IN THE UBER RIDE, PAUL WAS WITH HIS TWIN… and he suggested to stop over at the florist and buy a bouquet, as a good gesture – but it was immediately shot-down by Peter, that bringing flowers was ‘Old-School’.
But Paul insisted that they should – it was appropriate, and it was the first-time dinner invitation ‘by’ anyone, in 2 years since their father’s tragic death.
“Poe, what you are saying ‘that’ because – Mom is too busy to prepare us home-cooked food, right…? So, it is all about, ‘what’ you can eat, yeah?”
“No, you dummy! It is about giving a good, and solid first-impression – and has finesse too.”
“You talking about finesse, Poey…? Wait till they see you eat later, like Godzilla.”
Peter laughed aloud, as he continued…
“So now… here you ‘are,’ lavishly have money to throw around, like a new-jack from Malaysia. Why should you ‘not’… cause’ you ask money from Mom? – and, she happily gives to you, on top of your pocket allowances. That is Economic 101 for-you – by-using your Mom as your banker!”
“Cut the crap, Peter – this is the money I what ‘hard-saved,’ okay? At least, I’m a homebody – and I don’t waste money eating my every other meal out always – unlike you… and your Big-Macs.”
“That is right, I need to eat well… because unlike you, I am a sportsman – I need my proteins fresh, and… get more, from supplement capsules…”
“And, the caffeine-Red Bulls too, yea…?” Paul cut in…
“Yeah, and that too – but, that’s beside the point, but come next school term – I want my pocket allowance increased and – Mom better BUY ME GOOD TENNIS SHOES too!
“Poe listen, here is ‘how’ it goes – you don’t let her go overbudget! I need at least one ‘good’ pair of good shoes… as her least motherly contribution to me. I don’t want her making any excuses of ‘we will get it next month’ and all. This is a ‘PRIORITY’ PURCHASE, and you don’t cut corners when I say ‘priority.’ I need to go for my training, mate – that’s my dream to be one of the country’s best. But of late, it seems, it is a ‘secondary’ priority to her…
“This is ‘our’ mother, we are talking of here – WHAT KIND OF MOM, who is ‘not’ supportive of her own son’s dreams!!?”
Paul rolled over his eyes, at his twin’s ranting – and before long, the car arrived at the florist.
<><>
THE UBER RIDE ARRIVED AT THE WILSONS – PETER CURSED PAUL, as he lifted him to the wheelchair. The twins have dressed alike, in tailored black pants and white shirt, all buttoned up – but, Paul decided to go the extra mile, by putting on a bowtie, and wore his fake eyeglasses, for a good first impression to the Wilsons.
In his wheelchair, Paul was holding the bouquet of flowers and was pushed along by his one-armed twin, who was still cursing. They looked up to Wilson’s house, that was ‘not’ as big, as their dead-dad had built for them – but Wilson’s lawn was well kept.
Paul reached out from his wheelchair, to ring the doorbell, but Peter BEAT HIM TO IT and rang it twice. The one-armed twin then told him…
“You should check out the interior and furniture in there, Poe – Janey’s father works, high up there, in King Living – the #1 Australia’s furniture company. He is a ‘big’ deal over there.”
“You ‘BEEN’ HERE BEFORE?” Paul asked, incurious.
“Yeah, I even went up to Janey’s room.” Bragged the winking-Peter and chuckled.
Before the more inquisitive Paul asked ‘when’ – the door opened – and Lola Flores the Filipina babysitter appeared.
Peter greeted her. “Kamustaka, Lady Heimdall!”
During Peter’s rehab in the hospital, after losing his arm – a Filipina nurse who he was fond of, taught him some simple phrases and greetings.
That surprised Lola – and the serious-faced lady smiled…
“Who is Lady Heimdall?”
“No worries, ‘he’ is one of the good guys,” Peter told.
“He…?”
Mrs Wilson then emerged at the front door, behind Lola – straightway, Paul reached out, handing the flowers while greeting her. Shelley Wilson was delighted at the gesture and THANKED PAUL. She caught the one-armed Peter quiet and staring at her, and he nodded – as a tacit understanding, and the doctor-mother nodded back.
Paul was wowed, when he saw the interior decor, with posh high-end furniture – whereas, their house was the outdated style in IKEA, of yesteryears…
… the Walkers live in a bigger house BUT WERE CASH-POOR – Insp. Caroline Walker was a single mother of 2 handicapped sons, struggling with her paycheck to make ends meet – and, was ‘dealing’ also… with ‘paying-off’ her dead husband’s gambling debt.
She had made many sacrifices of working long hours, and night school of detective exams – where if she passed it, she will be promoted to a higher post OF INSPECTOR-DETECTIVE, with a pay raise.
“Where is my Crazy-Rich-Caucasian?”
… Peter whispered to Paul when he pushed the wheelchair into the living room.
“Where is Janey at…?” The one-armed boyfriend asked Lola, with a smile.
Meanwhile, at Wilson’s backyard – Piper the big dog was asleep in the barred cage, still weak from being medicated, since coming home from the vet clinic. Anthony Wilson was with blind Jane, who wore a pink Gucci dress – Alicia Wong was there too, carrying Baby Samuel.
“Let him rest, he will recover soon.” Her father told his blind daughter.
Lola appeared at the kitchen door, looking out…
“Jane, your friends from school are here.”
<><>
“CAN HE RAP?” PETER ASKED when after seeing the Black, baby brother of Jane. Paul face-palmed himself, blushing.
“No, you silly – he can barely talk.” Jane giggled out, to Peter’s joke…
… but the one-armed boyfriend was still awed, looking at the eyes of the ebony, cherubic-faced, Babyboy – and-he – LOOKED BEYOND into the kid’s ‘future’ – and Peter, dramatically gazing towards the ceiling, and he exclaimed, pointing his only arm, up…
“Jaheem the Australian, the first Black rapper – who is to be famous internationally, in the near future! I will be ‘his’ agent by then… and I will get him ‘big’ music-contract deals.”
Paul clammed him down…
“What nonsense are you talking about, and bloody-get ‘real’ – in the first place… you don’t knowledge of music-history… you don’t bloody-know ‘who’ Elvis-was… and… you don’t know the first thing, about how the music industry works?”
“That’s beside the point, you have to THINK BIG LIKE ME! Like-I still want to be the best tennis player of Straya, mate!”
Paul and Alicia rolled their eyes to his BS – except for the delighted Jane, who cried out…
“You can do it, Champ!”
Only Paul in the living room could see them both glowing, in bright radiance – into their respective colours. He too felt a certain ‘HIGH’ SENSATION, just being among them both.
Then everything turned around 360 – as Dr Wilson then greeted her first adult visitor arriving, at the door, in that evening – Ms Diane King, the SHS’ student counsellor – and Peter’s con-woman…
… Paul and Jane glowed paler by then – while both saw Peter who was ‘bitter,’ was glowing dark red with negativity, in the living room...
… soon-as, the inspector-mother would arrive… and the ‘adults would gang-up – and interrogate him, and punish him ‘more.’
Ms King was there, shaking Mr and Mrs Wilson’s hands. This was the 2nd time, she met the Wilsons, face-to-face – the first time was at the hospital, after the narrow survival of the 3-handicappers, from the thunderstorm at the dairy farm, in Treeton.
But the counsellor kept in touch – with Mrs Wilson ever since, and did follow-ups, with her phone calls. But, when the doctor-mother had complained recently that Peter Walker was trespassing into the residence – Ms King suggested that Inspector Walker should be introduced into the ‘circle’…
… but Caroline Walker was ‘not’ here yet, in presence… that evening – running late for the dinner invitation, at the Wilsons.
… Jane noticed that Peter was growing angrier… and he was sending out choking-negative vibes – she had to get him ‘out’ of the living room before he went berserk and ballistic. She took his hand, and ‘said’ in ear-shot to everyone, especially her-Mommy...
“Come with me, ‘my-bad boy’ – I will give you a tour of my room.”
Everyone gazed in discomfit, at them both going upstairs.
Shelley Wilson was shocked at her blind daughter’s REBELLIOUS BEHAVIOR to get-back at-her – as they have ‘not’ speak to each other… since their argument of the B-girl’s fashion sense, at the Gucci store yesterday.
… Alicia saw Dr Wilson looking in horrified embarrassment, and the Chinese girl gave doctor-mother a sense of relief and ‘face’ – when she-too followed them upstairs, from behind.
Dr Wilson told Ms. King, in private, that her blind daughter was getting more rebellious lately – and the incident, when she fought with her at the departmental store yesterday, and the mother and daughter WERE ‘NOT’ IN SPEAKING terms.
Upstairs… the blind Jane entered her bedroom, saying…
“Hey Champ, I want you to see, ‘something’ in my bed.”
Peter enter a pitched dark, bedroom.
“Whoa, hold on a sec, Janey – let me first switch on the light.”
Blind-Jane laughed at her silly mistake.
“Sorry about that.”
The lights went on, Peter saw a long, narrow plank that was suspended onto the posts, of the Queen-sized bed.
“This is where I used to train, to gain my balance in me… so that when I rode the skateboard, I have that ‘control’… my former SIMY taught me that?”
Peter replied. “Impressive! You were a natural, too bad – I regret, ‘not’ capturing the video of doing your maiden ’jump’ – too busy chasing after you, going fast downhill – maybe if we could invest in a GoPro camera… and could attached that to your helmet, the next time.”
“You mean, there is A ‘NEXT’ TIME, we go skateboarding, Peter…?”
“Yeah, why ‘not’– that’s if you want it…?”
She came and hugged him, and kissed his cheek. “I would l love that – and would also love to continue my tennis if you coach me… even when school reopens…”
“Yeah, why ‘not’ – been already a week since spring break… and, I myself hardly went self-training… and I feel so guilty too…”
“Don’t be, Champ – TOMORROW WE ‘BOTH’ are definitely going!”
“How is that possible, Janey? Your SIMY, for your guidance, is broken… and all…”
“I know – but over in America, Uncle Jack is configuring-sending my new-SIMY set, and I will get it only during the next school term. But till then… tomorrow I am going to ‘use’ our glowing of yellow and pink, to ‘see’ – I want to CALL IT, MY 3RD-EYE...”
“Is that even possible?”
“I don’t know – I WILLING TO ‘TRY’ THAT, for you.”
Peter was excited, came forward and hugged her – and kissed his blind girlfriend’s cheek, saying…
“Thank you.”
Alicia was behind the wall, of the opened bedroom door – SPYING ON THEM. She heard the worried voice of Anthony the father, calling out to Jane COME DOWN, FOR DINNER.
… Alicia left the spot.
<>
PETER LED JANE DOWNSTAIRS, HOLDING HER HANDS. Doctor-mother observed from the living room – that Jane liked to be pampered, like a B-girl, in her own house, by her ‘boyfriend’ although she was equally capable and independent. Shelley also detected that her B-girl also used 2 set of voices – a serious tone with her parents, and…
… changing it into a funny and teasing tone, used when she spoke to her baby-brother…
… and now, with-her ‘boyfriend.’
They both were the first to sit at the dining table, on the opposite sides – with 9 dinner plates. The table was also segregated-to – ‘adults and kiddies’ – with Paul’s bouquet of flowers, in a Venus de Milo glass vase… in the ‘middle’ of the table, which separated them from the grownups’ side.
It was 7:10 PM – and Caroline Walker was ‘not’ there, she was ‘really’ late. Paul was desperately trying to reach her but – she had switched off her phone… so he left her a couple of voice messages…
… back in the living room, Ms King and the Wilsons were having Kahlua as aperitive – and all 3 of them were chatting about Stamford High School, and waiting for Insp. Walker…
… Peter and Jane were sitting across each other, quietly feeding ‘each-other’ positive energy, radiating out of each-other… Shelley Wilson excused herself to help Lola in the kitchen – she passed the dining room, where the 2 rebel kids were, and she caught Peter winking at her blind-daughter – but some-how… Jane was blushing, giggling and was showing in-her body language – was of-response to the flirting…
… that astonished doctor-mother further about her B-girl… as she noticed both their feet, were ‘not’ in contact, under the table.
Paul then heard a familiar motorcar engine – it was his mother’s Audi. He was relieved that she had arrived.
<>
PETER DISTINGUISHED HIS MOTHER’S VOICE, while seated in the dining hall table – but, there was another familiar male voice indistinct, and the one-armed boy, could ‘not’ put a face to it – until, his twin Paul spoke out…
“Isn’t THAT PRINCIPLE HARRIS…? Jane, did your parents invite him too?”
Jane shrugged. “I have no idea, Pauly – I was ‘not’ told.”
… Peter saw the 9th plate, on the table – he ‘assumed’ wrong, thinking Lola the babysitter, was to join them.
His world was closing-in, caving-up his confidence into the floor – Peter was getting mixed emotions, once again, of fear-and-anger. He was glowing in different darker hues, and… Jane cautioned him…
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Peter… please control yourself – breathe deep.”
Paul saw… Jane playing the ‘role’ of the Black Widow of the MCU’s Avengers – calming down Bruce Banner, from turning into the menacing and rampaging Hulk.
In the living room, Principle Tom Harris and Insp. Caroline Walker both apologized for being late… they both, each were carrying a bottle of wine respectively. All the 5 adults then proceeded to the dining hall – the wide-eyed Peter looked up at his mother, nodding to her…
… she was wearing her favourite dress, that she had ‘never’ worn since his father’s death… 2 YEARS AGO – and the family photo proved so, taken when Solomon Walker was alive.
The rest of the tweens, greeted good evening to their principle – except for Peter… who was still in a controlled-panic-mode… and who had ‘not’ anticipated that Tom Harris, to be a fellow guest, in Wilson’s dinner invitation list.
He mentally blamed the cunning Ms King, for bring on his ‘most’ feared arsenal first – that things were now turn-tabled, in his plans – where-he was expecting to reveal Ms King as a fraud, who was the con-woman, like a true-detective by the end of the dinner evening, in a who-done-it mystery…
… with everyone present…
… and his inspector-mother would ‘believe’ him and… it all had a happy-ending with – Principle Harris would-then fire his ‘minion’ for failing her mission – and use that excuse, as his career coverup...
But the table was ‘now’ turned… and Principle Tom Harris was-now ‘here’ – where the ‘Big-Bad’ possessed the high-authority to ‘expel’ him from school… and put a dead-end his big-big dreams – of being a world-class tennis player.
The entrée of garlic prawns was served, but before they ate – his crippled twin Paul decided to be the ‘Preacher,’ and insisting that he should say grace. The showoff ‘Humperdoo’ took almost a whole minute, before everyone chorused amen.
Next, came the main-course – caramelized sweet-chilli steaks. Peter was thankful that Lola was thoughtful enough, to slice the meat to fork bite-size chunks – but he was offended by her table-setting, that Lola had ‘not’ put a steak-knife in the napkin – like she's worried, that he ‘was’ the psycho slasher-sort.
The home-cooked food was delicious, but Peter’s appetite was ‘not’ at heart. He quietly listened to each word, that those adults were speaking casually…
… they were on a first-name basis now – Tom, Tony, Shelley and Diane – that showed, the Wilsons had known his principle before.
The Wilsons had got their first introduction, to his mother – the adult-couple too now called her Caroline, instead of Insp. Walker…
… but it was funny… because Principle Harris was addressing his mother as Insp. Walker in his office, more than a week ago during his debacle, in the court with Zubeer Khan, where he clouted him with his racquet…
But this evening, Tom Harris too was calling her Caroline… and after the 2nd glass of red wine, he started-called her Carol…
… whoa, ‘only’ his father called his mother Carol.
Peter soon began to ‘switch-off’ when the adults were into their trivial conversations, into their first 15 minutes – but ‘nothing’ was said… about him and Janey.
… Peter noticed Paul was eating proper… but as a ‘busybody’ he interrupted the adults, with occasional questions, and made them laugh. He was a showoff – ‘big-brains-short-legs’ – Janey too was at that moment having a ‘private,’ whispering conversation with Alicia.
On the table, the status-authority Principle Harris dominated the majority of the conversation, and those around him listened and agreed to him. Even his mother nodded more and laughed at his witty comments…
… Principle Harris had known the WILSON MUCH LONGER – when they first admitted their blind daughter, into the Stamford system, 2 YEARS AGO – and he had devised a personal initiation and also push the school board's envelope, by asking teachers to come-up creative ways to adapt and accommodate a visually impaired student into their classrooms – and ‘best’ assist her and her AI SIMY device and give a favourable head-start.
It was a major success and Jane Wilson excelled top in class – but, AFTER 4 MONTHS of that ‘same’ year, Tom Harris also assisted the widow Caroline Walker – with both of her twin sons, who studied in his school… who were then involved in an automobile accident.
In the table-conversation, there was a passing mention of Perth’s skyscraper fire. Then, out of the blue arose, the topic of the black panther… but they were talking ‘more’ of its capture and how lucky Jane had survived, saved by her hero-dog…
… Peter too heard Piper the hero-mutt was back from the vets – and, it was outside in the backyard, resting in medication. Nothing was mentioned on ‘why’ Janey had gone-out that night, even though the whole-of-Perth was ‘gossiping’ about – that she went out with her dog, to see her ‘boyfriend’ – after they read it in the printed newspapers… and online on ‘Facey’ too.
Even his police Mom was mum, over it –and ‘that’ baffled him.
Then the dessert came, it was pavlova with lemon curd – ‘not’ exactly Peter’s favourite, and he was more into the savoury kinds, like baked pies. After dessert, the tweens were excused from the table – and they were shooed ‘out’… to go to the backyard, to the outdoor gazebo – so that the adults could continue, their conversation in private.
Alicia led Jane from the table… followed by his twin Paul, rolling his chair over, to keep up with the girls. But-Peter sat 2 minutes longer at the table, pretended to finish his pavlova – and he observed his mother, who was ‘totally’ serious at work and home, but letting-her-hair-down… enjoying a hearty conversation…
… in her favourite dress… laughing aloud and occasionally smacking the principal’s arm to his witty comments – with-the effect of the 3rd glass of wine.
… Peter then stood up, over the bouquet of Paul’s flowers in a vase – he looked over-it… and excused himself. Every silent-adult’s eye followed him… out of sight, from the dining hall.
He went out to the kitchen and saw an open door, which led to the outdoors. He saw Lola having her dinner alone, he complimented with a thumbs up, flashed from his single arm.
“Great cooking, Lady H – Salamat.”
He thanked her and exited the back-door.
-O-
Peter saw his friends at the gazebo, and he also noticed the big dog in its cage. He walked over to the cage, made friendly-sounds, by clicking his tongue. Piper whose neck was bandaged was partially sleeping… and its ears stood up…
… it was disorientated when it saw a glowing one-armed boy… who was acknowledging and approaching. The animal was confused, and partially fearing of the glow – it ‘was’ just like the glow of the wild big cat’s eyes, that bit him.
“Good-dog. You are a good dog.”
… Peter reached his-arm in the cage, and stroked Piper’s snout… and the big-dog froze still, in fear. The dog noticed the one-armed boy was also unlocking the cage.
At the gazebo nearby, were Paul, Jane and Alicia who was carrying Baby Samuel… Alicia then exclaimed aloud…
“… Janey-look, Peter is unlocking Piper’s cage!”
… Lola Flores in the kitchen nearby also heard her cries.
“Oii! Peter… what are you doing!!?” Paul yelled out.
The docile, grey mixed-breed Alsatian-Siberian huskie stepped out of its cage. He saw Peter nearby, laughing…
“No worries, I’m a dog-whisperer… I know what I’m doing.”
Peter replied – to impress his girlfriend, Jane.
… Jane came forward – Piper saw her approaching, and his Master, WAS ALSO GLOWING. The dog feared, even more – and backed off.
“What bloody-dog-whisperer…? You don’t even ‘own’ a dog!”
Paul protested, as he too came forward, rolling in his chair.
“That is beside the point – I’m Doolittle – animals love me!” Peter responded back...
… Piper was in fear, and barked aloud once – Piper RECALLED JANE SHOOTING fiery bolts that night… when the black panther then attacked them. He then barked aloud at Jane. Even Peter backed off.
“Piper no! Bad dog!” Baby Samuel in Alicia's arms cried out…
… Piper recognized the Black, baby-boy – he could foresee the temptation of mauling the baby and tearing him to shreds.
“Piper…! Get into your cage now!” Jane ordered-out loud…
… the fierce dog bared its fangs, at the blind-girl, snarling – Jane froze on the spot, when SHE ‘SAW’ 2 glowing red dots, in the peripherals of her ‘superpower,’ that she called as the 3rd-eye…
… to realizing, her blind-guide dog, was ALSO ‘CURSED’ by Asmodeus.
The blind-girl was only one meter when she stood still… from the growling, feral dog. It could have leapt and bite into his Master’s neck – but Piper refrained the URGE TO KILL, as it remembered that dying Portuguese waterdog whose scent – REMINDING THAT HE should ‘not’ attack humans…
… everyone-present… saw Piper bolting towards the locked back gate, of the backyard – it scaled over, and escaping in the nighttime.
“Piper, bad dog – come back!” As Baby Samuel cried out.
<><>
“I ‘KNOW’ MY DOG, MOMMY – AND, HE WILL COME BACK!” Jane the blind daughter replied, at the backyard gazebo...
“What are you talking about? Piper has ‘not’ runaway before!”
Snapped doctor-mother, with the comeback.
Earlier, Lola had informed Shelley, in private – without interrupting the dinner conversation guests… that Piper had escaped from his cage. Shelley excused herself from the dining table – for a confrontation with her rebellious, blind daughter…
“… please Mummy, don’t make a scene – you have thrown a beautiful dinner party, let’s ‘not’ go and ruin it, okay…?” Jane said in a pacifying-tone…
… Jane too had to digest the thought that – her beloved dog was an abomination like her, by the Curse of Asmodeus – and also, she too had kept the cabal-promise of Ms King, who told the ‘Cursed trio’ – to keep the ‘secrecy’ from their mothers.
The doctor-mother shook her head, with SHEER DISAPPOINTMENT, turned her back – and she stared a quick moment, at the one-armed ‘CULPRIT’ NEARBY – before she headed back to the house, to be with her guests.
… Lola followed her doctor-employer, from behind. She was carrying the crying Baby Samuel, who was tearful… that Piper ran away.
Ever-since Piper was replaced, as the visually impaired guide-dog by the AI SIMY – and, for 2 years HE WAS DEMOTED from a guide-dog to a house-dog – but never the less, the Wilsons loved Piper. BABY SAMUEL WAS FOND of the gentle-giant dog, and likewise… the dog too was protective over him. It even allowed the boy to ride, on his back like a horse.
Jane-too was emotional, by her-loss… and was led away by Alicia to the gazebo. Paul looked at Peter glowing in darker hues. He was getting angry and scared at the same time. Scared because, Jane’s Mom would tell his Mom, that he was to be ‘blamed’ for Piper running away. Maybe, this was when, his inspector-mother would arrest him – for the murder of his father.
It WAS A SIGN – Piper’s running away was a sign… that he too should run away now…
But still grounded, at the same time… the one-armed boy was angry AT ‘HOW’ THE ADULT-world operated, that gave him ‘never’ ending disadvantage woes – and TOOK ‘AWAY’ everything from him, at a young age.
He blamed the adults – particularly, his inspector-mother… who picked fault-in everything he did – and she always distrusted, in-him – because she ‘saw’ her dead-husband, in-him, and – she even threatened to sell the house… that his father had built for ‘him.’
Then he saw the ‘bigger picture,’ in ‘his’ reality – and, his mother had worn her favourite dress… the one that she even dress-in and posed, as a happy-wife, with his father and their twin sons, in the family photograph...
… and now, she was on a first-name basis, with his school principal, unlike in his office where they both, were formally addressing each other – but, flash-forward to this evening, they WERE NOW TOM-AND-CAROL…
‘… ‘why’ Principle Tom Harris… of all-the-people in Perth – who is a divorcee, from his estranged, alcoholic ex-wife – the mother, of his 2 full-grown-assed children…?’
He figured out their endgame – both, his inspector-mother and his principle were up to ‘no’ good – they were trying to end his tennis-playing dreams… by sending him away, locked in prison for murder – so that, they can later sell the house his father, Solomon Walker had built.
In full-blown negativity, Peter heated with red-glow… he clenched his ‘single’ fist, wrathful – fuming as he gnashed his teeth, mumbling curses and, he finally stomped his foot once… mad on the grass…
The power in the whole neighbourhoods… were in blackout…
‘WTF!!?’
Soon in the darkness, mummers of indistinct voices were heard – then, came the illumination of flashlights and candles and cellphone-torch, in an every-dark house in the neighbourhood…
… but back down-under, from Perth to the northeastern, Queensland… there were major blackouts too – then an earthquake broke in the ocean bed – that began in St. Crisp reef, and it destroyed partially of The Great Barrier Reef…
… the single largest living system in the world, as it was entirely made up of living organisms, mainly coral – and was even visible from outer space…
… the quake then swallowed Opal reef, Tongue reef and Michaelmascay reef… and destroyed scores of smaller-islands on its part – devastating the ecosystem that comprised thousands of reefs, made of over 600 types of hard and soft coral… the home to countless species of colourful fish, molluscs and starfish, plus turtles, dolphins and sharks…
… and emitted huge TIDAL WAVES AND TSUNAMIS that drowned, many islands on its path…
… many coastal citizens of Port Douglas and Cairns had died.
10 minutes later…
… Perth in Western Australia, had-regained its power source. Everyone was glad when their electrical appliances… and gadgets were back working….
The Wilsons’ television came on back, in the living room – an emergency broadcast telecasting live – of the breaking news of the tsunami, happening in the coast of Queensland – resulting thousands of innocent lives lost.
Every-adult, at the Wilsons, looked at the TV screen HORRIFIED… AT THE CHAOS VISUALS of the ‘residence-rescue and sufferings.’
They decided to cut short their dinner engagement – in case, there was a call for a state of emergency nationwide. Caroline Walker… gathered her boys with Tom Harris, to go home.
Alicia Wong rode with Diane King in her ageing Volvo… they were the first to leave. On their journey back, Alicia informed the counsellor that Jane’s dog, Piper was also ‘cursed’ and had run away.
… Tom Harris lifted Paul Walker, from his wheelchair to the backseat of the Audi. Peter also got into the backseat from the other door, and noticed… his mother sat on the passenger seat in front – his principle came into the driver’s seat, and started the engine.
‘Where is the principal’s own car…?’ Peter thought.
The principle and their mother spoke of the natural disaster that struck Queensland. Silently, Paul constantly looked at his one-armed twin in aghast. In-return, Peter looked back at him annoyed, with his ‘WTF’ reaction…
… 20 minutes later, the Walkers reached home. Peter noticed the principal’s smaller, Japanese-hybrid electrical car, was parked in front of his father’s house.
The one-armed rebel concluded that… while he and his twin took an Uber earlier-over to the Wilsons – TOM-AND-CAROL WERE ‘HOME-ALONE,’ in the house his father, Solomon Walker had built.
<><>
“COME BACK, BAD DOG…!”
… Piper howled softly… once opening its eyes wide, after he slept at a secondary forest. It remembered the voice of the Black-child, ‘who’ he was running away from.
It was still exhausting, as it ran some kilometres away from humans… until the medication drug in his blood system had weakened him for a shuteye.
… now, wide-eyed, the dog knew it was still in the early hours of the night… as the skies above were still dark and, the cockerels were ‘not’ crowing yet.
… Piper realized that he overlooked, from the bush – at the neighbourhood below, it was where the black panther attacked his blind Master. He remembered the bus ride – but the only difference now… he had just run over here.
… then, his ears instantly stood upright and he HEARD A SOUND – a familiar sound of a high-pitched whistle. He barked, feeling provoked, at the presence of the ‘hated’ AI SIMY, calling on him…
.. for the next-3 minutes, he was exploring the bush, for the source of the whistling – and, was barking angry – calling the AI out to fight.
The whistling was still there… but AI was ‘NOT’ THERE, AS IN Jane’s ‘backpack.’ The big, grey dog was stumped further – to realize the whistling …
… was ‘IN-ITS-HEAD.’
The whistles were the ‘directions’… that SIMY was giving Piper to follow – which was the scent-trail of dogs that the black panther killed, as it had reached the neighbourhood – the blood-sport that the wild big cat engaged then… was ‘now’ a scent-trail back, that Piper should follow...
… to get back to the ‘source’… where the wild beast had escaped from – the South Perth Zoo.
<>
… THE BLIND GIRL GRIMACED DEEP IN PAIN. It was past midnight – she needed a pain-killer aspirin for the splitting migraine – but her doctor-mother was sleeping.
She gritted her teeth tight, bearing the agony…
… it seems like a knife was scrapping the inside of her head. Followed by a distinct whistling, and coupled with louder scratchy sounds… somewhat of tuning to a RADIO FREQUENCY…
…. that grew louder-and-louder…
… then, the blind Jane HEARD IT, ‘INSIDE’ her head…
“JANE…”
It was the faint voice of a ghost – HER ‘DEAD SIMY’ was calling her.
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… HE WAS SELF-PRACTISING TENNIS ALONE, at the outdoor court…
… feeling ‘great’ as accomplished… that he managed to train his single arm, that was now delivering ‘perfect’ volleys, to the Spitfire tennis machine.
… Peter heard the flapping wings – and he saw the 2 sized bull-dragons… soaring over the tennis courts, casting long and dark shadows. He saw the black panther, riding on one of the scaly creatures – but, it was a different ‘manifestation’ of a rider…
… who had the body of a Black man, but with the wild, big cat’s head.
… the one-armed boy realized he ‘was’ in his dream world.
The buffalo horned-dragon perched on-4 on top like-a dog… on-top-of the railing of the green fenced, tennis court. The Nigerian spoke up…
“Greeting son of Suleiman! You did a great job – you annihilated a national heritage!”
“No… I did no such thing! First of all, I am ‘not’ cursed – and secondly… I also have the rights to my ‘own’ thoughts and emotions… and to feel whatever and whenever I want…!”
… Peter looked above and shouted back fisting his-one arm.
Looking below… the black panther-man laughed out aloud…
“come, my Demon-boy… let’s go and do… damage control, now!”
“No… I am ‘not’ following you anywhere!”
“Yes… O’ CHOSEN-ONE… you are ‘GOING’ TO…”
The 2nd bull-dragon perching on the green-fence, the buffalo reached its neck out and bit on, Peter’s collar nape of his tee-shirt… and it flew above – he was screaming out aloud. And… the struggling one-armed boy saw…
… that he was soaring hundreds of meters in the air… kicking in his fear of heights, yelping in pure-trepidation…
… soon…
… he saw The Great Barrier Reef below – damaged – with dead sharks, dolphins and turned turtles… floating lifeless by the hundreds.
On the coast… were damaged properties and drowned humans washed ashore…
… by-destructed resulted in… from the huge tsunamis.