“She refused to think of Neil, brave and quiet, whose reward for a heroic rescue was to be slowly devoured by strange cave balloons.”

“She pictured herself running from a hoard of ravenous zombies on a hot day eventually collapsing from heatstroke and getting devoured. Then she imagined Hal giving a rousing eulogy at her funeral explaining how Kendra's death was a beautiful sacrifice allowing the noble zombies to live on delighting future generations by mindlessly trying to eat them. With her luck it could totally happen.”

“I think we should probably get Vanessa out of the Quiet Box to help us. What do you guys say?''Absolutely,' Newel affirmed. 'Best idea I've heard all day.''I'll second that,' Doren said gladly.Seth gave the satyrs a doubtful scowl. 'Wait a minute. You guys just think she's pretty.''I've been around a long time,' Newel said. 'Vanessa Santoro is not jut pretty.''He's right,' Doren agreed. 'She's walking dynamite. My pulse is rising just talking about her.''She also might be a traitor,' Seth stressed.'The lethal temptress,' Newel said with relish. 'Even better.''It will definitely spice up the adventure,' Doren encouraged.'I'm obviously talking to wrong guys,' Seth sighed.'Believe me,' Newel said cockily. 'you're talking to the right guys. We've been chasing babes since the world was flat.'Seth rolled his eyes.”

“How do you kill something that's already dead?Nobody knows enough about them. Ask Jason. He'll have an opinion.Wait a moment. Rachel could see Corinne talking to Jason, but they were too far ahead to hear. He says you chop them up into little pieces.But what if that infects you with the disease?Jason leaned closer to answer Corinne quietly. She laughed. You let Nollin do it.”

“Oh, Kendra, before I forget, Gavin asked me to give you this letter." He held out a gray, speckled envelope."Happy birthday to you!" Seth exclaimed, his voice full of implications.Kendra tried not to blush as she tucked the envelope away."Dear Kendra," Seth improvised, "you're the only girl who really gets me, you know, and I think you're very mature for your age--""What about some cake?" Grandma interrupted, holding the first piece out to Kendra and glaring at Seth.”

“Jason decided not to add that the best way to get him to focus on something was to tell him not to think about it.”

“I blush to think of her beholding my work," Verl confessed.So do we," Newel assured him.”