1
Why do people go to these places, these places that are not for them? It must be that they believe in their night vision. They believe themselves able to draw images up out of the dark. But black wells only yield black water.Helen Oyeyemi
2
She looked at the last thing she had written and she felt calm. Then she crossed the words out vehemently, scribbling until even the shape of the sentence was destroyed.Helen Oyeyemi
3
I collected pictures and I drew pictures and I looked at the pictures by myself. And because no one else ever saw them, the pictures were perfect and true. They were alive.Helen Oyeyemi
4
I know of witches who whistle at different pitches, calling things that don't have names.Helen Oyeyemi
5
In Narnia a girl might ring a bell in a deserted temple and feel the chime in her eyes, pure as the freeze that forces tears. Then when the sound dies out, the White Witch wakes. It was like, I want to touch you, and I can touch you, now what next, a dagger?Helen Oyeyemi
6
Aside from infrequent comments ("Cheer up, love, " or "It's not Hallo'ween"), no one wondered why a teenager was dressed up as a chic governess. Sylvie approved of Miri, even at the same time as she was confused by her. "It's a style at least, " she said, and took off her rope of pearls and looped them around Miri's neck.Helen Oyeyemi
7
Please tell a story about a girl who gets away.” I would, even if I had to adapt one, even if I had to make one up just for her. “Gets away from what, though?”“ From her fairy godmother. From the happy ending that isn’t really happy at all. Please have her get out and run off the page altogether, to somewhere secret where words like ‘happy’ and ‘good’ will never find her.”“ You don’t want her to be happy and good?”“ I’m not sure what’s really meant by happy and good. I would like her to be free. Now. Please begin. .Helen Oyeyemi
8
But then, maybe “I don’t believe in you” is the cruelest way to kill a monster.Helen Oyeyemi