A stray dog, I might understand," she said. "But this? You are too softhearted."
No, Mabry," Ravus said. "I am not." He looked in Val's direction. "I think she wants to die."
Maybe you can help her after all," Mabry said. "You're good at helping people die.

Carol and I were so sure we were going to die in that storm. We were never in anything like it before and hope to never be again. I am only sore from my injuries and very stressed out. Carol is still upset, too, but may get out of the hospital (later Tuesday), so I feel we were both very lucky.

One fine day, in the middle of the night, two dead boys got up to fight. Back to back they faced each other. They pulled out their swords and shot one another. One deaf cop, on the beat heard the noise, and came and shot the two dead boys.

Once someone's hurt you, it's harder to relax around them, harder to think of them as safe to love. But it doesn't stop you from wanting them.

I don't feel prolific. I feel like I'm plodding along. Each day you sit down, and you hope that you get your work done.

I thought of how proud he was when he took the marks- cutting the skin of his throat in a long slash and then packing it with ashes until keloid scars rose up.
He called it his second smile.