Outside Read Online Free Page A

me.
    “I’ve always wanted to meet you, Alaina,” Beth says, smiling warmly.
    She looks so much like Mother I can’t help smiling back and mentally scold myself for giving in so easily.
    “They told me you didn’t have any clothes with you so I brought something of Holly’s for the ride home. You prefer long dresses, right?” She holds up a long dress, similar to hers, and a pair of gray and pink lace-up shoes. Sinner’s clothes.
    I can’t do anything but blink at them. There are no sleeves on the dress. I can’t leave here with exposed shoulders.
    “I’ll wear it under this,” I say, gesturing to my hospital gown. It has sleeves, at least.
    Beth nods once and sets the dress and shoes on the bed. “Sure. Okay.”
    “Let’s just go over these final documents here and then you two can get going,” Ms. Jackson says, holding papers out to Beth.
     
     
    They force me to wear the shoes out of the hospital even though I insist on being barefoot. I try not to enjoy the way the inside hugs my feet as we walk to the car. I’ve never had shoes this comfortable.
    Beth drives a small silver car with a lot of colorful stickers on the rear window. One of them is a drawing of a frog holding up two fingers. I stare at it as Beth puts the plastic bag of hospital toiletries in the back.
    “You like that little guy?” she says, closing the door. “He’s a peace frog.” She smiles and again, I catch myself smiling back.
    The ride is long and uncomfortable. My wounds may not be infected, but they chafe under the borrowed dress and hospital gown.
    “So,” Beth says after a long stretch of silence. “I bet you’d like to know where we’re going.”
    I continue to stare out the front window at the trees and other cars whipping past us.
    “Sugarloaf,” she says. “That’s just outside Atlanta.” Her eyes are on me now. “Have you ever been to Atlanta?”
    She’s asked me a direct question. It would be rude not to answer.
    “No,” I say. I’ve never even heard of it. We didn’t study the names of cities in school unless they were mentioned in the bible.
    “I think you’ll like it once you get settled in. Lots to do, what with summer winding down.”
    Silence settles over us again. Beth reaches forward and pushes a button on the dashboard. “Do you like music?”
    Another direct question. “No,” I say.
    “Oh,” her hand falters on the button as noise and singing pour out of the speakers.
    Sighing, I say, “It’s okay. Play music. I’ll just not listen.”
     
    Beth’s house is much larger than the one Mother and I share in Shiloh. Its size rivals the Elders’ chambers. It has a wide porch on the front that’s as big as our living area. The siding is a dusty green color and the windows are trimmed in dark purple paint. I’ve never seen a home that was any color other than white.
    We climb the steps. I clutch my bag in front of me as she opens the front door and leads me inside.
    The living area is crowded with brightly colored, mismatched furniture. She has two couches, one covered in striped green and yellow fabric, the other covered in soft looking dark blue material. Thick crocheted blankets are draped over the arms and in a moment of weakness, I bee-line for the blue couch to feel the material.
    “Soft, isn’t it?” Beth says.
    I pull my hand away quickly. My eyebrows pull together and I bite the inside of my lip to keep from speaking.
    “It’s velvet,” she says. “Kind of over-the-top, I know. But when I saw it I just had to have it.” She stands near the striped couch with one hand on her hip. It’s only then that I notice the big black television screen mounted like a painting on the wall. We had one television in Shiloh. It was kept in the Elders’ chambers and hooked directly to the security cameras at the front gate. Televisions out here are different. They’re used to spread evil.
    “I’m just so glad to have you here, Alaina,” she continues. “I can’t wait to show you