The Siren Quotes
"Wanting to cry doesn’t mean you can. Or at least not in any way that can give you some sort of satisfaction. It’s a luxury really."
"How was I to know that out there, in the world I had once truly lived in, something as simple as an afternoon greeting could cause unimaginable devastation?"
"The same goes for songs and laughter, or the words whispered in the ear of a friend."
"Time I had. Marilyn smiled and ran into the kitchen. Time for an indulgence."
"The waiting was torture. The silence was worse."
"Thank God for Marilyn. Besides being easy to talk to, she was full of endless wisdom."
"But friendship with just anyone was not an option for me."
"There were so many things in this world I longed for with an ache so big it surprised me."
"All I had to do was obey— do my duty, pay my dues— and then all these little daydreams could be my reality."
"We were something to crave, to hunt. We were an unknown aural treasure; we had to be found."
"She was just too young to know what to do with herself."
"Regret washed over her. She wished that she had been stronger and had really done something with her life."
"I can’t remember their names, but I used to have plenty of friends."
"It was like being in the bottom of a well, seeing the light and knowing fully there was no way to get to it."
"This wasn’t normal. Usually, She let us go in peace."
"You can’t stop trying to live. You can either sit here and mope, or you can let this be an adventure for you."
"It was an anxious wait, but it was a little easier to control now."
"It was a place where I could forget what I had to do and what She was capable of. Here there was only Her generosity and beauty."
"Every soul passes through the gate. Every life ends."
"I loved Her like crazy. My dad, too. It was just the three of us, so we were really close."
"I don’t know if anyone told you, but you’re going to be staying here tonight. I hope that’s okay with you."
"If you like fall, you would love it here. It’s amazing! I hope you get to see it."
"Every person dies. Every soul passes through the gate. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not your fault."
"What I mean is, how are you so happy? You had a hard time with your family, you lost a lot of things, and every year you have to lure people to their deaths, but you seem to not be bothered by it."
"Instead of worrying about taking, we should worry about giving. We can’t stop the take. But we can do a hell of a lot about the give."
"I wasn’t sure how much I would remember of this life, but I thought there was a possibility I would miss this— having Her as a constant companion."
"I may not have been alive, but I was living. That was all the difference."
"The reason we were indoors was completely practical."
"I doubted either would go over well in what I assumed was a small town."
"My limited vision was obnoxious. I was curious about where I was exactly."
"I made all these observations while he was taking a shower upstairs."
"Over the course of the morning, I had learned that Ben was Akinli’s cousin."
"I knew Maine had a reputation for good lobster, and these guys helped supply it."
"It appeared he was studious, reading everything from fiction to history."
"The way he talked about Ben, you could tell he was like the brother Akinli never had."
"I galloped down the stairs and found Akinli in the kitchen getting more food."
"The movie was ridiculous. Funny, for sure, but even gross in some places."
"Before the first scene even happened, he was giggling."
"I wasn’t aware of the tears that memory brought on until they were spilling down my cheeks."
"Silence was torture. I stayed quiet, but the tears ran anyway."
"Do you want to talk about… well… do you want to write about it?"
"I felt bad for him. I was sitting there with two pair and a jack high— I was going to squash him— and then, for no apparent reason, I was sobbing."
"I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me. You’ve all been so kind."
"If you never remember you’re real birth date, we’ll make it today, alright?"
"I want to stay with you forever, I thought. I love you. I love no one like I love you."
"Do you think that something could just be meant to be?"
"I’ve had a rough year, and I should be more careful."
"And just because we kissed… a lot… well, you’re not bound to me or anything."
"Could you… I don’t know, do something? Like, if you’re just not interested in me or think you’re already taken, could you tap your nose or something?"
"Alright. I think you’re onto something. Next time I ask about faith, we’ll use paper, okay?"
"I’m starting to think you had to have washed up on shore somehow."
"I wonder if we’ll ever figure out what you’ve been through. I’ll bet it’s one hell of a story."
"It was the easiest I had felt in a long time."
"It was all almost over. Eighteen years was an instant and an eternity in my eyes."
"My thoughts were on the other side of the globe, hopeful and expectant."
"I called this sentence a 'half life' because I knew it didn’t belong to me."
"Without even having to ask, someone took our luggage to the ship immediately."
"Eyes gazed and heads turned as we passed. Everyone wondered who we were."
"Miaka had chosen decidedly microscopic bathing suits."
"I was a woman who was out of their reach, and I barely registered their attention."
"I wished I could tell Akinli I was spreading the news about his favorite food."
"The thought of losing them in the same abrupt way we lost Ifama shook my resolve."
"I had the best weapon ever in my arsenal all along!"
"That’s all," I said to them. If I had to die, I wouldn’t get a real good-bye."
"I’m sorry. I am. I guess I should tell You while I’m confessing, I brought Miaka and Elizabeth into this."
"I held back the sobs. If I had my necklace, I felt like Akinli was with me."
"And then I remembered… I already had a plan. The original plan. The merciful plan."
"I knew I wanted someone who was strong but not aggressive, someone who was gentle but not easily intimidated."
"Looking out over the water, I was sure that was my only option now: be hopeful."
"You’ve opened your home to me... Why would I ever leave?"
"I love you, Akinli. It’s the only thing I know for sure."
"If the dress is all wet, we’ll have to go take it off…"