Out There by Simi Prasad Read Free Book Online

just win the biggest honour there is.”
    â€œNo, I think I should spend some time in your kitchen.”
    Katelyn laughed. “Ava, you go home and I’ll get you a cake tomorrow, deal?”
    â€œAs long as there will be cake in my stomach within the next twenty-four hours, I’m good.”
    â€œThat’s what I love about you.”
    â€œMy ever-expanding appetite?”
    â€œNo, silly.” She pointed at the tram door. “It’s your stop.” I stood up with Bri. “So what is it you love about me then?” “Night, Ava.”
    â€œMy charm? My wit? My incredible sense of humour?” I asked, walking off the tram.
    â€œDon’t forget your modesty,” Katelyn said and winked as the doors closed.
    â€œWait, I forgot to mention my other many virtues!” I exclaimed as the tram continued on the tracks.
    Bri laughed next to me. “Come on, oh talented one, let’s go home.”
    â€œI can tell you the list if you like.”
    â€œAva, you are strange,” she said as we walked to our houses.
    â€œThat wasn’t on the list but I am open to suggestions.”
    Soon we were at our street and Bri hugged me goodnight. “Thanks again Ava.”
    â€œNo problem, birthday girl,” I replied, walking to my house next door.

    Slipping through the front door, I switched on the lights and called out, “Mother?”
    No answer. So much for spending time with my mother. I threw my coat in the closet and went to check the intercom. One message it read.
    â€œAva sweetheart, I’m going to be out late again tonight. Help yourself to dinner, and please try and eat some of the vegetables still in the fridge from four nights ago. By the way, it’s Georgina’s daughter’s birthday today in case you forgot. Love you.”
    I sighed and wiped the intercom message bank clear.
    No messages .
    The vegetables were sitting on the fridge shelf right across from the milk and it only took a minute to vote cereal over bland greens. I poured myself a bowl and wandered around the kitchen for several minutes.
    It was so strange not to have my mother around. She was always busy, but it was usually her sitting at the kitchen table, poring over her tablets and electronic documents with me giving appropriate feedback to her occasional questions. Ava, would you rather give input to the Council if there were tablets outside the city hall or at school? Ava, does it make more sense to give speeches about progress weekly or monthly?
    But those were the days of her job as Leader of Interrelations. Things were different when she was the Leader of the entire Council. I hoped it wouldn’t be like that forever.
    Giving up on finding any source of entertainment in the lonely kitchen, I strolled into the yard and stared at the dark Bubble ceiling. Then the tiny sliver of blue came back into my memory. The leaflet. So perfectly placed in the shelf, as if I was meant to find it. The beautiful mystery of the missing registration label. It must have been on the inside cover.
    But, what if it wasn’t?
    Then I remembered that I had completely forgotten about the information pack the lady at the archives was going to get for me about that new profession. My curiosity spiked and I knew I would have to go back to get it.
    They send people Outside .
    I was contemplating what that would entail when I saw something plastic contrasting against the grass. I bent over and picked it up then inspected the thin object. It looked like one of Katelyn’s guitar picks so I pocketed it and made a mental note to return it to her later. Then I gazed back up at the sky.
    There was something constricting about the Bubble, and even though at school they told us that we would experience needs to go against what we’re told to do and not do, it was claustrophobic. My soul ached to know the answers of the other side.
    Then there was a flash of light. Bright light zoomed across the