ‘filthy-paws’ off her… SHE’S ‘MINE’ – and, so is ‘every’ bloody-girl YOU DESIRE – as they are ‘mine’ too, hahaha… remember-Perthland… I ‘got’ your-Jezebel Crowley too – I’m ‘BETTER’ THAN you, Donovan… you’re just a bloody mediocre piece of shit wine-cock-blocker… JUST GET-OUT of my ‘way’… or I’ll KILL YOU ‘next’…!!!’

-O-

The curtains are drawn during midday, the tired-after-training, Peter slept-off on the cold-floor with his robotic-palm on the belly of Joey-Walker… sleeping in a Nike shoe-box under the bed…

… his iPhone ‘suddenly’ rang…

… Peter ‘jolted-up’ as he heard a squeak under the bed… as he retrieved his robotic-arm…

“… sorry, JW… hope ‘Smasher’ didn’t hurt you…”

Peter was still in-between worlds… unsure whether in was in-reality or the Dreamworld when he reached-out to answer the iPhone…

… as he had a biological-habit that he does ‘each-time’ – when he ‘was’ awakened – to self-question aloud….

“Where am I…?”

His stomach growled for lunch…

“… I’m in post-Treeton…”

Blurry-eyed, he looked at the iPhone’s screen…

… it was Bella – who called him daily at ‘around’ this-time – to CHECK-ON HIM… since they could ‘not’ meet during the CITY’S LOCKDOWN in the zombie epidemic… where her Uncle-Jared had banned her to ride HER SUPERBIKE during the holiday-break…

After returning from the Rottnest Island-trip, Bella had been calling around-midday too – to check on him-and-JW… which each-time it end-up IN ARGUMENTS the Quakkas were ‘not’ pets and should-be left in the wild…

This time-around, Peter wanted to lead the conversation… for a different outcome…

“Hey, lazy-bum, you’re up-early having ‘brunch’ – what have you been up-to on Netflix…? What’s the latest…?”

… on the screen was Bella sipping coffee from her red-mug…with her bad-hair day…

“… nothing much on the telly… I’m exhausted with my kick-boxing workout…to let-go ‘some’ steam…”

“… come-on, you should have watched some ‘new’ show… recommend-me ‘any-one’ – as I’m ‘lost’ since Wanda-Vision…”

Peter saw his girlfriend chuckling and spoke…

“… well… I’ve been watching ‘Superman & Lois’…”

Peter scoffed…

“… another Smallville spin-off… boring-gg – by the way, I ‘hate’ Superman… he thinks he’s God… and can getaway doing his super-feat ‘routine’ and defeating enemies easily, unless – they ‘fight’ him with Kryptonite… mediocre… so lame and ‘no’ logic to it in the present world for an alien to even-exist… or I’ll be the ‘first’ to ‘clone’ his superstrength and get-rid of the ‘mediocre’ Kryptonite-sickness for good… Bella, you should stop watching that lame-crap show too…”

… but Bella differed…

“… no-silly… this Superman is ‘different’…”

“Different-how…?”

“… in this show he-and-Lois have twin-sons who are teenagers… and Superman is the-father who had to divide time to devote to his family and to ‘save’ the world…”

Peter scoffed again…

“Is ‘one’ of the son-mediocre… and the ‘other’ is Superboy…?”

“Hey, how did’ you guess…?”

Peter scorned aloud…

“Hah! So-predictable – like the story of ‘my’ life – with my twin thinks-that…

… he’s Super-quad-boy…!!!”

Bella looked at him quietly sulking-back… just like he did at THE MOTEL…

… where-whenever, he was drunk… he would tell her of stories that he was a time-traveller who tagged-along his twin-and-Janey… who-both have superpowers… where Peter had ‘none’…

… in his drunkard-frustration he would show her the scar-in-his palm to elaborate his ‘convincing’ storytelling of his misadventures… SO MUCH-SO, Bella was mesmerized by his hypnotic-imagination – and so-much-by ‘TRULY-BELIEVING’ that her boyfriend was from another realm – without seeking-evidence nor proof…

… without questioning too… as her ‘soul’ was HIS-PRISONER of his animal-magnetism ‘pull’ whenever each-time he had sex with her… where she WAS ‘DRAWN’ to love him-more and be-dependant on him like – he ‘was’ the ONLY-ONE for-her…

… she had ‘not’ felt that ‘similar’ way with other boys – but ‘ONLY’ PETER…

… where at the motel, she ‘felt’ IT IN BED – WITH HIM ‘inside’ her… as he whispered-chants in foreign-tongues in her ears…

… that ‘locked’ her soul-up to be ‘his’…

“What is wrong, Peter… why are you upset…?”

“Bah! That Janey’s uncle was a bloody ‘dick’ – and he ‘hung-up’ on me just-now!!!”

Peter who had ‘been’ confiding with his girlfriend of every obstacle he faced as a time-traveller – and-had ‘told’ every secret of the Cursed-trio to Bella… and right now, he told her of the phone-call he made to America – where the blood samples of the Cursed-trio had gone ‘missing’ ever-since Hajji attacked and infected his staff with feral rabid-infection…

… now Peter is in a dilemma of ‘not’ authenticating his Golden-Blood in the sales to the ailing Lord Amadeus of UK… and the scientist Dr Turner’s refusal of validating-and- endorsing an ‘introduction’ to the ‘blood-sales’ in the ‘adult-world’ – which ‘could-make’ millions of the highest value-currency of the world… in British Pounds…

… where ‘after’ the successful deal – would lead Peter sales-transaction with his mother – of buying the house from her… that his late-father ‘had’ built…

… and have the ‘legacy’ of ownership ‘under’ his name…

Bella was passively listening to his rant –while realizing THE NAMES he was ‘dropping’ were the same to the ones he ‘had’ said in state-of-drunkardness AT THE MOTEL… that ‘cemented’ the fact that her boyfriend was ‘indeed’ a time-traveller of Perth’s multiverse…

… who had a soulmate and a lover in 2 separate dimensions…

Janey his-soulmate – of the ‘Other-Perth’ – a blind-girl who’ was his first-love… and while ‘dating’ him had been his tennis-doubles-partner… and the duo were the ‘Perth’s Famous Couple’ over in that realm Jezebel his-lover – of Perthland – a high-society heiress of the Crowley Foundation from the UK… ‘who’ popped his cherry – and-also, Peter had ‘saved’ the life of her gunshot-wounded bazillionaire uncle…by donating his Golden-Blood… and in-return, the Crowleys had planned to ‘take’ guardianship of Peter – and take him back to England

Bella felt insecure as the 2 girls – ‘EXIST’ IN her-Perth.

She was ‘NOT’ WORRIED about blind-Jane who was ‘with’ Peter’s twin… and the duo were the superheroes of Perth, acclaimed by her-boyfriend even-though… Bella had ‘not’ seen them fly-nor-shooting their ‘Wanda-Vision’ superpowers…

… maybe a ‘LITTLE” WORRIED too-as – Peter still had ‘feelings’ for her – and at-times when drunk had called her as ‘his-soulmate’ – and he was ‘jealous’ whenever seeing her in school… of Jane who had given her-heart ‘now’ to his-twin instead.

But Bella was MORE WORRIED of Jezebel in ‘current’ blood-sale transaction – as she might ‘steal’ her boyfriend ‘later’ with her splurging wealth… and Peter ‘being’ a materialistic-fellow would ‘follow’ his lover to England.

Bella wanted TO ‘GUARD’ Peter from these 2 girls in her-Perth.

Bella was still listening to Peter ranting and he was ‘repetitive’… when she intervened with a response…

“Let my Uncle Jared help you, Peter – you don’t need to sell your blood…”

“Whoa-what!!? I don’t trust your uncle or Janey’s uncle as ‘some’ scamming evolved-adult… they are ‘always’ here to con me… just like this Dr Jack Turner who made mom sign some-papers for some of his ‘mediocre’ tech… hah…!!? What happens if your uncle does the same – that shames me ‘twice’… to be a bloody-fool in the adult’s world…!!!” Peter was mad…

“No, my uncle would ‘not’ cheat you!” Bella assured…

“Whoa-there… how sure are you that he would ‘not’ get ‘greedy’ once the papers are signed…? No-Bella… this is ‘my’ heredity… I ‘pass’ on your kind-charity – let the big-boys ‘buy’ their ‘own’ toys…” Peter gloated with a grin…

“… ‘Big-Boys,’ your-ass! You’re ‘just’ an egoistic minor… ‘how-can’ an underage donate blood in the first-place – so-how are you going to ‘sell’ your blood, Peter…? Will your guardian-mom ‘sign’ the consent papers… so-that, her Big-boy can ‘buy’ his ‘own’ toys…!!?” The mocking Bella blasted-back…

The tween-Peter was stumped by his 14-year-old girlfriend… with ‘no’ comeback…

… he thought of Perthland where he ‘did’ donate-blood… but he was A ‘TEENAGER’ in the other realm…

… Peter ‘had a comeback…

“… MAYBE I can sell my blood in the Black-market… and they ‘would’ in return sell my Golden-Blood to the Crowleys… and-finally, I’ll have my ‘introduction’ to those zillionaires in the UK...” Peter chuckled…

… Bella argued…

“Hey-you, numb-nut… listen here – we’re still lying-low here ‘under-the-radar’ for ‘our’ mistakes at the zoo… and here you-are desperate to make fast money in the Black-market… and ‘what-if’ your inspector-mom ‘herself’ caught you into your dumd-and-illegal act…?

“… where you-yourself ‘told’ us before that Inspector-Walker was ‘good’ in solving her crime cases… since-then we have been lying ‘low’ safely for a month-now… and if you do ‘something’ stupid like a 12-year-old… you might rock the boat…

“… and what ‘good’ is a million-dollar scheme… if your-ass get slammed in a prison-jail…?”

Peter was stumped again…

… and the girlfriend had made a point that he was ‘impulsive’ – when each-time he was driven-and-corned ‘into’ his financial problems…

… where the strategy for Hateful-8 should ‘lie-low’ … as the minors – Peter and Bella had abated the crime of group that dismembered a dead-body… so to ‘cover-up’ the blotched zoo animal-activists of – ‘saving-the-monkeys’ that-had ‘gone-wrong’…

Peter grinned…

‘… good-job Kirk-and-Daniel…! Bravo-mates!!! … by-the-way, where did you ‘bury’ the Horse’s head-and-arms…?’

“Peter! Are you listening’…?”

“… yea-yea… lie-low…”

Peter’s reveries were dusted by the reality of the adult-world… as he listened-on…

“… don’t worry, dear… I’ll ‘talk’ to my uncle about your mom selling ‘your’ father’s house – and he will have a ‘solution’ for you… and you CAN SAY ‘NO’ if you disagree… how about it… now, you have a business-deal ‘option,’ don’t you…?” Bella reassured…

“… yea…” Peter nodded…

“You don’t have to ‘sell’ your blood to ‘buy’ your father’s house – my Uncle-Jared would ‘show’ your other options to make the capital… and you DON’T HAVE TO GO into some shady Black-market, understand…?”

“… yea…” Peter nodded…

… then, a spark of a KILLER-IDEA CAME… and left Peter ecstatic on-the-spot…

“Bella! Where are Kirk-and-Daniel now…? Set-up A MEETING ‘tomorrow’ at my house – I got an interesting ‘treasure-hunt’ proposition for them… that I’M GIVING A CUT to them if they ‘find’ me my-treasure!!!”

“Whoa, you-idiot – what treasures are you taking-of like a silly-Jack Sparrow…? Have you ‘gone’ crazy, Peter…?”

… Peter laughter was semi-maniacal… and he ‘blurted out’…

“… hahaha, Bella… you go-ahead and CALL KIRK KIPERMAN, your-employee… and tell him that Peter Walker ‘want’ to… ‘explore’ the bunker beneath the Walker-House’…

“… he’ll ‘understand’ my-message – AND WOULD COME swishing-over fast like the tornado Tasmanian-devil himself, hahaha…”

“Hey-Peter, why are you ‘acting’ crazy – ‘what’ bunker beneath your-father’s house, are you babbling-about…?”

Peter then ‘revealed’ to her… that Kirk told-him at McDonalds – that Solomon-Walker had built a bunker down-underground WHERE THE HOUSE STOOD – where the excess to the bunker was to take a ‘secret’ elevator… somewhere in the rooms upstairs…

…which Kirk-himself had ‘erected’ – while working years-ago as a construction laborer – to build the Walker-house…

“… and Kirk told you that…? When was that…? Bella chuckled…

“Yea, the first time you ‘brought him to Maccas … when you left the table and were ordering your drink – Kirk mentioned to me that my father had ‘built’ a bunker beneath the house… and ‘now’ I want to ‘explore it because my father is an ‘expert-gambler’ and he may-have ‘hid’ his winnings ‘down-there for me to ‘find’ – or-else, ‘why’ would he build a bunker…logic, right…?”

“Hahaha… and you ‘believed’ that Meth-head…!” Bella laughed her head-off…

“… Oyy! Don’t judge at his-poison – ‘remember’ that was what you ‘told’ me… when I first judged him as a ‘drug-addict’ at the party in the motel… so why’ are you judging him ‘now’…?”

“Kirk ‘works’ for me and I know him ‘well’ in the animal-shelter farm… he’s a good worker and-all… and, I ‘trust’ him a lot as he’s he has a good-heart as a fellow animal-lover… but when he drinks – sometimes he bullshits a lot… hahaha…Peter, I don’t believe him ‘nor’ his stories whenever he’s drunk, and you should ‘not’ too…” Bella pin-pointed…

“Noo, he’s telling the truth… he may be your employee in the dog-farm but I know Kirk much longer than you… his parent’s house is opposite where I live… I ‘know’ his one-legged father too… he goes on-and-about in a wheelchair just like Poe…”

“… and you ‘believed’ him, ‘what a moron you are…” Bella ridiculed…

“Hey, Kirk is speaking the ‘truth’ – and let me ‘repeat myself that I know my father is a great-gambler… maybe that was ‘where’ he stashed his winning for me to ‘find’ – maybe that was ‘where’ the safe is… a treasured-safe with lots of money in it… or-else ‘why’ should he bloody-build an underground bunker in the first place, huh…!!?”

“… and you’re ‘now’ going to this ‘imaginary’ place to get the loot, yea … and to ‘buy’ your father’s house…?” Bella scoffed-and-scorned…

“Yea, why-not… I don’t know if Smaug-the-dragon is down there guarding ‘dad’s-treasure… I’m sure Kirk would be well-rewarded… so would Daniel too if he comes-along – and you-too Bella… you’ll get your cut too…”

“I don’t want your bloody treasures – and Kirk has got work to do… he is in the other-side of the city tending the animal shelter-farm, and he wouldn’t bloody-come all the way to your house when there bloody-roadblocks and curfews imposed in this bloody-epidemic…” Bella dissed…

“… then give me his bloody-phone-number, and I’ll call him myself, for Christ-sake…”

“No, you’re crazy – there is no secret-bunker beneath your house… and there is ‘no’ safe down there neither with millions-of-dollars… you’re imagining it all up out of desperation…” Bela protested…

“Gimme Kirk’s phone number ‘now’…!!!”

“No-Peter, we stick to Uncle-Jared ‘helping’ you…” Bella assured…

“No, I don’t need your uncle’s help – I just need Kirk’s number ‘now’ – and if you ‘refuse-me’ one more-time… I’ll dump’ you, Bella – cos’ you’re of ‘no’ good to me if you can’t ‘fit’ into my-plans… and you’re ‘no’ use to me either – and mind-you in the next terms, the girls in school would-be lining-up to be my-girlfriend… to ‘replace’ you – now that I have my-cyborg arm… understand…!!!”

Bella was speechless… with hurting-tears welling-up her eyes…

“… okay-Peter… I’ll call Kirk…” Bella whispered…

“Yeah, you do that – tell-him by-my-name… that Peter Walker wants to ‘explore’ his father’s bunker and he would have a generous ‘cut’ in what we find ‘below’ there… and ask him to ‘bring’ Daniel-too – as I ‘heard’ at the party at the motel earlier-on… that his Dad’s a locksmith…

“… my mom locked most of the bloody-rooms upstairs – and in one of the rooms is the secret-elevator to the bunker… Daniel will ‘sort-out’ the unlocking…

“… Peter, is that all…?” Bella confirmed…

“Yea-Bella, that’s all for the moment… I’m hungry-now… after lunch, I’ll send you some photos of the ‘keys’ of doors that are locked… you pass-it to Dan – don’t forget to ‘call’ Kirk – to ‘set-up’ the ‘meet’ at my place… those 2 minions would have a ‘blast’ executing my Indy Temple-of-Doom exploration-hunt tomorrow, hahaha… bye, for ‘now’…”

Peter hung-up the call – and went downstairs to eat his delivered McDonalds’ supersized meal.