“When the darkness gets easier, you know you're sinking deeper, becoming dead yourself.”

“Lets face it, you did steal me. But you saved my life too. And somewhere in the middle, you showed me a place so different and beautiful, I can never get it out of my mind. And I can't get you out of there either. You're stuck in my brain like my own blood vessels.”

“You're right, he's a killer," you said. "A rooster with some serious issues.”

“I ate the roll, and forced down some more sparkling wine. When your eyes closed against the sun again, and I had nothing else to look at I glanced quickly at your chest, curious, really. I'd only seen chests like that in magazines. I wondered if that's how you'd got all your money . . . modeling. I looked down at my stomach. I grabbed at it, seeing how much fat I could lift up in a roll. "Don't worry," you said, one eye open again like a crocodile, watching me. "You're beautiful." You tipped your head back again "Beautiful," you murmured. "Perfect." "You wouldn't know. You're built like some sort of supermodel." I bit my lip, wishing I hadn't complimented you like that. "Or a stripper," I added. "Prostitute." "I wouldn't want you to think I'm repulsive," you said, half smiling. "Too late." You opened your other eye to squint at me. "Will you ever give me a break?”

“You told me once of t he plants that lie dormant through thedrought; that wait, half dead, deep in the earth. The plants thatwait for the rain. You said they'd wait for years, if they had to;that they'd almost kill themselves before they grew again. Butas soon as those first drops of water fall, those plants begin tostretch and spread their roots. They travel up through the soiland sand to reach the surface. There's a chance for them again.One day they'll let you out of that dry, empty cell. You'llreturn to the Separates, without me, and you'll feel the ramonce more. And you'll grow straight, this time, towards thissunlight. I know you will." - Gemma”

“Far, far away something made a single ghostly howl, like a banshee in the dark.”

“You said you knew the perfect place to run to. A place that was empty of people, and buildings, and far, far away. A place covered in blood-red earth and sleeping life. A place longing to come alive again. It's a place for disappearing, you'd said, a place for getting lost... and for getting found.I'll take you there, you'd said.And I could say that I agreed.”