“A mental stain can neither be blotted out by the passage of time nor washed away by any waters.”

“Water is powerful. It can wash away earth, put out fire, and even destroy iron.”

“The shower hadn't washed away the hurt, nor had it disguised the tear stains on my face. But I still felt a little better. As better as any vampire could feel after having her BFF drive a stake through her heart.”

“But the snags were thick, the water was treacherous and shallow, the boiler seemed indeed to have a sulky devil in it, and thus neither that fireman nor I had any time to peer into our creepy thoughts.”

“Time is clearly not our natural dimension. Thus it is that we are never really at home in time. Alternately, we find ourselves wishing to hasten the passage of time or to hold back the dawn. We can do neither, of course, but whereas the fish is at home in water, we are clearly not at home in time--because we belong to eternity.”

“And there was Frodo, pale and worn, and yet himself again; and in his eyes there was peace now, neither strain of will, nor madness, nor any fear. His burden was taken away.”