How we cite our quotes: Chapter.paragraph
Quote #1
A giant cat comes out of the woods. Tawny brown sleeks his back and white flecks his head and shoulders. […] He flicks the tip of his long tail and I think I might wet myself. That cat weighs more than me. (1.17)
We think this is an appropriate reaction to seeing a predatory animal that could catch you and spit out your bones without breaking a sweat.
Quote #2
The Mississippi river thrills me. Wide and rolling. […] The river is different from the sea. No waves, no tides. But it calms me, all the same. The air above the water shimmers, alive with spirits. Ghosts—but good ghosts. It makes my soul feel… cradled. (8.5)
What a beautiful description of how the river affects Calo, right? We love water, too.
Quote #3
His mouth is open wide and full of cotton.
I stare.
Ben takes the cotton out of his mouth and laughs as though he's the most hilarious person in the world.
"Cottonmouth snakes," says Charles. "In the swamps. By the time you see them, you already bit. So you might as well not even look." (9.12-15)
Well this is one way to deal with potential death: laugh it off. And yet another way might be to not go in there in the first place so you don't have to encounter such a creature. For the record, Shmoop likes the second way better.