Excerpt: Molasses

Ryan was there a week before he left the house. He knew the people here hated him, and he didn’t really enjoy being around them all anyway.

But then Abby and Jake wanted to make cupcakes, and they were both too shy to go to the grocery store without him. They begged him and bribed him with yummy cupcakes, and in the end he agreed.

They walked down to the grocery store in the summer heat. The streets were pretty empty, but a few kids were out, mostly ignoring them. A man walking his dog saw them, and he gave Ryan a look of disapproval that showed he recognized him.

They got the store and Abby practically ran over to the baking section. She found some cute Fourth of July Funfetti cake mix and got the matching icing with sprinkles. They needed some flour, too, so Jake got that and they got in line behind a fragile looking old woman and a farmer boy in overalls.

Ryan could basically feel all the eyes of the adults on him. They all recognized him, and if not, there was enough whispering that everybody would know. Jake didn’t seem to notice, and if Abby did, she didn’t act like it.

They got to the front of the line, and right there was Mrs. Samson, his old Sunday school teacher. Her eyes widened when she saw him, and then her mouth became a thin line as she scanned the food.

“I can’t believe your mom still lets you come around,” she said. “Ain’t she afraid of what you could do to the kids?”

“What could I do to the kids?” Ryan asked bitterly. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to go make cupcakes with them, actually. I think we’ll be making Sin Cupcakes, though. There’s a new flavor-Satan’s Red Velvet Suit.”

“You think it’s so funny!” she said angrily, slamming the food into a bag. “Well it won’t be so funny when you’re in hell.”

“Mrs. Samson, how much do we owe you?” Abby piped up.

“Abigail, I understand your mom’s got you brainwashed to believe that it’s okay, but it ain’t. What your sister’s done to herself is wrong in the eyes of God. To disfigure herself because she thinks she’s a man, when she obviously isn’t…” Mrs. Samson said.

“How much do we owe you?” Abby repeated.

Mrs. Samson glared at her. “$4.16,” she said sharply.

Ryan handed her the money and then took the change back. “Have a nice day,” he said, and he even smiled.

“Ryan, you used to be such a good kid. You’re just going to let yourself fall in this life of sin?” Mrs. Samson asked as Ryan walked away, Abby and Jake following. Ryan didn’t say anything, but he might have flipped her off as he walked out the door.