Gregor Quotes

“‘I guess after tonight Boots won’t think the whole world is her friend,‘” thought Gregor. She had to find out sometime, but it still made him sad.”

“He felt around desperately for a weapon. What did he have? Diapers? Cookies? Oh, why hadn’t they given him a sword? He was the stupid warrior, wasn’t he? His fingers dug in the leather bag and closed around the root beer can. Root beer! He yanked out the can shaking it with all his might. ‘Attack! Attack!’ he yelled.”

“In one horrible moment the last piece of the prophecy became clear. So bid him take care, bid him look where he leaps, As life may be death and death life again reaps. He had to leap, and by his death, the others would live. That was it. That was what Sandwich had been trying to say all along, and by now he believed in Sandwich. He put on a final burst of speed, just like the coach taught him in track. He gave everything he had. In the last few steps before the canyon he felt a sharp pain in the back of his leg, and then the ground gave way under his feet. Gregor the Overlander leaped.”

″‘Whether he is banished for treason or bond breakage, I care not. I just want him gone. Who among us could ever trust him again?’ shouted a woman. [...] ‘I could!’ yelled Gregor, silencing the crowd. ‘I trust him with my life!’ And then he knew what he needed to do.”

“Now Gregor knew what all the fuss was about. To his eyes, Temp looked exactly like the other twenty roaches sitting around. How on Earth could Boots have picked him out of the crowd?”

″‘Fly you high, Gregor the Overlander,’ said Vikus. Gregor struggled with how to respond. Should he ignore Vikus? Let him know that none of them, not even an Overlander, could forgive him? Just as he had steeled himself against replying, Gregor thought of the last two years, seven months, and was it fifteen days now? There were so many things he wished he’d said to his dad when he’d had the chance. Things like how special it was when they went on the roof at night and tried to find the stars. Or how much he loved it when they took the subway out to the stadium to watch a baseball game. Or just that he felt lucky that out of all the people in the world, his dad was his dad. He didn’t have room inside him for any more unspoken words. The bats were rising into the air. He only had a second. ‘Fly you high, Vikus!’ he yelled. ‘Fly you high!’ Vikus turned back, and Gregor could see tears shining on his cheeks. He lifted up a hand to Gregor in thanks.” And then they were gone.”

“And then there was Tick. Brave little Tick, who had flown into the faces of an army of rats to save his baby sister. Tick - who never spoke much. Tick - who shared her food. Tick - who was after all just a roach. Just a roach who had given all the time she had left so that Boots could have more.”

“The Underlanders hadn’t been rude when they’d wanted him to bathe. They had been trying to keep him alive!”

“‘You asked why the rats hate Overlanders so deeply. It is because they know one will be the warrior of the prophecy,’ said Vikus. ‘Oh, I see,’ said Gregor. ‘So, when’s he coming?’ Vikus fixed his eyes on Gregor. ‘I believe he is already here.‘”

“I will say this for you Warrior, you do not lack boldness.”

“A light was on in the kitchen. His mother sat at the kitchen table, as still as a statue. Her hands were clasped together, and she stared fixatedly at a small stain on the tablecloth. Gregor remembered seeing her that way so many nights after his dad had disappeared. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to scare her or shock her or ever give her any more pain. So, he stepped into the light of the kitchen and said the one thing he knew she wanted to hear most in the world. ‘Hey, Mom. We’re home.‘”

“The mighty warrior excused himself and changed a diaper.”