Free Starbird Murphy and the World Outside by Karen Finneyfrock

about space,” I said, walking quickly through the gravel.
    â€œYou’ll have to enroll in school if you go to Seattle. Ursa isn’t old enough to manage the chickens. You don’t have a birth certificate.” Fern rattled off a battery of reasons.
    I stopped in the middle of the driveway and turned my heels in the gravel. “Family members don’t lie to each other.”
    Fern took a step back and almost lost her footing. She looked at me with eyes the size of eggs. My mother’s hair was once strawberry blonde like mine, but streaks of gray gave it a silvery glow in the morning light.
    I took the envelope out of my pocket. “Starbird Murphy,” I said, slapping it against my thigh. Fern had kept the information from me before, but she hadn’t flat-out lied about it until now. I squeezed the paperwork until it crumpled. Turning again in the gravel, I walked faster toward the yurt. I didn’t bother taking off my boots before going inside.
    â€œIt was for your own good.” Fern followed me through the door. “You don’t know about the World Outside, about how cruel people can be. You haven’t seen that here. You’re not ready.”
    â€œDo they do things worse than lie out there?” I asked, stuffing two flannel shirts, a skirt, and two wool sweaters into the canvas bag I used for hauling wood.
    â€œYes, Starbird.” Fern dropped down onto the cot. “They do much worse than lie.”
    â€œWell, you weren’t worried about Doug Fir out there,” I said. “You didn’t try to get him back.”
    â€œThat’s not true. I went to the police,” Fern said, her voice starting to break. “What more could I do?”
    I froze. “You went to the police? On the Outside? How many other forbidden things have you done?” Tears starting to roll down Fern’s cheeks. “Are you even a Believer, or is that a lie, too?”
    â€œIt’s not safe out there,” she said, clasping her hands together. “I just wanted him home.”
    I looked at the bag of clothes sitting on my cot and at Fern with her tear-stained cheeks, and I knew I couldn’t turn back. I couldn’t tell V to go without me or wait until next year or even next week.
    â€œYou can’t interfere with my Calling, Fern.” I picked up the canvas bag and walked back toward the driveway.
    Iron was at the refrigerator truck talking to V when I got there. “I’ll help Ursa with the chickens,” he said before I could say anything.
    I nodded without making eye contact. Maybe I shouldn’t have felt angry at Iron, but I did.
    Other Family members were emerging from the house and standing around in the driveway. Clearly, the news about my Calling had spread. V opened the passenger side door, and I stuffed my bag behind the seat. Ursa emerged from the house with a container of eggs, and I helped her pack them safely into the refrigerated rear section. If there was one thing the Free Family had perfected in the past three years, it was saying good-bye.
    â€œPeace, Sister.” “Go with God, Starbird.” “We are Family.” They hugged me one by one.
    â€œYou are a child of the Cosmos.” Eve held the back of my head as she hugged me. “Stay on your path as a true Believer.”
    â€œI wouldn’t go back out there for anything,” said Lyra, but then Eve nudged her and Lyra added, “Peace, Sister.”
    Fern emerged from the direction of the yurt, her eyes red and swollen. She walked slowly across the gravel and didn’t look in my eyes as she opened her arms to embrace me. “Be careful,” was all she said.
    I kept my composure, not allowing myself to break down until Ursa said, “I’ll take care of our chickens.” Then tears sprouted in my eyes like new feathers. I nodded and jumped into the passenger seat of the truck.
    Gamma emerged from the house in time to catch us in