The Stolen Star

by Halyna Franko

more minutes. The three of them were forced to move to a couple more squares in this fashion. But in that time ‘dad’ managed to explain a few more things about the Robots' habits:

  “Superficially Robots appear to be very efficient and full of team spirit and a desire to make it to the top robot rung. But in actual fact they can't stand people who are so different to them, especially in terms of their energy. They have a huge number of important and petty rules, which they use to persecute normal human beings. Moreover, they particularly like to pick on these sorts of people."

  “Why are working here when it’s so unpleasant and dangerous for you?” Michael asked anxiously.

  “I am a specialist with a reputation as they say. I am known in many countries and they are afraid to touch people like me," and ‘dad’ showed them some photographs of himself with various other restoration experts from all over the world.

  Looking at the photos Michael and Ben quickly came to the conclusion that their surrogate father was a real man of the world.

  “It’s possible,” ‘dad’ laughed, “if you carry out your mission well and gain the necessary experiences maybe you will become either specialists or experts in something very important in this life."

  “What sorts of experts for example?” Ben asked. “You need to study a lot for this”.

  “Well, let’s take the law of the conservation of energy, because you learned about it from the other side. Firstly, energy can be both negative and positive, what’s more good deeds increase a person’s energy but evil deeds exhaust their energy. Secondly, good energy can be wielded by the natural world and animals if you treat them well. But the most important are the higher forces of Good and Love for mankind and one need to turn to these forces for help. It is a good thing that you learned to do this early in your childhood. And that in short is what you need to know about your achievements and talents. But let’s go into a club so that we will have some excuse for our housekeeper.”

  And the boys and their surrogate father turned into a club for animal lovers but inside it looked much more like a bar for beer lovers. The only animals in the whole place were rare endangered birds and animals that had been stuffed and put on display in glass cases along the walls. Each cabinet had a plaque with instructions on how to hunt and kill these beautiful creatures. ‘Dad’ and the boys didn't even bother sitting down at a table and having taken a good look at their surroundings, for the sake of form, they set off home.

  When they arrived they found yet another pleasant surprise waiting for them: the housekeeper had brought her children with her. They had made themselves quite at home and were happily sitting at the table drinking tea.

  “Sit down, sit down, why not join us for some tea," the newly ensconced housekeeper generously invited them.

  “Thank you very much. You're most kind," ‘dad’ replied politely, and without the slightest hint of irony.

  The conversation at table was stilted and stuttering. Michael and Ben were simply unable to stomach the falseness of it all. And to make matters worse, the housekeeper’s children (a fourteen year old boy and twelve year old girl) constantly made digs at the boys. They pretended that Ben was a girl and said that Michael’s loud laugh sounded like the braying of a donkey, although they themselves laughed in the most unpleasant way. So Ben decided to get his revenge:

  “Do you have a football team in this city that plays on the world stage?”

  “My children have no interest in such a common sport as football,” the children’s mother pronounced after a lengthy and uncomfortable silence.

  “Oh, do you play tennis then?” said Michael politely trying to keep the conversation going.

  “And I suppose you play then,” the girl spat out.

  “Yes I go to tennis and Ben is very good at football," Michael replied calmly.

  “Well, everyone knows that sportsmen are all a bit thick,” the housekeeper’s son rudely added.

  Michael and Ben were barely able to control themselves. But ‘dad’ poured oil on the trouble waters by saying:

  “Children, why don’t we go and play some games together. We've got chess, draughts and there's the computer or perhaps you'd like to listen to some music?"

  “You’re right, children need to be organised,” said the housekeeper.

  “Let’s go and play football, I saw a sports ground not far from here,” Ben suggested.

  Unexpectedly, but reluctantly, the housekeeper’s children agreed. ‘Dad’ fished out the football and the whole crowd of them piled out of the flat, except the housekeeper, of course, who stayed at home sulking at the fact that even her children had ignored her parting phrase:

  “Don’t run too fast and no more than thirty minutes.”

  She shouted something else as they descended the stairs but no-one was paying any attention. Of course only Ben played football at all well, but the game was fun, and as Ben put it, a success. The goals piled up for both sides with ‘dad’ playing the role of referee. He joked and chivvied everyone along, which made the game all the more fun. However, just as the match was getting interesting the housekeeper turned up. She immediately stopped the game and forcibly dragged her children from the playground. The boys and ‘dad’ returned home an hour later because the latter decided that he also need a bit of a run-around. Thankfully when they got home there was no-one there – the housekeeper had left to go home for the night. The boys and ‘dad’ sat down to a cup of tea with only themselves for company. It was so good not to be spied on! They were able to laugh, joke, argue or just do nothing.

  “If only we could get rid of her for good,” Ben said dreamily.

  “Boys, you have to understand that she is only doing her job. This is how she earns her living and it’s clear that she’s also making things up as well; therefore she’ll never get removed from this post. “‘Dad’ interjected.

  Michael elbowed him in the ribs and gestured towards his ears. Everyone burst into a fit of giggles.

  “Off you go and play on the computer.”

  A few minutes later he joined the boys on the computer and typed:

  “Sometimes I will say things that are forbidden so that they won’t think that I’m a complete idiot, but also to let them know that they can’t completely “cow” someone from the free world. But you two had better keep quiet so that you don’t raise any suspicions in their minds.”

  “But they don’t pick on their own,” wrote Michael.

  “Not everyone can join the elite – only a selected few, or those who particularly stand out, but the average citizen here just has to follow orders. And if something is noted somewhere, sometime then it is put in the black list and it's very difficult to get yourself off this list once on it. There are cases when they banish totally innocent people and animals from the city for no reason, like the dog who didn't bark the way they liked.”

  “That’s just the way life is here," Ben noted sadly, "what they really need is a revolution."

  “They have already had one revolution and this is the result,” the restoration expert typed in reply.

  As time went by life in the City of the Robots became more and more difficult for the boys. The housekeeper had either started cooking badly or had just started buying sub-standard goods – whatever the reason the cousins and ‘dad’ began to fall ill. They seemed particularly prone to stomach upsets followed by spells of dizziness, which was uncomfortable rather than life threatening. This time it was the restoration expert who could control himself no longer. Just as the housekeeper was getting ready to go home she came up to him asking what he would like her to cook them the next day.

  “Thank you very much,” he said through gritted teeth, “but we won’t need your services any longer.”

  The woman was so surprised that she was completely dumbstruck. Then a torrent of words poured out of her all at once:

  “What do you mean… but you have to
have a housekeeper.” “You know I like to cook for myself,” ‘dad’ said firmly.

  The boys had to control themselves in order not to clap their hands in glee.

  And then ‘dad’ continued:

  “What’s more you have greatly exceeded your authority.”

  “What? What have I done?” the housekeeper shrieked in alarm.

  “I could mention it to the appropriate authorities,” ‘dad’ hinted directly, “but I hope we can part on civilised terms."

  “Yes, yes of course,” said the woman deflatedly, “we... will be very civilised."

  The cousins had to summon up all their strength not to giggle with glee at the tragi-comic scene. In a matter of minutes the harpy had collected her things, said goodbye and disappeared.

  What a miracle! Ben had been dreaming of this moment for ages. Within half an hour ‘dad’ had called up some friends and the flat was completely cleared of “bugs”. There were hundreds of them! After that they had another check and even found something hidden in one of their taps. However, the restoration expert decided not explains what it was to the boys in order not to upset them. He only noted quietly:

  “That’s why we all had stomach upsets. Well, you horrible woman, just you wait, I’ll find a way of paying you back.”

  The boys never found out if ‘dad’ did indeed go and report her but she never darkened their door again. And life once again got back on to an even