Iris

“At the top of the cellar steps Broadman knelt down and fumbled in his tinderbox. It turned out to be damp.
'I'll kill that bloody cat,' he muttered, and groped for the spare box that was normally on the ledge by the door. It was missing. Broadman said a bad word. A lighted taper appeared in mid-air, right beside him.
HERE, TAKE THIS.
'Thanks,' said Broadman.
DON'T MENTION IT.
Broadman went to throw the taper down the steps. His hand paused in mid-air. He looked at the taper, his brow furrowing. Then he turned around and held the taper up to illuminate the scene. It didn't shed much light, but it did give the darkness a shape . . .
'Oh, no—' he breathed.
BUT YES, said Death.”
― Terry Pratchett, The Color of Magic

“Quite often, young lady, it seems we're not getting anywhere, when in fact we are.”
― A.C.H. Smith, Labyrinth: A Novel Based on the Jim Henson Film

“If queerness can be defined, then it is no longer queer.”
― Madhavi Menon, Shakesqueer: A Queer Companion to the Complete Works of Shakespeare

“IT WASN’T A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT. It should have been, but that’s the weather for you. For every mad scientist who’s had a convenient thunderstorm just on the night his Great Work is finished and lying on the slab, there have been dozens who’ve sat around aimlessly under the peaceful stars while Igor clocks up the overtime.”
― Terry Pratchett, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch