--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then, once the window was open, it would…" description: "\"“Then, once the window was open, it would have been easy to forget to close it. There was still the garlic, after all, still the holy water on the lint..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbe/holly-black-329_five-years_then-once-the-window-was-open-it-would-h_1175608.png" --- # Then, once the window was open, it would have been easy to… ![“Then, once the window was open, it would have been easy to forget to close it. There was still the garlic, after all, still the holy water on the lintels. Things like this happened in Europe, in places like Belgium, where the streets teemed with vampires and the shops didn’t open until after dark…” quote by Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbe/holly-black-329_five-years_then-once-the-window-was-open-it-would-h_1175608.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbe/holly-black-329_five-years_then-once-the-window-was-open-it-would-h_1175608.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbe/holly-black-329_five-years_then-once-the-window-was-open-it-would-h_1175608.png) > ““Then, once the window was open, it would have been easy to forget to close it. There was still the garlic, after all, still the holy water on the lintels. Things like this happened in Europe, in places like Belgium, where the streets teemed with vampires and the shops didn’t open until after dark. Not here. Not in Tana’s town, where there hadn’t been a single attack in more than five years.”” [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character reflects on a past event involving open windows, garlic, holy water, and vampire lore, contrasting safe and dangerous places **In simple terms:** Recalling past safety measures and danger in different towns Key Takeaway Remember past safeguards; stay vigilant Themes memory danger supernatural Mood cautious tense Type narrative descriptive When to use this quote - travel - new environments - nighttime safety - vampire folklore Key Concepts mythology urban fantasy security Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards do you assume are universal? - How does environment change perceived threats? A Different Perspective Safety measures may not apply universally; context matters ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [Happened Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened-europe-354071/) [Holy water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-water/) [Open Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-dark-1149799/) [Town Hadn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/town-hadn-3425820/) [Vampires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vampires/) [Vampires Shops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vampires-shops-3425819/) ## Related quotes > [The blinds wide open so he can. See you in the dark when you're sleeping. Naked body, fresh out the shower. You touch yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-ocean/the-blinds-wide-open-so-he-can-see-you-in-the-dark-when-you-re/) [Frank Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-ocean/) > [All the buried seeds crack open in the dark the instant they surrender to a process they can't see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/all-the-buried-seeds-crack-open-in-the-dark-the-instant-they/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) > [I am a late starter. I like to go on into the night when it's quiet and everything has shut down. I find that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-lynne/i-am-a-late-starter-i-like-to-go-on-into-the-night-when-it-s-quiet/) [Shelby Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-lynne/) > [“As an open fire in a dark room throws romance and pathos into the quiet faces at its edge, so she cast her lights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/as-an-open-fire-in-a-dark-room-throws-romance-and-pathos-into-the/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“We must never forget what happened in Europe during WW2. Especially now, when hate groups are on the rise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-bottner/we-must-never-forget-what-happened-in-europe-during-ww2-especially/) [Tammy Bottner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-bottner/) > [The Holocaust happened in Europe, and that's important to how it is viewed. 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We’re not undead. We don’t have a problem with sunlight. Or garlic. Or silver and crosses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chessela-helm/we-vampires-are-just-so-sick-of-misinformation-we-re-not-undead-we/) [Chessela Helm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chessela-helm/) > [“I was ready when Quentin approached me after school the following day. “Genie,” he said. “Please. Let me expl—moomph!” “Stay away,” I said, mashing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-c-yee/i-was-ready-when-quentin-approached-me-after-school-the-following-day/) [F.C. Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-c-yee/) > [“If you had watched any of those three wonderful films, you would have caught Vampire Gym Teacher # 2: Back to Cruel, where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-fischer/if-you-had-watched-any-of-those-three-wonderful-films-you-would-have/) [Rusty Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-fischer/) > [“In the dream, Tana's mother loved her more than anyone or anything. More than death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/in-the-dream-tana-s-mother-loved-her-more-than-anyone-or-anything/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Be careful," Aidan called from the bed. "You don't know what he might do." "We all know what you'd do, though, don't we?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/be-careful-aidan-called-from-the-bed-you-don-t-know-what-he-might-do/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) ## More by Holly Black > [“What they don’t realize is this: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/what-they-don-t-realize-is-this-yes-they-frighten-me-but-i-have/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [When you don't know what you're searching for, you have to look absolutely everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-searching-for-you-have-to-look/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Madoc makes a snorting sound, then turns to me. 'I am sure that Wren here wouldn't mind taking Lady Nore's castle and lands for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/madoc-makes-a-snorting-sound-then-turns-to-me-i-am-sure-that-wren/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [That’s family for you. 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'I'm a curse breaker, fool.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/let-her-alone-said-the-enkanto-or-i-will-curse-you-blind-lame-and/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“lt's an honor and a delight to meet you and a tragedy you're here”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/lt-s-an-honor-and-a-delight-to-meet-you-and-a-tragedy-you-re-here/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“No fire at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/no-fire-at-all/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“His wax-white skin was cool to the touch when she brushed his neck to find the knot of cloth. She'd never been this close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/his-wax-white-skin-was-cool-to-the-touch-when-she-brushed-his-neck-to/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [So what are you really wearing?" The words left her mouth before she could consider them. She winced. He didn't seem to mind; in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/so-what-are-you-really-wearing-the-words-left-her-mouth-before-she/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“I grab a chair. "I don't mean to pry," I say, "but we're in a hospital. You sure you're fine?" She sighs heavily. "No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/i-grab-a-chair-i-don-t-mean-to-pry-i-say-but-we-re-in-a-hospital-you/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Kaye: You know what the sun looks like? Janet: No, What? Kaye: Like he slit his wrists in a bathtub and the blood is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/kaye-you-know-what-the-sun-looks-like-janet-no-what-kaye-like-he-slit/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“That was how she felt, right then. As if there was too much of her, as if her skin was tight with muchness. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/that-was-how-she-felt-right-then-as-if-there-was-too-much-of-her-as/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“It was a vow, a piece of a chant, their scripture, something they took so seriously that saying it aloud embarrassed them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/it-was-a-vow-a-piece-of-a-chant-their-scripture-something-they-took/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Some broken things stay broken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/some-broken-things-stay-broken/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) [Explore all 666 Holly Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) ## More Five years quotes > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? 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On that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-perini/his-army-ranger-unit-had-always-been-ready-for-an-ambush-five-years/) [Robin Perini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-perini/) > [“I looked at him, tipping down the coarse wine like a man who expects to put up with worse. I felt I was looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/i-looked-at-him-tipping-down-the-coarse-wine-like-a-man-who-expects/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [I was sober for five years a long time ago and was just bored out of my tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/i-was-sober-for-five-years-a-long-time-ago-and-was-just-bored-out-of/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [“Whatand why were never questions for me. How was the only question. When I look back now, I realize that I never thought about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhguru/whatand-why-were-never-questions-for-me-how-was-the-only-question/) [Sadhguru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhguru/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“most professionals progress until they reach an “acceptable” level, and then they plateau. 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I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mankoff/i-have-entered-the-new-yorker-s-cartoon-caption-contest-almost-weekly/) [Bob Mankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mankoff/) [Browse all 2,724 Five years quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Then, once the window was open, it would have been easy to forget to close it. There was still the garlic, after all, still the holy water on the lintels. Things like this happened in Europe, in places like Belgium, where the streets teemed with vampires and the shops didn’t open until after dark. Not here. 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