“Let me grab my toothbrush and toothpaste and I'll go. Get your eyes off my junk and you'll see that I have your toothbrush and toothpaste in my hand. Oh shit. She raised her gaze only high enough to see, yes indeed, Chase was holding her oral hygiene supplies.”

“Then I say, "Let's go and brush our teeth." So Lola says, "But Charlie, I can't brush my teeth because somebody is using my tooth." "But who would use your toothbrush?" I ask. Lola says "I think that lion. I saw a lion with my toothbrush and now he's brushing his teeth with it." "But it isn't this your toothbrush Lola?" "Oh," says Lola, "he must be using yours.”

“Some people wouldn't see a traitor when they looked at me. Some people would see a survivor. Call me anything you like—I sleep fine at night. But you will look at me when you say it. Or I'll get so far in your face you'll be seeing me with your eyes closed. You'll be seeing me in your nightmares. I'll scorch myself on the backs of your eyelids. Get off my back and stay off it. I'm not the woman I used to be. If you want a war with me, you'll get one. Just try me. Give me an excuse to go play in that dark place inside my head.”

“Her lips taste like mint from toothpaste or gum, or sometimes like cherries or grapes from her lip gloss. She's soft when I hold her, with curves where my hands rest, and when I touch her I think stupid caveman things like, mine and totally mine—oh yeah, and all mine.”

“When I get to Heaven I just know I'm going to forget my toothbrush.”

“As I went to stand up, I felt a tiny point of pressure on my back."Don't move," Kasey whispered.I stayed bent over."Drop the knife," she said."Excuse me, I'm using it," I said.She swallowed hard. "For what?""Mom and Dad. You."The pressure on my back increased. "Drop it, Alexis."Drop it? Like I was a bad dog running around with a sock in my mouth."How long will this take?" I asked, setting the knife on the floor. "I'm in the middle of something."Get in the bathroom," she said.The faster I indulged her, the faster it would be over with. So I walked into the bathroom. She followed, kicking the knife toward the end of the hallway and flipping on the bathroom light. "What's this all about, Kasey?" I asked, turning around. At the sight of my face, she gasped, and the point of the fireplace poker she was holding wavered in her hands. I realized a second too late that I'd missed my chance to grab it and smash it into the side of her head. "What's happening to you?" she whispered. I glanced in the mirror. The darkness had begun to spread from my mouth and eyes. It leached out in inky puddles with thin tendrils of black snaking out in delicate feathery patterns.What's happening to me? What was she talking about?"So you have a pointy stick," I said. "Big deal. get out of my way.""What are you going to do?" I sneered. "Poke me?"'I'll hit you, Lexi." Her face was stony. "As hard as I have to."Whatever. I'm really not in the mood. "Can we talk about this in the morning?" I asked. After I kill you?"No," her eyes hardened. "Get your toothbrush.""What?""Pick up your toothbrush, and stick it down your throat.""Kasey-""Do it," she said."Ugh, fine. You're sick, you know that?""Get in the tub.""Happy?"I stuck the toothbrush into my throat. Instantly, I gagged and doubled over."Do it again," she said."God Kasey," I cried. Stabbing people was one thing. But making them barf- that was just disturbing.”