Sovereign Ground (Breaking Bonds) Read Online Free Page B

Sovereign Ground (Breaking Bonds)
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it hard to differentiate where his expectations end and truth begins.
    “You should get to bed, girl.”
    I’m still used to late nights and sleeping-in from
my old schedule. But since at night I see Brita in my mind, I’ve started
sleeping even more during the day.
    “I’m going for a walk.” At least I plan to go for
one, but I don’t move. Thom presses the volume up so we can hear it.
    Thom looks in the direction of the hall, and then
sneaks a drink.
    “Thom, have you ever been to church?”
    He laughs. “Yeah, once.”
    “What was it like?”
    “I don’t remember since I fell asleep. Boring, I
guess.”
    “Why would people go?”
    “Their god wants them to, he makes them. Ask
Lorna. She’s the spiritual one.”
    “We’ll see.” I don’t ask Lorna questions like
this.
    “Why you wanna know?”
    “I got invited, but I don’t think I’ll go.”
    “That’s probably the only way to find out what it’s
really like.” He takes another drink. “Just remember to stand when they stand,
and sit when they sit.” His voice slurs. “There are many gods.”
    “Quiet!” Lorna, from the other room. She sounds
ridiculously alert. Thom presses mute on the remote.
    Many gods? I only hear these kinds of things from
my brother when Lorna is not with us. I won’t risk bringing her out. Either
way, our conversation is over.
    “I’m going for that walk. Night, Thom.”
    He waves and returns to watching the television,
turning it back up a notch.
    The air is colder than I expected. I hesitate at
the open door.
    “I said, turn that down!”
    I shut the door on Lorna’s screech and walk fast.
Before I reach the end of our trailer, I’m too cold to continue. Just ahead, a
blanket waits on a folding chair at Raenah’s. I wrap it around me and walk in
the direction of the barking dog. At least I can find out who got a new dog only
to leave him out all night. I pass a nice looking house and then another
trailer, a double-wide, newer than ours.
    The stars are fading. My dad used to tell me stories
about them. He also told me there are spirits everywhere, in everything. But
Thom calls them gods. Is that different?
    Birds begin their morning noise. I wish I had my
flute. A song my dad taught me plays in my brain. I practice the fingering
while still clutching the blanket. I don’t know why, but that song speaks to me
on a level deeper than my hearing.
    My eighteenth birthday is next week. I could
contact my dad, in Oklahoma, if I wanted. Only, since I came to Thom’s house, I
haven’t heard from him—not a phone call or letter. Why should I bother him now?
    Footsteps?
    I stand still and turn my head to the side—a distinct
skid of shoe against pavement, then silence. I step again and veer to the side
of the road. A rustle of clothing follows my speed. I stop. Silence again.
Rotten garbage everywhere. At least the smell of it—I don’t see anyone’s
trashcan out. Why did I walk directly in the middle of the road? Why did I
assume I would be alone? I jump to the side of a house where it’s particularly
dark and hide. Crouching. Cold. Waiting. I breathe through my mouth trying to
be quieter.
    Silence continues until my legs tingle. Finally, the
dog’s bark echoes in the empty street. What was I thinking? It’s only me and
the night out here, not the curse. Am I going insane?
    Now, about that helpless dog. I walk fast to warm
my body. My dad always warned me not to sweat in the cold or I’d freeze after I
stood still. Slowing, I find the right pace.
    The sun begins to rise, and I have covered our
reservation without finding the dog. The reservation: our community of trailers
and homes in a valley of low, barren hills—unwanted land. Raenah sits in her metal
folding chair. I can’t believe it supports her with the rips I saw in the woven
seat. She has a comforter wrapped around her. She looks like a tepee, her
frizzy hair the plume of smoke.
    “Oh, there’s my blanket.” This is the voice

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