“IdiotequeWho’s in a bunker?Who’s in a bunker?Women and children firstAnd the children firstAnd the childrenI’ll laugh until my head comes offI’ll swallow till I burstUntil I burstUntil IWho’s in a bunker?Who’s in a bunker?I have seen too muchI haven’t seen enoughYou haven’t seen itI’ll laugh until my head comes offWomen and children firstAnd children firstAnd childrenHere I’m alllowedEverything all of the timeHere I’m allowedEverything all of the timeIce age comingIce age comingLet me hear both sidesLet me hear both sidesLet me hear bothIce age comingIce age comingThrow it on the fireThrow it on the fireThrow it on theWe’re not scaremongeringThis is really happeningHappeningWe’re not scaremongeringThis is really happeningHappeningMobiles skwrkingMobiles chirpingTake the money runTake the money runTake the moneyHere I’m allowedEverything all of the timeHere I’m allowedEverything all of the timeHere I’m allowedEverything all of the timeHere I’m allowedEverything all of the timeThe first of the children”

“Fine. You win. I quit. You two deal with this. I’m going home. Packing up all my personal items, and when you, Caleb, end up dead because the coach has your jockstrap or something else I didn’t steal but someone else did, don’t call me. I’m done and I’m going to hide in a bunker until all of this is over with.” – Nick“I hate you, Nick.” – Caleb“Feels mutual, Demon.” – Nick”

“The truth is, part of me is every age. I’m a three-year-old, I’m a five-year-old, I’m a thirty-seven-year-old, I’m a fifty-year-old. I’ve been through all of them, and I know what it’s like. I delight in being a child when it’s appropriate to be a child. I delight in being a wise old man when it’s appropriate to be a wise old man. Think of all I can be! I am every age, up to my own.”

“I’m erased. I’m gone. I’m nothing. And then the world is free to flow into me like water into an empty bowl…. And… I see. I hear. But not with eyes and ears. I’m not outside my world anymore, and I’m not really inside it either. The thing is, there’s no difference between me and the universe. The boundary is gone. I am it and it is me. I am a stone, a cactus thorn. I am rain. I like that most of all, being rain.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me if I’m all right?” I say.“No, I’m pretty sure you’re not all right.”He shakes his head. “I’m going to ask you not to make any decisions until we’ve talkedabout it.”

“And how old are you, Miss Beckett?” “Seventeen.” “What!” There is no way she’s seventeen. I inspect her face, studying it intently, but don’t know what it is I hope to find. Laugh lines maybe? She watches my face. “Is my age a problem for you?”“Hell, yeah, seventeen is a problem.” I throw my napkin on the table. All of this has been a waste. “Forget it all. This whole thing is off.” “I don’t act seventeen. I’m very mature for my age.”“No way. You’re not even old enough to be drinking that wine.” I lean in and whisper so no one will overhear. “I’m almost twice your age.” “I don’t mind. I have daddy issues.” She breaks into a huge grin and I hear a girlish giggle. That’s when I realize she’s fucking with me and has the ability to lie with a straight face. I’ll have to remember that for future reference. I’m not amused. “I see I have a comedienne on my hands.”