The Outside

Chapter 3: The Spotlight

I barely slept with everything I had witnessed launched in my brain. The Blackout, Sonia, and Avery? It was just too much for me. But sleep was important for me from now on. If I don't get enough, then my plan will fall off a cliff of hopelessness. I slept for hours so the sun could rise. I woke up with the sound f my alarm going off. It screamed right into my ear. I got out of bed and started walking down to eat breakfast. But then father stopped me before I even grabbed a bagel from the bread basket.

"I suggested you eat school food 1,000 times already, so why eat here?!"

"I was just gonna have breakfast..."

"Well lets say you ate here, and all of a sudden we have no food. Do you think we have the money to sustain our lives?! We only have enough to pay rent, little bills, and your little trinkets! Now get to school!" Yep, that was home. You're probably wondering how at the beginning I was so happy. Well my parents were already at work, so I was able to get by without a mouthful in my ear drums. I walked out of the house and to school. I saw The Blackout's house just down the road. It was neutral, but better than mine. At least there was color, or at least you could see the colors. It was so desaturated in red, that it looked like blood. I look into their windows to see The Blackout mesmerized by a TV. I couldn't tell why, or what was even on the screen, just her up close to the screen and staring. I could only stop to watch her, but she quickly turned to my attention. I panicked and turned back ahead to the school building. I speed walked the rest of the way. I entered the building and went to my locker to find it un surrounded by my friends, or any popular kids. I arranged my things before my friends came towards me, that included The Blackout. Amberley and Julian were very confused and had ALOT of questions.

"What is an outsider doing here," Amberley disgusted. I was going to answer, but then Julian asked his own question.

"Why did you do that to Avery," Julian barged in, "She was your friend!"

"I know! I know. I'll explain everything, starting with The Blackout." Amberley and Julian turned their attention to The Blackout, who was just as dark as ever.

"The Blackout," Julian questioned.

"Yes. She is actually part of a plan I have."

"What plan," Amberley asked.

"You see, Sonia lied about me wanting Avery gone. She is just gonna use me as an alibi to anything she does. And I have a plan to get her back!"

"What is it?"

"It all starts with The Blackout stalking her to see if she can spill a weakness. She will report this to me with a record tape, and then I can expose her to the entire school, then I will become the most popular!" After I said my last part to the plan, The Blackout wasn't very happy with it.

"I thought you were gonna help make the school equal again!"

"I will! You see, when I am popular, I'll set the order to treat everyone, equally!" The Blackout was thinking for a moment, but then went on her own.

"I'll get the record tape from a thrift store, you just make sure you have enough allies for this to work!" I then gave the order to split up to our classes. When I stepped inside, Sonia was still next to my seat. I quickly moved to a corner away from her. Sonia had a confused, innocent look on her as she stared, but it didn't fool me. Class began, and our assignment was given. We were then released to gym. I walked to the locker room, changed to my gym clothes, and walked inside the gym. I looked around to find The Blackout, but no luck. Once everyone left though, all but me, The Blackout stepped from under the bleachers.

"Well, well. You sure are curious to where I was."

"Well...yeah. I mean, you were here last time." The Blackout suddenly looked up at the gym lights, or what we call "The Spotlight". She looked like the lights were burning her, as sizzling smoke rose from her body.

"Why does the light bother you so much?"

"I'm an Outsider. Plus I'm very pale, so of course any bright light will bother me."

"I never found it that way. I just thought that-"

"Everyone was fine with The Spotlight? It gave me my alias as The Blackout, since all I can ever do is hide in the darkest places, or The Quiet Zone."

"Wait wait wait. The Quiet Zone? What's that?" The Blackout turned back at me so quickly. She then walked toward me as she explained.

"The Quiet Zone is a place that only an Outsider can go. It is dangerous for people like you to enter."

"How come?"

"If I told you, you'd shut me out." I had to think for a moment on what to do. I wanted to know more about The Outsiders, The Quiet Zone, and The Blackout in general.

"I won't!" I screamed so loud, that the second, smaller gym could have heard me, to thinking that I wasn't obeying my gym teacher. The Blackout came closer, holding her hand up to my head, but not too close to touch it.

"What you see, is not what we see as Outsiders, and can never be spoken of to others under and Insider's mouth. Are you ready?" I nodded so nervously. She then formed a grin of what reminded me of The Grinch. Her palm then hit my head. And at that moment, I couldn't move. I opened my eyes, and saw what seemed to be the void of space. However it was perfect temperature, but a little cold, but still perfect. I was floating in the air of this void place. I looked around and found The Blackout flying on her back while reading a book.

"How did you-"

"In The Quiet Zone, anything we think of can come to life here, and here only." I then tried to think of a better home, with color, and rooms that lit up any sore eye. However, I was brought to an even darker place, and the temperature decreased so much, that my skin began to grow frostbites. I shivered in fear, as series of horrors flashed out jumping. All I could see were gores, and monsters of the unknown, and then a big, bulging light crashed onto me. But when I woke up, everything was gone. For a few seconds I thought it was over. But then eyes, so very little, opened from the walls around me. They spoke, they yelled, they screamed! I closed my ears with my hands in fright. I wanted it to stop, but then The Blackout opened them back up! I don't know why! The voices were horrifying! They all said different things, until The Blackout raised her hand at head height. Silence grew louder. They all began to say one thing along with The Blackout.

"Welcome...to The Outside!" I then lost my vision, and seconds after I was blasted against the gym doors to a hallway. I got up so quickly, yet trembling. The Blackout stood there in front of me.

"What was that?!"

"Where insiders belongs..." I thought for only a moment to see that the Outside was The Quiet Zone for Insiders only. I had to do something quick so that everyone won't see what I saw.

"Now come on," The Blackout instructed, "everyone is finished with gym now." I got up, and walked to the locker room to change.as so sturdy from what I have witnessed. I thought of another plan, but there was question in mind; Was it gonna be too much? I just decided to stick to the original plan, and move on from what in the world I was thinking of. Time passed, from what felt like eternity, thinking of The Outside. It was best to stay in my mind as the time passed, because it was already time to go home. I walked out of the school doors to find Avery talking to The Blackout. I guess it isn't as bad since she is an Outsider now. I walked up to hear on their conversation. Avery said that The Blackout also said that Sonia lied about me saying that I wanted Avery down. I was so thankful to have a witness! I explained what we needed to do, and fortunately Avery agreed. We walked our separate ways, as I was going home, Avery had ballet lessons, and The Blackout needed to go to the Thrift Store to find a record tape.