First Story 4

When he turned, Elyssa was brushing the hair out of her eyes with one hand, the other still clutching her doll by one foot. Her brother grinned, glanced over his shoulder to make sure Ruby was actually up. In two noiseless steps he crossed the tiny room to a low table along the opposite wall. A steaming bowl of porridge sat in the middle of it, two spoons alongside with a couple of cracked mugs and a tiny ceramic cup. Ruby's eyes followed him to the spread, and her face lit up.

"Honey!" her voice started as a delighted squeal and dropped precipitously as the young man's head snapped around in alarm. Ruby threw her hands over her mouth, eyes wide and scared. For the space of three heart beats, all three stood stock still, silent as herons stalking dinner....
Elyssa released her doll from the chest hold she'd applied at the sound of Ruby's voice. The youth began to breathe again, softly, and his shoulders relaxed.

"Sorry," Ruby whispered. "I forgot..."

"No harm done, far as I can tell" he whispered back. "Just don't forget again, please!"

Subdued, she joined him next to the table. Elyssa tiptoed over gingerly, still looking a little rattled. They all froze again at the sound of a slight rustling at the door behind them.

The rustling stopped. Silence hung low in the air like a thick coat, deadening all but the sound of their hearts pounding in their ears. Fifteen, twenty, thirty beats. The youth crept just to right of the door, lay on the ground and listened, first with his ear pressed against the door and then against the dirt floor. Another heavy, silent pause, then he rose, his face resolute, returned and sat on the ground between the two little girls.  Motioning to them to continue their silence, he patted the ground on each side of him, signaling them to sit down with him.

First he gave each of them a spoon. He poured honey from the ceramic cup into the porridge, stirred it with a clean stick stripped of bark, then held the bowl so each in turn could reach in with their spoon. Ruby took a few bites as quickly as she could without touching the bowl itself . Elyssa took one look at the bowl and handed her spoon to her brother. His grin back, intact, he fed her silently until she shook her head at him and rubbed her stomach in content. He offered Ruby a second round.

Ruby shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. With a shattered glance at the youth's face, Ruby threw her arms around his neck, her slight body shuddering with pent up silent sobs. He gently stroked her dark hair and held her tight until the quivering slowed. Taking her arms from around his neck, he looked into her face. With playful disgust, he mimed wiping a wet patch off his shoulder with exaggerated care and put a finger to his lips. He tweaked her nose, tousled her hair and set her back in place. This time when he offered the porridge, she ate eagerly, always careful not to click her spoon against the bowl. After she had finished, the youth rinsed her spoon with the water in one of the cups, wiped it dry with a clean corner of the cloth that lay under the dishes, and used it to finish the porridge himself.