Free Territory by Susan Bliler Page B

snide comment came from across the room. Hannah with her cherry red lips curled into a smirk, sat on the end of the table clearly pleased with herself. Hannah ran a hand over her short curly hair as the girl seated next to her giggled at her comment.
    Kya opened her mouth to defend herself, but never got the chance.
    “HEY!” Mama yelled turning from her pot of farina as she pointed her spoon at Hannah, hot cereal dripping off the end of the spoon onto the floor.
    Hannah’s eyes instantly lowered as her contemptuous expression slid from her features.
    “You’ll be pleasant to guests in this house, or you’ll be the one who’s leaving.”
    Kya smiled behind her mug. Mama may not be the Alpha female, but I see she does command respect. Kya took a sip of the too hot coffee and turned to the stove. “Thank you.”
    Mama smiled up at her, her beady black eyes shining behind her glasses. “Here.” She shoved a piping hot bowl of cereal into Kya’s hand. “Let me show you how I like it.” Mama grabbed Kya by the upper arm and pulled her to the kitchen island. She grabbed a teaspoon from the pile of spoons already laid out and dunked it into a tub of butter. She chinked the spoon off the side of Kya’s bowl and the dollop of butter thwaped onto the hot cereal and instantly began to melt. “Then some sugar.” Mama spoke to herself. She shook the sugar caddy over the bowl, coating the farina in a layer of fine crystals. “Now some milk and you stir it up.” Mama went to work pouring milk into the bowl then briskly stirring the now cooler concoction. “Now look,” Mama whispered leaning in over the bowl. “See that yellow ring?” A yellow band of melted butter circled the rim of the bowl.
    “Yes?” Kya answered.
    “Do you know what that means?”
    Kya shook her head wordlessly.
    Before Mama could answer, the females in the room answered in a chorus of singsong voices, “It means the porridge is just right.”
    Mama looked up and starred at the women, her lips puckering in displeasure. “Well it is! Now shut up and come and eat.”
    The women giggled amongst themselves as they stood to form a line for breakfast. Kya took her bowl and sat in the same spot at the end of the table where she’d sat the day before.
    Plates full of warm buttered toast lined the table. Kya snagged two pieces then dove into her breakfast. The warm sugary farina was perfectly complemented by the salty butter rim. Mama was right, the porridge was perfect.
    Kya ripped up her buttered toast and tossed it into the bowl. She ate quickly, wanting to sneak out while everyone was still engaged in their breakfast. A bowl and cup of coffee were set in the place just across from her as Mama slowly sat.
    “Well? Is it just right?”
    Kya smiled, licking butter from her lips. “It is . Thank you. I was starving.”
    “No need to ever be hungry in this house. You come down here anytime you want and fix yourself something to eat.”
    Kya smiled her appreciation as Mama took a bite of her cereal. Kya looked over her shoulder to find the majority of the women still filling their bowls, dolloping butter, pouring sugar, and stirring coffee. “Mama,” she began tentatively. The word was so foreign to her that it felt odd rolling off her tongue.
    “Mmm?” Mama moaned without looking up.
    “Last night I had a dream.”
    “And you want to know what it means?”
    “No. I-I know what it means. What I want to know is…” Kya looked over her shoulder again to make sure no one was eavesdropping. The chatter coming from the women milling about the kitchen was loud enough to satisfy her. “Briggs knew what I’d dreamt.”
    Mama nodded knowingly.
    “He knew everything. Not just what happened in my dream, but how I felt, what I was afraid of, what had happened. He knew before I had even woken up.”
    Mama looked up from her bowl, taking a sip of her black coffee. “It’s your bond.”
    “I don’t think it can be. Briggs has…well he’s decided to