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“This is either the most disturbing truth I have ever encountered, or the most brilliant lie.”
“Might not hurt you to pick up a book, just as an experiment.” “Whatever. I looked up the definition for nerd in the dictionary. Know what it said?” “I bet you’ll tell me.” “‘If you’re reading this, you are one.’”
“If you knew something that might be dangerous, but telling people about it could get you in trouble and make you lose a lot of money, would you tell anyone?” “Grandpa!” Kendra called. “Seth has a secret to tell you about the nipsies!” “You’re a traitor,” Seth grumbled.
“Not very common,” Grandpa said. “I keep quiet about them. The nipsies are abnormally vulnerable. And they live very far from the yard. Do you know a secret about them?” “Maybe,” Seth hedged. “If I tell you, will you promise I won’t get in trouble?” “No,” Grandpa said, folding his hands on the desk expectantly. “Then I’m not saying another word until I consult an attorney.”
When pitching to Seth, the puppet would put the ball wherever Seth asked, at whatever speed he wanted. Batting, Mendigo could smack line drives in any direction he was told, or he could just as easily smash home runs with his quick, fluid swing. Of course, eligibility might be an issue. Seth wasn’t sure about Major League Baseball’s policy regarding giant magical puppets.
“A fellow can’t always avoid tough circumstances,” Dale said. “But you can weather the trouble and come out on top. You’ve done it before, and I expect you’ll do it again.”
Admonishing herself to think like Seth, which to her meant not to think at all, she leaped to the next column, wobbled, and righted herself.
He was contemplating the difference between courage and stupidity, a distinction Grandpa Sorenson had repeatedly tried to emphasize.
Stupidity was when you took risks for no good reason. Courage was when you took a calculated risk in order to accomplish something important.
He would have followed them if he could have done so alone. He simply was not willing to risk Seth’s life. To Seth, this proved that the risk was worth taking. If Grandpa loved him too much to let him take a worthwhile risk, then he would bypass Grandpa.
“The only thing more alarming than what is in that cave will be your punishment if we somehow survive.”
“If you guys fought another three-headed flying panther, you’re going to have to buy me antidepressants.”
“All boys belong in insane asylums,” Kendra said.
“Some situations have a nasty way of going from bad to worse.”
We wage war between the person we are and the person we hope to become.
“Questions that start with ‘why’ are the toughest to answer,” Dale said. “You end up guessing more than knowing.”
“When jumping is the sole option, you jump, and try to make it work. Toss it.”
Patton shrugged. “Maybe. Too late to back out now. Guess I better focus on winning. When jumping is the sole option . . .” “ . . . you jump,” Seth finished.
“When you have to jump, you jump,” Seth agreed.
“Have you ever considered that you might be worth more to the world alive than dead?” Lena groused.
It looked like Hugo had joined a biker gang.
Patton surged to his feet and staggered a few steps before tumbling to the stony ground. He rose again and fell again. Finally, clothes torn and smudged, he proceeded on hands and knees until he reached Lena, pulling her to him and cradling her in his arms, rocking her limp body as he clung to her, shoulders heaving.
“I’m glad we met, Kendra.” He gave her a tight hug. “You are truly extraordinary—it goes far beyond anything fairies could bestow. Keep an eye on that brother of yours. If he doesn’t get himself killed, he might save the world one day.”
Why did life always have to roll relentlessly forward? Why was every victory or defeat followed by new worries and new problems?
