They dug in their heels and doubled down on the lies believing personal gain was better than preserving democracy. 

The bloody flower of generations of roiling hatreds had bloomed.

He kept looking for a way back in but found only locked doors, barred windows, and cold shoulders.

Karen felt closer to her ancestors when stirring a pot of gumbo.

Truth-telling fell out of fashion.

Sharon spent her life either worrying about how to fill her time or beating herself up for wasting it. 

The new old new again kept coming around acting as if it hadn't been here before.