IN THE-DARK HILTON-SUITE-ROOM, Jane woke up from her-sleep… and her eyes-and-head did ‘not’ hurt any-more…

… evoked-by the surging-feeling of victory – she then ‘remembered’ the cold-weathered Tundra… where she defeated Peter-the-incubus, bringing-him to his-knees…

… she also-then recalled ‘being’ at-the Garden ~ sleeping in the cupid-cave ‘before’ Peter attacked and burnt over-600 sleeping-cupids to get to-her ~ but Piper came to her-rescue. She also recollected the talkative baby-voiced Kerubiel ~ who told her to ‘forget’ Paul…

Jane decided ‘not’ to dwell in the negative outcomes of last-night’s dream – only to submerge-into the positive-colossal victory-event where… she had defeated the sex-demon that had taunted her with their hide-and-seek nightmares…

…until last-night…

… where she gained a new-superpower – which she had cosmic-blasting rays coming from her forehead scar…

The blind-girl touched and felt sore at the outline of the diamond-shaped scar on her forehead – she grinned in the dark of the new-ability and wanting to tell-Paul about it…

… she got so-rapt and she stood on her-king-sized bed… and started jumping with joy – and laughing her head-off…

Her-charging AI-device on standby-mode… activated on the nightstand…

“… Jane, it’s only-5:33 in the morning… why-are you up-early so-early…? And, why-are you so-happy, Jane…?”

The blind-tween did a backflip and landed-perfectly on the-bed – looking towards the nightstand with an annoyed-stare…

“… you-silly, boy! Why do-you perceive that being-happy is an ‘odd-behaviour’ – we-humans have the ‘right’ to be-happy…!!?”

Jane told-off and jumped-off the bad… and headed to the bathroom… and switched-on the light, and went to the mirror to brush her-teeth…

“… sorry…” Boyyo paused…

“… by-the-way-Jane, you received an-email from your-uncle, Dr Turner – he ‘mention’ you are behind-schedule in submitting in your 21-days tasks-learning…”

“… reply-him – no-time, too-busy in-school…”

“… he ‘mentioned’ that – Peter Walker had ‘been’ submitting his…”

Jane stopped brushing her-teeth… at the mention-OF PETER…

“… ask-my uncle to give-him 5-Stars – I don’t care… about his-stupid assignments…”

“… okay, very-well… your-Daddy would-be coming at 6:30 to get-you for the continental-breakfast, and your…”

Jane did ‘not’ respond as she slammed-shut the bathroom-door to the AI outside – that ‘sounded’ like irritating Peter-Walker…

<><>

AT THAT ‘SAME’ TIME AT THE WALKER-HOUSE – in his windowless bedroom, Paul woke-up before his-alarm rang…

… the crippled-tween grinned in the dark because he did ‘not’ have his daily wet-dream-nightmare after his-twin ‘TORMENTED’ HIM for more-than a month – of the display of-Peter’s carnal-fantasy of having-sex with Jane in front-of-him… with him ‘watching’ them-go at-it…

… in the post-Treeton realm, Paul ‘had’ been very-patient with Peter’s subtle-attacks as he can’t ‘prove’ a reason to his-mom IF HAD punched-Peter in the-face… that-was ‘absurdly’ based on a ‘dream’ that his-twin had-sex with his-girlfriend…

… moreover he ‘TRUST’ JANE – that she had ‘no’ desire for Peter – who was ‘possessed’ with Asmodeus’ sex-demon entity…

The cripple-tween levitated from his bed to switch-on the room-light – squinted at the light to see the time… 5:44 AM. He sat on his wheelchair parked at the-desk – and thought of his-Jane… who he would be meeting-later on their 2nd-day in-school…

… it was all-positive thoughts for Paul… as reflexion of the lovey-dovey feelings of loving for-Jane… until…

… he then looked at the colourful M&Ms’ flip-calendar in front of his-computer– that was ‘starred’ on 2-dates that were a-week apart…

And, ‘one’ of the dates was today.

… Paul gasped that he had ‘almost’ forgotten ‘TODAY’… although he had ‘marked’ it on the calendar – and since then, in the school-break had been pre-occupied with playing-Dota – to forget of his negative suppressed-anger of his daily wet-dream-nightmare episodes… while he scribbled daily-Dota scores on the calendar – which made the 2-starred-dates obscure-and-hidden in the-messy scrabbles-scrawls…

… today, was the 3RD DEATH ANNIVERSARY of his-dad – Solomon-Walker – who died a-week ‘BEFORE’ PAUL-AND-PETER’S birthday…

… that year – he ‘did ‘not’ celebrate his-birthday… nor-attended his dad’s funeral…

… where he-himself WAS IN HOSPITAL – in-pain after multiple-surgeries on his shattered-backbones sustained in his dad’s tragic automobile-accident…

On the 2nd death-anniversary, the-next year… no-one ‘talked-nor-mention’ his father’s name that day:

Caroline had-since ‘packed’ her-dead husband’s belongings in the garage-space – now after 2-years of mourning was dating Principal-Harris Peter too was ‘quiet’… the twins treated their-father’s death as taboo-subject – although Paul was ‘aware’ and known-for-a-fact that Peter was the one-who cause their-father’s death… when he had a tantrum kicked-the driver’s seat – and-distracted Solomon to crash – nor Caroline the policewoman-wife ‘knew-what’ happened to him that Monday-morning Paul felt-guilty that everyone had shrunk his-father’s existence to the size of-a-virus – and wanting to-forget him because of the financial-debt left-behind of the deceased-father’s sin of gambling

Today, on the 3rd death-anniversary…

… Paul wanted to make-a-difference and desired – to honour-and-commemorated today by visiting his-dad’s grave AFTER-SCHOOL…

… and to-be that only-member of the family who had ‘not’ forgotten his-dad…

… but Paul had not’ attended ‘any’ funerals before – ‘not’ even his-rellos…

… the-tween missed his-peepaw’s funeral too as a grandson who was fond of his WW2’s combat stories in the Philippines… but his-parents did ‘not’ take the boys so to ‘not’ cause distress of death-and-separation – which Paul ‘felt-that’…

… after his dad died ‘when’ he was 10...

Now Paul was going to-be 13-years-old next-week – he felt old-enough to visit graveyards… where the THOUGHT-FIRST CAME to him after his-Uber, Gary-Morrison’s step-sister from his-mother’s previous-marriage had ‘died’ recently of cancer last-month… and was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery…

Gary ‘had’ mentioned that Solomon was buried-there too – as he went to the funeral 3-years-ago. The driver was also rambled that the late actor Heath Ledger who won a posthumous Oscar by playing the infamous-Joker was also buried in Karrakatta-cemetery…

…Paul was excited as he had ‘not’ visited his-dad’s gravestone before. When he told his Uber-driver of HIS INTENTION of his-visit – Gary WAS-WILLING to take him-there on the 3rd-anniversary… hence, he ‘marked’ his calendar…

Today, was the day… but…

… Paul then groaned-and-facepalmed – that he HAD-MADE PLANS yesterday to follow Jane to visit her injured-dog at the animal-hospital in the afternoon… after school…

<><>

AT 5:33 AM, PETER HOLLERED-IN-PAIN from his-sleep… the one-armed-tween leapt-off his bed and started to strip-down his-shorts – and the half-naked Peter rushed to the air-condition unit… and pressed his-genitals against-the blower to cool-off…

… of what seem-to be – his-crouch WAS-ON-FIRE…

“What is happening to-me!!!”

His-AI device on-standby responded…

“Master! Are you alright?”

“NO! I-am ‘not’ alright, you stupid-tech… my-balls are on-fire… it’s bloody-burning like hell…arrrr…”

“Should I call your-mother – she’s sleeping in the next-room…?”

“NO! Just shut-up – and don’t make decisions for me!!!”

Peter got an-inkling for-cure…

“Ice! I need’ ice…”

… he ran-out the door, leaving the ‘annoying’ interactive-AI behind – the half-naked one-armed tween raced down the flight-of-stairs to the dark-kitchen. Peter opened the fridge-door and was met with yellow-light that illuminate-out…

… he opened-the-freezer to get the ice-cubes trays… he was shocked that both the-trays were empty… as he had forgotten to fill-them with-water after-use…

He grunted and went for the 2nd-best option – when he grabbed a red-can of coke – and placed the cold-can in between his-legs… he felt-instant relief as the stinging-pain were subsiding…

… he closed his-eyes… grinning as his-mind respite with the sting pain going away slowly – and his-mind was singing Vanilla-Ice’s:

‘… ice-ice-baby… ice-ice-baby…’

After then… he was able to-think straight…

‘… Jane… she ‘hurt’ me just-now…’

He remembered his-dream of hide-and-seek in the Garden-of-Eden – where he ‘had’ lost-and-hurt in THE-FAILED role of ‘playing’ the hunting-predator…

“Damn-you, blind-school… you’re ‘not’ better than-me – I’ll ‘get you next-time…!!!’

The coke-can in his groins had begun to-get warm… he opened the fridge-door and put-the can-in before he grabbed 2-more cold-cans – where he would rise-and-repeat the relief-mothed when the next-wave of burning-sensation started…

… he ran-up the stairs with the cans… to his bedroom… as he was still-sleepy…

The half-naked tween slept with his legs wide-open to the direction of the blowing-cold air-cond… the 2-cans were the back-up cure for the throbbing pain…

Peter slept-off…

-O-

The half-naked one-armed boy had-overslept – he was awakened by the toot of a car-horn… Peter jumped-out of his-bed – and, the annoying burning sensation was still there…

… he limped to his window and saw his-twin and his-Uber driver. He scoffed ‘before’ carefully walked bowlegged to his-dresser’s full-mirror to self-examine…

… there was a big-red patch in his-groins right-up to his-navel… he ‘cursed’ in-pain as the hurt-sensation was on-and-off… but was-there to-stay – and-would ‘not’ receding…

‘… maybe I should call-in sick…’

… then he thought of Caroline in the master-bedroom… sleeping after her-nightshift…

‘… better ‘not’ – I don’t want to BE-CAUGHT in her-Angie Dickinson policewoman-interrogation routine-either…’

Still-groggy, he was in 2-minds when he picked-up his iPhone… scrolling at-random…

… there was a message from Bella on WhatsApp – she was feeding her-Uncle Jared’s pet owl as she was greeting him ‘good-morning’…

… Peter was fixated with the owl – where back-in Perthland when he stayed in the luxury-penthouse suite – where Jezebel had an owl-too…

… that perched at the headboard of the bed… with its-big-eyes watching them having-sex…

Peter had to rewatch Bella’s WhatsApp-video… as he was ‘distracted’ – his girlfriend said she will PICK HIM UP at 7:15 in her Uber-ride… and told him to get-ready…

Peter looked at the alarm-clock – 7:07 AM…

… he decided to-suck it-up and GO TO SCHOOL – he put-on his school uniform… and decided ‘not’ to wear any underwear under his black-long pants…

… so-to ‘not’ to-cause aberration to his-sore sensitive-skin…

He then remembered his-pet…

‘… where is Joey-Walker…?’

In-pain, he grunted as he squatted to look-under his bed – and was astonished that his-quokka was no-longer albino… was back in-its brown-fur – like a long-tailed brown-rat…

… Joey-Walker was sleeping in the poop-sandbox… ‘not’ in the Nike-box beddings…

It was coming to 7:15… Peter did NOT’ BOTHER dealing with his-pet – as he was running ‘late’…

-O-

Locking the front-door, Peter walked bowlegged and both-hands clutching his-hips as he made his-way to the front-gate – even his-bag pack was lighter without his 2-tennis racquets which he ‘normally’ carried… just ‘only’ with-some workbooks to get-by the day…

Outside the house, he waited for Bella… the pain-returned and was unbearable…

… he wished he had-Ibuprofen to ease the-pain…

… and made a mental-note to order it-online…

Peter had ‘not’ made any-opioids purchase in his post-Treeton stay… as he wanted to-stay drug-and-alcohol free to be sober because ‘those’ substances had clouded-him to make ‘costly’ mistakes in-Perthland – where his psycho-twin killed him in-the-end…

‘… I should be ‘vigilant’ to that bloody-quad’s every MOVE-AND-ACTION… if I were to ‘SURVIVE’ AND PROSPER in-this-Perth-realm…’

The pain got-worst and Peter grimaced… and sat on the-curb and ‘waited’ for his-girlfriend to-come…

-O-

5-minutes later, a white BMW came – Bella had hired a luxury Uber for-them to go to-school. Her-boyfriend crawled at the backseat to her… as he moaned-and-groaned in anguish …

“…what’s wrong…?” Bella asked…

“… nothing… ooo-the-pain… it hurts…” Peter grunted…

“Did you-fall? Tell me what’s wrong – are you-hurt…?” Bella was-concerned…

… but got ‘no’ response…

“How did that happen… you were ‘fine’ last night when I called – where does it hurt…?”

The grimacing Peter pointed at his-crouch – and Bella chuckled…

“I’m seriously-hurt here, Frenchie… and, you’re bloody-laughing at me…?” Peter was annoyed…

“How again you’re hurt…?” Asked Bella… thinking that he was ‘fooling’ her – as he ‘had’ done it ‘before’…

“… it burns like hell…ooo… I can’t bear-it…” Peter whined as the next-wave of pain-struck…

“Did you ‘wash’ your hands after dinner…?”

“… huh… ‘what’ is that suppose to-mean…?”

“Maybe you watched-porn and touched-yourself … after eating pizza with red-hot chilli peppers in it – maybe that’s why it ‘burns,’ hahaha…put a-sock on it like the band…” Bella joked…

“No, JANEY ‘DID’ this to me!!!” Peter shouted to ‘shut’ her-up…

… the girlfriend’s jaw dropped at the ‘mention’ of Jane-Wilson – Peter’s soulmate from his ‘alleged’ other realms of-Perth…

Bella asked…

“How did that blind-classmate ‘do’ this to you – did she come-over and assault you…?”

“… no… it’s in my-dreams – she ‘hurt’ me in my-dreams…” Peter groaned…

“… why is Jane in your-dreams – and ‘not’ me…?”

Peter was ‘stumped’… so he ‘lied’…

“Come-on… it’s just a dream… I can’t control-dreams – and, in my-dream I heard Jane was in-danger… but she ‘tricked me BY SUMMONING ME to-find-her… then she poured ‘acid’ on me because she’s jealous that I’m dating-you… ooo-the-pain… it hurts…”

The suspicious-Bella was quiet… and didn’t know what to draw ‘any’ conclusion of her-boyfriend’s ‘bizarre’ accounts-and-allegations… OF GETTING HURT in his-Dreamworld…

… Peter had told her-before that he was a ‘time-traveller’ – and Jane had ‘superpowers’ in all-the realms… that she had ‘followed’ him-too…

The equally-jealous Bella wanted MEDICAL-CONFIRMATION – if Peter had ‘been’ telling THE-TRUTH…

… she diverted the Uber-ride to her FAMILY-DOCTOR… and let the doctor examine-and-confirm THE-TRUTH…

<>

Peter dressed in a medical-gown was lying on an examination-table of the Ferguson-and-Sons’ medical-clinic…

… they were the family-doctors to Topheth Jared Wilford – when he first ‘migrated’ to Perth from his home-country of South Africa during the 90s…

The old-doctor came into his-office and examined Peter – and left the-office in a-hurry ‘when’ he detected the severity…

Dr Ferguson confronted Bella in the waiting-room outside…

“Have you ‘had’ sex with that-boy – does your-uncle know about-it…?”

Bella was speechless… she thought she could take Peter to the clinic without her-uncle’s knowledge…to find-out the ‘truth’ of Jane-Wilson who ‘allegedly’ hurt her-boyfriend…

… now she was in the-pickle ‘about’ her-rebellious-and-active sex-life… where it got her into trouble ‘before’ and was suspended from-school ‘last’ term…

“Bella, come with me…” Said the doctor who re-entered his office… and-the 14-year-old girl followed…

-O-

Back in the examination-office room, the old-doctor CONFRONTED THEM, as he questioned…

“Have you-2 been having unprotective-sex…?”

The doctor then-pointed at Peter as he continued saying…

“I suspect by the-looks of it… you ‘got’ STD…?”

“… what… sexually-transmitted-disease…?” The wide-eyes-opened Bella gasped…

“Oii-wait-a-minute – I DON’T HAVE VD, if you’re implying… hey-doc, just patch me-up with some ointment and gimme painkiller – we’ll be out of your-way from your-busy day… so-how about-it… win-win…?” Peter recommended a ‘solution’…

“NO! This is ‘not’ happening – Mr Wilford SHOULD ‘KNOW’ about this!” The old-doctor was ‘adamant’…

… he should… as Mr Wilford was Ferguson-and-Sons’ oldest-and-biggest client – because all-employees of every-company that-the millionaire owned in Perth – used the medical-centre as their panel-doctors…

“… please Dr Ferguson… DON’T TELL my-uncle…” The 14-year-old pleaded…

“… how difficult is it to get-condom…? It’s only 50-cents on the retail-counter… go to the Family-clinic, they even-give it for ‘free’ over-there – you-youngsters these-days are ‘irresponsible’ in your-carefree lifestyle… then you ‘suffer’ the consequences of venereal-diseases like-other boys-and-girl… and ‘unwanted’ pregnancies-too!!!” The old-man lectured…

“… please Dr Ferguson… DON’T TELL my-uncle…” Bella repeatedly implored…

The annoyed and-hot-headed Peter intervened…

“Oii! Don’t let my-girlfriend ‘beg’ you!”

“Shut-up, Peter – don’t be ‘disrespectful’ to the doctor!” Bella shouted at Peter… before she held-on the doctor’s hand… pleading with tear in her-eyes…

‘… please… don’t tell my-uncle ‘about’ it…”

After seeing the youngsters fighting among-themselves… Dr Ferguson ‘had’ a change-of-heart…

“… okay… but YOU-BOTH will take the-STD test – if it’s negative, it’s only-then I won’t tell Mr Wilford… and please-please-please wear a-condom when-ever you ‘have’ casual-sex the next-time…”

Dr Ferguson handed Bella an examination-gown…

“Get-changed… you’re ‘next’…”

… the doctor pulled-the-curtain – to ‘examine-and-collected’ samples for STD:

Finger-prick blood-samples Urine-samples Mouth-swab Discharge-swab from-sore Genital-PAP test (of Peter’s urethra and Bella’s cervix)

Dr Ferguson SENT THE SAMPLES to the one-hour lab via express… because the client was his-privilege ‘customer.’

-O-

At the waiting-room outside, both Peter-and-Bella sat on a bench… waiting for their STD-test results… the worried Bella said…

“… what-if IT’S ‘POSITIVE’ – then-Dr Ferguson WILL-TELL… and my-uncle would ‘KNOW’… I’m in total-shit…”

“I told-you just now, right…? We ‘just’ go-to school… and I get a painkiller from Nurse-Nancy at the infirmary… problem-solved – but-nooo… you-panicked and ‘insisted’ to-go your-family clinic… ‘now’ see-what happened… with that conman old-doctor wanting to rat-out and-tell it-all to your-uncle…”

“Peter! Tell me the-truth…? Did you ‘sleep’ with Jane-Wilson…?”

“… why do-you ask…?”

“You tell me-now!”

… the tween was tongue-tied…he was FED-UP of telling ‘new-lies’ to-coverup the ‘old-lies’…

“TELL-ME ‘NOW’!!!” Bella was trying to-make a-scene in the clinic…

Peter was quiet with his-girlfriend’s jealousy-bickers… scratching his-jaw with his-robotic-fingers…

… how could he say-to her that he had the abilities… in-form of Blackmagic-spells which could ‘manipulate’ dreams-into-nightmares – where he ‘had’ daily-practiced…and-have ‘been’ stalking the blind-one… and ‘playing’ hide-and-seek with her-soul…

“… did YOU KNOW she ‘had’ STD… and now, you ‘infected’ ME WITH IT…!!?”

“Whoa… wait a-minute-here… the fact-is – I’ve ‘not’ slept with Janey at-all – if she ‘had’ VD maybe her dog ‘gave-it’ to her… OR-EVEN MY-TWIN ‘whom’ she’s dating-now – you-can get AIDS by-even stepping into his-bloody stinking-room…”

“Stop-lying! You ‘re bullshitting to my-face – ADMIT-IT that YOU ‘SLEPT’ with-her…!” Bella was persistently-accusing him…

“Hah! Then-what ABOUT ‘YOU’…? Maybe you-gave me the-clams… it’s ‘known-fact’ in-school that you’re a ‘root-rat’… maybe you got STD ‘after’ you slept with half-of-the bloody cricket-team ‘before’ you’d known-me…now I have-it-too – who gave it to-you, Bella, haa… is it the captain-BB…!!?”

The annoyed-Bella got-up… and left Peter on-the-bench…

<><>

PAUL WAS 10 MINUTES EARLY and waited for Jane… looking-out the glass-main door for her father’s black-Mercedes. Students were acknowledging-him as Tarzan… and they were congratulating-him with the Mayor’s Bravery-award of-yesterday when they-passed…

… the low-keyed crippled-tween FELT UNCOMFORTABLE… so, he decided to wait for-Jane in their classroom on the 2nd-floor…

‘… maybe she is still having brekkie with her-dad @the-Hilton – me… my-brekkie is ‘just’ strong black-coffee on-school-days…’ Paul sighed…

<>

Jane arrived in school when she heard the school’s ringing-bell for their first-period – she was late because of the police-checkpoints that her-father waited-in-the traffic-jam because of the zombie-epidemic…

… she also-heard on-the-radio reports that 17 ‘infected’ people lost their lives after massive-and-violent clashes with the military-police last-night in the city-centre…

The blind-girl activated her-AI… which ‘guided’ her as she ran to her-classroom. Jane raced-and-passed the junior classrooms on the ground-floor – and, ‘hearing’ some students ‘cheering’ her-on… AS ONE-OF the 2-recipients of yesterday’s Mayor’s award…

… on reaching the-foyer – Jane did ‘not’ use the handicap-elevator… but-instead ‘used’ the flight of stairs to reach the upper-floor…

… onlooking students gasped looking at the visually-impaired student running-up the stairs… even Mr Quigley, the janitor almost had a heart-attack seeing the dangerous-stunt by a handicap-person…

-O-

Jane reached the classroom…

… their-English teacher was ‘not’ there yet… and so was her-BFF, Alicia – but her-blue beacon was ‘there’…

… she-smiled-and-blew-a-kiss at Paul – and, she ‘had’ so-much to tell him… of ‘how’ she defeated-Peter in the Garden-of-Eden in the Dreamworld…

Mrs Betty Staghorn came-in seconds later and took the class-attendance – Alicia too walked-in holding a motorcycle-helmet… and greeted Jane-and-Paul by her tacit-nods…

Jane removed her blazer and hung-it on her-chair… she wore her short-sleeved blouse-shirt beneath – Paul seated at her-back desk was ‘shocked to-notice visible ‘scratch-marks’ in both her-arm…

Even the teacher NOTICED-IT… AND CAME forward to the blind-tween… and held her-arm…

“Jane, what happened to your-arms… they’re severely-scratched…?”

“… Tarzan ‘scratched’ her…” A voice from the backbenchers shot – that brought laughter to the whole-class… to the class-clown Terry’s joke…

… both Paul-and-Jane were speechless as they were ‘humiliated’ – but the blind-girl replied to her-teacher…

“… err… probably it-was my dog… I was playing with-him… he ‘probably’ scratched-me… I-guess…”

“… aww, look-at Tarzan’s disappointed face…”

Terry was on-a-roll – and the class were laughing-again…

The teacher shut-him-up…

“Terry-Donovan, you keep quiet… and stop disrupting my-class – or you’ll get a marching-order to the principal’s office!”

The teacher then spoke to blind-Jane…

“… this looks serious… it would probably ‘would-get’ infected – go-to the-Infirmary now…”

“I’ll take her-there…” Alicia offered her-assistance…

Mrs Staghorn continued to take the class attendance – Paul-too ‘noticed’ that his twin was ‘absent’ that morning… where Charlotte-Thompson’s desk… where Peter sat WAS-EMPTY…

-O-

Outside the classroom, Alicia guided her BFF at the hallway… she asked-Jane…

“Janey, what really-happened… WHO ‘DID’ this to-you…? It certainly was ‘not’ Piper cos’ he’s in the animal-hospital with stab wounds… ‘WHO’ DID it to you… tell me…?”

The blind-girl was both tongue-tied… and astounded by the question…

… she ‘can’t’ tell her-BFF THE-TRUTH that – Peter-the-Incubus attacked-and-scratched her last-night in the cupid-cave in the Garden-of-Eden – when the demon tried to ‘rape’ her-soul in her-nightmares…

Jane lied…

“… nobody scratched-me… I might have scratch myself in my-sleep… probably it’s the mozzies in my-room…”

“What…? Way-no-way… mosquitoes in your-Hilton room…are you kidding-me…!!?”

“… I don’t know-Ali… I’m blind… I don’t know everything, okay – let’s ‘not’ make a big-deal over-everything… come, we go to the Infirmary-fast – we both are missing class…”

<><>

MEANWHILE, AT THE FERGUSON-AND-SONS’ CLINIC, the motorbike-delivery rider arrived after an-hour to deliver the medical report – both Peter-and-Bella who were seated-separately saw the man with a large brown-envelope walking into the doctor’s office… and then-left…

After 5-minutes, old-Dr Ferguson came out the door… and spoke to Bella who-was seated closer to the-office – Peter got-up from the black-bench – to gait-bowlegged to them…

Hearing the doctor saying to her… while holding-up her-report in his-hand…

“Good news, Bella… you don’t have STD…”

Peter saw her leaping-in-joy… and grabbed the doctor’s hand to-shake…

… Dr Ferguson looked-hard at Peter… before saying…

“… you-too, Peter… YOU DON’T have STD – it’s a fungal infection due to poor-hygiene… bathe-every-day and keep-clean – I’ll give you some anti-fungal cream… and you’ll apply-it 3 times a day… and some strong-paracetamol and take it… only-if you have pain…”

Peter-too was in-joy… and looked at-Bella… and the youngsters ‘set’ their-differences aside and… hugged-and-kissed in front of the-old doctor… who-then sighed before entering his office with his-final-say…

“… don’t ‘forget to use a condom-too – and-Bella… DON’T COME BACK-again… I don’t want to-run a-practice with any-secrets ‘behind’ your-uncle’s back…

<><>

IN THE MIDDLE-OF THE 3RD PERIOD of the chemistry class in the science-lab… where Paul-and-Jane were in separate groups-of-4s…

The 5-groups in the-lab were all busy ‘neutralizing’ sodium-hydroxide with hydrochloric-acid to produce soluble-salt…

… it was when Peter entered-INTO THE-LAB… walking-funny in-short steps… and went to the Science-teacher, Ms Costa to show-her a medical-slip as his-tardy ‘excuse’…

… Paul ‘eyeballed’ his-twin joining a student group in-front of him…

‘… where have you-been, you-devil…?’

Even blind-Jane in Alicia’s group – ‘felt’ the presence of the-RED-GLOW – she scoffed in-hatred…

…that Peter ‘had’ attacked her last-night… and killed 666-innocent-cherubs…

… but she-then smiled to herself that – she had victoriously defeated-him… and ‘hurt’ him real-bad too – and, she was waiting for-recess period in the canteen to…

… tell the ‘good-news’ to Paul…

… that she has a ‘new-superpower’ – that she had gained in the Dreamworld…

<><>

AFTER THE SCIENCE CLASS, IT WAS THE HALF-HOUR recess-break… and everyone went to the-canteen. Jane-and-Alicia told Paul that they wanted to-go to the Girls’ Room. So, Paul used the elevator to go-to the ground-floor – and-when the door-opened, he was greeted by a group of junior-students…

… some of them whom Paul recognized from the-gym yesterday… where he met ‘the-Tarzan-fans’ during his-Bravery award ceremony. The students were-now pushing his-wheelchair to the-canteen – and-were chatting with their-hero…

-O-

Meanwhile, at the Girls’ Room…

… blind-Jane was washing her-hands… while Alicia was still-in the stall. There were a few senior-students who-were in the washroom… when…

… Bella Beulieu entered…

… and immediately confronted the blind-tween…

“Hey-you, Jane-Wilson, I ‘know’ what YOU-DID last-night! You stay-away from Peter… you ‘hear-me’ you-blind bat – you CAN’T HAVE ‘both’ the Walker-brothers…!!!”

Jane responded-back…

“Hey! WHAT ARE YOU ‘talking’ about…!!?”

… Bella slapped blind-Jane’s gesturing-hand, shouting-and-finger-pointing…

“I’m warning you – you ‘keep-away from Peter!!!”

“Hey! Ask him to stay-away from-me first…!!!”

“You ‘HURT’ HIM the next-time – I’LL ‘KILL’ you, b****!!!”

Alicia came-out from the stall… and saw the bigger-Bella pushing the scrawny-Jane to the-wall. The Chinese girl came-forward to break-up the scuffle – and, the 3-other senior-girls ran scared…

… from the washroom to leave the door-open…

“Hey! Who-are you to ‘push’ my-best-friend around…? What is this… some-kind of senior-initiation hazing ritual…?” Alicia shouted-and-restrained both of Bella’s hands from-attacking the blind-girl who-was pinned-to the-wall…

“So-you’re ‘that’ bloody Chinese-b****… I heard lots-about you-and-your music-students… ‘acting-Korean’… going-around and-bloody ‘stealing’ other girls’ White-boyfriends…!!!”

Bella lunged and took-down Alicia – and both the girls wrestled on-the-floor… and Alicia headbutted at Bella’s jaw – Jane froze and… the blind-tween heard on-her-left…

“Girl-Fight! Girl-Fight!”

… of senior-boys cheering from outside the open-door…

“… don’t fight… please-Ali… don’t fight…”

The helpless Jane squealed… where even-though, she had-MIGHTY SUPERPOWERS – but it was more-of fatal in-nature… which-was ‘NOT’ APPROPRIATE to break-up a-Girl-Fight…

…fortunately, some of Bella’s classmates came-in and restrained the 14-year-old – dragging her-out from the washroom – before the teachers find-out of the brawl…

The still-raged Bella was still shrilling…

“I ‘know’ you-2… but-you ‘don’t’ KNOW-ME… you-better don’t bloody mess with-me again… you-2 hear-me…!!?”

-O-

At the canteen-table, the enthusiastic junior students were surrounding the wheelchaired-Paul… some were taking selfies-with him to post into their social-media accounts where –some of them ‘own-successful’ Tarzan-and-Jane Groups… with thousands of hits-and-likes…

… now, they ‘want’ Paul’s comments for their updates…

… as if there ‘was’ to-be a next-Tarzan adventure…

His-multimedia fame bought him ‘free-lunch’ – Paul-declined the offer… but the resistance-of their-insistence were greater… the wheelchaired-tween saw the table was with…

… beef-sandwich… a few-packets of biscuits-and-snacks – as they were feeding him for his-next adventure…

It reminded him of other-Perth, before ‘the-accident’ when he got ‘free-lunch’– when he was handling the YouTube-task when the ‘then’ champ-Peter ‘played’ at the clay court… but this time-around he was the ‘centre’ of interest…

So, he decided to play along… or-resist comments if they ‘ask’ the wrong-questions…

There-was this-particular-boy, Roddy Harper – by the accent-he-spoke was-American… probably the son of-an-expat working Downunder…

… who was comparing Paul with Lane Frost – an American rodeo-cowboy who was a pro-bucking bull-rider who legendarily had an 8-seconds record… where in the Tik-Tok video, Paul too recorded 8-seconds in his-Black Rhino – as he ‘hung-on’ on its horn…

…so ‘not’ sounding heroic, Paul commented to the-juniors that he ‘shat-his-pants’ when he terrified hanging onto the rhino’s horns… and the beast was trying to-then shake-him off… by its rigorous head-movement and spun-him like a pendulum-ragdoll…

… before the ‘aging-creature’ collapsed into a deep-coma, ‘not’ Tarzan-snapping its-neck, as previously reported…

… that was Lana Lane’s territory… where the reporter was into proving-her conspiracy-theory that he ‘has’ superpowers… that ‘had-put’ the beast into a coma…

… Paul did ‘not’ give much for the ‘disappointed’ juniors…

… and even-refused to give his-phone-number when they asked… to maintain his-privacy from the-public…

They left-him when he said that he wanted his-privacy to have-lunch…

Paul sighed at the unwanted celebrity status that was ‘hounding’ him and seeking attention – where-else, all he wanted was a concealed-and-an unseen life as the ‘secret’ member of the Defender-of-Perth…

Eating his-sandwich, he waited for Jane … while people-watching in the-canteen…

… of who’s-who of the good-and-bad guys in comparison-of-the 3-realms that he had time-travelled… where the ‘players’ individual-roles were REVERSED SIGNIFICANTLY in post-Treeton…

… with, at the top-of-the list – was his-devil-twin as-HIS MAIN-ANTAGONIST… in all the-realms…

Peter was ‘not’ there in the-canteen with the backbenchers-buddies – and Paul ‘sensed’ in the classroom that there-was…

… a rift between his-twin and the Irish-boys – where it was Peter’s egoistic-and-arrogant nature-that ‘made-him’ to have-more enemies-than-friends…

… but the Chinese-boys were ‘good’ to him… even presented him a tennis-racquet as a prezzie…

… but won’t last-long – as the-devil would fight with them-too… as-he doesn’t like Alicia-Wong in the other-Perth…

-O-

Jane came-in… and was in the line-to get her-lunch…

… girls were surrounding her as their heroine-Jane taking selfies – and one girl had her-hair braided like-of Jane’s ‘signature’ 3-dreadlocks…

… that made a fashion-statement when she had her-fame in the other-Perth, as a blind-girl who played-tennis ‘using’ her-AI – where her-fans ‘copycat’ her hair-style…

-O-

Jane with a tray of tuna-salad and a Kiwi juice-box approached the blue-glow, and sat with-him…

… she did ‘not’ want to-tell him of the altercation at Girls’ Room with Peter’s girlfriend just-now, AS SHE-FELT…

… she was-strong and ‘could’ handle-herself…

… neither ‘did’ she wanted to tell him of last-night’s Kerubiel’s revelation – that she was THE SOULMATE TO-both Paul-and-Peter…

… her-boyfriend was ‘not’ strong-enough to handle-it – plus, it was ‘not’ fair-too…

Jane asked…

“… Pauly, I ‘don’t’ see Peter here… looks like he won’t be disturbing ‘us’ again, hehehe…”

“Yea, I did ‘not’ have DREAMS-OF-HIM last-night…” The delightful-Paul responded… almost saying wet-dreams…

“I ‘hurt him-bad last night in the Garden-of-Eden…” Jane said…

… while describing the ‘new’ superpower… by removing her-beanie to show her-forehead scar that shot-cosmic bolts – that hurt Peter…

“… is the incubus dead…?” Paul asked…

“… I don’t know… but I WARNED-PETER ‘not’ to disturb ‘us’ again…”

… she went on-saying that she was ‘not’ defenceless any-more against the incubus’ future-attacks with the superpower – where she did ‘not’ have previously in the Garden… nor-as the ‘captured’ to be the bride#666 in the Underworld...

… Paul sighed to-himself as he ‘knew’ Jane who won’t ‘practice’ using-it… as he had to re-teach her of ‘how-to’ fly because she had ‘forgotten’ how-to – or ‘afraid’ to use her fiery-blots too … that she might ‘hurt’ someone…and ‘other’ excuses, etc, etc…

He was surprised to hear…

“… my forehead used to-be my 3rd-eye ‘sight’ to see shapes… now it had ‘cosmic-blast’ too – innit, so-exciting…? Pauly, I want to ‘demonstrate’ it-to you…”

“…yea, you can ‘show’ your X’Men’s Cyclops power later, after school…”

“… huh… X-Men-Cyclops who…?”

“… never mind…”

Said-Paul listening to his-girlfriend’s quirky-voice, while his-fingers loosen his-necktie… and feeling his-own diamond-shaped Lichtenburg-figure ‘scar’ in his throat that he got when the Cursed-trio were hit by-lightning in the dairy-farm – would his-scar too would manifest to a ‘new’ superpower, he wondered…

Jane was going-on with her-solo adventure-stories in the Garden-of-Eden where her-dog… Piper transformed into the good-werewolf to defend her from the-incubus ‘attacks’…

“… err… Jane, I don’t think I can follow you to the animal-hospital later – it’s my father’s death anniversary today…

He then said that his Uber diver would take him to the-cemetery later – so that he could visit for the ‘FIRST’ TIME after his-father’s passing-away 3-years ago…

… Jane reached-out on the table, and clasp the palm of her-blue-beacon…

“I’d like to follow too – I would-like to pay my-respect to a great-man who gave-me his good-and-fine son-as my-boyfriend… then-Pauly… we-next ‘go’ see-Piper, okay…?”

…Paul glowed brighter… as he felt a surge-of her-love…

-O-

They both left the canteen early before the bell-rang. Outside the corridor, Jane pushed the wheelchair and she kept-on telling of her-last night’s adventure…

… then her voice became sad-with a spice-of-anger when SHE NARRATED THAT Peter-the-incubus had ‘burnt-and-killed’ a lot of cherubs in THE CAVE @the Garden…

…Paul did ‘not’ know how-to react-NOR-HAD HE SEEN the mystical beings called-cherubims before … as he HAD ‘NOT’ VENTURED into the-Garden…

The reached the foyer with the handicap-elevator to the 2nd floor – Paul looked at his-watch… they had 3-more minutes before History class…

He saw the janitor’s utility-room… and the area with less students passing…

“… hey-Jane… wanna show me your ‘new’ superpower…? I want to-see how powerful it-is…”

“… show-where…?”

-O-

They both were in a cramped-room full of toilet-rolls and cleaning-detergent plastic-canisters. Paul saw a single toilet-roll sitting on a closed-lid metal wastebin… he levitated from his wheelchair and got behind his blind-girlfriend, saying…

“I’ll ‘point’ you to the-target and you ‘shoot’…”

… he placed both of his-palms onto Jane’s ears – directed Jane’s head-orb to point it as a human-cannon…

“Shoot!”

A bright platinum-BOLT SHOT FROM the blind-tween’s forehead…

… the toilet-roll bursted to a-thousand flaming-ashes…

“Woo-hoo! That’s super!” Paul exclaimed aloud…

Then he said…

“…oh-oh… shit-oh-oh…!”

The burning flying-ashes were scattering all over the small-closet…

“Paul! What’s happening…?” Said the ‘anxious’ blind-girlfriend…

Paul was trying to clap-his-hands multiple-times to put out the floating ashes-of-fire – the closet was smoky with bits of the fire were settling on the rack of toilet-rolls…

The panicking Jane opened the door when it got-smoky…

… 3-senoir boy ran-over when they saw the smoke…

They saw Paul seated-on his-wheelchair patting on the toilet-rolls with both-of-his hands to put-out the fire – and they laughed-aloud when their-mate said…

“Look-what we’ve got here – Tarzan making a ‘campfire’… before making-out with his-Jane, hahaha…”

Another-boy took a fire-extinguisher behind the door – and put-out the minimal-fire which burnt 4 paper-roles…

… Peter ‘froze’ as he ‘expected’ he would-be called to the principal’s office-next… hearing a voice talking-down to him…

“Oii! New-Boy Tarzan… don’t play with fire… this is-school – ‘not’ your-jungle!”

The boys laughed-again…

When the smoke settled-down… Paul looked-up to the voice that-spoke…

… he froze-speechless… seeing Douglas ‘Dougie’ Zimmerman with his 2-classmates…

… he remembered PERTHLAND where Dougie WAS JANE’s boyfriend…

… he also-remembered the OTHER-PERTH… where his-twin tried TO KILL HIM with a Sparta-Kick from the 2nd-floor stair case… where PAUL ‘SAVED’ Dougie’s life from a DEADLY-FALL…

“Oii-New-Boy, get-out ‘from’ here ‘with ‘your’ girlfriend… we’ve got this-covered…”

Dougie’s mate too-said…

“… you’re the school-celebrities… why get-caught…? By-the-way, no worries… there are ‘no’ CCTV cameras… Mr Quigley won’t-know too…”

Peter thanked the seniors and wheelchaired-out… and, hearing Jane at the door…

“Thanks Dougie ~ you’re the ‘best’…”

Both the laughing handicapped-tweens left the crime-scene after their accident-experiment … by escaping in-a-hurry in the elevator…

… and vowed ‘not’ to use the superpowers in-school – it was a fire-hazard…

<><>

AT THE PARKING-LOT of the-school, students were going home – Peter-and-Bella were waiting for their-Uber ride home. Peter was in ‘still’ pain and was popping the pain-killers as he ‘heard’ the bickering Bella-who was still-upset about the confrontation in the Girls-Room earlier… the boyfriend scoffed to-himself…

… he was ‘not’ interested-in her-squabbling and girl-fights… he ‘just’ wanted to go-home to-rest…

Ken-Chan was with his-Asian Taekwondo-mates in their martial-art outfit … were coming from the West-wing entrance after their practice – his-friends parted-ways in a car and the Chinese-teenager was walking-over to his superbike…

… he saw the-couple and approached…

Peter-and-Bella were having bottled-up resentment towards-Asians – despite receiving an expensive-gift from him yesterday… after his-girlfriend was in a squabble during-recess just-now – but Ken was friendly cos’ he didn’t know of the ‘girl-fight’…

Peter asked-to-enquire…

“… where is your girlfriend, mate…?”

“… oh… you didn’t know… she ‘followed’ your-brother and his-girlfriend to visit your father’s grave – are you going ‘there’ later, Peter…?”

… he ‘now’ remembered that ‘TODAY’ WAS his father’s death anniversary… a week ‘before’ his birthday…

‘… how did I forget… now the-quad had openly ‘invited’ his BFFs-over there…’

“… are you ‘going’ later…?” Ken asked again…

“… no… I ‘need’ to rest – I’m injured…” Peter ‘made’ an-excuse…

“… what…? What happened…?” Responded the senior…

… Peter did ‘not’ want to reveal that his-twin’s girlfriend had ‘hurt’ by ‘lasering’ his groin – he JUST TOLD he slipped-and-fell…

“I’m going to Le Beau Spa with my friends for sauna… hey, why don’t you-2 come…? They offer good-massages – that will take those’ pain-away… IT’S MY-TREAT…how about-it, Peter…? We can have cold-beers later…”

“… no-thanks… I don’t want that, Ken… just ‘need’ to go-home…” Peter declined…

Hearing spa-sauna-and-massages, Bella was ‘excited…

“Peter, we should ‘take’ the offer – we ‘should’ go… it’ll be ‘good’ for you…”

… Peter was in 2-minds… BUT ‘KNOWING’ Bella… she would ‘invite-herself’ – and then ‘would’ hop on Ken’s superbike and go for the spa-and-beers WITHOUT HIM…

… Peter ‘AGREED’ to go…

While waiting for their Uber ride – his-girlfriend was conversing with Ken in Mandarin… that left-Peter at the side-line, to manage his-pain alone…

… hearing a language that was ‘gibberish’ to him… where ‘every’ spoken-word sounded like an Asian-surname…

Later, in the BMW Uber-ride… Peter was recollecting HIS LAST-spa massage – which was in the Stamford-Hotel in Perth-Perthland with Jezebel Crowley…

… she later took him to a secret-underground CAVE BENEATH the towering-hotel – where there was a natural hot-spring crater-pool…

… and over-there it-was where she ‘raped’ him... as-her SEX-SLAVE…

<><>

THE NISSAN ALMERA DROVE ON THE HIGHWAY – the talkative Alicia was chatting away with the driver, Gary. At the backseat were Paul-and-Jane sitting laidback-quiet listening-to the conversations going on at the front-seat…

… the Chinese girl was saying that her uncle-and-cousin were Uber-drivers in Chinatown. Then the topic changed to the Mayor’s Bravery Award… and ‘now’ both Alicia-and-Gary were singing ‘praises’ to Paul-and-Jane for ‘being at the right-place at the right-time at the zoo… to diffuse the danger as Tarzan-and-Jane before ‘more’ people getting gored by the rampaging Black-Rhinos…

It got Paul wishful-thinking…

‘… I wish they give me the Bravery-Award – when I ‘kill’ my-devil-twin in this-realm…’

-O-

They have to make a stopover to the florist to buy flowers… as Paul wanted to lay-them on his-father’s grave on his-first visit…

Jane whispered to him-before kissing-him…

“… I remember you bought flowers ‘before’… Lola told me you ‘did’ in the other-Perth when you visited my-house…”

Paul ‘only’ smiled as he recalled the ‘visit’ too…

‘… yea, you ‘were’ Peter’s girlfriend back then… I visited your-house on the night for dinner… where later that-night – your-CHAMP BROUGHT a-partial destructive-and-devastating earthquake in Queensland’s Great-Barrier-Reef – because the-devil disapprove of the ‘Tom-and-Carol’ AS A COUPLE…’

Paul had used his entire pocket money-savings for the flowers – he bought array of Gerbera-daisies, Lilies, Alstroemerias, Lisianthus and Carnations… where most of the flowers grew in the Walker’s garden at one-time ‘BEFORE’…

… where Solomon-and-Caroline during their happier-times did gardening-together…

The Nissan then continued the journey to the Karrakatta Cemetery.

-O-

Alicia was ahead with Gary… Jane was pushing the wheelchair where Paul controlled his-density as he was in partial levitation-mode as he seated on the chair… so that ‘not’ to burden his-blind girlfriend pushing-him on-the uphill-paths…

Reached gravestone of Solomon-Walker… the excited Buddhist-Alicia was admiring the erected marble-statues sculptures, on her-first time visit to a Christian-cemetery…

Paul saw ‘no’ erected-statues for his father’s tombstone… as it was a simple gravestone on-the-grass

… that was engraved…

‘… leaving behind wife and twin-sons…’

Alicia took photos on her-phone of Paul laying the-flowers on Solomon’s grave – while Gary was plucking weed that had overgrown in the plot…

The 4-of them spent a quiet-moment as a mark-of-respect – before Gary excused himself to put flowers on the grave of his recently departed step-sister… Alicia followed him – and Gary told-her that some celebrities were buried here-too…

“… show me where the ‘Joker’ is buried-at – I want ‘that’ for my-Instagram… are you coming, Janey…?” The cheery Alicia called…

… Paul told Jane to follow her-BFF … but Jane SAID-NO… and wanted to be with-him – Alicia left with Gary…

… the crippled boy in his wheelchair took out his-rosary-beads… and mumbled a decade-of-rosary – Jane also in her-mind recited the Hail-Mary that Lola had ‘taught’ her…

… the atheist-blind-tween also ‘prayed’ that Paul’s Guardian-Angel… St Michael to watch-over and protect her-boyfriend…

She ‘heard’ Paul crying-softly and sniffling as he completed his-rosary by saying-his Amen – standing-beside him, she guided his-head to her-hip, and placed her-palm on his-cheek…

… Paul ‘felt’ loved… and he-spoke his-heart-out…with a sombre-voice…

“… I miss my-dad a lot… I ‘think’ of him every-day… I wish I could I could go-back in-time AND ‘PREVENT’ Peter… from ‘causing’ the accident…”

“… what…? What are you-saying…?”

“… I have ‘not’ this to-anyone, and ‘not’ even my-mom… but-Jane, I’m telling-you… even-mom ‘thinks’ that a drunk truck-driver hit-us… but it ‘was’ Peter WHO CAUSED IT…”

“Pauly… how ‘did’ he cause it…!!?”

“… aah… it’s a long-story… with a messed-up broken-family baggage-attached… that I’m ‘trying’ to forget…”

“… never-mind… I ‘want-to’ hear it… TELL-ME-PLEASE…” Jane said as she got down-on her knees and hugging-him…

“… ahh, it ‘was’ 3-years-ago… that morning we were ready to go to school… Dad had signed our-report cards… Peter was the last-boy that term… I’m ‘no’ different -too, we ‘struggle’ with our-studies…I did ‘not’ tell-you that we both were diagnose with borderline dyslexic and ADHD when-young…

“… so, Dad was scolding us-to ‘try’ harder in our-studies and ‘not’ to-give up…” Paul sighed and continued…

“… Peter then ‘created’ a scene… saying-that Dad ‘loved’ him-less cos’ he is last-in-class… but ‘failed’ to-see that he was good’ in-tennis and won the-district championship – and went-on ‘boasting’ that he was Australia’s ‘protégé’ material… but Dad kept ‘emphasizing’ that studies were important too…”

“… we were late to-school and we went to the car… ‘normally’ Peter sits in front, because he’s the eldest – that-day, he sat AT THE BACKSEAT with me… and the argument continued with Peter say that he was ‘not’ interested in his-studies…

“… and HE ‘KICKED’ Dad’s seat when Dad-said education was-important-too… and the more he kicked… and it ‘DISTRACTED’ DAD… and WE CRASHED…”

… Paul broke-down and cried…

“… I ‘was’ sitting beside Peter when he-was kicking… ‘why did I ‘NOT’ STOP HIM…? ‘Now,’ my-Dad is dead… I feel-guilty… everyday… I ‘feel’ lonely-too when I ‘think’ of him…”

“… you won’t-be lonely – I’m always here ‘for’ you, my-darling Paul…”

Both the tweens embraced each-other… and they began to kiss…

… Paul was finally ‘composed’ and began to-speak…

“… yea, my-Dad later ‘came’ in my-dreams… I told-you this-before… he ‘warned’ me to ask-Peter where your kidnapped baby-Samuel-was before we-proceeded to the zoo in the other-Perth…

“… the 2-nd time he ‘came’ to me was… in Perthland… in the Royal Perth Hospital during the Lord-Stamford’s surgery – and Dad’s appearance was of-a ‘Burning-Man’… I followed-him and he stopped… and told-me that… in order for the Cursed-trio to ‘escape’ Perthland was to ‘sacrifice-ourselves’…

“… which ‘WE’ DID…

“… and ended up-here… in post-Treeton… can we ‘survive’ this challenging-realm, I wonder everyday…?”

… Jane spoke as she ruffled-his hair…

“… don’t worry too-much, my love… we’ll ‘figure’ it out…”

The tweens looked-up to some approaching voices… Paul saw Gary and the platinum-blonde Alicia coming over, laughing…

“I would really like to meet your-twin, Gary… they are so-funny…” Said the laughing Chinese-girl…

… Alicia saw Paul ‘staring’ at her and her BFF on her knees still hugging-him… she ‘apologized’…

“…whoopsie-daisy… is it a ‘private-moment…? Am I ‘interrupting’ something here…?”

“… no, no-Ali, we’re good…” Replied Paul…

“… then we head to the animal-hospital then…” Gary suggested…

“… yea, we should…” Paul agreed…

Alicia helped her-BFF to her-feet… and looked at her-Swatch…

“Its coming to 4 PM… let go for hi-tea in Chinatown first… and then we ‘visit’ Piper…” Alicia counter-suggested…

“… do we have-time…? The zombie-roadblocks and followed by curfew at 6… then I have to drop all-3 of you in various destinations…” Gary contended…

“… we have 2-hours, we can make-it… we’ll have a ‘quick-bite,’ I bet Pauly-and-Janey are hungry… Gary my-good friend, I would like you to come too to my-auntie’s restaurant, it’s my-treat… and, don’t worry about sending me home… I can call my-Uber-Uncle… if he’s busy playing Mah-jongg… then I’ll call my-Cousin Chin-then…he’ll pick-me up… I’ll be-fine…” Alicia said…

They all ‘agreed’ – and proceeded to the Nissan Almera parked outside the cemetery…

<><>

IT WAS MINUTES BEFORE THE CURFEW when the Uber-ride reached the Walker House… and Peter-and-Bella were passionately kissing at the back seat…

… Peter opened the car-door and before alighting – he grabbed-and-squeezed his girlfriend’s breasts… the-jolted Bella giggled and said…

“See you in school-tomorrow, my lover-boy…”

The macho-Peter winked and blew a kiss…

… as the white-BMW left… and the boy with the robotic-arm opened the metal-main-gate – his mother’s Audi was ‘not’ there as she was in her-night-shift…

Peter swaggered to the front-door – and used his-key to open-it…

… his body felt light-and-relaxed by the massage-and-sauna… and the painkiller was working-too… and-plus, he had 3-beers…

The moment the ‘sound’ of the door-clicked open… Paul’s dog at the backyard barked…

… it put-off Peter’s peaceful-mood… and, he was back ‘angry’ again when he stepped into the house…

… he noticed from the dark-kitchen that Paul was ‘NOT’ BACK from the cemetery-visit – but his-irritating dog was barking its-head-off…

“Shut-up you bloody-dingo – or I’ll poison-you and your bloody-Master-too…!!!”

He opened the fridge… and got-himself a can of coke – and raced upstairs to his-bedroom…

-O-

Sipping his-coke, Peter opened the door-and-switched on the-light, saying…

“…Jay-Double-yoo-hoo… Daddy’s backkk…”

He did ‘not’ see his-pet anywhere…

… ‘normally’ he-plays and knocking-down things like his-trash basket and his tennis-racquet-rack as – it-was a full-grown-quokka ‘magically’ in its 4-month-age…

“Heyyo, have you ‘gone’ invisible’…? It’s Daddy – come-out and show-me your-goofy smile, mate…”

Still no-response… and, Peter’s sensitive-nose then sensed a pong-whiff smell… the tween then-rushed and opened the window, scolding…

“Oii! You piece of shit-rat! Have you ‘been’ stinking my-room again? I’ll put your-poop in your-pouch as a punishment!!!”

He looked under his bed… and made-out seeing in the dark-space… sighting JW ‘was-still’ sleeping in the sandbox… and ‘not’ the Nike shoe-box bedding…

… just ‘like’ he last ‘saw’ his-pet before he-left to school that-morning…

‘… something is wrong…’

Peter’s robotic-arm grabbed the cardboard-sandbox, spilling litter-sand on the rug…

… the tween was IN-SHOCK… and sat-slowly on the floor as he stared in-the-box…

… of little-puny brown-and-stiff 4-month-old baby-quokka…

… with its eyes-open… and its-face with a dead-Joker’s smile like in the comic-books…

“NO! NO! NO! You ‘can’t’ BE-DEAD… I ‘got’ plans ‘for’ you…”

Sorrowful tears welled his-eyes of missing HIS-LUCKY ‘CHARM’ – and he then remembered Jane’s big-dog ‘attacking’ Joey-Walker IN THE DREAMWORLD last-night…

He cursed in-anger…

“I’LL KILL YOU, you... bloody-dog – I HATE YOUR-MASTER… I HATE her-parents… and I HATE her-ugly brother-too…!!!”

Peter wailed in-sadness…

“…no-no-no… Joey-boy… why-you’re ‘dead’… just like-Dad…!?”

He was bitter – ‘angry-and-vengeful’ again…

“… I’ll get ‘you’ the next-time, BLIND-SCHOOL! You ‘mark’ my-word – I’ll ‘GET’ YOU… and I’ll ‘rape-and-kill’ you…!!!”