Scott Westerfeld: Thing

“That's how things were out here in the wild, she was learning. Dangerous or beautiful. Or both.”

“You see, freedom has a way of destroying things.”

“Sometimes the facts in my head get bored and decide to take a walk in my mouth. Frequently this is a bad thing.”

“Maybe they didn't want you to realize that every civilization has its weakness. There's always one thing we depend on. And if someone takes it away all that's left is some story in a history class.”

“It's amazing how quickly nature consumes human places after we turn our backs on them. Life is a hungry thing.”

“Sometimes, the hardest thing was doing
nothing.”

“At least one thing was consistent about her life: It just kept on getting more complicated.”

“And the worst thing was, there were no mirrors out there in the wild, so the princess was left wondering whether she in fact was still beautiful… or if the fall had changed the story completely.”

“Out here, you find out that the city fools you about how things really work.”

“The world needed more fireworks- especially now that there was going to be a shortage of beautiful, useless things.”

“Emperors are vain and useless things.”

“You young things are too easily persuaded by the touch of lips.”

“And you know, these things don't last forever.'

I know, Mandy. Nothing does.'

That's the spirit.”

“So, there was this beautiful princess.
She was locked in a high tower(…)She was stuck up there(…)So the only thing was to jump.”

“What about a hoverboard?"
"It's waiting on the roof, of course." Dr. Cable snorted. "What is it about you miscreants and those things?”

“It's just the way things are." she shrugged. "It's no one's fault."
"Or everyone's.”