"I am a killer, and I have been killed, too, over and over; I am constantly being born. I have lost more things than I have found and destroyed more things than I have built."
The residents of Haiti are hopeless and have no reason to continue living. Shorty's revelation in this quote shows a person who has given up in life. The post-independence Haiti is worse than the colonial era because of the rampant corruption, tribalism, and endless natural disasters. Shorty has lived a life of crime for most of his life, and he narrates how he has killed several people. Shorty says these words while trapped under the rubble after the 2010 earthquake signifying that he is ready to die because he does not see his value.
"I smell blood. There is much blood in this place, on me and all around me. I can tell it's blood cos it smells of iron and death. And cos I have smelled blood before. I grew up in the bidonville – it's smell you get used to."
The quote reveals the devastating impact of the 2010 earthquake on Haiti's capital and the surrounding areas. Shorty is one of the victims trapped under the rubble, pleading for someone to rescue him. In addition, Shorty tells readers that he is not alone in the hospital rubbles because he can smell the blood of other trapped people. Short tells readers that the blood is not his alone because there several other people on the verge of death.
"We shared the same soul, so I became half a person when she was gone. I want you to remember this so you do not judge me later. Remember: even now, as I lie in this ruined hospital, I am only one half of a life, one half of a soul."
The quote explains why Shorty decided to enter the life of crime. After the thugs kidnapped his twin sister, he became depressed. After Shorty lost his twin sister, he became incomplete. Consequently, Shorty decided to enter into crime, hoping that he would get revenge and one day rescues his sister.
