“Amy pulls away and looks into my face. Her pale skin is blotchy red, her eyes are veined and shadowed, and a shiny line of snot trickles from her nose to the top of her lip.She wipes her face and with her arm, smearing tears and mucus. She never looked more BEAUTIFUL to me.”

“Amy looks up at me, her eyes melting jade.”

“She grips my elbow tighter, somehow finding the thinnest skin to dig her fingernails into. I want to pry her fingers from my arm, but when I look down at her, I can tell she’s using me as a lifeline, and I’m not going to be the one to let her drown.”

“I'm going to find a way to fix you""I'm not broken", Amy says in a voice as empty as her eyes.I lead her down the hall, deposit her in her chamber, and tell her not lo leave. I have no doubt she will follow my order.”

“I want to take her into my arms and hold her tight. But at the same time, I know that is the exact opposite of what she wants. She wants to be free, and all I want is to hold her tight against me. ~ Elder”

“And in her smile I see something more beautiful than the stars.”

“I saw you running," she says, her attention on the rabbit. "What were you running from?""Just running," I say. She watching me silently and intently, like a cat."Why?" she asks.I shrug. "Why not?""It's not Productive." She says it like productivity is holy, the only thing worth having."So?" ~Amy”