How do you know yer alive if you don't hurt?

Too much talking," I say. "Not enough running.

I was just trying to stay alive, looking for ways to find you, hoping you hadn't left me behind." "Never," I say. "Not never." He looks back up at me. "I'd never leave you neither." "You promise?" "Cross my heart, hope to die," he says, grinning shyly. "I promise, too," I say and I smile at him. "I ain't never leaving you, Todd Hewitt, not never again.

...That it's making a dare to the world and when has the world ever let us win a dare?" ~pg 423

I will not allow anyone to take anything off my palette but if I do then within that, I can be creative.

Limitations can be hugely creative and hugely inspiring - so long as they are the ones you choose for yourself.

And otherwise normal men become monsters, too.