Because I withered under the glare of an actual invitation, I was a firm believer in preventive prevarication--in other words, lying early in order to free myself later on.

The universe doesn't decide what's right or not right. You do.

Therefore. Ergo. Erg. Argh. Ugh.

It broke the spell. It's not that I stopped being happy. I was still inexplicably, utterly happy. But suddenly the happiness had implications.

Do you still Kill Gerbils?

The humans create life, and senselessly cause death. For nothing.

All this hoping for nothing-or someone-that's maybe hopeless