“I am sliding, down,down. Toward blackness, I must not sleep. I must not sleep.I.Must.Not.Sleep.”

“He put his hand on mine. I fell into him, knowing what he would do, what he must do, and he did. He opened his arms and held me, and I let him embrace me. “It’s okay,” he said. “It’s okay.”

“I am an adult, but a damaged one.”

“There are memories I am better off without. Things better lost forever.”

“I wish I hadn't. I wish I'd fought for you. I was weak and stupid.”

“Progress? You call this progress?” I was almost shouting now, anger spilled out of me as if I could no longer contain it. “If that’s what it is, then I don’t know if I want it.” The tears were flooding now, uncontrollable. “I don’t want it!” I closed my eyes and abandoned myself to my grief. It felt better, somehow, to be helpless.”

“I couldn't imagine how i would get from here to there. i couldn't imagine living through a whole string of identical days.”