No one lives forever… except for the Druj in "Hatchling." In the stories collected in Lips Touch: Three Times, the threat of death is a very real thing. Kizzy is in danger because once the goblins get their hooks in her, she'll starve to death while they steal her soul. And Estella in "Spicy Little Curses Such As These" gets into all sorts of trouble because she tries to barter with peoples' lives. Plus the characters in "Hatchling" are exposed to the frightening and decidedly non-human Druj—beings that somehow live forever and cannot reproduce. What a strange and dangerous world.
Questions About Mortality
- Do you think that Kizzy survives at the end of "Goblin Fruit"? Why or why not? Give evidence from the text.
- Should Estella have agreed to deliver that curse? Why or why not?
- Why doesn't Mihai want to be immortal anymore? Again, back that answer up with the book.
Chew on This
Estella's agreement to deliver the curse at first seems like a bad deal—after all, the curse ends up killing three times more lives than she originally barters to save. But in the end, it all works out like it's supposed to because she's able to sacrifice her life for all those that have been lost.
Even though the Druj initially think they're gaining something by becoming immortal, by the end it becomes clear that the fruits of immortality aren't worth it. The Druj don't enjoy their lives in the way that mortals do—for the Druj, life is more like a drudge.