Not everything made you stronger. It was possible to survive, yet still be crippled for your trouble. Sometimes it was okay to run away, to skip the test, to chicken out. Or at least to get some help.

Nature didn't need an operation to be beautiful. It just was.

At least one thing was consistent about her life: It just kept on getting more complicated.

Having a brain hurt so much sometimes.

Once you told yourself a story enough times, it was so easy to keep on believing it.

The lie took form as she spoke, pulling on as many strands of truth as it could reach.

He squeezed her hand. "Then I'll come get you, wherever you are when it happens. We'll be okay." "But what about everybody else?" He stared out across the river, nodding slowly. "My guess is, everybody else is in big trouble.