The Pain Eater Quotes

“Everyone watched Maddy. Not outright – the glances came at her like light dancing off a mirror ball, moments of eyes flicking across her face and gone. It was almost as if the class were on a collective joyride at her expense: the more miserable she felt, the more excited their smirks became.”
― Beth Goobie, The Pain Eater

“Riveted, Maddy stared at the sphere. Blood pounded in her ears; her heart started a dull, painful thud; a cry leapt from her mouth. Then, like a blossoming flower of light, the sphere seemed to open, and something passed from it directly into Maddy’s forehead. She felt it like gentle fire, like angel wings, like the breath of a soul coming home.
Oh! she thought, beginning to cry. Oh my goodness! It was her goodness, her own good soul – the part of her that had left her during the rape because it wasn’t able to bear what was happening. Now, finally, it had returned. Sitting down, Maddy hugged and rocked herself, welcoming the lost part of herself home.”
― Beth Goobie, The Pain Eater

“He wasn’t even going to get them to apologize to you!” Kara fumed. “He was just going to ignore you, like you weren’t hardly even involved. But you told him, Maddy! You told him just fine!”
“Yeah?” asked Maddy, glancing at her.
“Yeah,” said Kara, her voice punching the air.”
― Beth Goobie, The Pain Eater

“Maddy stared at the backs turned to her, the reflection of the two smirking faces that watched in the mirror. Watched the way kids watched all day long – sideways in their desks, sneering over their lunches, and tossing endless comments as they passed in the halls. Gone was the memory of Leanne and the team; gone was the inner voice telling her to keep cool, to shut the hell up and get out of there. Inside her brain, heat swelled, fused into quantum thermodynamics, and exploded.”
― Beth Goobie, The Pain Eater