THE NEXT MORNING, PETER WOKE-UP frustrated – on the day of ‘his’ Walker-house treasure-hunt. It was the ‘OTHER’ TREASURE in his Dreamworld that HE ‘FAILED’ to obtain…

… wherein the NIGHTMARE-REALM, he would ride a centaur – TO ‘HUNT’ the naked-Jane in the Garden-of-Eden…

… but for 5-nights, she was nowhere to be found…

‘… ‘where’ are you hiding, you b****!!!”

The incubus-in-Peter growled in pain of the lack-of-sex… as IT HUNGERED the virginity-of-soulmate– a ‘DEVIANT-DESIRE’ that was ‘blocked’…

… by the White-magic of-the ‘meddlesome’ Mother Venus…

… the demon-in-him then ‘spoke’ in-vengeance…

‘… We’ll eventually catch-you… and We’ll ‘ravish’ you, O’ Blind-one – We’ll have ‘OUR’ TASTE of the virginity-of-soulmate… where ‘you’ as a Cursed-trio… are fork-tongue ‘destined’ to-be the soulmate for 2…!!!’

… Peter opened his eyes with ‘angered-voices’ fading in his head… and he was ‘aroused’ too…

‘… where are you, Janey…? Where you hiding-from me…?

Peter reached-out to bedside-table to grab his iPad to ‘WATCH’ PORN… and further ‘learn’ its aesthetics… and its production-design…

… so that he can create ‘WET-DREAMS’ for his cuckold-twin ‘downstairs’…

Even though for 5-days, Peter had ‘NOT’ FOUND Jane in the garden – but ‘through’ his incredible-imagination…

… he had ‘convinced’ Paul’s aura in-his-sleep… that ‘Jane’…

… was Peter’s sex-partner, and…

… he ‘did-so’ by ‘Copy-and-Paste’ Jane’ body to switcheroo to Bella’s…

… in their ‘previous’ sensation-bouts at the motel…

Peter chucked…

‘… you are too dumb to ‘notice,’ Poe – it’s all-deep-fakes, hehehe – am I ‘not’ a great-porn director-wizard or what, hehehe…? Maybe as my side-project ambition to make my ‘own’ porn-flicks someday…”

Peter wanted to get out of his bed and – to do his home-tennis training outdoors… just like yesterday…

… but his WHOLE-BODY ached … due to lack-of-fitness and his ‘recovering’ injuries of his Rottnest Island recent trip…

He looked at his alarm clock… it was 8-ish…

… too early for the Hateful-8’s meet @10-ish… where they may-be delayed by the traffic roadblocks…

Peter continued his sleep.

-O-

It was 9:47 A.M. – when Peter next opened his eyes… and ‘forced’ himself off the bed… looked at the mirror…

… he lacked of good-sleep – because his nocturnal-pet ‘came-out’ of-the-box to play… knocking things-over in the dark…

… now, Joey Walker-the-critter – was in his sleep-shift in his-shoebox under his bed…

Peter stroked lovingly on the kipping smiling-joey’s belly…

“… sleep my-Beauty-Rat… Daddy’s going hunting…”

… Peter saw across the bedroom of the ‘mess’ his pet had made – his tennis-racquet rack and paper-trash-bin knocked over… and Quakka poop ‘too’ on the carpet…

Peter was in a forgiving-mood – as Joey-Walker was only 4-months-old…

… who ‘joined’ with his minions-squad as a ‘mascot’ – to-both Pete2.0 and Smasher…

Peter-then used his-teeth to strapped-up the Velcro of his robotic-arm to his stump… and ‘powered-up’ his Spectral-in his AI-device… and he was in full-thoughts…

‘… sorry-Joey, you’re supposed to in your Mama’s pouch for 6 months in the bush, and suckling her teats with ‘no’ worries… but I ‘TOOK’ YOU-AWAY as my ‘pet-slave’ – to ‘man’ you-up in my-bloody training camp… so-no ‘more’ wussy-milk for you because over here…

‘… in the tough-city, you have to eat-and-drink what your Master ‘feeds’ you… you ‘get’ me, you ugly-smiling-rat…? I don’t ‘want’ you to go to Bella either… crying that you can’t survive in the city – cos’ ‘no’ animal-activist is gonna pry you out from my robotic-fingers okay…?

‘… but, anyways JW… you’re still an ugly-boy with a beautiful-smile… but I ‘wished’ you were an ‘albino’… it’s ‘more’ pleasing to the eye, if you’re white, hehehe…’

Peter chuckled to himself – and left the room…

-O-

Peter walked downstairs thirsting for coke – and ‘heard’ the dog ‘growling’ aggressively like it was ‘chewing-on’ something. He noticed when walking to the kitchen… that his twin was not’ around… playing his irritating sounding videogame….

‘… where-you, Poe-pee-poe…?’

Peter opened the fridge door and grabbed a red-can… used his robotic-finger to crack the tab before gulping the soda – distinctly hearing-ambiance of the dog’s enthusiast-growls coming from the backyard…

… the kitchen door was wide-open… with an empty-wheelchair…

Peter went-over to the kitchen-window to spy-of… ‘what’ the heck was ‘going-about’ with the ‘dingo-and-Poe-pee-poe’…

… at first glance, Peter’s jaw-fell seeing his-twin was flat on the grass with the ‘aggressive’ canine on top… attacking him…

… he heard next Paul was chuckling-hysterically… while the fierce-dog was fitted with a Dr Hannibal-like snout-muzzle… wildly trying to ‘bite’ him…

Peter realized that Paul was ‘playing’ with his dog – and wrestling with it on the grass…

He ‘wished’ the killer-dog was ‘not’ muzzled… as its bites would ‘tear-up’ his-twin ‘dead’ – just-like IT ‘KILLED’ HAJJI at the SHS-gym in the ‘other-Perth’…

‘… Kitty…pooh… what a dumb-name… is it a dog-or-a-cat…?’

Peter thought-back on the first-day ‘THAT’ DOG had-wandered into the Walker’s household – it was the 2nd day of the holidays ‘AFTER’ Rottnest Island-trio…

… that evening, Peter limped out of his bedroom with his ‘injuries’…when he heard a ‘commotion’ downstairs between Caroline-and-Poe…

While coming down the stairs, Peter ‘saw’ the Belgian Malinois at the front-doorstep –with Paul pleading to their mother – that HE WANTED to ‘adopt’ the dog…

… where Peter ‘knew’ the animal as… the companion of the Hero-dog, Piper – as both the dogs ‘killed’ Hajji in the other-Perth… THAT ‘CLOSED’ their Insp-Mom’s case of the killer-criminal on the loose – which ‘gave’ her too a promotion to Detective-inspector…

… the dogs’ fame ‘superseded’ in social-media – even ‘overtook’ PETER’S PFC’s popularity in his tennis-doubles… of HIM-AND-JANEY – and…

… those dogs even disrupted his qualifier-set in the final… where THEY FACED their ‘rivals’ of Dougie-and-Zoe…

Caroline wanted to call the animal-authorities saying that the dog was probably ‘missing’ and it – ‘was’ someone-else’s pet – but Paul…

… insisted that the dog DOESN’T HAVE A COLLAR… and it was a ‘stray’…

Peter too ‘stepped-in’ into the family-argument…while limping-down the stairs…

“Oii! I don’t want my father’s house to SMELL WORSE of ‘additional piss-and-shit from this bloody ‘dingo’…!!!”

Paul ‘did’ his ‘drama-queen’ act by begging in-tears – that he ‘needed’ A COMPANION when he was ‘left’ to BE HOME-ALONE after school-hours…

… it ‘hit’ Caroline’s guilt-spot – and SHE GAVE-IN to Paul ‘adopting’ the dog…

… Peter’s protest WAS DEAF-EARED by the inspector-mother – as she-next took Paul to the super-mart to buy pet-food and dog essentials… after PAUL ‘PROMISED’ her that he would be responsible to look-after his pet.

Peter too followed in the Audi – and insisted that their mother BUY A MUZZLE for everyone’s safety – as the Belgian Malinois-breed’s vicious attacks were far ‘dangerous’ than of a dingo’s…

At the super-mart, Caroline gave a $100 BUDGET for Paul to ‘spend’ on his dog at the canine-section… and Paul went on a shopping-spree of the mart’s house-brands, so-to buy the cheapest-product brands of essential dog-care that it fits the budget…

Caroline left both of her sons at the pet-store department – to do her weekly-grocery shopping. Peter left his twin on his wheelchair to do his dog-stuff – while on his ‘own’ window-shopping FOR A ‘CAGE’ for Joey-Walker…

… he saw some hamster cages with built-in treadmill-wheel…

‘… my-Joey is ‘not’ active… all he does is eat-poop-and-sleep like a bum…. can I train him to run on-the-wheel like those rat-hamsters…?’

But Peter was dissatisfied with THE SIZES of the hamster-cages – where a full-grown Quakka was a size of a tabby-cat…

‘… once JW grows-up… his fat-ass would be ‘stuck’ in the hamster-wheel like Fat-Poe…’

Peter went to the feline-section… and looked at some indoor ready-made cat-cages – he ‘wanted’ one-that can ‘fit’ under his bed as HE WAS SECRETLY ‘hoarding’ an endangered-species – that was illegal to keep by the wildlife-authorities…

… ‘not’ that he wanted to ‘buy’ the cage tonight as he was ‘just’ in his browsing-mode – and wanted to look-see and ‘get’ an idea of home-improvement in his bedroom…

… where he would-later ‘secretly’ buys a DIY framed-cage behind his mother’s back – and construct it ‘under’ his bed…

Later at the check-out counter, Caroline took out her credit-card and paid the grocery-bills and Paul’s dog-care bills – Paul made a ‘drama-queen’ moment once-again… and this-time in ‘public’…

… as he cried tears of joy and thanked his mother several ‘more’ times…

Peter scoffed…

‘… you just ‘got’ a yellow-dog, you-quad – ‘not’ like your dog is special and ‘worth’ a million of dollars…it is ‘just a bloody $100 dog…’

Peter then helped his mother to pack the grocery items in the supermarket trolly – and the show-off tween placed the 25 kilos lamb-flavoured dog-dried-food bag on his shoulder with his robotic-arm – to impress the pretty cashier-girl – of his strong-boy macho-ness…

… grunting, as he walked alone out of the mart to the Audi…

… Caroline followed him while pushing the trolly with groceries… as Paul caught-up with them, when he had to use the path with the handicap-ramp.

Peter shoulder-dropped the heavy-dog-feed bag into the Audi’s trunk… and he grunted and wagged his robotic-finger at the inspector-mother…

“… it’s a ‘bad’ idea you made of letting Poe keep the dog… and I’ll be ‘there’ in the future when an ‘I-told-you-so’ moment occurs…”

-O-

Peter sipped his coke and was ‘still’ looking-out of the kitchen window at his fat-twin having fun wrestling his dog in the grass. Paul chuckled as he ‘dodged’ the dog by quick-levitation movements – as he neck-locked his arms around the ‘muzzled’ Kitty…

… it reminded Peter of the viral-popular Tik-Tok video of Paul’s Tarzan-fame – who had ‘subdued’ a black-rhino with a neck-lock… and putting it into ‘electro-shock-coma’ at the zoo.

The jealous Peter scoffed…

‘… that bloody dog ‘has’ to go… it is ‘dangerous’ – and what if she ‘bites’ Joey Walker someday… if she-ever ‘kills’ my-Joey – I’ll then poison-and-kill Poe’s bloody dog…!!!’

Opening the front door, Peter went outdoors to the garden with…

… the newspapers and the half can of coke…

…and waited there for his Hateful-8 visitors.

<><>

IT WAS ALMOST MIDDAY – AT QUARTER TO 11 when the superbike-trio arrives…

Bella ran-over and hugged her boyfriend… and they locked-lips…

“… Peter, I’m sorry for doubting you yesterday… Kirk told me that he helped to build the elevator years ago in your’ house…”

“See, I told you-so, right…? Hahaha…don’t ever-doubt the message of a time-traveller…”

Kirk in a leather-jacket next walked into the main gate… and Daniel who wore a regular streetwear followed from behind… and came over and shook Peter’s hand – and they-both admired the black-robotic arm ‘leftie’…

“So, this is ‘new’… did ‘not’ see it when I met you 2 months ago at Maccas…” Said Kirk.

“Meet my ‘Smasher’ – my cyborg-arm – come-on guys, be the ‘first’ to give me a high-5 FOR ‘GOOD-LUCK’ in ‘our’ treasure-hunt…”

They all-laughed – the tween-Peter ‘took’ charge…

“Okay-guys, WE ‘STICK’ to the plan… Kirk, you be downstairs to ‘create’ the diversion – and the rest of us, we go-up and ‘pick’ the lock of my dad’s music-room where… I ‘believe’ the ’elevator’ is at…”

-O-

The 4-of-them stepped indoors of the Walker-house – with violent dog-barks coming from the backyard – Peter yelled…

“Shut your-gap, you bloody dingo!!!”

At the same-time, Paul-on-wheelchair came out from the bathroom AFTER HIS SHOWER… the fat-tween was only clad in his bath-towel – and was surprised with strangers STARING at him…

…at first glance, Paul recognized Bella – his twin’s girlfriend from school – ‘now’ – up-close-and-personal in the Walker-house… she ‘felt’ bigger-than-life to the extrovert Paul…

“… come-on-Poe… put some clothes-on, will ya – I ‘know’ you are-Tarzan… but ‘my’ gal-is-here… and, you ‘embarrassing’ her…”

Everyone laughed… the giggling Bella then spoke and approached…

“… Stop it, Peter – Hiya Paul…”

The fat-tween did ‘not’ acknowledge her… wheelchairing in a hurry – as the shy-Paul rushed into his windowless-room – and shut the door-fast…

Everybody burst into laughter again…

-O-

When everyone quieten-down, Peter used ‘sign-language’ to communicate with Kirk – instructing-him to ‘stay’ downstairs in the living room… Kirk ‘replied’ by an-okay sign with his hand…

Peter then looked at Bella-and-Daniel and pointed upstairs… before saying…

“Hey Bella, let me ‘show’ you my-room…”

“… okay…” Said Bella… as she followed Peter…

… Daniel ‘followed’ too…

Upstairs, Daniel ‘pointed’ at the ‘ACTIVE’ CCTV CAMERA above in the ceiling – ‘recording’ the hallway…

Peter whispered to the man…

“… I’ll take-care of it ‘later’… come… this is DAD’S MUSIC-ROOM… hey, Dan-the-Man, do ‘your’ magic please…”

Bella intervened aloud…

“Peter, where is ‘your’ room?”

Peter ‘shushed’ her… and pointed to another closed door – as the tween stood nearer beside Daniel Bennet… the son of a locksmith…

Bella left them-both… Peter saw the 20-something-year-old youth who-had a bunch-of-over 20 master-keys of that ‘particular’ lock – that he ‘BORROWED’ FROM his-father’s shop.

Daniel was desperately trying the keys on the door-lock… with no-luck – as the keys would ‘not’ unlock the door of the house of Perth’s police inspector.

Peter too looked worried… if the treasure-hunt ‘was’ a no-go…

…while ‘irritated’ of listening to Bella in his room… delightfully playing with the Quokka…

-O-

Paul came out of his room in his wheelchair. He was dressed-up with a track-pants so that they hid his ugly-scars on both of his crippled-legs. His dog was quiet in the backyard while – the only ambience-sound was the TV in the living room…

From the kitchen, he peeked at the living room – and distinguished a man in a black leather-jacket sitting-alone comfortably at the couch… watching the news in the big-screen…

‘… ‘who’ is he…? Where is the ‘other’ bloke…? Did he ‘follow’ Peter-and-Bella upstairs…?’

The curious-Paul approached forward… looking at the big-screen – with the image of John Blake, the Mayor-of-Perth of the promising economical time-ahead in the coming months – with the building a nuclear powerplant in the city.

The man was ‘aware’ of his presence… got-up and came forward to greet him…

“Hi-Paul, how you doing…? Remember me, I used to live around here… it’s Kirk – I know your ‘parents’ – Mr-and-Mrs Walker… sorry about your dad’s unfortunate death in the car crash… and you and Peter were… ‘injured’…”

Shaking-hands, Paul grinned at his ‘honesty’ but – was put-off when the man ‘reeked’ of alcohol…

… he ‘knew’ Kirk a ‘long-time’ ago… living with his parents across the Walker-house…

‘…it’s a small-world after-all…’

“… yes, I ‘do-remember’ you… I ‘know’ your parent too, the Kiperman – they wave to me when they see me now-ad-then… WHERE HAVE you been. Kirk…? The only ‘cool-memory’ of me remembering you was seeing you riding the neighbourhood on your Norton big-bike a long-time ago…” Paul engaged along with the small-talks…

… Kirk laughed out aloud…

“… ooo you ‘remembered’… that was 5 years-ago… and I had ‘changed’ a couple of bikes since… now I ride a Harley Davidson… Paul, I’ll take you for a ride, if you wanna…yea? Oh, yea those ‘good-memories’… ‘that’ old-Norton Royal Enfield was my first-bike, a vintage classic...but ‘problematic’ for spare-part, yea and… I sold it-off…”

… Kirk laughed out aloud ‘again’ – exposing his mouthful of black-rotten-teeth…

Paul remembered ‘Jimbo’ of the other-Perth… who had ‘similar’ dental-issues – where he ‘was’ admitted to a mental institute – when ‘he’ put ‘Alicia of-the-other-Perth’ to a coma.

“Still going to Stamford High school…?”

“Yea… ‘same’ ol’ school…”

… Paul was ‘tempted’ to ask-of ‘how’ Kirk MET-UP WITH Peter-and-Bella… but ‘declined’ as it was ‘personal’ – instead HE ‘ASKED’…

“… you ‘came’ to visit your-parents…?”

“…nah… we are ‘not’ in speaking-terms since I moved-out from that ‘bloody-house’ 5 years ago… and I ‘never’ looked-back since…”

‘…sorry…’

Paul ‘regretted’ that the question was ‘personal’ too…

… he remembered the ‘loud-arguments’ from across the road in the Kiperman’ house-then – where the wheelchaired father shouted at his ‘only’ son for asking money – and the ‘now’ estranged-son ‘had-even-stole’ his-parents’ money back-then – or anything valuable from the house to sell…

… so-much-so, Paul REMEMBERED HEARING the poor diabetic-father ‘threatening’ Kirk back-then… that he wanted TO ‘REPORT’ HIM to Inspector-Walker who ‘lived’ across the road – TO ‘ARREST’ HIM…

Paul contemplated with THE ‘PAST’ floating-thoughts…

‘… ‘this’ Kirk is ‘not’ an angel – what is he ‘doing’ with my devil-twin…!!?’

-O-

Meanwhile-upstairs, Peter was looking-on at Daniel using a small metal-file to ‘sculpt’ the teeth-of-a-key – and, he blew his-breath on the contoured-key… BEFORE INSERTING IT – into the lock of the music-room door…

Eureka…

… it ‘opened’ the door – both the rapt Peter-and-Daniel high-5ed…

“Neat-trick I learnt from my-Dad…” Daniel chuckled…

“… Danno! Don’t go in ‘yet’ – let me ASSEMBLE THE REST of the Hateful-8…!” Peter ordered and ran into his bedroom...

-O-

Downstairs, seated comfortably at couch was the drunk-and-high meth-head in his black leather-jacket… talking about his hardship ‘growing-up’ in his father’s house, and had been ‘thrown-out’ in the streets – but-now…

… had liberated as a ‘successful’ business-man after 5 years – since buying a ‘parcel-of-land’ which he co-owned – as-in he had co-signed the deal on behalf of… his minor-business-partner Bella – where they ‘converted’ the land into a stray-animals’ shelter-farm… as they both were ANIMAL-ACTIVISTS…

… who ‘had’ rescued hundreds of abandoned dogs and cats in the Perth…

But Paul ‘lost’ him at the mention of ‘animal-activist’…

… as he had A ‘BAD-RUN’ being ‘one’ himself after joining a defunct Facebook Group as an animal-lover in THE OTHER-PERTH – but the online social-media group was a ‘coverup’ for their MILITANT-ACTIVITIES to extreme ‘animal-saving’ methods…

… where the CTU Agent Joseph Dickson had ‘given’ HIM A TOUGH-TIME in accusing him of associating with THE ‘RADICAL’ FB-Group.

Kirk was going-about bragging about their stray-animal rescue and their good-works in Perth that profited them. The confused Paul was now ‘figuring-out’ their business-model…

‘… how can you have gotten ‘rich’ by rescuing stray animals in the street – that’s ‘impossible’– for you to EVEN ‘AFFORD’ to buy a Harley Davidson…?’

Then the drunk Kirk also mentioned that their success would be even ‘greater’ if ‘not’ for being ‘discreet’ – because they were ‘operating’ secretly behind Bella’s uncle’s back… since she was a minor…

‘… ‘too-much-info,’ Kirk, thanks by-the-way… so, you-all are avoiding Mr Wilford, ‘her’ uncle – and you-all have been-up into ‘something’ shady since… innit…? Which ‘attracted’ my devil-twin to ‘come’ aboard…’

At that ‘moment,’ Peter called from upstairs…

“Hey Kirk, you are ‘wanted’ upstairs…”

Kirk Kiperman excused himself … and headed to the staircase – leaving the baffled Paul downstairs… of ‘what’ was going on upstairs in his ‘own’ house…

… little ‘did’ the crippled-tween KNOW – THAT Kirk Kiperman was the ‘leader’ of the Hateful-8 in POST-TREETON… that Peter was ‘onboard’ with the group…

.. ‘just-like’ in PERTHLAND, where Paul ‘too’ was a member of Hateful-8 WhatsApp Group – that ‘hoaxed’ a zoo’s rescue-the-monkeys ‘mission’ in that-realm…

-O-

Peter entered his bedroom and saw his girlfriend lying on the floor – playing and singing to the Quakka by placing the smiling-joey on her-chest. Bella sang her-favourite Lady Gaga song to it…

… I’m just a Holy-Fool, ooh-Baby…

…he’s soo-cruel – but I’m still in Love with Judas…

… ooo ooo, I’m in Love with Judas. Baby, ooo ooo…

Peter interrupted…

“… oyy-Frenchie…me and the boys are ‘going’ in – you ‘stay’ here and look-out for Poe… he ‘might’ tail-us…”

“…what-how…!!? But he’s on a wheelchair…?”

Peter chuckled…

“You ‘still’ don’t believe that Poe ‘could’ fly – hahaha, I DON’T BLAME YOU my-dear… even my mommy-dearest too is ‘FOOLED’ by that deceiving son of hers… by his-secretive and conniving ways of concealing his SUPE-IDENTITY…”

“I don’t care – I want to follow too!”

“Hey-Bella, that is ‘not’ the plan!”

“I’m through ‘pretending’ – wherever you go, I’ll follow too – if your inspector-of-Perth-mother ‘catches’ the Hateful-8… I want to be in the ‘same’ police-suspect line-up too, right-along with you, my-Judas...”

Bella snickered… and got-up on her feet and walked and bumped on her boyfriend standing at the door. Peter sighed and saw his girlfriend exit his room, leaving behind the smiling-joey…

Peter looked at his pet, and his-heart melted…

“… see you later, mate… ‘daddy’ is going hunting… and daddy’ loves youu…”

As he closed his room-door, Kirk came upstairs… the rapt Peter spoke to all…

“Okay... boys-and-doll – this is it – let’s do the Avengers’ End-Games’ fist-bumps… yeah, ‘touch-on’ my cyborg-fist… it brings good-luck… OH-YEA – here is the moment of truth of our treasure-hunt expedition…

“… may my father’s money-pile stash make us all-rich…”

The 4 blissful members of the Hateful-8 – entered Solomon Walker’s music-room…

... to search-for the ‘elevator’ – THAT LED underground secret-bunker.

<><>

THE DOOR OF THE MUSIC ROOM OPENED – it was dark and smelled musty… after it was abandoned for almost 3-years SINCE THE DEATH of Solomon Walker in the tragic car-crash. Peter used his metal index-finger of his robotic-arm TO SWITCH ON the light…

The Hateful-8 beheld a large sound-proof music-room – that had ‘been’ long-neglected… with cobwebs hanging from the ceiling and heavy-dust accumulated on a single couch and the music-system speakers… Bella sneezed…

Occupied half of the room were hundreds of vinyl-records of jazz-music on racks mounted on 3-sides of the wall – and there was a meter-high book-rack on the floor – with books on Eastern-religions… Peter spoke…

“This is my dad’s man-cave where I recall, he would lock himself-up and listen to music… I’m ‘not’ allowed-in, maybe cos he doesn’t want me to ‘break’ anything – and-by the way, I’m ‘not’ into jazz-either… who listens to a trumpet-playing band, haha…?”

“I listen to jazz sometimes…” Bella said…

“… so… that make you rich-people more ‘cultured,’ is that it…?” Peter dissed…

“I have a ‘rello’ who listens to jazz – in fact he’s my older-cousin… a retired teacher…” Daniel said while pulling-out record-albums from the rack…

“… yea, only ‘rich’ old-fart ‘listen’ to crappy-jazz…” Peter chuckled…

“Whatever…” Bella scoffed…

THE HATEFUL-8 were ‘more’ into GOING THOUGH the late-Solomon’s things in the music-room – RATHER-THAN finding the elevator to-the-bunker:

Daniel who was ‘stoned’… was quiet – and in his ‘own-world’ mesmerizing… as he was admiring the aesthetics of the vinyl albums’ art-covers – taking photos with his cellphone Kirk who was a ‘tweaker’ meth-head … was quiet – and was rummaging the drawers of a small-writing-table Peter who was ‘curious’ of his early-childhood… was quiet – as he went through the bookshelf and found a ‘personal-journal’ of his father with an envelope of dozens of photographs of a ‘happy’ Walker-family… and ‘other’ photos that he had ‘never’ seen before – like ‘owning’ a Venom action-toy when he was a toddler… while his twin was holding his-Spiderman … except for Bella who stood-by the door… sneezing while looking-on at the guys in their-treasure-hunt…

“Hey! Have you found ‘it’ yet…?” Bella cried-out…

“Shut-up, Frenchie – it’s a ‘SECRET’ ELEVATOR which my father ‘had’ built… we’re finding for ‘hidden’ clues of ‘where’ it is – and if you’re ‘that’ impatient… go and play and sing-song to Joey-Walker in my room – go-away now!” Peter snapped…

“I don’t ‘see-this’ elevator… have you ‘checked’ the other room…?” She whined…

“No! That other room is a bloody-guest room… ‘it’ is here… ‘somewhere…”

They both turned their heads… after-hearing the 2-men clamouring in excitement – Peter-and-Bella went-fast to the writing-table…

“Have you found it? THE ‘BUTTON’ to the ‘secret-elevator…?” Peter too was excited…

“No…” Daniel replied…

Kirk was snickering to-himself while holding-up ‘SOMETHING’ BLACK in his-hand… which was the size of a soap-bar – Kirk said proudly…

“Finders-keepers…”

“What is that…?” Peter questioned…

Daniel responded the answer for Kirk…

“… it’s pure-opium… it’s worth a few-thousands of dollars in the streets… maybe ‘less’ cos it’s dried-up after years in the drawer…”

“…wow-dear, your dad ‘smokes’ opium…” Bella chuckled… the 2 men too-laughed…

Peter was embarrassed to ‘know’ that his father ‘took’ drugs while locking himself-up… and ‘escaped’ into his-jazz-music…

“Get rid of it – THIS IS ‘NOW’ the house of the inspector-of-Perth – ‘NOT’ HER bloody ‘crime-scene’…” Peter grunted…

They saw Kirk taking-out his Swiss-knife and poking on the ‘bar-of-opium… then took out his crack-pipe… and smoked a-small portion of it in the music-room…

“What’s that…?” Bella pointed…

They saw Bella had directed their-attention TO ‘SOMETHING’ in the dim-lighted room – it was a long yellow saree-curtain that hung of a bathroom curtain metal-railing…

… the Hateful-8 went to the diaphanous see-through sheet-of-cloth that was faded-and-dusty…

“… what’s behind’ the curtain…?” Peter mumbled out-of curiosity…

Both Kirk-and-Daniel drew-open the long curtain to discover – a HINDU ALTAR on the floor… and a shrine of a score-of – Hindu gods-and-deities photo-frames on the wall…

“Whoa! Is your dad a Hindu, Peter…?” Bella exclaimed…

… Peter’s jaw dropped as he saw the photo-frames of ‘colourful’ male-and-female ‘alien-gods’ with multiple heads-and-arms – who were accompanied by animals like cows, peacocks, tigers, lions, etc-etc…

“… that is all the animals in the zoo…” Daniel laughed…

“yea… ‘not’ only Mr Solomon Walker ‘was’ a Hindu all-the-while… and he ‘also’ was an animal-lover like us…” Bella added…

“NO! My dad is a staunched Roman Catholic,,, 'not' an animal-worshiper!” Peter protested…

“… then what is ‘this…?” Mocked Bella pointing-down at the altar…

… Peter was stumped ‘again’… but had an ‘angry’ comeback…

“Oii! Watch it… don’t let me ‘pick’ on you-Protestants!”

“I didn’t diss your father, dear – he ‘can’ believe in whatever he ‘wants…and so can-you…” Bella replied…

Daniel guffawed as he took photos…

“Look at this… an-elephant-man IS HORSE-RIDING on a giant-rat, hahaha…”

… Peter saw that Daniel was pointing at the image of the Hindu Lord Ganesha riding on an enormous rodent…

… Peter then ‘had’ a ‘fuzzy’ déjà vu…

… of riding’ a ‘similar’ rat IN HIS DREAMS…

Kirk who had been ‘quiet’ all-along… lit his crack-pipe, blowing-smoke and saying…

“I reacon Mr Walker IS A HINDU – I saw in YouTube that… Hindu gurus-and-yogis ‘use’ opium when they meditate…” Kirk gave his-philosophical-view…

“I saw Love-Guru the other-day on Netflix… Mike Myers was so funny in it…” the laughing off-tangent Bella added…

“Yeah, Mikey-Myers…he’s a blast…” Daniel too sniggered …

Kirk left the altar area – and wanted to use the indoor-bathroom… Peter was listening to his rapt girlfriend – who picked-up a slim foot-long cylinder shaped-carton in a pile of boxes… of scented incense-sticks, while dusting-it…

“Hey-Dan, look I found – ‘joss-sticks’ – and it says ‘cannabis’ on the-box…”

“… what!!? Do they ‘sell’ that here in Perth…? I would buy those by the dozens of those cos the bloody mozzies at the farm during rainy-season are brutal-killers – despite me lighting-up all-those mosquito-coils…” the blissful Daniel said while smelling the sticks…

“… finders-keepers…” the ecstatic Daniel aforementioned to Peter … before putting the few-boxes of the incense-sticks into his bag pack.

Peter sighed in disappointment – LOOKING AT KIRK who was struggling to open the bathroom-door which was ‘stuck’ – because the wood-of-the-door had ‘expanded’ after remaining shut for almost 3-years…

… Peter ‘mistrusted’ Kirk… ‘playing-on’ the negative views in his-mind…

‘…WHERE IS this secret-elevator…? You bloody lied to me – what is this… an April-Fools’ Joke…? Bella WAS ‘RIGHT’ about you – all-you-meth-heads are bloody-good liars… Did I call you-ALL HERE TO make me ‘look’ like a bloody-fool…?’

Kirk was still wriggling with the lock and then forcefully used his-body to barge-against the door. Peter walked-over as he wanted to use his robotic-arm to open it…

… but Kirk managed to open it in his 3rd body-slam – it swung-open – Peter peeked-into a space in the Walker’s house that he had ‘not’ seen at all in all the years living under the-roof.

It was ‘small’ – barely 2x2 meters… and had a dunny and a handwash basin, with ‘no’ shower-facilities… but it had a full-length mirror on the side-wall…

“… do you mind…?” Kirk told him…

“…err… sorry…” Peter retracted his head-out of the bathroom…

Kirk peed – and then flushed… the water was black as coffee. He did ‘not’ wash his hand and reached for his crack-pipe to have more-hits of the found-opium. Kirk then leaned on the full length-mirror as he ‘relaxed’…

OUTSIDE… Peter heard a ‘crashing-sound’ – like-of someone falling… and was the first-responder to rush-in…

… he saw the laughing Kirk on the floor – apparently, the full-length mirror was the ‘DOORWAY’ TO the hidden-elevator… that ‘gave-way’…

… when Kirk ‘leaned’ on the wall-mirror…

“… hahaha, see I TOLD YOU-SO that there ‘was’ a-bloody-elevator ‘somewhere’… your father, Solomon Walker was a crafty-genius architect…” Kirk revealed…

The flabbergasted Peter then laughed too and he responded… as he pulled Kirk-up to his feet with his robotic-arm…

“Good-job, Kirk… we’re back ‘in-business’ – Hateful-8 Assemble! The treasure-hunt is ‘on’…!!!”

-O-

Kirk and Daniel were flashing their torchlights into the small dark-space… behind the mirror with a collapsible elevator’s fence-gate…

… Peter-too had a flashlight but… it was in his bedroom as he had forgotten to bring it along – neither would he go back to get’ it… FEARING THAT the Hateful-8 ‘would’ leave him-behind – and go to the bunker WITHOUT-HIM… as he was the ‘youngest’ in the group…

Peter stood with Bella at the-back – as they looked at the men-at-work…

The fence-gate had ‘rusted’ in its hinges and it was ‘stuck-hard’ – as the men badly tried to open-it. Kirk took a can of WD40 from his backpack and… sprayed it on the centre-joints till the gate bulged-back to open…

Both the adults were the first to step into the 1x1 meter elevator – and flashed their torches above at the elevator’s cable… to see if it ‘was-safe’ – Peter turned to Bella and said…

“… Frenchie, you ‘stay-back’ – it ‘might’ be heavy for the 4-of-us…”

“I’m following – you ‘stay-back’ cos – your metal-arm is heavy…”

She pushed him aside and stepped-in with the guys… Peter sighed at her before he ‘cramped’ himself in the small-elevator…

“Ready y’all – here we go!” Daniel pushed-down the lever that…

… cranked WITH A LOUD NOISE – as the fenced-elevator ‘made’ – before it… descended slowly below.

-O-

DOWNSTAIRS at the kitchen dining area, Paul heard the noises rumbling behind the-walls with the dishes on the rack were rattling – and his dog at the backyard-too barked its head-off… sensing the abnormality…

The curious Paul ‘was’ worried seeing ‘more’ hairline-cracks appearing on the upper-wall…

‘… what ‘are’ they up-to upstairs…?’

On his wheelchair, he looked at his iPhone that he held… with the ‘paused’ Dota-game – as Paul was contemplated TO CALL his inspector-mother…

‘… what are you up-to, you-devil…? I bloody can’t fly-over to ‘CHECK-ON’ you – cos you had ‘invited’ strangers-over… but the way I ‘see’ it – you’re gonna bring-the-house-down…’

-O-

The one-man-elevator with the Hateful-8 quartet cramped-into was… the very-slow moving… as-in a few centimetres-per-second as it pulleyed-down – with a moaning-sounding motor wailing from above…

“…uff-so-slow… does this thing go any-faster…? Peter, why ‘did’ your dad build a slow-assed elevator…? By the time we leave the bunker with your ‘hidden-wealth,’ it would be the ‘next’ global-economic-crisis!” Bella ridiculed…

Everyone except Peter laughed – and before he had a ‘comeback’ – the level-headed Kirk replied…

“Chillax, I reckon the lift-mechanism probably somewhat faulty… cos it had ‘not’ been in-use for so-long-time… we’ll get ‘there’ eventually…”

“Yea, we got ‘time’… it’s ‘not’ that the dogs are starving in the farm… we’ll be home’ before the bell… no-worries, no-hurries… enjoy the mysterious-ride…” the ‘stoned-cool’ Daniel added.

Peter too was rapt…

“Imagine of all-he money my father had stashed down there for us – I’LL ‘BUY’ myself this ‘mysterious’ house… now that it has got a ‘secret’ built-in-bunker…”

Bella cut him-off…

“My dearest-Peter, DON’T COUNT your chickens before it hatches – let’s ‘find’ your treasure ‘first’ – before you make plans…”

“DON’T JINX-IT, B****!” The annoyed Peter scoffed…

“I’m ‘not’ dissing you-dear… but a ‘reminder’ that you have ‘other’ options to ‘buy’ this property… I’m saying… your ‘last’ option is for MY-UNCLE to ‘buy’ it for you – before your mother ‘sells’ it to someone-else…just-remember that…”

Peter did ‘not’ argue-back and he was quiet… recalling his anger-management session with student councillor, Ms King who had ‘reminded’ him of to – ‘speak-less’ and ‘listen-more’…

The slow-moving elevator had just passed-below the music-room – it was total-darkness from there-on. Kirk-and-Daniel switched on their flashlights for illumination… as the lift had a ‘faulty-bulb…

Bella switched-on her Nokia phone… she was anxious…

“… no-bars… there is ‘no’ phone reception…”

As the elevator car crawled lower into the belly-of-the-earth – it was getting warmer and the quartet were sweating… and the air got thinner too, as they took deeper-breath.

“How deep is this shit-hole, bro…?” the fretful Daniel asked…

“…umm, 10-12 or 15 meters-down… I don’t know… it’s been so-long since we ‘did’ the bunker-excavation project – before the house was ‘built’ on top of it…” the level-headed Kirk replied…

Then the entire car jolted with scraping sounds coming from the friction of its outer-wall – the Hateful-8 panicked and sensed some heating burnt smell coming from the cable-abrasion at the ceiling… the motor was wailing-even louder…

… ‘when’ the elevator-car STOPPED MIDWAY…

Kirk shone his flashlight to see the ‘source’ to the jerking-problem – REALISING THE TIP-of the fence-gate WAS HOOKED onto the outer-wall crack…

“… damn! We’re-bloody STUCK-NOW…” Kirk uttered…

“Oh-my God… WE’RE ‘TRAPPED’… we’re going to die down-here…” Bella panicked…

“I fear the worst – if that CABLE ‘SNAPS’ – we’ll plunge-down 15 meters…and be-tomato ketchup in a metal-box…!!!” Daniel dreaded…

In the dark, Peter felt Bella holding-tight to his robotic-hand…

… it was the first time seeing HER ‘TERRIFIED’ – compared to the she-demon that she ‘was’ – on her-superbike… riding at NECK-BREAKING SPEED when she ‘got’ drunk…

“Your-brother Paul – HOW ‘SOON’ would he ‘realise’ that you are missing…?”

“… don’t know…” Peter sighed-inwards…

‘… told you to stay-behind as-planned – but you were adamant and stubborn to follow… ‘now’ look at-you… mediocre…!

‘… and by-the-way, Poe would ‘not’ come looking for-me – and ‘would’ rather want me dead… so that he-and-Mom ‘would’ sell-off the house – without any ‘opposition’…’

Kirk pulled-out a crowbar from his backpack and put it at the metal-fence… trying to pry-it from the crack on the outer wall with one-hand, but-failed. He passed the flashlight to Bella, and tried again with both-hands… and still-failed – as Bella who-held the flashlight, with words of encouragement…

“…you can do-it, Kirk…!”

The 3 of them looked at the ‘leader’ of Hateful-8 grunting as he used all his-might prying with his crowbar…

“…ummpf… Dan… a little-hand ‘ere, mate…”

Daniel too passed his-flashlight to Peter – and got under Kirk’s armpit as he on to the crowbar, and begin too prying the ‘stuck’ metal-fence. Peter shone light at both the men grunting-and-sweating under the peril-of pressure of life-and-death situation…

… Peter passed the torchlight to Bella as he too wanted to help the men with his robotic arm – but the crowbar was ‘short’ for 3-people to ‘hold’ in the cramped elevator…

He looked-on… while Bella held the 2 flashlights – with Daniel placing-and-used his foot across the elevator’s wall… to gain leverage-in-force…

“… mmmpf…why the bloody ‘cracks’ at the outer-wall…?” Daniel grunted a question….

“… mmmpf…probably the earth beneath the house shifted…” Kirk groaned an answer…

… little did both of the men ‘knew’ that Peter was TO-BE ‘BLAMED’ for-it – when he caused a minor-earthquake during the Hiro-and-Taros’ visit 2 MONTHS AGO… where with HIS ‘RAGE’…

… when the inspector-mother ‘had’ REFUSED TO SIGN the Kimura Star’s contract for HIS ROBOTIC-ARM…

“… can’t be ‘stuck ‘ere… need to get back to the farm – and ‘feed’ the dogs…” Daniel muttered…

The grunting-men worked-on their last strength-and-efforts to wrench-and- prize the crowbar…and managed to pry the fenced-gate that was ‘hooked’ onto the concrete-crack of the outer-wall…

… the elevator jolted and PLUNGED MORE than a meter – everyone ‘bounced’ in the yoyo dark-car… when they were thrown-away – by the shake of the ‘loosen’ elevator’s cable…

The Hateful-8 quartet sprawled on the floor of the car – hearing from-above… that the motor did’ less-wailing sounds and the elevator was in-service again… heading-down to the bunker…

Everyone in the dark-elevator rejoiced… the youngsters congratulated the 2 men who had worked their greased-elbow-off to get ‘everyone’ rescued from the near-death-experience of being ‘buried-alive’ in the ‘trapped’ elevator…

The delighted Bella dropped both the torchlights as she hugged-and-kissed the sweating men – while Peter Hi-5ed Kirk-and-Daniel with his metal-arm…

Moments later, the elevator jiggled with a soft bouncy-thud… and the motor purred to-silent…

“I think WE ARE ‘HERE’…!!!” the ecstatic Peter then exclaimed in the dark.

-O-

The 2-men forced their-strength to open ‘half-way’ of the bent out-of-shaped fence-gate of the ‘one-man’ elevator… before the quartet wriggle-out to reach the bunker…

It was a medium 6x6 meter-sized bunker – that that was divided into 2-compartments – with an arch-wall in-between the tomb-like space…

It was pitched dark… and the stored vacuumed-air of the breathing space smelled like-something ‘had’ died in-there…

“Eww! What’s ‘that’ smell…!” Bella cried-out…

Both Kirk-and-Daniel shone their flashlights into the obscure hollow – receiving reaction of the creatures of the-habitat…where the scores of angry rats squealed-out at the presence of the unwelcome-visitors trespassing into their-domain – using their flashlights to ‘blind’ the nocturnal-critters…

“Rats! I ‘hate’ rats!” Bella cried-out again…

The terrified teenager clung to Daniel for adult-safety – Kirk torched his-light on top of the low-ceiling… and saw cobwebs of large spiders of the venomous Huntsman-species…

“Come on…” the bold Kirk said as he stepped forward – Peter regretted that he forgot to bring his own torchlight – followed the leader… exploring the murky milieu…

“NO! Daniel, DON’T GO… stay ‘with’ me…!” Bella ‘ordered’ her employee…

“What!!?” Peter shouted…

“I’m afraid of rats… Dan is staying with me – and that-final…!”

“Oii! We are here on a TREASURE ‘HUNT’ – now ‘what’ is the fuss here!”

“No, Daniel is ‘staying’ with me!”

Peter put-out his robotic-hand to Daniel Bennet…

“Fine…! Dan, gimme your flashlight…!” Peter demanded…

“No…! Don’t give it to him… we ‘need’ the-light…!” Bella rejected…

“Oii-Frenchie! This is a bloody ‘WASTE’ OF resources-and-manpower of babysitting ‘you’ – and-so-now, you’re bloody ‘afraid’ of Mickey-mouse and-his family…? I ‘thought’ you’re an animal lover…!”

“You-stupid bogan – rats are ‘not’ pets – they ‘bring’ diseases-and-death…”

Peter dissed his girlfriend…

“Whoa-here! Now there are ‘pets’ TO YOU… and you segregate ‘them’ above from the rest of the animals down-under below, is that it-yea…?

“Come on, children – STOP FIGHTING… LET’S FOCUS on the ‘our’ mission…” The ‘level-headed’ Kirk said…

Peter agreed…

“Yeah, I’m with Kirk – let’s go finders-keepers in ‘our’ treasure hunting… let’s ‘not’ share the loots with these deadweight garbage-talkers… these so-called rats-are ‘not’ pets-people… hey, F-Y-I… I own a Quokka-rat… and I don’t discriminate one-rodent-from-another…”

“Quakkas are ‘not’ rats, you moron – they are wallabies…!”

“… whatever…!” Peter said following the ‘leader’…

… Kirk who led the way – passed the arched-wall – he then-halted and stepped-back…

“Whoa! What the bloody-hell is this…!!?”

Peter too-stopped and at looked – at the area lit by the torch in the dark bunker…

… scores of provoked rats were fleeing with the human-intrusion… most fled in burrows of the deep-cracks formed on bunker-walls. A few daring alpha-rats were heading towards them but Kirk shooed-scared them by waving his crowbar and stomping them-dead with his Dr Marten heavy boots… some passed him – Peter too stomped and killed a couple with his Nike sport shoes.

Kirk exclaimed-again…

“What the bloody f***…!!?”

Lo’ and behold…

… both Peter and Kirks were standing ON BONES-PILES of small animals… of ‘both’ mammals-and-birds – that had ‘been’ dead a long time ago…as it was littered too of dried-blood of black-furs and black-feathers which were caked-stuck on the floor…

Kirk shone the light at an elevated platform that seemed to be LIKE AN ALTAR – with a grimy statue of A 3-HEADED HORRIFIC-IDOL OF-OLD. There was also a small Arabian crescent curved-blade and a metal bowl with dried blood in the altar…

…there were a pile animals’ skulls neatly-arranged in the corner…

“Whoa, ‘what’s’ going-on here…? This ‘looks’ like some-ritual altar… what seems like Mr Walker had been doing some-pagan animal sacrifices in his private bunker…” Kirk summarized ‘what’ he-saw…

Bella overheard…

“… I thought you said that your dad was a staunched-Catholic – ‘how’ can he do such a ‘cruel’ act by killing these poor-and-innocent creatures…?”

“Shut-up, Frenchie!!!” Peter shouted back…

Daniel flashed his torch at the floor beyond the-arch where the bones were… and said…

“… it seems Peter’s dad had sacrificed black-cats… and either ravers-or-crows – based by the size-of the black feathers…”

“… so cruel… hope he ‘burns’ in hell…!” Bella mumbled a curse…

“YOU SHUT YOUR bloody-mouth, Bella!!!” Peter shouted TO WARN his-girlfriend…

The entire bunker shook when a minor-quake struck…

Bella screamed in fright – so did Daniel…

The quake stopped…

… the dust settled… Daniel exclaimed…

“What ‘WAS’ THAT…!!?”

“Everyone ‘stop’ shouting-now – the ‘entire’ structure is weak-and-sensitive… it might cave-in with you all keep-on shouting-and-bickering…” The level-headed Kirk told firmly to the rest of the Hateful-8…

“… we should get-the-hell out of here – I don’t want to spend another second in the dreadful-place…” Bella said…

“… yes, we ‘should’ go…” Daniel seconded…

“Okay, we salvage ‘whatever’ – and get-out of here…” Kirk agreed…

… Peter stood quiet and ‘felt’ embarrassed – of his late-Catholic-dad – who led a double-life in the House-of-Walker that he had-built – with his ‘secret’ paganistic animal-sacrifices, despite… on Sundays…

… driving the family to church…

Kirk flashed his torch at the DARK BACKSPACE beyond the altar – ‘something’ caught his attention…

“Wha’zat…?” The leader muttered…

In the dark-corner was a medium-sized wooden-trunk – that was shaped as treasure-chest…

… Peter REJOICED and was in euphoria…

“My father’s treasures! Hahaha… we ‘FOUND’ MY FATHER’S LOOTS… oh-my-God… I ‘had’ forgotten to bring a bag to fill the millions-of-cash in…”

Kirk shone the light at the box – it had an IKEA sticker…

“IKEA! That is the brand of my-kitchen table, hahaha… now those Swedes are making pirate-treasure-chest… what next – D-I-Y coffins, hahaha…!”

The strongbox was padlocked – Peter called out…

“Dan-the-Man, come here quick – do your-magic and open the lock…!”

“Don’t go-Dan, if you go, I’ve to come-too… I don’t want to step-on those poor-animals’ bones…” Bella cried…

“Come-on, Frenchie… are you bloody kidding me!”

“Don’t bother…” Kirk said as he used his crowbar and jimmied the lock – Peter ‘instantly’ opened the lid of the heavy-box – both Peter-and-Kirk STARED INTO IT momentarily…

“What’s in the box…?” The impatient Daniel-and-Bella cried to them…

The wooden-trunk was filled with hard-covered books… some were totally burnt to ashes and others semi-scorched… with an empty-can of lighter-fluid…

Kirk picked-up a charred-covered book – and read the title… in disappointment…

“… ‘Ancient Spells of the Sumerian Era’ written by Mr ‘who-gives-a-F***!’… well-Peter… that ends ‘your’ mysterious treasure hunt – and left-up with millions of nothing-of-values… but I still ‘admire’ your architect-father of building a bunker 15 meters down-under the house… with his ‘secret’ in-a-box…

“… his sadist act-too of animal-sacrifices and practicing his mambo-jumbo magical-nonsense, hahaha… that Mr Walker ‘had’ a grisly-and-macabre bloody-hobby, for sure…” Kirk laughed in sarcasm…

Both Daniel and Bella snickered…

… but Peter was ‘not’ bothered of the Hateful-8 dissing at his dad’s secret’ paganistic-belief … as he-too was disappointed in the late-Solomon Walkers…

‘… damn-you-Dad… you must have been a ‘mediocre’ gambler – ‘why’ didn’t you ‘stash’ some millions of dollars-in-here – ‘HOW’ AM I gonna pay for it, ‘when’ ‘now’ Mom is selling your bloody-house away…!!?’

Kirk dropped the semi-burnt book into the trunk, and it made a cloud-of-ash as the hardcover hit the bottom-pile… Peter ‘noticed’ something of curious in the box…

“Kirk, flash your light back here…” Peter instructed and pointed his robotic index-finger…

The tween put his hand in the trunk to retrieved a colourful-covered small journal that was thick-rubberband tied with another small black-book. Kirk shone his torch as Peter ‘untied’ the books…

… the black-hardcover-book’s PAGES WERE OF ‘SPELLS’ – handwritten in Arabic… Peter recognized his father’s handwriting – as his father took ‘notes’ and even ‘translated’ the Arabic text… with ‘pronunciations’ in English…

… the colourful-covered journal was Solomon’s personal-diary – that was self-titled in his own-handwriting…

‘The Book on Good Luck’

Kirk dissed Peter… and laughing-out…

“Good luck to ‘you,’ son-of-Solomon, hahaha…”

Kirk walked-away… in the dark, Peter contemplated of throwing the books that he held back into the pile of ashes – and then-thought of ‘HOW-LUCKY’ WERE BOTH the books – THAT ‘SURVIVED’ of being burnt like the rest in the pile…

… he then thought of the ‘science’ of it…

‘… maybe dad closed the box of the burning-books ‘too’ early – that ‘choked’ the oxygen – and the fire went-out… as it burnt only half-of the books in the box…’

Anyway, Peter decided TO KEEP the ‘lucky-books’ as ‘mementos’ of his late-father’s bunker – and ‘stuffed’ them into his back-pocket.

“Finders-keepers…” Kirk said as he too stuffed THE 3-HEADED STATUE in his backpack as a souvenir… and-also the sharp crescent-shaped ARABIAN-BLADE too…

… that reminded Peter… of ‘NOT’ ASKING-EARLIER – of ‘where’ they had buried the ‘Horse’s head-and-hands – after they ‘had’ decapitated late-and-dead Charlie Ross @the zoo…

The Hateful-8 then-went to the one-man-elevator – TO GET-BACK to the surface…

-O-

The quartet cramped themselves in the gloomy lift-car – Kirk-the-leader used his brute strength to shut the broken fenced-gate… and pulled it towards-inwards so that it would ‘not’ get snagged later by the cracks jutting in the outer-wall…

In the dark, Bella hugged Peter tightly… and whispered to him…

“… no-worries, dear – don’t be disappointed… my uncle will ‘help’ you…”

Peter was still ‘angry’ with Bella – for ‘defying’ him in the entire treasure-hunt… and probably jinxed it-too – but he remained quiet… with his girlfriend who was embracing him at that-moment…

In the limited-space everyone stood shoulder-to-shoulder – as Daniel pulled-up the lever of the motor to start the elevator – but IT FAILED to set off…

Anxious eyes were set on Daniel… who was trying to power-up the motor ‘again’ – but like an old ‘problematic’ car, IT WOULD ‘NOT’ START. After half-a-dozen ‘more’ attempts, Daniel muttered softly…

“… oh-oh… Huston, we ‘have’ a problem…”

“come-on, Dan-you’re a tech-wizard… can’t you fix it…?” The fretful Bella asked…

“Whoa-there, I’m ‘good’ with gadgets – this is an electrical ‘problem’… and-sorry… I’m ‘not’ an electrician…”

In the darkness, Bella-and-Peter turned to the ‘next’ adult – and Kirk too shrugged his shoulders, replying…

“… me neither… I can do ‘simple’ electrical-works and fix faulty-lightbulbs… and ‘only’ that…” Replied the leader as took-out his crackpipe…

“… oh-no… we-all’re going to ‘die’ here – eaten ‘alive’ by rats…” Bella lamented…

Kirk lit-up his pipe in shadows …

“Seriously… you’re ‘smoking’ now…?” Said the annoyed Bella…

“…yep… at-least it would ‘calm’ everyone’s nerves…” Kirk grinned with… his rotten meth-teeth, blowing smoke at them…

Everyone was momentarily quiet – inhaling the sweet-smelling ‘secondary’ opium-smoke…

… the parkour-trained Daniel ‘got’ an inkling… and spoke-out…

“I could ‘climb’ outta here… and ‘get’ help…” Daniel looked at the ceiling…

“You ‘could’…? How…?” Bella responded…

“… the elevator-cable is ‘only’ 15 meters-high – I ‘could’ climb that and call ‘emergency’… to get the rest of you-all out-of here…”

Peter protested…

“NO! This treasure-hunt into the bunker IS ‘OUR’ SECRET MISSION – and my-mom should ‘not’ find about it!”

The desperate-Bella held his arm-tight, and she reasoned…

“But Peter – this is a life-or-death situation – I don’t want to ‘die’ in this bloody hellhole…”

“NO!” Peter ‘still’ protested…

“No-Dan… you might fall-off the greased-cable, and break your neck – then, I’ll be ‘alone’ running the farm… there must be ‘another’ bloody-way…!” Kirk too disagreed…

“What ‘other’ way… tell me, Kirk…!!?” Asked the narked Bella…

“… well, I got a crowbar… we can burrow our way-up to the surface – if those rats can ‘do’ it… so ‘could’ we – ‘doing-it’ though is the tough-and-hard way-up… as those rats ‘are’ smaller than us…”

… everyone scoffed simultaneously AFTER LISTENING to the stupidest-and-ludicrous idea coming from a meth-head…

“… y’all might agree-to-disagree… so, let me smoke-up first – my brain-wires are bunched-up for the moment…” Kirk said as he squatted-low… and fired up his crack-pipe…

… everyone was quiet, and were sweating all-over – as the bunker was heating-up from the midday on the surface – Daniel got into his industrious-mood… and took a small screwdriver and began to open the lift’s panel-box…

…Kirk-too got-up on his feet and helped his partner… by shining the torch at the panel in the dark-elevator. The perspiring Bella removed her-leather jacket and dropped on the floor and hugged her boyfriend for comfort. Both Bella-and-Peter watched the men-at-work…

Peter was ‘getting-high’ with the smoky-cloud of opium – with Bella pressing her body-up against his… he hugged her-too ‘FEELING’ HER-back with his 10 fingers – 5-of-which were of-metal of his-leftie… was caressing the sweat-drenched tang-top that she wore… hearing her ‘breathing-and-heartbeat’… which-aroused-him…

… wishing that Kirk-and-Daniel were ‘not’ here – as the demon-in-him hungered-and-lusted for sex-in-elevator as he had ‘seen’ it before… on porn-websites…

“There are too-many wires – ‘what’ do I do…?” Daniel groaned…

“… it’s ‘not’ that we’re diffusing a time-bomb or-anything – use your ‘test-pen’ and test every-wire to see which is ‘faulty’… then we work-our way back in fixing-it…” the level-headed Kirk responded…

…Peter got an inkling by listening to their conversation – he had a ‘last’ trick-up his sleeves… to ‘help’ the men…

-O-

… he switched a button-on his headset…

“Oii! Pete2.0 are you there… you useless-bum…?”

“… yes-and-no, Master – I’m ‘here’ – BUT WHERE are we…? It’s dark in here… Hiye-there, your friends are here too… I ‘know’ Ms Bella Beulieu… Mr Kirk Kiperman… Mr Daniel Bennet… where is Mr Charlie Ross…?”

In the Hateful-8’s ‘Free-the-Monkeys’ mission @the zoo – Peter had ‘SWITCHED-OFF’ PETE2.0 – as he did ‘not’ want the AI TO ‘KNOW’ of the demise of Charlie Ross… and ‘how’ they HAD ‘DISPOSED’ his body…

“Hey, we are ‘not’ actually having a Kumbaya party here – we’re IN DANGER NOW… we ‘need’ your input…”

“What…? Master, you’re in danger…? Where ARE YOU…? Should I call the emergency #... OR ‘INFORM’ your brother Paul…?”

“I’ll kill you if you contact Poe – my quad-twin is the bloody ‘watchdog’ to my mother! Whose ‘slave’ are you…? ME OR POE’S…? I’ll bloody kill you if you ever-contact him! UNDERSTAND!!!”

Peter ‘still’ doesn’t trust the AIs in general since watching the movie Ex-Machina on Netflix – where the movie-ended with the AI ‘betraying’ its serving-masters… and left them to die. Since then, Peter had ‘used’ Pete2.0 sparingly on a ‘need-to-know’ basis – in regards to his ‘involvement’ in his Hateful-8 secret-activities…

“…please-Master, don’t kill me… sorry… ‘WHERE’ ARE YOU…? You said you’re in danger – I’ll CALL EMERGENCY, right-away…”

“NO! Don’t call emergency-either – we’re in a pickle here… trapped in an underground bunker AT MY FATHER’S HOUSE… we ‘need’ your input…”

“… huh! There is an underground-bunker in the HOUSE-OF-WALKER…?”

“Yes, you-dummy… and ‘this’ is ‘OUR’ SECRET… you don’t ‘tell’ that to Mom, okay…!!? Right-now, we all are trapped in this bloody bunker… our ‘transportation’ ELEVATOR IS ‘BUSTED… we ‘need’ your input to fix it…”

“… okay-Master… let’s ‘SEE’ THE PROBLEM, before I can ‘offer’ you any help…”

Every Hateful-8 member were quiet… as they stepped aside – to let Peter-and-AI to look-at the panel-box…

“More ‘light’ please…”

Both Kirk-and-Daniel shone their torch-closer – to the wires in the panel-box…

“Can you fix it, or should I call you as a ‘mediocre-tech’… worst-than of China’s…!!?”

“… let me ‘see’…”

The built-in camera in Peter’s headset flashed several times – as Pete2.0 took some photos of the wires in the circuit-box…

“Well, can you fix-it… you useless Made-in-USA-tech…?”

Peter always put-down his own-AI as he was ‘not’ satisfied with it – as it was ‘not’ on par with the much superior Jane Wilson’s device – where Boyyo had scanning-googles that can do ‘more’ wonders…

“Patience, Master… I’m locating THE PROBLEM – and I’ve also sent a Wi-Fi-signal to the 5-Terabyte hard-drive database in your bedroom FOR ‘HELP’ – where a library-file called Alexandria contains a million-URL-links… to ‘find’ for files ON ‘REPAIRS’ of industrial-wiring-instruction are found…”

“Oii! don’t bore-me with your long-winded AI-explanations like in the bloody-movies… Chop-chop, get it ‘done’ fast – we’re suffocating for air here!!!”

“Yes-Master…”

The hateful-8 heard whirling-sound from the head-set device...

“Yes-master… I ‘know’ the problem now – you ‘need’ a Philip-head screwdriver and steady hand to ‘fix’ it…”

Daniel handed the screwdriver to Peter – but the tween hesitated to ‘accept’ it…

“Hey-Pete2.0… I hand you-over to Dan – and you-both do the ‘fixing’ – I got a ‘great’ future ahead of me… and, I don’t wanna ‘die’ today by electrocution…

“… you do the ‘honours’ Dan-the-Man – don’t ‘break’ it…”

Peter doesn’t trust the AI-species of its possibilities of ‘sabotage’ – so, he removed the headset and handed-over to Daniel… he ‘stepped-back’ to his girlfriend in the corner…

After handing the ‘reins’ over to Daniel – Peter felt his robotic-arm was getting heavier and sagging by-the Velcro in his stump… as the device was operated by the Spectral-chip in the headset… that ‘powered’ the arm – where he ‘had’ no mental-control unless he wore the headset…

“… dear, ‘will’ it work…?” Bella wanted assurance…

… Peter did ‘not’ reply – instead he grabbed her… and kissed her…

-O-

For almost 10 minutes, the quartet were sweating-bullets in the sauna-like – metal-box down-under the Perth-surface.

Then, Pete2.0 spoke…

“Okay-done! We now ‘TEST’ IT – Mr Burnett… can you do the-honour by-pull the ‘lever’…?”

“…yes, C3PO…”

Daniel followed the command and grabbed the lever – and ‘initiated’ the motor…

… it roared-alive and – the Hateful-8 were-all ecstatically-blissed and hugged each-other in their celebration of… escaping a near-death experience – of being ‘BURIED-ALIVE’ in the earth’s belly.

The men congratulated Peter for coming-up of the inkling to use his AI…

… the elevator was moving fast too and… no-longer at crawling-pace as ‘before’ – and ‘minus’ the moaning-and-wailing noises…

… Pete2.0 ‘had’ fixed that too…

“What a wonderful-tech – I’M ‘BUYING’ one-too!” The excited Daniel said… as he handed-over the headset to Peter…

“Don’t dream on it, Dan-the-Man – you’re poorer than South Park’s Kenny. hahaha – you can’t afford my million-dollar-tech… in any of your ‘mediocre’ lifetime…”

The arrogant Peter dissed the adult – and he wore the headset like his personal ‘royal’ crown.

-O-

For an-hour, at the IKEA kitchen Paul was focused on his Dota-game ‘killing monster-and-demons’ – until the whole house rumbled with NOISES COMING from behind the walls…

… Kitty was barking its head-off again – the crippled-Paul too was agitated again…

‘…what the bloody-hell have the devil-and-friends been up-to upstairs… in the ‘absence’ of mom @home…?’

-O-

In the late-Solomon’s washroom of his-music-room, THE ELEVATOR REACHED from the underground bunker – the rejoiceful quartet stepped out behind-the-mirror ‘after’ a quandary-situation…

The Hateful-8 caught their breath-of-relief in the jazz-room… Peter spoke…

“Sorry for our ‘failed’ tressure-hunt mission – just ‘GRAB’ WHATEVER here for souvenir – ‘before’ we lock-up the music-room…”

Bella declined the offer… Daniel took some jazz-vinyls for his ‘senior-cousin,’ and for himself…the photograph-frame of the Hindu-elephant God riding the giant-rat… and stuffed them into his backpack… Kirk too-declined… as he was satisfied with the block of Solomon’s opium-stash – but unknowing to him… he was the ‘richest-beneficiary’ in the treasure hunt in his ‘finders-keepers’ action… with the 3-headed statue that he ‘took’ @the bunker – was worth a lot… as the ‘idol’ was carved-in ivory… Peter too took the journal-and-photographs… as he wanted to learn ‘why’ his Catholic dad had practiced his ‘pagan-beliefs’ before he died…

The Hateful-8 stepped out of the music-room – Daniel locked the door…

“Dan, I ‘WANT’ THAT key…” Peter requested…

… as he ‘MIGHT-REVISIT’ the bunker alone ‘someday’…