“You poke at evil with a stick," Valerie had said, offering chilling advice they'd never forget. "Never use your fingers.”
“Advice to Young Poets Never pretend to be a unicorn by sticking a plunger on your head.”
“Do you have a finger stick?” she snapped. “No.” “Then let me cut your finger.” “You’re already bleeding,” I said. “Use your blood.”
“We had to survive to remember. Otherwise everything we were would disappear. Those people we loved would fade as though we'd never loved them, as if they'd never walked and talked and burned, forgetting them was the real evil. That was the hole of darkness.”
“Never offer advice just to appear concerned.”
“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.”