I try not to think of God and Heaven too much. Even when I read the Holy Book I try to pay no attention to the words on the pages. I don't care for what they mean. It's kinda scary in a way, even though I ain't supposed to be scared. How do you know if God is gonna send you to Hell? What if you did somethin' wrong and you didn't even know it, will God still send you to that place?
Daddy said somethin' once about them folks in the north, he said that some didn't believe in no God. When I first heard him sayin' that to Mr.Smith, I couldn't even understand it. Who couldn't believe in God? I thought it had been nonsense. But the more I thought about it, the more I got it.
I still believe in God, 'course I do, but I secretly hope that the Holy Book is wrong. I don't want no scary God, I want Him to be forgivin'. I want Him to like me, though my thoughts can sometimes be un-pure, and un-holy. I also want him to punish daddy, 'cause Heaven sure ain't paradise with him up there with me.
"Right-" I pause in the middle of the word, unsure of how to continue. Miss. Lizabeth peers up at me, her lips pursed. "Is, Rich-ous," I stop, deflated. I feel stupid, Miss. Lizabeth lookin' as if she'd eaten a ripe lemon. Mary sits in the corner, holdin' back a snicker. I stop myself from wipin' the smirk off her face, like she could do no better.
"Corinne, please continue."
Miss. Lizabeth knows I ain't stoppin' cause I want too. Sometimes I feel like all she wants is to torture me.
"I don't know this word, Miss. Lizabeth."
"'Course you don't. Now give it here, I'll read it to you."
Mary is still smirkin' in the corner, like she's so much mightier than me. I wish to point out that she can't even read a single word.
"Now, Miss. Lizabeth I think it's only fair that my dear sister helps me out. What do you say Mary?"
Both of them turn a shade of pink, their gazes avodin' my own. As small as it is, I feel a little better havin' beat them at somethin'.
"You know quite well that Mary ain't been studyin' as long as you," Miss. Lizabeth points out, after the minute it takes her to recover. I long to point out that I'd only been learnin' for a week longer, but I keep my mouth shut. They both know the truth inside of 'em.
"Now, let me have that book, Corinne, please."
Daddy said somethin' once about them folks in the north, he said that some didn't believe in no God. When I first heard him sayin' that to Mr.Smith, I couldn't even understand it. Who couldn't believe in God? I thought it had been nonsense. But the more I thought about it, the more I got it.
I still believe in God, 'course I do, but I secretly hope that the Holy Book is wrong. I don't want no scary God, I want Him to be forgivin'. I want Him to like me, though my thoughts can sometimes be un-pure, and un-holy. I also want him to punish daddy, 'cause Heaven sure ain't paradise with him up there with me.
"Right-" I pause in the middle of the word, unsure of how to continue. Miss. Lizabeth peers up at me, her lips pursed. "Is, Rich-ous," I stop, deflated. I feel stupid, Miss. Lizabeth lookin' as if she'd eaten a ripe lemon. Mary sits in the corner, holdin' back a snicker. I stop myself from wipin' the smirk off her face, like she could do no better.
"Corinne, please continue."
Miss. Lizabeth knows I ain't stoppin' cause I want too. Sometimes I feel like all she wants is to torture me.
"I don't know this word, Miss. Lizabeth."
"'Course you don't. Now give it here, I'll read it to you."
Mary is still smirkin' in the corner, like she's so much mightier than me. I wish to point out that she can't even read a single word.
"Now, Miss. Lizabeth I think it's only fair that my dear sister helps me out. What do you say Mary?"
Both of them turn a shade of pink, their gazes avodin' my own. As small as it is, I feel a little better havin' beat them at somethin'.
"You know quite well that Mary ain't been studyin' as long as you," Miss. Lizabeth points out, after the minute it takes her to recover. I long to point out that I'd only been learnin' for a week longer, but I keep my mouth shut. They both know the truth inside of 'em.
"Now, let me have that book, Corinne, please."
