The cement bunnies remained serene and unaffected by the…

“In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had anything to eat.”

— Christa Faust

“You hear it, too?” Walter asked. “Of course I do,” she snapped. “It’s real!”

— Christa Faust

“Okay,” Nina said. “We’re all thinking it, but I’m going to say it. That was really, really stupid. If I hadn’t brought my gun,…

— Christa Faust

“Do you mean you were attacked from behind?”

— Christa Faust

“His mind immediately seized on this metaphor and when he looked down at his wet hands he saw that they had taken on the…

— Christa Faust

“It’s me,” the old man hollered, his voice shrill and cracking. The suddenness of it caused Walter to pull his hand back involuntarily. “Me!…

— Christa Faust

“Not that I regret my previous choice. It’s only that the anticipation of killing has me feeling particularly appreciative of youth.”

— Christa Faust

“In my dream I can,” he said. “In my dream, I have hands. With claws.”

— Christa Faust

“But, could he truly call himself a scientist if he were to pass up such a unique opportunity?”

— Christa Faust

“Walter took the killer’s notebook from his pocket and was about to open it when Nina gave him a sternly arched eyebrow and a…

— Christa Faust

“Nina,” Walter said as she handed him one of the warm boxes. “You are my angel.”

— Christa Faust

“It’s not real. The image of his creepy ant-hands was nothing more than a standard, slightly silly hallucination.”

— Christa Faust

“We should get to work immediately on recreating the exact pharmacological launchpad we used that day at Reiden Lake.”

— Christa Faust

“Belly?” he called. “Belly, are you here?”

— Christa Faust

“But I still think having Nina standing by as ground control couldn’t possibly be a bad idea. Not as an executioner—just as armed back-up,…

— Christa Faust