The Outside

Chapter 3|The Blackout

I walked out of he building and straight through the shortcut to my nearest thrift store. The sun was setting, and the burns from the light was shading along with it. I walked into the store and looked around for a bit till I found what I needed. however there were two of them, and so I grabbed the other one. When I was buying it, I realized I didn't bring my money. There was a family behind me with kids laughing at me. I could tell they were insiders, mainly by their outfits and hair styles. They had pink shirts on and they had very high ponytails. Seriously, how do they not hurt?! I told the cashier if he could hold on to it until I get back. He kindly said yes, and so I took my leave. That is until I over heard the kids asking for the record tapes. The cashier did his job for me and told them no, but they got mad quick. The mom did nothing in the argument, except look at her phone. I walked back to the counter and told the kids if there was a problem. This was their answer: "Well since you couldn't buy it, we might as well, since we have money and you don't!"
Again, the mother didn't do ANYTHING! And the kid's voice was so high and way too annoying. How does her parents even take care of this child?! I wanted to yell, scream, send her to The Outside, or just anything possible to make her shut up and leave, but I had to do what was responsible. I told the cashier that they could have it, and that I can look somewhere else. He wanted to insist on buying it for me, but that would cause more trouble. I walked out of the store one last time, but was caught by an insult from the same child. It made me furious to hear that! She said that any outsider that shops at a thrift store deserves to rot in the sun! My last bone broke when that last word came out of her mouth! My hands curled into a fist, My pale ocean eyes glowed in the sunset with rage! But despite that, I could never hit a child. So I said one thing.

"Says an insider that is shopping at a thrift store even though she could go somewhere else with all that money." the child became confused, but then the mother spoke without facing her. She reminded the child that this WAS a thrift store. The child cried and made a tantrum of how she wanted to leave. They did so, and I didn't even have to pull a punch. The Cashier gave me the tapes, and told me he bought them for me for the trouble. I thanked him ad took my leave. I walked back to my house, the one covered in desaturated red and gray. I walked in on the empty house. No one lived there except for me. I sat on the couch, and got the tapes out. I put one in my bag, which I placed n the floor in front of me, and I held the other. I used it to record what has happened from yesterday to today. Afterward, I stared at the TV again. It gave me memories; memories that I could never explain, for no one would ever believe me. I stared, until I had a strange feeling of being watched. I looked out the window, and saw Megan looking at me again! She quickly started walking again, but thought I didn't catch her watching me. I always know what she is doing. Even now, I can tell that her and her family don't get along well, especially the father. I looked back at the tape, then back at the screen. I then went upstairs and changed into my night wear. It was a tang top, so filthy but comfortable, with black sweatpants. I never put my hair up; it would always hurt me when I tried, probably because of how thin my hair was, or maybe because of the scalp that always grew noticeably because of my grey-white skin. I walked back downstairs and laid on the couch till I slept. I closed my eyes, and wondered into The Quiet Zone. What I had in mind was about what I told Megan earlier in P.E, about The Outside. It was never really The Outside. I only use it as an excuse to never tell the name of The Nightmare Zone; the real name of The Outside. It's only for insiders because they always want something, but get it in cruel ways. Why I'd rather lay low, stay dark, and never tell anyone about The Quiet Zone. Megan has my trust for now, but in the future is the question...