Law of Kanya
Episode 1: The Family Secret
By Josh Buckby

Chapter 4

Kelly hugged Ricky with all her might. She and her friends stumbled away at the building light caused by the words on the tablet. Evan jumped the furthest back, dropping the glowing stone tablet to the floor.
Ricky held his breath again, but the stone didn’t break. A bright pillar of white light was forming above it, slowly and steadily widening. The sight brought an unexplainable feeling of dread to the surface for Kelly. She leapt into Ricky’s embrace, pleading for it to stop.
“Ricky! It’s…”
Watching the light grow to wall-like proportions turned her blood to ice. Watching the inside of that light swirl and ripple like water stilled her muscles. More then anything in the world right now, she didn’t want it to be here… anything but this.
Sparks began to discharge randomly from inside the light. The trio took a much needed step back to avoid singeing the tips of their hair off. When the crackling died down, the centre of the light turned bright blue, giving sight to a deep, swirling and seemingly infinite tunnel, twisting slowly into itself like a whirlpool.
They could hear an audible hum that also seemed to vibrate against every surface, including against their skin. Ricky gulped as Kelly clambered tighter and tighter. “Evan, what did you say the symbols were?” he asked.
“A…Activation words…” Evan spluttered, shaking like a leaf.
“Well… You’re welcome to contest, but I think we found out what they activate!” Ricky added with an awkward smile.
“Ricky?” Kelly pleaded. “Please tell me I’m still dreaming.” She was too afraid to instinctively pinch herself.
He glanced over and sighed heavily. “I wish I could, but… wait…”
His eyes widened as he remembered. “You mean this is – no! Tell me it isn’t!”
With its image still fresh in the back of Kelly’s mind, it was unmistakable – it was the exact same portal from her dreams. Knowing that, she struggled to speak. “I can’t. I just can’t…”
The portal gave off a deep fluorescent glow that bathed Kelly’s body, just as it had her child self in the dream. It felt warm like a lamp, even from across the room. It tingled too: A more pleasant equivalent of pins and needles. The feeling was engrossing, but above all else… totally familiar.
Kelly had never really felt anything like this in her dream but somehow, the familiarity of these sensations were telling her she’d felt them before, long ago. Taking a deep breath, Kelly gathered her strength and approached the portal, cautious with every step she took.
“Kelly, don’t!” Ricky pleaded, reaching out. “It can’t be safe!”
Kelly wasn’t sure how to respond to him. It had seemed safe enough in her dream. Her brother had stood far closer to it then she had. Wait, what on earth was she saying? That was just a stupid dream.
Was it really enough to go on?
Ricky couldn’t just protest, and jumped to her side as she advanced again. He wrapped one hand round her arm, the other loosely clapped on the toy pistol at his side. “Just how do you expect that to help?” she whispered.
“Just… be careful.” he begged, outstripped for an explanation other then reflex.
The noise the portal was making was starting to give them a headache. It also seemed to get hotter and hotter with every step they took. Then, just as they reached within arms length, all that warmth suddenly washed away, giving way to a cool, refreshing sensation.
The portal stopped feeling threatening when it did. The word Kelly would’ve used without hesitation was inviting. She reached out and touched the surface with the tip of her fingers. The response was a muffled whimper as Ricky bit his lip and she felt his hold on her arm tighten.
“I shouldn’t have to ask you to man up!” she hissed. “It’s… harmless, I think.”
All Ricky gave her in return was a pleading pair of eyes.
Despite how deep it looked from outside, the portal had a distinguishable flat surface. It rippled just like water as her fingers passed through it, and it left her hand with yet another odd feeling like pins and needles.
She heard Ricky gulp. “But if that’s real, then you don’t think…”
Suddenly, like a blemish, she could see a blurry grey shape starting to form in the dead centre of the portal. The grey blob was getting bigger and bigger… no… closer and closer…
They both said it at the same time…
“ALIEN VACUUM CLEANER?!”
They leapt away from the opening as the grey shape came careening out of the portal right in front of them, nearly as fast as a car. The startle sent Kelly crashing to her hands and knees and Ricky sprawling against the table beside Evan. The shape itself very nearly hit the wall, but was tugged back on some kind of cable just seconds before the otherwise inevitable splat.
She second guessed herself for only a second. Kelly opened her mouth aghast as a big golden eye blinked to life, illuminating the room like a spotlight wherever it touched.
This was him alright, and the first time in her life, Kelly could see the creature for what he really was behind that blinding light. Two tiny mechanical arms clanked and buckled against a stiff, steel torso. A singular, reptilian eye blinked on the end of a long, snaking neck. A rusty tether bound its slender form to the portal like a bungie cord.
Maybe her memory hadn’t been so fuzzy after all. It really was a machine, and it really did look like a chugging, churning vacuum cleaner! The resemblance in the robots shape was uncanny.
As a child, she’d been unsure of whether to scream in horror or laugh hysterically. While she’d be lying if she said the feeling didn’t remain torn, seeing this thing as an adult, getting undisputable proof before her eyes… that was a new kind of fear.
Kelly ducked as the eyestalk darted round the room, low enough that it nearly swatted her in the face. “What? Where am I? What is this destination?”
The creatures’ voice didn’t startle Kelly as much as it should have, because she knew it. This was the male voice she’d heard speaking to her brother in her dream. It bore the same unmistakable distortion, and now she could perhaps see why.
It looked down at them and scratched the top of it’s big round ‘head’. “Hmmm... Basic anatomy suggests humans. Strange… I have data on this place, records inconclusive. Have I been here before?”
“H… have you?” Kelly whimpered.
It didn’t answer. The robot couldn’t seem to keep its focus right now. It soon snapped its gaze to the portal, projecting its neck out underneath its torso like a giraffe. Reaching back, it dipped a long clawed finger into the surface and inspected it as it rippled.
“Yes, Human DNA present, unmistakably. You there!”
She’d been holding in her breath, hoping to make a run for it, but now it was too late. Kelly’s skin turned to ice as the machine loomed in over her, forcing her to roll onto her back to avoid contact. The iris of the gross looking reptilian eye shrinking and enlarging just inches away from her face made her squeamish.
“You touched the portal, didn’t you?” it asked.
She turned to Ricky and Evan, wondering whether to own up. They clearly had no idea what she should say, and the robot left her hardly any time before it asked again, this time far more aggressive.
“Answer my question! Did you touch the portal?”
Kelly nodded cautiously to the machine, and it shook its head before looking up at the boys. “You three are alone? Did you open it together?”
“No!” Kelly answered bashfully. “We didn’t open it! At least, not on purpose!” She shot a glance at Evan, who shuddered with guilt.
“Well I certainly didn’t open it!” the robot growled. “It had to be you, and if you touched it, let alone opened it, then you’re all coming with me. I must ask you to step into it at once!”
“We have to what?” Ricky stammered. “You’re kidding, right?”
“That’s not happening!” Kelly huffed. Suddenly gaining a much needed boost of confidence, she placed a palm on the robots eye, which felt just like glass, and thrust it away. With room to scramble back to her feet, she made a bee-line for the table as fast as she could.
“She’s right.” Ricky snapped as Kelly leapt back into his arms. “We’re not going anywhere! Now you better starting explaining things! Just who the hell are you?!”
“Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough… Your compliance was not a SUGGESTION!”
The robots eye brightened and flashed brilliantly. Now it had them right where it wanted them, half blind and reeling in confusion. In that instant of recoil, it made its move. Gasping in terror, Kelly was swept into the air as the robot took hold of her neck.
Ricky’s heart thudded against his chest at the sight of it. Letting out a cry, he took hold of the machines midsection and kicked off, trying to weigh him down to the ground. “No! Kelly! Let her go!”
For such a thin, sickly looking machine it surprised them all. It swept its arm round and struck him. The crack of metal against his chest was more then enough to break Ricky’s hold, send him flying across the room and landing in a sprawled pile at Evans feet.
“Oh god…” Evan whimpered.
“Stop it!” Kelly gasped, scrabbling for release. The machine’s grip was immensely tight. It tugged her forward, and for a moment Kelly feared it was going to toss her head long into the swirling portal.
“No! Put me down!”
Just when things looked their worst, the robot buckled. It reeled and roared madly as a wooden chair came down on his torso with a resounding crack. Ricky keeled over, the broken and splintered pieces of the chairs legs clutched in his hands.
The blow had left the robot stunned enough to finally release Kelly. The moment her feet touched the ground, Ricky was standing between her and the roaring machine.
“Arggghhh!!” it shouted, wincing and delirious. The machine soon found them again, its eye now a menacing blood red.
“You little… That hurt! A lot!”
Ricky shot a bewildered glance, then smirked at the creature. “Good. Glad to find that out. You deserve it!”
“You don’t understand! You must come with me!”
“And I’ll say again! Never going to happen!”
He shrugged his gun out and pointed it right at the creature’s eye. It had nearly strangled Kelly to death. Did it really imagine he’d lie back and let it try again?
“Ricky wait!” she gasped. “What if it has a gun too?”
Honestly, he hadn’t thought of that. And ultimately, he didn’t care. He hoped his bluff would be enough alone. “Alright, freak! You know what this is? One wrong move and I’ll gouge out that big eye of yours! Now get back in that portal and leave us alone!”
The robot growled. Balancing on its long cable, it reached out to them.
“I mean it!” Ricky persisted.
The robot swayed itself forward.
“STAY BACK!” Ricky roared.
The gun let off a little pop. With easily the worst timing in the entire world, the white flag plopped out of the end and hung there limply. They weren’t given a chance to cringe. Like lightning, the robot took hold of the gun in one of his claws and lifted Ricky, still clinging to it, clean off the ground.
“Threat minimal…”
It was brutal. The robot punched Ricky squarely in the chest, then took hold of his neck like it had with Kelly, and tossed him away. This time the result was much worse then before. He tumbled against the wall of cabinets. Kelly put her hands to her mouth as Ricky’s head went crashing against one before he fell to the floor, so still she missed a heartbeat.
“…RICKY!”
She bolted around the robots next swipe and collapsed on her knees at Ricky’s side, taking his head in her hands. A tiny trail of blood trickled down his cheek. “Ricky…” she gasped. “Say something… please! Ricky!”
The robot advanced slowly and steadily. “Pitiful,” it chuckled. “And it all could’ve been avoided with simple compliance. Shall we try again, or should I simply anaesthetize all of you in a similar fashion first?”
“You bastard…” Kelly growled, her blood boiling.
“AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!”
Kelly reeled at a surprise attack that made the creature roar like a beast. It had come, of all people, from Evan. He had leapt out of hiding behind her, slamming like a bull into the robots side. His blow sent the machine crashing into one of the walls.
“Leave em alone!” Evan shouted and wielded his fists.
“You?!” the robot sneered, clutching the top of its eyestalk.
“Evan…” Kelly gasped.
“I opened the portal, asshole! All me, they had nothing to do with it! And you’re not gonna hurt them cause of my screw up! You deal with me!”
The robot paused a moment, then laughed. “The way you clung to the shadows, I had you figured for a coward! Commendable, but unimportant! Accept this: You are all coming with me!”
Another vibrant flash filled the room, however Kelly was more then ready for it this time, shielding her eyes as best she could. Evan got hit with the full force again, reeling and nearly toppling over onto her.
Ricky, on the other hand, began to regain consciousness just in time to look up and see it all unfold. What happened was all too fast for him to help in his state. A claw reached out, taking hold of the disoriented and flailing Evan. Without caring who in particular he’d latched hold of, the robot swung round and tossed him headlong and vanishing into the portal.
Ricky felt Kelly’s hold on him loosen. She clenched her fists in rage and grabbed one of the broken chair legs. The robot turned back just in time to be smacked in the head with every ounce of Kelly’s might. It reacted much like a person would and it’s upper half finally toppled to the ground, delirious.
And that, at last, was the finishing blow.
The moment the robot collided with the ground, the tether leading into the portal fired into action. It must have been a safety mechanism, but the robot panicked when it realised what was happening. It dug its metal talons into the ground, but it was simply too late. The tether wrenched the robot back into the portal, plummeting it into the black depths like a missile.
Kelly struggled to stay standing. It felt like a victory, like she had beaten that monster, but it was far from over and she was far from satisfied. A shiver went up her spine as the portal began to flicker.
“You got him! Nice one.” Ricky coughed.
His voice startled her. Almost out of breath, she rushed back beside Ricky, sighing in relief as he sat up.
“Ricky! I thought I… I lost…”
She sniffled, unable to finish. Ricky clapped his hand to his bruised forehead, then to her face, wiping away a tear. “It’ll take more then that.” he smiled, helped to his hands and knees by Kelly.
“But I’m… Ohhhh… I think I have a concussion. What about Evan?”
“I know! Can you walk? Do you think you can make it to the phone?”
“I’ll be fine, ain’t nothing keeping me down.”
“Don’t lie to me!” she gasped, holding his arm tightly. “Look me in the eye and tell me your okay! I need this!”
“This is nothing.” he continued, rubbing his head. “I’ll be okay. I promise. Why?”
Kelly left his side and snatched Benjamin off the table. Ricky grumbled on first instinct. “Forget the damn toy, we have to…”
She haphazardly stuffed the toy into his arms before he could finish. “If I’d want anyone to come with me, I’d want you. But I can’t ask that of you this time. Hang onto that for me, will you? Keep it as proof… that I’m coming back.”
“No…”
She took hold of his cheeks and gave him an enormous, passionate kiss. When she released him, she had finally broken down into tears. Ricky could read her like a book. He couldn’t believe she was thinking about this.
“Go and call mum and dad, then the police. Tell someone what happened.”
“No! Don’t do it! Don’t do that to me!”
“I’m not losing another brother…”
“And I’m not losing you!”
He tried to grab her arms, but Kelly slipped free of his reach a moment too late. She rushed to the portal. The edges were starting to shave away into nothingness. She placed her fingers on it again, which seemed to breathe a little life back into it, but she might only have a few seconds and, uncertain if they could open it a second time, she knew what she undoubtedly had to do.
“NO! KELLY DON’T YOU DARE!”
Taking a huge breath, Kelly hurled herself into the portal.
“KEEELLLLLY! DAMMIT!”
He couldn’t have blamed her. He would’ve done the same if it was his brother or sister, but that was a meagre excuse. She could’ve killed herself. That thing was a robot, not a living being. What if that portal would rip her to pieces? Ricky knew all about what black holes could do. He was certain he was staring at one right now.
She was right. He should go and tell someone, but how could he? They’d never believe something this maddening. They’d either think Kelly had run off after finding this place, or… or that Ricky had…
He couldn’t face that. He couldn’t have police baring down on him, accusing him of things he’d never do to the woman he loved.
Once again the portal began to waver. Now he’d have to make a choice, and like her, he knew the answer already. He was going to do what he always did, and protect her. He glanced down at the smiling face of the puppy and cringed.
“Looks like your along for the ride little guy. Let’s get you back to your owner!”
He followed her lead, taking a huge breath. Starting a limp, working his way into a gait, Ricky ran for it and dived, and not a moment too soon. He disappeared, engulfed by the portal.
With that, it snapped shut. The house went silent, as it would remain for a long time.