“Wake up and fuck me," demanded Tarin. "I thought your bum hurt?"Tarin squirmed. "Want cock, too. Fall out a tree, climb it again.”

“What the Lady was happening? The man had his mouth smashing on Tarin's, and his tongue was shoving at Tarin's tongue. Tarin tried to scream. The men did eat boys. It wasn't just a scary fire-rumor. He bucked his body and writhed. He was going to be consumed alive!"Lady!" he bawled like a little kid. It sort of worked. The man moved his mouth and laughed."Now, no fussing. I won't hurt you if you're a good boy.""Don't eat me," moaned Tarin. He was too scared to be brave. This was why no boys ever escaped from the Before Times buildings. The men ate them! No wonder men were so sleek and strong. They had boy meat to get them through the winter”

“Die in winter woods," roared Tarin, as if it were his mostfervent wish. He was losing it again. Since being caught, hehad seen a boy with no balls or toes, a finger had been in hisass twice, he'd been cooked, made to wear clothes, walked onwinter-lake stuff, wasted his gift, was going to have his toothpulled out and—scat—and he was being laughed at.”

“I am shocked both that I hurt him and that my shoe hit him, because I do throw like the proverbial girl. I hurl stuff around secure in the knowledge I’ll miss my target.”

“But over the years, I've learned not to believe too much in luck or accidents; T think everything happens for a reason. There's something to be learned from every moment, every experience we encounter during the brief time we spend on this planet. Call it fate, call it destiny, call it what you will; it really doesn't matter.”

“I do not think I’m easy to define. I have a wandering mind. And I’m not anything that you think I am.”

“Ah, snug lie those that slumber beneath conviction's roof.Their floors are sturdy lumber, their windows weatherproof.But I sleep cold forever, and cold sleep all my kind,For I was born to shiver in the draft from an open mind.Born nakedly to shiver in the draft of an open mind.”