“What kind of person would I be if I didn’t fight for them, those who God deemed most precious?”

“I was about to run, possibly fight, definitely scream...”

“I was really putting a lot of pressure on this beer prop; it was going to distract me enough so that I didn’t run around screaming like a lunatic on fire.”

“Once Upon A Time” I began. We made it through three stories before she was in a deep sleep. In the end, she probably didn’t have a better grasp on our legal system, racism, or social complexity. However, she now knew that sometimes the most loyal friend you could have was a mouse, that sometimes people weren’t always who they seemed, even if their eyes were allegedly only bigger to see you with, and that everyone had the capacity to live happily ever after. It wasn’t in her lesson plan, and maybe it wasn’t all true, but it was important.”

“I jumped between them holding my hands up in front of me to stop the onslaught. We would all sit down and figure this out as rational adults. We’d been adults for a century at least, and it should not be a problem. It appeared to be a problem.”

“Thomas looked around and tried not to let his duty turn him bitter. These were good men, and he would not leave them behind. He had chosen this, an unselfish life.”

“Cricket’s voice broke through Thomas’s memory. He was reading a letter, most likely from his mother. He was trying hard to hide it, but he was tearing up. “Captain I don’t want to be here,” was all he could choke out. Thomas reached over and gave Cricket’s shoulder a tight squeeze.”