"M. Rickert - Traitor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rickert Mary)

Alika shrugs. The bells jingle softly.

тАЬCome here, child.тАЭ

Alika walks over to her mama.

тАЬSit down.тАЭ Her mama pats the step, right beside her.

AlikaтАЩs butt touches her motherтАЩs hip. AlikaтАЩs mother smells like
cigarettes and orchid shampoo. She brings a trembling hand to her lips.
Drags on the cigarette, turns to face Alika. Alika thinks she is the luckiest
girl in America to have a mama so beautiful.

тАЬYou donтАЩt remember none of it?тАЭ she says.

Alika shakes her head. It always happens like this. Her mother puts an
arm around her, pulls her tight. AlikaтАЩs bells ring with a burst. тАЬGood,тАЭ her
mama says. тАЬWell, all right then. Good.тАЭ

They sit there until their butts get sore and then they go inside. Alika
blinks against the dark and she hums as she runs up the stairs. Her mother
follows behind, so slow that Alika has to wait for her at the door. While she
waits, Alika hops from one foot to another. The bells make a quick ring, but
AlikaтАЩs mother says, тАЬShush, Alika, what did I tell you about making noise
out here?тАЭ

Alika stands still while her mother unlocks the door. When she opens
it, fans whirl the heat at them. AlikaтАЩs mom says, тАЬShit.тАЭ She closes the
door. Locks it. Chains it. Alika says, тАЬWonтАЩt do much good.тАЭ

AlikaтАЩs mother turns fast. тАЬWhat?тАЭ she says with a sharp mean voice.

Alika shrugs. Brrring. She spins away from her mother, singing, тАЬOh,
America, my lovely home, America for me. America! America! The bloody
and the free!тАЭ

тАЬAlika!тАЭ her mother says.
 Alika stops in mid-spin. Bells go brrring brring ring tingle tap. She
keeps her arms spread out and her feet apart, her eyes focused on the
light switch on the wall.

тАЬIтАЩm going into the room,тАЭ AlikaтАЩs mother says.

Alika knows what that means.

тАЬIтАЩll be out in a couple of hours. Your dinner is in the refrigerator. Nuke
it for three minutes. And be careful when you take off the plastic wrap. Do
you hear me Alika?тАЭ

Nod. (Brrring.)