--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The charge took less than forty seconds…" description: "\"“The charge took less than forty seconds but Kassad discovered that this was ample time for his mouth to go absolutely dry, his breathing to begin to h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/dan-simmons-968_hiding-place_the-charge-took-less-than-forty-seconds_878855.jpg" --- # The charge took less than forty seconds but Kassad… ![“The charge took less than forty seconds but Kassad discovered that this was ample time for his mouth to go absolutely dry, his breathing to begin to have problems, and for his testicles to retreat completely into his body. If the rest of Kassad could have found a comparable hiding place, he would…” quote by Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/dan-simmons-968_hiding-place_the-charge-took-less-than-forty-seconds_878855.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/dan-simmons-968_hiding-place_the-charge-took-less-than-forty-seconds_878855.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/dan-simmons-968_hiding-place_the-charge-took-less-than-forty-seconds_878855.jpg) > ““The charge took less than forty seconds but Kassad discovered that this was ample time for his mouth to go absolutely dry, his breathing to begin to have problems, and for his testicles to retreat completely into his body. If the rest of Kassad could have found a comparable hiding place, he would have seriously considered crawling into it.”” [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even brief moments can become intense trials when fear and physical stress converge, highlighting human vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Short periods can feel overwhelming under stress. Key Takeaway Prepare for sudden stressors with resilience. Themes fear stress human vulnerability survival physical limits Mood tense dramatic Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - combat - extreme environments - medical emergencies - psychological testing Key Concepts biology psychology literature Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope when fear spikes quickly? - What strategies help maintain composure under pressure? A Different Perspective The scene exaggerates for dramatic effect; real reactions may vary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Considered Crawling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considered-crawling-1031867/) [Hiding place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding-place/) [Kassad Discovered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kassad-discovered-1031863/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Rest Kassad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest-kassad-1031865/) [Seconds Kassad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seconds-kassad-1031864/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Took Seconds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-seconds-1031866/) ## Related quotes > [It took me 3 seconds to love someone for the first time, but to stop loving someone, it was impossible in just three seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/love-rain/it-took-me-3-seconds-to-love-someone-for-the-first-time-but-to-stop/) [Love Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/love-rain/) > [“It took him sixty-eight seconds to notice you," he said, glancing at his watch. 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But they abused their divine powers so much that Lord Brahma, the master of all gods,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virend-singh/there-was-a-time-when-men-were-gods-but-they-abused-their-divine/) [Virend Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virend-singh/) > [“Every one of us, unconsciously, works out a personal philosophy of life, by which we are guided, inspired, and corrected, as time goes on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/every-one-of-us-unconsciously-works-out-a-personal-philosophy-of-life/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [You should have taken me with you," I whisper to him. Then I lean my head against his and begin to cry. In my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/you-should-have-taken-me-with-you-i-whisper-to-him-then-i-lean-my/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [“Here were love letters, the youth knew. Secret love letters. Unfound, still waiting somewhere beyond the mist. A young man’s words for this girl,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-berk/here-were-love-letters-the-youth-knew-secret-love-letters-unfound/) [Ari Berk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-berk/) ## More by Dan Simmons > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“The Song of Kali is with us. It has been with us for a very long time. Its chorus grows and grows and grows.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/the-song-of-kali-is-with-us-it-has-been-with-us-for-a-very-long-time/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In the end, thought Sol, past logic and hope, it is dreams and the love of those dearest to us that form Abraham’s answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/in-the-end-thought-sol-past-logic-and-hope-it-is-dreams-and-the-love/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“After seven centuries of existence and at least four centuries where few citizens existed without it, the datasphere – including the All Thing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/after-seven-centuries-of-existence-and-at-least-four-centuries-where/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Context is to data what water is to a dolphin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/context-is-to-data-what-water-is-to-a-dolphin/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Pain is an interesting and off-putting thing. 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YOU ARE DISTURBING OTHERS WHO ARE USING IT TO SERIOUS PURPOSE. ACCESS WILL BE RESTORED…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/there-will-be-no-further-misuse-of-this-channel-you-are-disturbing/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“I know the fucking Bible, and there ain't no fucking Book of Leviathan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/i-know-the-fucking-bible-and-there-ain-t-no-fucking-book-of-leviathan/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [I loved you backward and forward in time. I loved you beyond boundaries of time and space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/i-loved-you-backward-and-forward-in-time-i-loved-you-beyond/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [ “Men who read a lot have a more sensitive disposition, added Fowler. \[...\] I did not know what to say to this. Maybe reading… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/men-who-read-a-lot-have-a-more-sensitive-disposition-added-fowler-i/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) [Explore all 307 Dan Simmons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) ## More Hiding place quotes > [“Here were love letters, the youth knew. Secret love letters. Unfound, still waiting somewhere beyond the mist. A young man’s words for this girl,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-berk/here-were-love-letters-the-youth-knew-secret-love-letters-unfound/) [Ari Berk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-berk/) > [You should have taken me with you," I whisper to him. Then I lean my head against his and begin to cry. In my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/you-should-have-taken-me-with-you-i-whisper-to-him-then-i-lean-my/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [“Every one of us, unconsciously, works out a personal philosophy of life, by which we are guided, inspired, and corrected, as time goes on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/every-one-of-us-unconsciously-works-out-a-personal-philosophy-of-life/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [“There was a time when men were gods. But they abused their divine powers so much that Lord Brahma, the master of all gods,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virend-singh/there-was-a-time-when-men-were-gods-but-they-abused-their-divine/) [Virend Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virend-singh/) > [“The hearts of women are like those little pieces of furniture with secret hiding - places, full of drawers fitted into each other; you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/the-hearts-of-women-are-like-those-little-pieces-of-furniture-with/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [What we need very badly these days is a company of Christians who are prepared to trust God as completely now as they know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/what-we-need-very-badly-these-days-is-a-company-of-christians-who-are/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Inspiration is the timid beast that comes to your open hand once you’ve fallen asleep having given up trying to coax it from its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/inspiration-is-the-timid-beast-that-comes-to-your-open-hand-once-you/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [Happiness is the greatest hiding place for despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-is-the-greatest-hiding-place-for-despair/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you’re watching Netflix every time it’s time for you to do X, that’s a hiding place. You’re afraid to face the fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-acuff/if-you-re-watching-netflix-every-time-it-s-time-for-you-to-do-x-that/) [Jon Acuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-acuff/) > [It's that TV thing. You can be in the biggest film of the year and it will still not have the kind of impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-macdonald/it-s-that-tv-thing-you-can-be-in-the-biggest-film-of-the-year-and-it/) [Kelly Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-macdonald/) > [In the time of your life, live - so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/in-the-time-of-your-life-live-so-that-in-that-good-time-there-shall/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Eventually soulmates meet, for they have the same hiding place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/eventually-soulmates-meet-for-they-have-the-same-hiding-place/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The working-class is now issuing from its hiding-place to assert an Englishman's heaven-born privilege of doing as he likes, and is beginning to perplex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/the-working-class-is-now-issuing-from-its-hiding-place-to-assert-an/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [He made the boxes because he was lonely. 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