"'See you in dreamland,' she'd whisper, and blow us a kiss before shutting the door quietly behind her. Like dreamland was a real place, tangible, where we would all wander close enough to catch glimpses and brush shoulders." Prologue, p. 3.

"She was eighteen, so technically she couldn't be listed as a runaway. She was more like a soldier gone AWOL, still owning some service and on the lam." Chapter 1, p. 13.

"When I opened my eyes, my ears were ringing and the first thing I saw was a circle of cheerleaders standing around me in purple sequins, pom-poms limp at their sides. I wondered for a second if I'd died and gone to hell." Chapter 4, p. 47.

"We were all staring as we passed him slowly, like tourists at a wildlife park watching the elephants from the safety of their station wagon." Chapter 4, p. 52.

"I'd been taught since sixth...