欧宝娱乐

“I wanted to tell her not to entertain despair like this. Despaire wasn't a guest, you didn't play its favorite music, find it a comfortable chair. Despair was the enemy."
-white oleander”
― Janet Fitch, White Oleander

“Come live with us, Diana. Don't argue. Just say yes."
Diana looked at the ground to hide her emotions. Then she said, "Would I have to be hearing you two going at it night and day?”
― Michael Grant, Light

“Sometimes I think He looks down and says, "Wow, look what those idiots are up to now. I guess I better help them along a little.”
― Michael Grant, Gone

“Do you ever want to go home?' I asked Paul.
He brushed an ash from my face. 'It's the century of the displaced person,' he said. 'You can never go home.”
― Janet Fitch, White Oleander

“They said a lot of things to each other that night, but nothing that involved words.”
― Michael Grant Fear

“Brittney, it was wrong to murder even before Moses brought down the commandments. Right and wrong doesn't come from God. It's inside us. And we know it. And even if God appears right in front of us, and tells us to our faces to murder, it's still wrong.”
― Michael Grant Plague

“The warrior who had gone out from the lake to save his people by slaying the evil one was now just a boy sitting in the dirt with his fingers in a mane of blond hair.
He stared at nothing. Expected nothing. Planned nothing.
Just sat.”
― Michael Grant, Fear

“I didn't tell her about the free-for-alls on the school yard, muggings on the bus. A girl burned a cigarette hole in the back of another girl's shirt at nutrition right in front of me looking at me as if daring me to stop her. I saw a boy being threatened with a knife on the hallway outside my spanish class. Girls talked about their abortions in gym class. Claire didn't need to know about that. I wanted the world to be beautiful for her. I wanted things to work out. I always had a great day no matter what.”
― Janet Fitch, White Oleander

“This was how girls left. They packed up their suitcases and walked away in high heels. They pretended they weren't crying, that it wasn't the worst day of their lives.”
― Janet Fitch, White Oleander

“Tell me of a happy memory, Zarek. One thing in your life that was good."

He hesitated for so long that she didn't think he would answer. When he spoke, his voice was so soft that it made her ache. "You.”
― Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dance with the Devil

“I will change my tomorrows with what I do today. With what I do right now.”
― Julie Eshbaugh, Crown of Oblivion

“I will change my tomorrows with what I do today. With what I do right now. - Astrid”
― Julie Eshbaugh, Crown of Oblivion

“I can鈥檛 really appreciate the stars, so beautiful against the blue-black sky, they make me want to live to see them another night. A growing part of me wishes I could stop striving for life and lie down and die, so the beauty of the stars only stokes my anger, to be honest. Stars are for people safe enough to enjoy them.”
― Julie Eshbaugh, Crown of Oblivion

“You鈥檙e not others.鈥�
鈥淣辞?鈥�
鈥淣辞.鈥�
鈥淲丑测?鈥�
鈥淏ecause I love you.鈥�
Astrid was silent for so long, Sam thought he must have upset her. Yet she never loosened her hold on him, never pulled away but kept her face buried in his neck. He felt her warm tears on his skin. And at last she said, 鈥淚 love you, too.”
― Michael Grant

“What am I doing here?鈥� she demanded, bewildered.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e having dinner,鈥� her little brother said.
鈥淪top it! I鈥檓 not hungry. Stop it!鈥�
John held the spoon in front of her. His cherubic face was dark with anger. 鈥淵ou said you wouldn鈥檛 leave me.鈥�
鈥淲hat are you talking about?鈥� Mary demanded.
鈥淵ou said you wouldn鈥檛 do it. You wouldn鈥檛 leave me alone,鈥� John said. 鈥淏ut you tried, didn鈥檛 you?鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what you鈥檙e babbling about.鈥� She noticed Astrid then, leaning against a filing cabinet. Astrid looked like she鈥檇 been dragged through the middle of a dog fight. Little Pete was sitting cross-legged, rocking back and forth. He was chanting, 鈥淕ood-bye, Nestor. Good-bye, Nestor.鈥�
鈥淢ary, you have an eating disorder,鈥� Astrid said. 鈥淭he secret is out. So cut the crap.鈥�
鈥淓at,鈥� John ordered, and shoved a spoonful of food in her mouth. None too gently.
鈥淪wallow,鈥� John ordered.
鈥淟et me鈥斺€�
鈥淪hut up, Mary.”
― Michael Grant, Hunger

“Have either of you seen Sam? Brianna can鈥檛 find him.鈥�
Albert sighed. 鈥淗e鈥檚 out of town.鈥�
Edilio felt the blood drain out of his face. 鈥淗e鈥檚 what?鈥�
Astrid arrived, coldly furious. 鈥淚鈥檓 not on the council anymore. You have no right鈥斺€�
鈥淪hut up, Astrid,鈥� Edilio said.
Astrid, Albert, and Howard all stared. Edilio was as amazed as any of them. He considered apologizing鈥攈e had never spoken to Astrid that way. He鈥檇 never spoken to anyone that way.
The truth was he was scared. Sam was out of town? With Drake running loose?
鈥淲hat makes you think Sam is out of town?鈥� Edilio asked Albert.
鈥淚 sent him,鈥� Albert said. 鈥淗im and Dekka. Taylor and Jack, too. They鈥檙e looking for water.鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e what?鈥�
鈥淟ooking for water.”
― Michael Grant, Plague

&濒诲辩耻辞;厂补尘?鈥�
鈥渊别补丑.鈥�
鈥淚 was on the school bus that day. Remember?鈥�
鈥淰aguely,鈥� he said, and laughed. 鈥淢y fifteen minutes of fame.鈥�
鈥淵ou were the bravest, coolest person I鈥檇 ever known. Everyone thought so. You were the hero of the whole school. And then, I don鈥檛 know. It was like you kind of just鈥aded.鈥�
He resented that a little. He hadn鈥檛 faded. Had he? 鈥淲ell, most days the bus driver doesn鈥檛 have a heart attack,鈥� Sam said.
Astrid laughed. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e one of those people, I think. You go along in your life just sort of living. And then something goes wrong and there you are. You step up and do what you have to do. Like today, the fire.鈥�
鈥淵eah, well, to tell you the truth, I kind of prefer the other part. The part where I just live my life.鈥�
Astrid nodded like she understood, but then she said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not going to happen this time.”
― Michael Grant

“He鈥檚 becoming useless. Worse than useless,鈥� Sam said. Then, relenting, he said, 鈥淲e鈥檒l get past it.鈥�
鈥淵ou mean you and Quinn?鈥�
鈥渊别补丑.鈥�
Astrid considered just keeping her mouth shut, not pushing it. But this was a talk she needed to have with Sam sooner or later. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think he鈥檚 going to get over it.鈥�
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 know him that well.鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 jealous of you.鈥�
鈥淲ell, of course I am so terribly handsome,鈥� Sam said, straining to make a joke of it.
鈥淗e鈥檚 one kind of person, you鈥檙e another. When life is going along normally, you鈥檙e sort of the same. But when life turns strange and scary, when there鈥檚 a crisis, suddenly you鈥檙e completely different people. It鈥檚 not Quinn鈥檚 fault, really, but he鈥檚 not brave. He鈥檚 not strong. You are.”
― Michael Grant

“Guys, he鈥檚 hurt bad.鈥�
The blonde scrambled to him. She tore the wounded boy鈥檚 shirt open. A river of blood ran down his chest.
鈥淥h, God, no,鈥� the blonde cried.
Lana pushed her aside and laid a hand against the pumping wound. 鈥淗e鈥檒l live,鈥� Lana said. 鈥淚鈥檒l fix him.鈥�
鈥淲hat do you mean, you鈥檒l fix him?鈥� the blonde demanded. 鈥淲e need stitches, we need a doctor. Look at how he鈥檚 bleeding.鈥�
Lana said, 鈥淲hat鈥檚 your name?鈥�
鈥淎strid, what does it matter? He鈥檚鈥︹€� She stopped talking then and leaned in close to see. 鈥淭he bloodflow is slowing.鈥�
鈥淵eah. I noticed that, too,鈥� Lana said dryly. 鈥淩elax. He鈥檒l be fine. In fact鈥︹€� She tilted her head to get a better look at him. 鈥淚n fact, I鈥檒l bet when he鈥檚 not covered in blood, he鈥檚 cute. Your boyfriend?鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not what it鈥檚 about,鈥� Astrid snapped. Then, in a low voice, like she didn鈥檛 want the others to hear, she said, 鈥淜ind of.”
― Michael Grant

“...you have me,鈥� Astrid said.
鈥淒o I?鈥�
鈥渊别蝉.鈥�
That drained the anger and frustration from him like someone had pulled a plug. For a long moment he was lost, gazing into her eyes. She was very close. His heart shifted to a deeper rhythm that vibrated his whole body.
There were just inches between them. He closed the distance by half, stopped.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 kiss you with your little brother watching,鈥� he said.
Astrid stepped back, took Little Pete by the shoulders, and turned him so he was facing away.
鈥淗ow about now?”
― Michael Grant

“We鈥檙e here to execute a murderer,鈥� Zil said, pointing at Hunter. 鈥淲e are bringing justice in the name of all normals.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 no justice without a trial,鈥� Astrid said.
Zil grinned. He spread his hands. 鈥淲e had a trial, Astrid. And this chud scum was found guilty of murdering a normal.
鈥淭he penalty,鈥� he added, 鈥渋s death.鈥�
Astrid turned to face the mob. 鈥淚f you do this, you鈥檒l never forgive yourselves.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e hungry,鈥� a voice cried, and was immediately echoed by others.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to murder a boy in a church?鈥� Astrid demanded, pointing toward the church. 鈥淎 church? In God鈥檚 house?鈥�
Zil could see that those words had an effect. There were some nervous looks.
鈥淵ou will never wash the stain of this off your hands,鈥� Astrid cried. 鈥淚f you do this, you will never be able to forget it. What do you think your parents would say?鈥�
鈥淭here are no parents in the FAYZ. No God, either,鈥� Zil said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 just humans trying to stay alive, and freaks taking everything for themselves.”
― Michael Grant, Hunger

“We鈥檝e searched all of the homes and carried the food to Ralph鈥檚,鈥� Sam continued. 鈥淭he problem is that all the fruit and veggies spoiled while we were all filling up on chips and cookies. The meat all rotted. People were stupid and careless, and there鈥檚 nothing we can do about that now.鈥� Sam swallowed the bitterness he felt, the anger he felt at his own foolishness. 鈥淏ut we have food sitting out in the fields. Maybe not the food we鈥檇 like, but enough to carry us for months鈥攎any months鈥攊f we bring it in before it rots and the birds eat it.鈥�
鈥淢aybe we鈥檒l get rescued, and we won鈥檛 have to worry,鈥� another voice said.
鈥淢aybe we鈥檒l learn to live on air,鈥� Astrid muttered under her breath but loudly enough to be heard by at least a few.
鈥淲hy don鈥檛 you go get our food back from Drake and the chuds up there?鈥�
It was Zil. He accepted a congratulatory slap on the back from a creepy kid named Antoine, part of Zil鈥檚 little posse.
鈥淏ecause it would mean getting some kids killed,鈥� Sam said bluntly. 鈥淲e鈥檇 be lucky to rescue any of the food, and we鈥檇 end up digging more graves in the plaza. And it wouldn鈥檛 solve our problem, anyway.”
― Michael Grant, Hunger

“What is the matter with people?鈥� Sam fumed. 鈥淚 said we needed a hundred kids and we get thirteen? Fifteen, maybe?鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e just kids,鈥� Astrid said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all just kids. We鈥檙e all going to be very hungry kids.鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e used to being told what to do by their parents or teachers. You need to be more direct. As in, Hey, kid, get to work. Now.鈥� She thought for a moment then added, 鈥淥r else.鈥�
鈥淥r else what?鈥� Sam asked.
鈥淥r else鈥 don鈥檛 know. We鈥檙e not going to let anyone starve. If we can help it. I don鈥檛 know the 鈥榦r else.鈥� All I know is you can鈥檛 expect kids to just automatically behave the right way. I mean, when I was little my mom would give me a gold star when I was good and take away a privilege when I wasn鈥檛.鈥�
鈥淲hat am I supposed to do? Tell three hundred kids spread out in seventy or eighty different homes that they can鈥檛 watch DVDs? Confiscate iPods?鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not easy playing daddy to three hundred kids,鈥� Astrid admitted.
鈥淚鈥檓 not anyone鈥檚 daddy,鈥� Sam practically snarled. Another sleepless night, in a long string of them, had left him in a foul mood. 鈥淚鈥檓 supposed to be the mayor, not the father.鈥�
鈥淭hese kids don鈥檛 know the difference,鈥� Astrid pointed out. 鈥淭hey need parents. So they look to you. And Mother Mary. Me, even, to some extent.”
― Michael Grant, Hunger

“Mother Mary wants to draft two more kids,鈥� Astrid told Sam.
鈥淥kay. Approved.鈥�
鈥淒ahra says we鈥檙e running low on kids鈥� Tylenol and kids鈥� Advil, she wants to make sure it鈥檚 okay to start giving them split adult pills.鈥�
Sam spread his hands in a helpless gesture. 鈥淲hat?鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e running low on kid pills, Dahra wants to split adult pills.鈥�
Sam rocked back in the leather chair designed for a grown man. 鈥淥kay. Whatever. Approved.鈥� He took a sip of water from a bottle. The wrapper on the bottle said 鈥淒asani鈥� but it was tap water. The dishes from dinner鈥攈orrible homemade split-pea soup that smelled burned, and a quarter cabbage each鈥攈ad been pushed aside onto the sideboard where in the old days the mayor of Perdido Beach had kept framed pictures of his family. It was one of the better meals Sam had had lately. The fresh cabbage tasted surprisingly good.
There was little more than smears on the plates: the era of kids not eating everything was over.
Astrid puffed out her cheeks and sighed. 鈥淜ids are asking why Lana isn鈥檛 around when they need her.鈥�
鈥淚 can only ask Lana to heal big things. I can鈥檛 demand she be around 24/7 to handle every boo-boo.鈥�
Astrid looked at the list she had compiled on her laptop. 鈥淎ctually, I think this involved a stubbed toe that 鈥榟urted.鈥欌€�
鈥淗ow much more is on the list?鈥� Sam asked.
鈥淭hree hundred and five items,鈥� Astrid said. When Sam鈥檚 face went pale, she relented. 鈥淥kay, it鈥檚 actually just thirty-two. Now, don鈥檛 you feel relieved it鈥檚 not really three hundred?鈥�
鈥淭his is crazy,鈥� Sam said.
鈥淣ext up: the Judsons and the McHanrahans are fighting because they share a dog, so both families are feeding her鈥攖hey still have a big bag of dry dog food鈥攂ut the Judsons are calling her Sweetie and the McHanrahans are calling her BooBoo.鈥�
鈥淵ou鈥檙e kidding.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 not kidding,鈥� Astrid said.
鈥淲hat is that noise?鈥� Sam demanded.
Astrid shrugged. 鈥淚 guess someone has their stereo cranked up.鈥�
鈥淭his is not going to work, Astrid.鈥�
鈥淭he music?鈥�
鈥淭his. This thing where every day I have a hundred stupid questions I have to decide. Like I鈥檓 everyone鈥檚 parent now. I鈥檓 sitting here listening to how little kids are complaining because their older sisters make them take a bath, and stepping into fights over who owns which Build-A-Bear outfit, and now over dog names. Dog names?鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e all still just little kids,鈥� Astrid said.
鈥淪ome of these kids are developing powers that scare me,鈥� Sam grumbled. 鈥淏ut they can鈥檛 decide who gets to have which special towel? Or whether to watch The Little Mermaid or Shrek Three?鈥�
鈥淣o,鈥� Astrid said. 鈥淭hey can鈥檛. They need a parent. That鈥檚 you.”
― Michael Grant, Hunger

“Why are we sneaking out in the night?鈥� Jack repeated.
鈥淚 already explained,鈥� Sam snapped. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 listen鈥斺€�
Taylor jumped in to say, 鈥淏ecause otherwise Astrid would find some way to stop him.鈥� She mimicked Astrid鈥檚 voice, injecting it with steel and a tense, condescending tone. 鈥淪am. I am the smartest, hottest girl in the world. So do what I tell you. Good boy. Down, boy. Down!鈥�
Sam remained silent, walking steadily just a few feet ahead.
Taylor continued, 鈥淥h, Sam, if only you could be as smart plus as totally goody-goody as I am. If only you could realize that you will never be good enough to have me, me, wonderful me, Astrid the Blond Genius.鈥�
鈥淪am, can I shoot her now?鈥� Dekka asked. 鈥淥r is it too soon?鈥�
鈥淲ait until we鈥檙e over the ridge,鈥� Sam said. 鈥淚t鈥檒l muffle the sound.鈥�
鈥淪orry, Dekka,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淚 know you don鈥檛 like talking about boy-girl things.鈥�
鈥淭aylor,鈥� Sam warned.
鈥淵es, Sam?鈥�
鈥淵ou might want to think about how hard it would be to walk if someone were to turn off gravity under your feet every now and then.鈥�
鈥淚 wonder who would do that?鈥� Dekka said.
Suddenly Taylor fell flat on her face.
鈥淵ou tripped me!鈥� Taylor said, more shocked than angry.
鈥淢e?鈥� Dekka spread her hands in a completely unconvincing gesture of innocence. 鈥淗ey, I鈥檓 all the way over here.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 just saying: you can see where that could make a long walk just a lot longer,鈥� Sam said.
鈥淵ou guys are so not fun,鈥� Taylor grumped. She bounced instantaneously to just behind Sam. She grabbed his butt, he yelled, 鈥淗ey!鈥� and she bounced away innocently.
鈥淭o answer your question, Jack,鈥� Sam said, 鈥渨e are sneaking out at night so that everyone doesn鈥檛 know we鈥檙e gone and why. They鈥檒l figure it out soon enough, but Edilio will have to have more of his guys on the streets if I鈥檓 not there playing the big, bad wolf. More stress for everyone.鈥�
鈥淥h,鈥� Jack said.
鈥淭he big, bad wolf,鈥� Taylor said. She laughed. 鈥淪o, when you play that fantasy in your head is Astrid Little Red Riding Hood or one of the Three Little Pigs?鈥�
鈥淒ekka,鈥� Sam said.
鈥淗ah! Too slow!”
― Michael Grant, Plague

“Her face distressed, Astrid handed him off to Zarek. "Menoeceus wants his father."

Zarek glared at her. "Bob is crying because he wants his mother to stop calling him that crap-ass name." Zarek cuddled the small boy to him as he rocked him gently against his shoulder while he continued to wail. Loudly. "It's all right, Bob. Daddy's got you now. I'm saving you from Mommy's bad naming taste. I'd be crying, too, if my mom named me after an idiot."

"Menoeceus is a great name," Astrid said defensively.

Zarek snorted. "For an old man or a feminine hygiene product. Not for my son. And next time I get to name the kid and it won't be something that sounds like meningitis."

Astrid stood with her hands on her hips, toe to toe with her husband. "You keep that up and next time you'll be the one birthing it, and don't mess with me, bucko, I have connections in that department. A pregnant man is not an impossibility in my neighborhood."

She started away from him.

"Yeah, well, I'll be glad to birth it if it means I can name him something normal," Zarek called after her.”
― Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dream Warrior

“Stars are for people safe enough to enjoy them.”
― Julie Eshbaugh, Crown of Oblivion

“Beside him, Astrid chattered on about the amount of gore and impropriety found in the Bible, and how she always thought it a wonderful punishment to copy verses out of the Old Testament.”
― Grace Burrowes, Gareth: Lord of Rakes