I told myself – as I’ve told myself before – that the body shuts down when the pain gets too bad, that consciousness is temporary, that this will pass. But just like always, I didn’t slip away. I was left on the shore with the waves washing over me, unable to drown.

“That's absolutely true, about the eight glasses a day. There's no reason whatso…”

“Yeah, about the test...The test will measure whether you are an informed, engag…”

“We kiss. Her hands are freezing on my face, and she tastes like coffee and the …”

“Augustus: "I can still dominate your blind ass at Counterinsurgence,"Isaac: "I'…”