#dillard early

[bramblrose]

“Some fall in glorious ways. On green fields of battle as old warriors, surrounded by friends, fighting for their homes, fighting cruelty. Some fall crawling in the dirt of Forrestville, Tennessee, in the dark, impossibly young and alone, for no good reason at all.”

[linvinlikeaplayer]

YA LIT MEME: Five Protagonist.

↳  THE SERPENT KING; Dillard Early Jr. [5/5]

“ That wouldn't be a bad way to die...giving off light for millions of years after you're gone.. ”

[linvinlikeaplayer]

YA LIT MEME: Ten series or books.

↳  THE SERPENT KING  by Jeff Zentner. [1/10]

  “ Nothing makes you feel more naked than someone identifying a desire you never knew you poseed. ”

[linvinlikeaplayer]

YA LIT MEME: Nine quotes.

↳  THE SERPENT KING; Travis Bohannon, Dill Early and Lydia Blankenship. [9/9]

“ Travis shined the flashlight on what he wrote.

Rest, O Knight, proud in victory, proud in death. Let your name evermore be a light to those who loved you. Let white flowers grow upon this place that you rest. Yours was a life well lived, and now you dine in the halls of the Elders at their eternal feast.

“I had no idea those books meant that much to you, Travis,” Lydia murmured. “Now I feel bad about making all those Bloodfall jokes.” “Does that mean you’ll read them?” “No.” “They’re amazing. I forget about everything I’m not good at and everyone I’m not when I read them. They make me feel brave.”

“Do we know how to party on a Friday night or what?” Lydia said. “Hey, Lydia, maybe after you move away, when you come back to visit, we can all come here and add stuff to the Column,” Dill said. “If that wouldn’t be too boring.”“Totally. That doesn’t sound at all boring.” Lydia took a picture of what Travis wrote. “Okay, Dill. Show us yours.”

They stepped around to the side of the Column. Dill shined the flashlight on his writing. “I said I’d write some of my song lyrics, but I changed my mind and wrote some of my favorite stuff.”

Moonlight. Calm after thunderstorm. Scarecrows. Dusty bibles. Abandoned houses. Fireflies. Sunlight through dust. Fallen leaves. Churchyard cemetery. Gray autumn sky. River levee. Gravel road. Wind chimes. Wood smoke. Train whistle on winter night. Kudzu on telephone pole. Hymnal falling apart. White crosses by highway. Cicada hum. Shadows. Sparrows. Rust. Railroad crossing lights through fog. Crickets. Dance of leaves in wind. Decaying barn. Field after harvest. Clouds covering moon. Quiet dusk. Lightning. Heartbeats.

Lydia took a picture. “I love these things too, and I had no idea until I saw this.” “I don’t think these’ll last thirty-two thousand years,” Travis said, “but maybe they’ll outlive us, right?” Lydia showed them the Dolly Parton quotes she’d written on the Column.

Find out who you are and do it on purpose. We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.

“Future generations need the counsel of this prophetess,” she explained.

Then they lay for a while on their backs, gazing into the starry expanse through the railroad tracks, listening to the dark river below. This might be it, Dill thought. This might be the best your life ever is. This moment. Right now.. ”