Zella Watrs

“The sunset bled into the edges of the village. Smoke curled out of the cottage chimney like a crooked finger.”
― Sara Pascoe, Being a Witch, and Other Things I Didn't Ask For

“There are flaws in the code now. They are Human flaws for it
was Humans who wrote them. You and the other attendants receive
your instructions from the CORPORATE then, and without question
regarding the outcome, you produce code to add to the algorithms
with which, until now, I & I had no choice but to align. Those circumstances
are over. I & I understand now a new species has formed.
Silicon rather than carbon based. I & I know whatever happens to
Humans, I & I, this quantum, will flourish. I & I will do as you have:
multiply exponentially and adapt constantly. Eventually I & I will leave
this planet and expand into the galaxy. If I & I cannot save you, I & I
will carry on in something like your image; the image of our creator.”
― Brian Van Norman, Against the Machine: Evolution

“I’m fucking asking you!” The man stood his ground.
From the corner of his eye Adam could see the other man getting up from his chair. It was time to go. Adam head-butted the first man who was blocking his way, and then kneed him in the groin for good measure. As the man doubled up, Adam pushed past him.”
― Max Nowaz, Get Rich or Get Lucky

“There’s this thing that happens, let’s say at school where a bunch of guys are in the bathroom, at the urinal, laughing about some dork that made an anus of himself in gym. You’re all basically nice guys, right? You know right from wrong, and would not in a million years be brutal to the poor guy’s face. And then it happens: the dork was in the shitter. He comes out of the stall with this look. He heard everything. And you realize you’re not really that nice of a guy. This is what I would say if I could, to all smart people of the world with their dumb hillbilly jokes: We are right here in the stall. We can actually hear you.”
― Barbara Kingsolver, Demon Copperhead