“As I go, I hear her screaming my name, in a brutal, bloody way, like she's being murdered, which maybe she is. But slowly. It will take her six years to die.”

“Her name is Muriel. I've never heard the name before and I'm afraid she is going to die in the crossfire and I will never hear the name again.She is twenty-three and has a sister in the breeder farms. She got taken on the way to the towns.”

“Her skin is slowly peeled from her body. She knows something low and guttural must be coming out of her mouth, She can feel it ripping its way out of her lungs and past her throat. But she can't hear it because there is a roar in her veins like a hurricane. A bright, pure light pierces her, fixes her on a single point of space and time, and she is screaming still, though not from pain, but from fear and wonder. Like she's just been born.”

“I'm going to die with Alexander's hand on my face, Tatiana thought. That is not a bad way to die. I cannot move. I can't get up. Just can't. She closed her eyes and felt herself drifting. Through the haze in front of her she heard Alexander's voice. "Tatiana, I love you. Do you hear me? I love you like I've never loved anyone in my whole life. Now, get up. For me, Tatia. For me, please get up and go take care of your sister. Go on. And I'll take care of you.”

“ VIOLA Cuz she's here -She came -She came for me -And she calls my name -And I feel her strength coursing thru my Noise like a fire -And the Mayor staggers back like he's been punched in the face by a row of houses -"Ah, yes," he grunts, his hand to his head. "Your tower of strength has arrived.""Todd!" I hear her call again -And I take it and I use it -Cuz I can feel her there, riding to the end of the world to find me, to save me if I needed saving -Which I did -”

“When I examined my own life, I realized that I had been standing at the foot of my mother's casket for 35 years, grieving her loss in so many ways in my daily life. I needed to reframe this challenging life event," admits Dr. Williams. "I reframed it to view my life as a train ride upon which my mother is with me. I hope I am taking her to places that surprise her and places she envisioned her children would go. Today she lives with me in a positive way.”