A. L.

“Death is a long process," Archer says. "Your body is just the first part of you that croaks." Meaning: Beyond that, your dreams have to die. Then your expectations. And your anger about investing a lifetime in learning shit and loving people and earning money, only to have all that crap come to basically nothing. Really, your physical body dying is the easy part. Beyond that, your memories must die. And your ego. Your pride and shame and ambition and hope, all that Personal Identity Crap can take centuries to expire.”
― Chuck Palahniuk, Damned

“We have to build the Republic of Heaven where we are, because for us, there is no elsewhere.”
― Philip Pullman, The Amber Spyglass

“Fire, loveliest of the four elements of the world, and yet an element too in Hell. While it burned adoringly in the core of the Temple, it had also scorched the life from a city, this night, and spewed its venom over the land. How strange of God to speak from a burning bush, and of Man to make a symbol of Heaven into a symbol of Hell.”
― Walter M. Miller Jr., A Canticle for Leibowitz

“in the dark you have to describe yourself. In the daylight other people describe you.”
― Fynn, Mister God, This is Anna