Fear

No, no, no, so not getting the point of fear. Because fear wasn't about what made sense. Fear was about possibilities. Not things that happened. Things that might.

In the land of the blind, a one eyed man is king

It takes me a while to figure things out, doesn't it?" Edilio grinned. "Do me a favor. When you find Astrid, repeat that to her, word for word, the part about how it takes you a while. Then remember her exact reaction and tell me.

The light of day showed you the limits of possibility. But walk through the dark, the absolute, total darkness, and the possibilities were limitless.

Penny said two words, the second of which was "you." Caine laughed. "I think you meant '---- you, Your Highness.

She was no longer theirs. She was his. And he was hers. And this was their world.

There's a lot youdon't know, Sam. There's a lot I don't tell you. I know who I am. I know what I do, and what I am to this place.I know what I am to you, and how much you depend on me.You may be the symbol, and you may be the one everyone turns to when something goes bad, and you're the big badass, but I'm the guy doing the day-in, day-out work of running things. So I don't make this about me.

The bringer of fear was afraid.

I've never been able to grow an organ back," Lana said. "Last time I tried... Let's just hope you don't end up with whip eyes.

Fear was about possibilities. Not things that happened. Things that might.

An old couple came running from a motorhome, scribbling as they ran. Their sign read, Can you check on our cat, Ariel? No one would answer that, because the cats had all been eaten.

If you do bad stuff and don't repent, you go to hell," Orc said, like he was begging for a refutation. "Yeah, well, you know what? If Howard's in hell, I guess we can all have a big get-together soon enough. a

The warrior who had gone out from the lake to save his people by slaying the evil one was now just a boy sitting in the dirt with his fingers in a mane of blond hair. He stared at nothing. Expected nothing. Planned nothing. Just sat.

It was a sphincter at the top of a black bowl. A fitting commentary on the FAYZ, Diana thought. A giant sphincter.

And death is better because death is the end of fear, isnt it? -Dekka

The boy hates chicks, right? Let’s go give him a good reason to.

That was the great thing about numbers: it required no faith to believe that two plus two equaled four. And math never, ever condemned you for your thoughts and desires.

Sammy suns?” Sam laughed derisively. “They might as well be candles.

A kid ran into the darkness. His clothing was on fire; the flames streamed behind him as he fled screaming.

Brianna runs at a hundred miles an hour but her knees don’t break.

She almost cried out with relief when she saw the eyes of the boy who had never backed down. She saw the eyes of the boy who had first stepped forward to fight Orc and later Caine and Drake and Penny. She saw Sam Temple. Her Sam Temple.

Who would you say are the ten most powerful people in the FAYZ, Edilio?” Edilio raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Really?” “Yes.” “Number one is Albert,” Edilio said. “Then Caine. Sam. Lana.” He thought about it for a moment longer and said, “Quinn. Drake, unfortunately. Dekka. You. Me. Diana.” Astrid folded her arms in front of her. “Not Brianna? Or Orc?” “They’re both powerful, sure. But they don’t have the kind of power that moves other people, you know? Brianna’s cool, but she’s not someone who other people follow. Same with Jack. More so with Orc.

Sam, no!” Edilio snapped. Sam missed a step, then stopped. He looked at Edilio, puzzled. “We’re scattered. And we can’t risk you. You die and the light dies with you.” “Are you out of your mind? You think I’m going to let Drake come in here and take Diana?” “Not you, Sam. Dekka, yes. Orc, yes. He’s out there, too. And send Jack as well. Anyone but you.” Sam looked like he’d been punched. Like someone had knocked the wind out of him. He blinked and started to say something and stopped. “You aren’t replaceable, Sam. Figure it out, okay? It’s going dark and you make light. So this isn’t going to be your battle. Not now. It’s on the rest of us to step up.

kids hear that Albert has bailed . . .” He shook his head.

Fear wasn't about what made sense. Fear was about possibilities. Not things that happened. Things that might.