After perhaps thirty meters, just as a soldier turned around, the girl was felled. Hands were clamped upon her from behind and the boy next door brought her down. He forced her knees to the road and suffered the penalty. He collected her punches as if they were presents. Her bony hands and elbows were accepted with nothing but a few short moans. He accumulated the loud, clumsy specks of saliva and tears as if they were lovely to his face, and more important, he was able to hold her down.
Markus ZusakA REASSURING ANNOUNCEMENT Please, be calm, despite that previous threat. I am all bluster - I am not violent. I am not malicious. I am a result.
Markus Zusak20 minutes later: a girl on Himmel Street. She looks up. She speaks in whisper. 'The sky is soft today, Max. The clouds are so soft and sad, and...' She looks away and crosses her arms. She thinks of her papa going to war and grabs her jacket at each side of her body. 'And it's cold, Max. It's so cold.
Markus ZusakIโm Angelina,โ she says. โAre you here to save us?โ I can see a tiny spark of hope awaken in her eyes. โYouโre right, Angelina - Iโm here to save you.โ โCan you? Really?โ โIโll try,โ I say and the girl smiles.
Markus ZusakTogether, they would watch everything that was so carefully planned collapse, and they would smile at the beauty of destruction.
Markus Zusak