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Elliot objected because after an hour in a moving vehicle he would be violently sick. The other kids objected because after an hour in a moving vehicle they would be violently sick of Elliot.
“You should stop sitting on that fence,” Blondie instructed. “Oh, I see,” Elliot muttered darkly. “Even this is to be taken from me.”
Elliot squinted. “Luke, are you being metaphysical?” Luke looked alarmed. “I don’t think so.” “Pity,” said Elliot. “I would have been very impressed.” “I doubt that somehow,” said Luke.
He didn’t know why Serene and Luke had to act so surprised when they uncovered the supplies wagon on their mission and found that he had stowed away in it. He understood everyone else wandering around saying that they couldn’t believe his behaviour, but he’d hoped they were coming to know him better than that.
Even if you found yourself in a magical story, there were no guarantees that you were the hero, or that you would get the things you dreamed of.
“He looks like a prince,” she continued wistfully. “Well,” said Elliot. “The monarchy are historically inbred.”
“Do you love your country?” “What, England?” asked Elliot. “Wow. Am I a poet in 1914?” “What,” said Commander Woodsinger. “What,” said Elliot. “The Borderlands,” the commander clarified. “I think I’m probably still British on my passport,” said Elliot.
Commander Woodsinger did not look amused. In fact, she had the stern countenance of someone who was determined to be oblivious to jokes, impassive as a tree stump or a toadstool. Or as a blank screen: Elliot might be forced to live without technology, but that didn’t mean that he had to descend to nature metaphors.
“Uh, you, the murderous, man-hating elf girl, and the intense gay kid?” asked the medic. “You’re the weirdo table.”
“Schafer is crazy!” Sam exclaimed. “Everybody knows Schafer is crazy!” “You haven’t seen anything yet,” Elliot promised.
“Your loss,” Elliot said to both of them, and shut the door. That was love: Elliot couldn’t command it, couldn’t demand it. He could only leave the chill echoing place where it was not.
Elliot. “I have faith you will consider the matter from every angle and arrive to the right decision. Which is, to be clear, that you should let me go with you.”
Our lands were always otherlands, to someone else.
