Lavender

“In all the tales of adventure Clara had ever heard, it was never young girls, who were daring. It was always boys running off to rescue a friend or fetch much-needed medicine or stumble into good fortune. Clara knew girls would be daring if given half the chance. And she intended to take that chance, right from under the pale nose of Mr. Earwood.”
― Natalie C. Parker, All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages

“She was alone as she had never been. Alone with precious few possessions and no notion of where to take them except away from Mr. Earwood and the promise of a landlocked life.”
― Natalie C. Parker, All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages

“In it, I was sitting across from my wife, who was nude but wrapped in a gauzy fabric. She had a clipboard in her hand, and was moving a pencil down it as if ticking off entries on a list.
"Where are you?" she asked.
"Devil's Throat," I said.
"What are you doing?"
"Carrying a basket through the forest."
"What's in the basket?"
I looked down, and there they were: four beautiful spheres.
"Two eggs," I counted. "Two figs."
"Are you sure?"
I did not look down again, afraid that the answer would change. "Yes."
"And what is through the forest?"
"I do not know."
"And what is through the forest?"
"I am not certain."
"And what is through the forest?"
"I cannot tell."
"And what is through the forest?"
"I don't remember."
"And what is through the forest?"
I woke up before I could answer.”
― Carmen Maria Machado, Her Body and Other Parties: Stories

“All my life, people have told me what to do or taken what's mine. The same is true for you! We've been raised among pirates who call themselves gentlemen. And I'm ready to turn the tables. I'm ready to take what's mine and maybe a few things that aren't.”
― Natalie C. Parker, All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages