Bad Witch Burning Quotes

“Maybe they do the things you can’t. Like you wanted to kill Gerald, but couldn’t. So Conrad did it for you.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Sometimes I wonder which is better—dead family or no family at all.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“We walk to the car, our fingers intertwined, as the new day begins.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Conrad turns into a small pile of ashes at my feet. I’m overcome with a deep sadness but also relief. It’s finally all over. I was selfish, thoughtless, and I paid for it.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Everyone else has everything,” Three says. “Mike has a nice house in a nice neighborhood. Chelsea lives in a mansion. Even the people in the projects have families who love them. But what do you have, Katrell? No Mom, no home. Nothing.” He grins, a huge one that splits his face in two. “Since everyone has things you don’t have, we should just burn everything to the ground. That’ll even the playing field, right?”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Will has everything,” Three says, ignoring me. “Will has everything and she squanders it all. A mom, a dad, a nice house. She gets sandwiches every day. Katrell eats peanut butter from the jar.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“This is a big problem.” Mike’s still looking at me. “Do you understand what I’m saying? Even if your mother isn’t responsible for your injuries, she has abandoned you.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Now that I’m in high school, I can work and support her. And I did support her. I sacrificed everything for her. I worked long hours and failed all my classes and smiled at her with blood in my teeth. I turned into a monster for her. And it wasn’t enough.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Will’s right—the Revenants are me. Those are the thoughts I have, uttered by their mouths. They killed them. Was it self-defense or murder? Was I just mad they took my car and my money?”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Yes you did.” Will’s looking at me calmly, not upset. “You meant it and it’s true. I am weak. But I’ve been thinking about what you said, about Cheryl and Allen and everything. And I want to try to be better.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“behind one ear. “I bet you’re here just because you miss having someone to take all your bullshit. I can’t believe you’d seriously hurt people, all for money. And then get mad when I call you out! And you show up to my art show, all sad and sick and looking for sympathy.” She suddenly goes quiet. “Okay, I’m done. You can talk.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“You are selfish, and cruel, and you only care about yourself.” Will’s mad, actually mad. I don’t think she was this mad during our fight. “You said some really shitty things to me, you know? You made me feel horrible. And I’m just trying to help you. That’s all I’ve ever done.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“As if he hasn’t turned into an immortal, vicious dog I can’t control. As if everything is fine and not falling apart.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“My mom just sat by and collected money at my expense. My emotions are out of control. I want to hit her, really hit her and make her bleed. I want to cry and say I’m sorry, I’ll give you the money because I do have a lot and I really am in over my head because I can’t spend it and hiding it in the house is useless. I don’t know what to”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“stare at him, rage eating away at my stomach. Another man thinking it’s his right to lay his hands on me. Men always think they can put their hands on women with no consequences. I’m so tired of this. I’m so tired of being used as a commodity.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Well, excuse me, Wilhelmina, not everyone has a loving home and parents they can be dicks to. Sorry I don’t have the money to say, ‘Hey, maybe this is a bad idea.’ Sorry I don’t have the luxury of being a good person.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“I’m not afraid of her. All I feel is fury, raw pain and anger, and I want to hurt her, make her feel this too. “It’s not my fault you’re weak, Will. I always have to save you, you know that? Who spent weeks talking to a brick wall because you went mute?”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“No, this is about her.” Will nods like she’s so perfect and can pinpoint all my issues. “I’m sorry, Trell, but you shouldn’t do this for her. She doesn’t care about you. She never has. She’ll bleed you dry if you let her.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“breathe a sigh of relief. Will hasn’t forgotten completely. Probably because she saw so many resurrections. But will I have to keep reminding her? How long will she remember?”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“nod, unable to speak. I don’t think I want to be part of Marquis’s family, business perks or not. The men surrounding him are huge, their arms crisscrossed with tattoos and scars. They stare blankly over my head, except for one. He’s looking dead at me.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“chew on my lip. I failed seventh grade because Mom’s boyfriend at the time was beating me senseless and I missed too much school. He was arrested for robbing a store a few months later, so I passed the second time. And I met Will around then too. That helped. “You sure are nosy, aren’t you?”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“pick up a battered shoe and throw it at the wall, seething. Conrad looks up at me from his position under the window, his eyes dull but ears pricked. That could have been food money, or school stuff, or hell, gas for my new car. And she took it to waste on Gerald? On that asshole who makes me choke on my own blood?”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Gerald’s beatin’ you, yeah? I ain’t surprised. But it’s inevitable. Someone’s always gonna be beatin’ on you, spittin’ on you, holdin’ you down. Unless you make them stop.” Marquis shrugs his huge shoulders again, grinning. “If someone won’t respect you, you make them respect you.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Hey, that’s my mom,” I warn. But Will’s hands are clenched and she’s glaring at the bread basket. “I know. And she’s run off for a week with the guy who beats you. Sorry I don’t have a high opinion of her.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Why do I always give in? She’s just going to blow it, I know, but every time I give in. She’s my mom, that’s what I tell myself, but it’s sort of disgusting. Her for her shameless begging and me for being weak enough to give in.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“knew it,” Chelsea says, laughing. She flips her long black hair over one shoulder. “All bark and no bite. Ghetto trash through and through.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“Trouble is, Mom doesn’t go to work anymore, I do. And it’s real hard to think about writing an essay on the American Revolution when I get home from Benny’s at ten-thirty at night and Gerald has eaten all the groceries I bought for the week.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“possibilities at a rapid rate. Resurrecting people for money. Way more valuable than letter writing, surely. How much would my clients pay to see their loved ones again? Not just see but touch? Hold?”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“What right does he have to threaten me with a gun in my own home? In the house where I pay bills? And he’s talking about me respecting him? I get an urge to spit on him so strong, I have to grit my teeth.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning

“cross my arms, my chin inclined. The last time he hit me, his punch was pathetic. It barely left a bruise. Gerald doesn’t scare me. He isn’t even the worst in Mom’s long streak of loser boyfriends. Might be the ugliest, though. “Fuck off, Gerald.”
― Jessica Lewis, Bad Witch Burning