Unfortunately, every time someone said “debriefing,” the entire flock had one image: someone’s tighty-whities disappearing in a flash. We were smothering our giggles, but it was getting harder. Coupled with the whole “naval this, and naval that,” with its undeniable belly-button connotations, we were essentially turning into a sugar-jacked, sleep-deprived flock of incoherent, silly, recombinant-DNA goofballs. This was not going to end well.

Now that we were alone,i was self-conscious and cranky again.Why had i wanted to stay?if i had been programmed to want to be with dylan,heads were gonna roll,i promise you that.

As a maternal figure, I always try to keep the flock safe, of course. But I admit, it did my heart proud to see the instant blood-lust pop into Gazzy’s blue eyes and to see little Angel automatically tense up and get into fighting stance, ready to rip someone’s head off. They were just so — so dang adorable, sometimes.

I don't know about the rest of you who have little voices, but something about mine made me feel completely compelled to listen to it.

maybe, beauty, true beauty, is so overwhelming, it goes straight to our hearts.maybe it makes us feel emotions that are locked away inside

Can you giggle while racing for your life and protecting a six-year-old? I can.

People always remember the worst day of their lifes. It becomes a part of them forever.