JANE CAME BACK AFTER SCHOOL, after visiting Ms King’s ‘secretive’ session in her office, with Paul. The blind-girl took a warm-shower, and hit the books with Boyyo, and did her Math homework. A couple of hours later…

… she came downstairs, as it-was her dinner-time.

Lola-had set the table, for 3 – for Dr Wilson and her children before, leaving back home-to her own family. At the table, Jane told her mother, that tomorrow WAS CLASS-PHOTO DAY, where they would be photographed with her class, and for-sports – for tennis-doubles with Peter, Dougie and Zoe.

Doctor-mother suggested that she should ‘lose’ her 3-dreadlock-braids because her appearance was ‘WILD’ FOR A CLASS PHOTOGRAPH. But Jane did ‘not’ response…

… because her hairstyle was plaited by her BFF… now in irreversible-coma, lying-in a hospital bed.

After dinner, on the couch the sister played with Samuel – they were playing ‘CATCH-ME,’ where blind-Jane placed her open palms out, while her Black baby-brother tried-touching the palms, while she caught-his.

“Catch me… catch me…”

Samuel with gleaming wide eyes, in full of anticipation… cautiously uttered to his blind-sister. After some deliberate ‘misses,’ blind-Jane used her 3rdeye and caught his hands. The delighted boy busted-out with high-pitched laugher.

Outside the Wilsons, a Mercedes parked…

“Daddy, daddy come home!” The over-the-moon baby-boy raced to the front door…

… and-in entered a drunk Anthony Wilson who picked his son up and joyfully prancing about at the doorstep. Shelley came down the stairs, and scolded her husband for going-out often, after work and drinking and smoking excessively, ever since he started his ‘OWN’ BUSINESS.

The carefree, Anthony told his bossy wife-off, that he was entertaining some business vendors from out-of-town, because he needed them to grow his furniture business, for both of his children’s future, especially when they go to the university someday. But Shelley argued as-a doctor, as her spouse had reached beyond his 50 years-of-age… and-his current lifestyle would KILL HIM EVENTUALLY – and reminded-to adopt a healthy-ageing living.

<><>

MEANWHILE, AT THE WALKERS, PETER WAS BORED ON A MONDAY EVENING – that even-his favourite bands in his playlist on Spotify, were sounding ‘bland.’ The one-armed plopped-on his bed, and reached out to his tablet, to go online to see what was trending. The treading hot-news in Perth was the shooting in the gun-store.

Peter sighed, as he was-sad that his PFC brand, was no-longer popular – where it once had busy traffic among ‘Perthians’… and-that kept them in their toes-and-fingertips, churning many feel-good positive comments, from those strangers whom he had ‘not’ met, as their city’s influencer…

… the only competitor the ‘Perth’s famous couple’ was – that fleabag Hero-dog…

… that was missing… then 'found'… then missing again…

The desperate, Peter needed to come up with ‘something’ to gamify, for a new marketing campaign fast – to boomerang his brand’s popularity back to existence…

… or else… the ‘PFC-name’ would be obsolete, and totally forgotten…

…at his fast-and-furious paced vanity-internet realm, that he lived-in...

-O-

In his windowless room downstairs, Paul had just gotten to-check a text from his mother, on the first day of her promotion – informing him that she would come home late because the shooting-case at the gun-store was Hajji, himself…

… who had come out of his hiding, after a couple of weeks of ‘disappearing.’

Paul knew his mother had been stressed-out, since landing into zoo-case, where it went UNSOLVED UNTIL she got her Det. Inspector promotion. She-had promised him, that their lives would be ‘normal’…

… with her coming home, with office-working timing, and SPEND MORE-TIME in her family-life, ‘not’ her police-life.

But-deep inside, Paul thought it was a blessing-in-disguise, of the other-kind…

…. wherein the-next 7-DAYS ‘TO-COME’…

… was where-the evil, All-father Asmodeus would walk the earth, in Perth. Paul doesn’t want his inspector mother to be ‘involved’ in that-deadlier supernatural aspect…

… where it ‘was’ their-Cursed-trio’s battle, ‘not’ the police…

… 7-days to Destruction-Day…

‘Where are you, Mercury…?’

<><>

IT WAS CLASS ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHING DAY, in Stamford High School for the year-book, on that Tuesday’s mid-day morning at the gymnasium. Mrs Ann Burnell, the vice-principle was the busiest person that morning… coordinating her teachers, who monitored their respective class students.

Paul followed on his wheelchair, with his class-teacher, Mrs Trudy Moore – and the uniformed classmates, all-dressed in dark-green blazers to the gym. Mrs Burnell was organising his class of row in the back, where they stood in chairs – where his clowning-twin stood with his misfit fan-students of the backbenchers…

… to the students in front, which was normally the top students who were seated with their class-teacher Mrs Trudie Moore – who was also their Science teacher, in the lab.

Watching the vice-principle matching his mixed-match classmates, Paul thought of last year’s class photography session, where Alicia back then, ‘not’ his girlfriend, WAS THERE SEATED with her BFF Jane, with Mrs Moore, and their class-monitor Charlotte Thompson…

… he was saddened to the thought of being his now-girlfriend, but Alicia was ‘not’ there, in-this year’s photo session – as she, was fading away in a hospital bed…

… and-so was Charlotte ‘not’ in the photo – a victim of phone-bombing, who-now was blinded.

After a few cameras click by the photographer, the students-all returned to their class – except for Peter, Jane and Zoe Williams, who had to change their uniform to their school’s sports-gears for their tennis sports-photo taking. The mixed double was the ‘first’ photographed…

… the senior, Douglas Zimmerman came to join them, where they were ‘part’ of the 2 entries – but competing… in the ‘not’ vanity-popular category-group in SHS.

He posed with the small group of 6 players – the PFC, Zoe… and their reserves...

... Bella Beaulieu and Jamil  Hassan, whom they trained with.

The over-dressed, Peter came out of the changing room, in full gear – single-gloved, with head-band and knee-guards.

Peter suggested to the camera-man, that they should ‘pose’ by using their tennis racquets as-swords – the one-armed boy X-ed his Babolat to Douglas’ Dunlop racquet – while Zoe and Jane were standing in sword-bearing stance, for the PFC-rematch, of their viral YouTube, in Perth with a half-of a million views.

Peter while posing, he came-closer to his other-half of his PFC brand, when he placed his STUMP-ARM TO TOUCH Jane’s back shoulder. The blind-girl in surprise, like a knee-jerk reaction – and the camera clicked – and the mixed-tennis double photography was over. Both Jane and Zoe left for class.

Peter and Dougie stayed back for the photo-taking of the school’s boys’ category. They had to pose with 3 chairs – where the 3-ranked players were-seated, while the reserves stood at the back. PETER WANTED TO BE SEATED with Oliver Brown and Douglas Zimmerman…

… and the one-armed player was back arguing with Zubeer Khan, that he was #3.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Coach Jonah intervened into the commotion and told Peter off – that Khan was the rightful 3rd placed ranked player in SHS. If he wanted to be in the photograph, Peter should stand with the-4 other reserve-players at the back, or get the hell out of the gym…

… because he was holding up other-players of different-sports’ photo-session, with his nonsensical arguments.

Peter who was crossed but he calmed-down and POSED AS THE RESERVE – thinking of how the ungrateful school had ‘forgotten’ of their protégé player of 2 years ago, WHO WON THE SHS’ ‘only,’ championship trophy…

… of Perth’s junior school district tournament back then.

-O-

Later at recess, the ‘not’ happy-Peter met up his online campaign-manager, senior student Jason Lang – who was also in the basketball team. Peter wanted to aggressively market the PFC brand…

… where Jason had a ‘winner’ by an owning-his viral video, with half-a-mil-hits. To spite, Coach Jonah and his ‘mediocre’ SHS Boys’ team, Peter wanted to leak-out his robotic-arm video…

… despite KIMURA STAR’S T&C to make it a secret – and ‘not’ exposed to the social media, which would impact their business, if the COPYRIGHTED-IDEA OF THE TECHNOLOGY was ‘stolen’ by competitors, through YouTube video sharing.

Peter’s ‘excuse’ was, since the Walker house was broken-in by ‘terrorist,’ who used his ‘account’ to hack and make phone-bombs – and the robotic-arm selfies-and-video too were-ALSO ‘STOLEN’ during the same time…

… and now it had immerged online.

Peter advised Jason to BE SMART ABOUT the ‘new’ campaign, unlike – they were ‘exposed’ and were discovered the last time, where Jason’s YOUTUBE ACCOUNT-SUBSCRIPTION was red-flagged and suspended for a week, for terrorist activity after the phone-bombs incident at SHS, by the counter-terrorist unit.

The one-armed mastermind told his counterpart – TO USE A FAKE’ NAME – and create a new YT-account, to make the popularity-ruse work.

The bell rang, recess-time was over – the tween Peter looked pleased when the senior-minion-boy … who hurried away to do ‘his’ bidding…

… for-his Stamford High School’s 2nd coming of Peter…

… in the Boys’ tennis scene…

… with his ‘left-handed’ robotic-tennis arm.

<><>

PIPER AND KITTY BROKE OUT OF THE WAREHOUSE, when days ago after-being locked-in, for MORE THAN 48 HOURS by Hajji, when they tracked out and infiltrated the ‘bad’ man’s hideout.

The dogs were weak and hungry, and could eat-a-horse, the moment they broke out. They scavenged the back streets, and they ruminate in a dumpster of an Italian restaurant. Soon, they both suffered food poisoning, after eating human-food…

… of tomato-based pasta…

… the big-Alsatian grey-dog recalled ‘the good-ol’-days,’ as a house-dog at the Wilsons, where he got tummy-aches too, whenever the ‘good’ Samuel-pup… fed him apples and chocolates, which the pup-ate-and-shared with him.

But nothing beats Lola’s cooking – where he used to hang around the kitchen, salivating and wagging his tail to the delicious-smell, coming from the pots on the stove – and the ‘good’ housemaid even – had fed him table-food as side-dish scraps, along with the dried-dog food as his main course.

Once the dogs recuperated – by drinking lots of rain-water, in the road puddles – soon, they both were back on-track, sniffing out Hajji’s scent that they had ‘lost’ 3 days ago. They knew the ‘bad’ man was nearby…

… and the dynamic-furry-duo continued their scent-trail.

<><>

PETER WENT TO MS KING’S OFFICE FOR HIS TWICE A WEEK, anger management session. Over there, he griped over the unfair treatment, in the photography session just now in the gym – where he was denied to be the #3, in the school ranking, and the discriminating Coach Jonah had ‘lumped’ him, as a reserve player.

“That Coach Jonah is getting to my nerve. Yes, we don’t see eye-to-eye since I ‘discovered’ Janey… and made her the ‘star’ that she is today. Coach Jonah is there always some-way… as a thorn in the side of my PFC brand. I’m going to complain him to Principle Harris!”

The student counsellor told him to calm down, and control his emotions…

… Ms King was very afraid of the one-armed boy’s rage – when she last saw ‘it’ when he-had nearly SHOOK HIS OWN HOUSE, when they last had a session, a month ago at the Walkers.

And, she easily let him have his ‘ways’… by giving in to his demands…

.. Ms King did ‘not’ want Principle Tom Harris to-be involved in any ‘decision-making’ of Peter Walker – as he-too was a PRIME-TRIGGER for the tween’s ‘anger.’

The principle was CURRENTLY BUSY ENGAGED with the counter-terrorist unit – that caused 13 students’ cellphones to explode on their faces in class, and also the series of car-explosions in the school’s parking lot, weeks ago…

… and, if Tom Harris were to JUDGE-AND-PUNISH Peter – the entire Stamford High School would crumble-down at its knees in-danger…

… killing ‘more’ students by Peter’s wrath.

“Please Peter, don’t kill Coach Jonah – of you would ‘regret’ doing so later…”

Peter was surprised at her… and he scoffed and responded…

“What? Me kill-him? Why-what you think I am – a criminal…?”

Ms King realised that Peter does ‘not’ know that he is possessed by the dark side – where the demon Asmodeus had ‘control’ of him and – WOULD WALK ON PERTH SOON, during the blood-moon of Hatshepsut, in the Sphinx…

… in less than 7 days...

<><>

THE MOTHER BOUGHT SOME INDIAN TAKE-AWAYS home that evening. She parked her Audi and enter the quiet house. The hungry Peter raced downstairs to greet her.

“Where’s Poe?”

“I don’t know, haven’t seen him since school – probably gone to the hospital, to see his sleeping-beauty, I reckon… hey, I’m famishing like an African-starving child, Mom – feed-me, let’s eat.”

-O-

The Uber ride drove off, with Paul making his way to Perth Children Hospital. Before long, he was in the elevator, that took him to the floor of the coma-ward. He had bought a small bouquet of flowers, where-later Cousin Lily Wang put into a vase, placing it beside the bed. His girlfriend was lying in her bed, in a comatose state…

… with her mother, Robin was seated beside her…

… the mother looked haggard, but she gave the visitor a weak smile.

Paul wheelchaired closer and held Alicia's hand – her cellphone beside the bed was on the playlist of the girl’s fave music. He NOTICED A ‘FAMILIAR’ Chinese song with violin-strings – and recalled Alicia playing it as she sang the ‘song’ to him before…

... recalling the flashback of...

… when he asked then, what the song ‘meant’ –she responded that it was just a ‘silly-love-song’ and they laughed about it then…

… but now, it brought tears in the crippled boyfriend’s life, WHO HAD EXPERIENCED the ‘loss’ of his love.

-O-

Minutes later, the blind Jane Wilson-also visited and was greeted by Lily. Paul felt the small ward-room to-be ‘over-crowded,’ and he excused himself and left. In the corridor outside, he saw Alicia’s relatives, speaking in Hokkien dialect… as he passed them, as he headed to a large French-window.

He gazed out… sighed out, to find… a sweet-spot in his bitter-sweet life…

… to ‘enjoy’ his problems…

He recalled his haphazard strategy without-a-plan that he took, when he broke into Graylands – it was a love-crazy attempt that he trespassed into the facility to locate Jimbo, without-a-clue where in which floor he was at. He then remembered in a similar situation before, where he rescued the hero-dog at the animal hospital where Jane’s Boyyo told him to find the ‘legend’ of the floors for-clues…

… it was ‘not’ before long, Nurse Kim Campbell jumped-him, and unmasked him.

What aspired next, was his series of one after another crazy-attempts, to get Jimbo on the rooftop of the mental-hospital, TO QUESTION HIM BUT…

… when he was so-close to get an answer –but the blind-girl intervene…

… by dragging him away from the ‘truth’ – THAT WHETHER IF PETER – was involved in the crime.

He was ‘remorse’ later when he learned that Jimbo died – he self-justified that the addict’s death was ‘not’ his fault…

‘If Jimbo wanted to learn to ‘fly’– he should do it on the ground-up, ‘not’ ground-down…’

Did Jimbo’s death BRING JUSTICE for Alicia?

Paul-realised it was a ‘no’ – but-if he had he gotten the ‘truth’ from Jimbo – that Peter was there at the scene of the crime – it would-then be a different story… where he would resort to his Plan-B, which was to ‘take-out’ his twin, and do all-denizens of Perth a huge favour – by denying Asmodeus to walk the earth...

Now…

… with Peter left out off the hook, and was walking-around and kicking-about at will…

… and, Paul felt ‘cheated,’ that ALICIA’S JUSTICE WAS ‘NOT’ SERVED.

He recalled next the moments when he encountered StarGirl, as Gemini-Blue…

… where they had fought using their superpowers, as scare-tactics at each other, before they part ways. That was ‘it’ – Jane’s brand of ‘wasted’ justice…

‘Where is the truth in that-Jane… where is the justice…?’

-O-

Blind-Jane used her 3rd-eye to find the wheelchaired Paul, outside the corridor. She found him staring into the oblivion at the window – he was glowing deep-purple with negativity. When she sensed that, she approached him gingerly… and placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Please drop it Pauly – it’s Asmodeus intentions to ‘split’ us all up, and fight among the Cursed-trio – but what we should be focusing right now, is to stop this demon at all cost, from walking down in Perth… do you agree with me…?”

Reluctantly, Paul nodded.

Although he had forgiven Jane, but HE WOULD ‘NOT’ FORGET the fact that…

… Jane had intervened and disrupted Alicia’s ‘served justice’…

… where its 6-days to Destruction-Day...

‘… where are you, Mercury…?’