Marianna Baer

“The first night in a new place usually gives me a tinny, homesick feeling that makes it hard to sleep. Not homesick for anywhere in particular. Just a general feeling of uprootedness. Loneliness. Even if people I love are sleeping nearby.”

“Across the room, I noticed that the closet hadn't stayed shut. The latch must not have caught, even though I'd leaned against the door. It had eased open to show a strip of inviting darkness.As if it was telling me I could always change my mind.”

“You realize that you're asking me to go against my true nature? It's like asking a vampire to be a phlebotomist and not drink from the vials.”

“To Frost House," I said."To Frost House," they echoed.We clunked mugs and drank, to the applause of a deep rumble of thunder.”

“The house appeared just as cozy and welcoming as the first time I saw it. Now, though, I knew what I was seeing was just the architecture, the outer shell; it didn't mean anything about the type of house it was inside.”

“The same pull penetrated my body. It wrapped around me, strong as an undertow; it wanted me to come in. I wanted to go in. I wanted to go inside and shut the door behind me.”

“I think we'll just make new problems as we fix the ones we have.”