The Measure

by Nikki Erlick

“When your sample size is the entire world, you’re bound to find anecdotes that support any theory,”

But she realized, as she placed the novel atop her dresser, that this was the first time the world outside of her books had ever rivaled the stories with its very own plot twist.

“I guess I felt . . . hopeful,” Meg said. “Jonas’s world is scary and unfair and confusing, but he gets to escape it in the end. And even if we don’t really know what’s waiting at the bottom of the hill, those lights down below make me feel like it’s someplace nice. So, maybe, I don’t know, whenever things feel scary and unfair and confusing for us, there’s another, nicer place that we could find, too.”

You’ve been given the ultimate gift of a long life, they said, you don’t want to spend it in a coma or in prison.

If I’ve learned anything from all the stories I’ve read—of love and friendship, adventure and bravery—it’s that living long is not the same as living well.

It always amazed Nina how children could forge such instant, honest connections, only to thrive on division as adults.