“It doesn't matter if you do everything right, if you dress the right way and the right way and follow all the rules, because evil will find you anyway.”

“Everything feels endless right now.”

“Josh Bennett laughs, and for one minute, everything is right in the world.”

“I don’t know anything about art so I can’t tell you that it’s watercolor or acrylic or that it’s on canvas or anything art related at all. I can tell you that it’s a painting of a hand, my hand, turned up and opened to the world and that it reaches into my body and rips out everything that’s left. Because in the palm, right in the center, is the pearl button I never reached.”

“Do you know what I found?”Of course I do, and you know that I do. You just want to ask for dramatic effect and then you’re going to tell me anyway.”

“What’d you wish?” “I can’t tell you that!” I say indignantly. “Why not?” “Because it won’t come true.” Do I really need to say this? I’m pretty sure it’s a given in wish situations.“Bullshit.” “It’s the rule,” I insist. “It’s only the rule with birthday cakes and shooting stars, not pennies in fountains.”

“Because it's good when you find one that does mean something. Makes all the empty ones worthwhile.”