He decided in favor of life out of sheer spite and malice.

She was indeed a girl of exquisite beauty. She was one of those languid women made of dark honey smooth and sweet and terribly sticky.

...he came to the conclusion that you cannot depend on people, and that you can live in peace only if you keep them at arm's length.

How quickly the apparently solidly laid foundation of one's existence could crumble.

Very well, but remember this... I'll be looking at you when you're laid on the cross and the twelve blows are crashing down on your limbs. When the crowd is finally tired of your screams and wandered home, I will climb up through your blood and sit beside you. I will look deep into your eyes... and drop by drop I will trickle my disgust into them like burning acid until... finally... you perish.

When they finally did dare it, at first with stolen glances and then candid ones, they had to smile. They were uncommonly proud. For the first time they had done something out of Love.

It was good, really, that this external world still existed, if only as a place of refuge.