Maybe it needed to be broken. Sometimes things have to break before you can fix them.

Those were the 'ifs' that kept me from making a fool of myself.

Nightmares end. That's how you know they're nightmares.

My mom was there, in some form, in some sense, in some universe. My mom was still my mom, even if she only lived in books and door locks and the smell of fried tomatoes and old paper. She lived.

No, I'm too busy trying to deflect your Power of Stupidity. But I don't think I'm strong enough.

Until then, you can do what everyone else your age does. Listen to music. Watch the television. Just keep your nose away from those books.

Mortals. I envy you. You think you can change things. Stop the universe. Undo what was done long before you came along. You are such beautiful creatures.