Afterwards: My Selected Chapters

Written in the Voice of Carrie White

After the Prom Massacre, my Momma struggled to get away from the officer as he dragged her out of the Snell's hallway and into a police car. She screamed and banged on the window of the car as Mrs. Snell, Sue's mother, and I looked out.

At seventeen, I thought that all of my life, I would be tortured, beaten, and thrown around, never seeing the light of day. But as my mom, Margaret Bingham White, was driven away from me, I knew I was free. I will have a new life. From then on, I wrote about the experiences that happened after I left town and what I went through to become someone I thought I never would live for.

NEW LIFE

Graduation finally came at Bates High School, my valedictorian and bravery rose inside me, but some people in the crowd did not applaud for me. My heart also rose to bloom with a happy feeling I never felt. It was still strange, even as I looked back. Nasty glares that pierced at me were only eyes that didn't understand and I did not notice. The glares and the mocking and the snide grins no longer hurt. All the terrible things that happened, past and present, were to be behind me.

Tommy was on his way to recovery while I stayed with the Snells for a few months afterwards. Sue got reacquainted with me during my stay at her home. She was an angel with overcoming grief and love as we talked like high school friends and shared secrets with each other. Mostly they there about me. She told me out of surprise that she thought she felt my thoughts during the prom night, so she knew the situation I was in already. Listening to her tell me that made me feel that she did care about me. She never told my secret ability to anyone.

The day came for me to venture out on my own. I was sad to leave my "real" family, but my sanity and safety was just as important. It really wasn't about the people who hated me for my Telekinetic powers, but because of the tragedy that could have killed everyone in the area. I couldn't bear to live there and ponder that horrible night of abuse from all who wished to see me cry like I never did, but strangely enough, they were oblivious about my gift.

With my diploma, I moved out of Chamberlain and North Carolina for good and moved to Trenton, New Jersey. I started work at a printing company called Jaskcon Record Publishing, where I was hired for secretarial work with an assistant manager.

I rented a one-bedroom apartment with only my diploma and frames of pictures brightening up the place. Since I loved the Japanese culture, I brought a floor bed and a room divider with orange pictures of Japanese caricatures. It was a beautiful ocean blue color and a nice one-person sized kitchen and dual closet spaces.

I also went to a one-year college for my business degree. It was rare to find a college that lasted for one year; Community ones basically had two-years. I was able to attend since the company sponsored educational opportunities while earning a paycheck.

It was wonderful to be a part of the college crowd as I made many friends, even guy friends. They always invited me to local hangouts like the pizza shops and deli's, while I took in the independent enjoyments.

Everything was working out perfectly. I was promoted to assistant manager of economic affairs at Jackson Record Publishing and my apartment got bigger with better furniture and more household knickknacks added. I graduated college fifth in the class and starting doing paintings for parties and portraits. It was all around 1975. It had been two years since I went with Tommy to the Prom and two years ago since I left.

Soon after the novel came out bearing my name, people started to get suspicious. My worst fear was that all my new friends would separate themselves from me and treat me like some freak if they ever saw me using my powers. I had to be extra cautious, but I didn't need to use Telekinesis since I lost my power during that time. For a couple of years, I was normal for once and people actually thought it was a coincidence that it was the same name and I couldn't "perform" the act for them.

I did read the book though and found out why it was a "coincidence". I died and half of the town died as well, my whole birth and mom's personality were completely misplaced. I was upset about it, but then if I told what happened exactly, my fears would come true. So, I thought to myself, the old life is gone and nothing will be repeated.

NEW ARRIVALS

Everything was going well again. There were times I thought about mom and what happened to her the night she was taken away in the squad car. There were times I was afraid of becoming like her; that I would also hurt my child when it was born. My love life was pretty slow and dull anyway. I just couldn't be with another man since Tommy. It was like he was actually the only one for me, until another man came into my life.

I was at the grocery store doing my weekly shopping. I pushed my cart down the canned goods aisle, picking out low price corn and green beans. All of a sudden, my cart collided with another when I wasn't looking. I looked to see who it was and I was, not love struck, but intrigued.

The man in front of me was young looking with small blonde hair like it was attached to his head. He had a hooknose and gentle mischievous eyes; it was like he was a man-boy or whatever it was called. He wore a grey tired sweatshirt and shorts with black sneakers. I also assumed he took an "interest" in me as well.

My voice fluttered, "Hi," as I tried to tame it.

He was upset and was about to retort, but he just smiled.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I must have knocked mine first."

Without any thought, I pushed my cart back and over, avoiding him as much as I could. I did look back and he tried to shrug it off, but it looked like he stayed where he stood. I had to get out of there; I really couldn't see another man without thinking . . . thinking I could hurt someone else like I did with Tommy.

I felt extremely messed up. I couldn't concentrate on the work budget as I was filled with that young man in my head. It was the most interesting thing; there was never a time that I was occupied with finding the right guy or even being with people. It was like my mind changed as fast as I could "lift" a pencil.

To keep my mind clear, I decided to go to the deli café downtown for dinner. It was a cool summer night like in romance movies; the café was nicely warm with the brewing of coffee pots and the kitchen door open letting out the steam from the cooked meals. The tiles were a traditional deli of dirty brown and black tiles and metal benches to cool your rear no matter what season with circular tables mixed with diamond shaped tables displaying napkin dispensers and ketchup and mustard bottles. The soda coolers kept the heat in tack so as it would not be too hot in the place.

I took a seat at a circular table in the back, and then ordered Orange soda, Chicken Parmesan and fries on the side. The chicken was cooked to a crisp, the way I like chicken made. I was also reading one of my novels while I was eating. Around ten minutes after I got there, I heard the store's bell ring, but I ignored it. It was until I heard the chair move and looked to find the same man sitting in the seat in front of me!

I froze like a statue with a pursed mouth as I remembered when he saw me ignoring him and then running away. It was not clear then why he would come to see me let alone sit with me after the way I treated him. As I saw him sitting there, he looked casual and seemed as if I wasn't the one who ran away from him.

It etched in my mind about the day when I was three years old as I stood in front of an opening of the white picket fence that marked the property of my house and our neighbors, The Horans.

Mom was always "at it" with Mrs. Horan, especially of the unmotherly words against her daughter, Stella, saying she is not fit as a teenager or some reason like that. The family, which consisted of the mother and daughter who lived there, were some of the nicest people in the neighborhood. Helping out with the community fair every summer and members of the local church, not one hint of anything sinful or wild, and if something dirty were said about them, the rest of the neighbors would have a fit and turn against the ones whoever caused them ridicule. Knowing mom, the respect of the community toward us broke in two, never to be sewed back before my high school days and afterwards.

I stood out there that August in a shiny blue dress with ruffles as I stared at Stella sunning outside in a white two-piece bathing suit. Then, she took off her sunglasses and looked at me as I looked back at her. She noticed my sad expression and face hanging on the opening like she saw me from outside a prison cell.

I pointed at her chest and said, "What are those?"

Before she could say my name, she looked down and found her top slipped down, showing her clear white breasts and quickly pulled the top over her chest.

"Those . . . are my breasts, Carrie," She said quickly.

"Like chicken breasts," was my silly reply.

Stella snorted from the remark and tried to hold her belly down.

I stared at her like she was a mad woman and felt insulted from asking a polite, yet naïve question.

"I'm sorry," she calmed down, "but they're not like that. They're breasts that a woman has."

"It's something how life throws curveballs at you," he joked, drawing my attention.

My frozen pose melted as I cocked my eye on what he just said. "What do you mean by that," asking as if I never had any problems.

"I knew I would see you again."

He knew? Does he have any powers I like do?

"You're not psychic, are you," I asked stupidly. I almost took back what I said as I remembered my "chicken breast" question, thinking that this attractive man would laugh as a joke or if he thought I was some nerd.

"Only someone," he smiled, "Who can move anything with their mind would ask a supernatural question like that."

Then the light in my brain ticked and popped like a baseball bat hitting a light bulb. I thought vigorously how he knew who I really was and what I can do.

"I'm not anything like that. It's just normal curiosity."

Leaning closer, he said in a low voice, "Carrie? That's your name, right?"