-Milan Sime Martinic, Ironway: Watching Over Benjamin Hill - Quotes

People were leaping off La Bestia and running as if chased by demons spilling from hell. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Melquis and Edith jump together; I could tell Solyapa was still in front of me. I let go more out of reflex than plan, and regretted it that instant, thinking that perhaps I should have helped Solyapa first. No matter, I was surprised by the jerky scrape of dirt against my flesh as it tugged and wrestled against me as I kept moving forward despite being on the ground. The dirt itself was surprisingly hot; there was red in my eyes, nothing was clear; I felt a pain over the front of my head and my right eye was throbbing.

It is the nature of males to seek power, and it is the test of a man's will to prove himself. Because of this, we want authority, we want to go further than the moment, we want to be great and to own great moments, even as young boys.

From somewhere under the shadows of the cholla, other dogs took on the self-important job of announcing our arrival to the chickens and the townspeople, barely managing to annoy an indifferent burro sitting tied to a rock, asleep perhaps, opening its bored eyes only halfway and batting its ears only slightly, without moving its head, not amused by either the furious sounds or the sight of strangers.

What is written in the stars? And what do God and the Devil know of me?

The next words were a revelation that God had made the world not for me.
It was a revelation that rung in my ears and nearly flayed me. I looked at my bandaged hand and thanked the heavens or the devil for my luck. I tried to swallow but my tongue was thick and dry.

I could feel my heartbeat in my eyeballs.

Then, I was alone in the universe.

The sweet sleep ended abruptly. Someone pried the door open, throwing light and voices carelessly, urgently, voices that alarmed me, voices that mark the line dividing my life in two, before and now.