It's just programming" "No. It's because I love him

Tally, do you ever suffer from sudden flashes of anger or euphoria, countersocial impulses, or feelings of superiority?

I can’t imagine anything worse than being required to have fun.

And here in America rival newspapermen attack each other on sight?

The Internet is global and seemingly omniscient, while iPods and phones are all microscopic workings encased in plastic blobjects. Compare that to a steam engine, where you can watch the pistons move and feel the heat of its boilers. I think we miss that visceral appeal of the machine.

However stupid the choice seemed, Shay had made it with her eyes open, and had respected Tally's choice to stay.

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.