From Wonderstruck When Ben opened his eyes, he was lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Something smelled terrible and burnt. Thankfully the rain had stopped and everything was silent and peaceful. He could go back to his cousins' house now. He wanted to get up but he felt so tired. The bed, the nightstand and the dresser seemed so far away, as if Ben were looking at them through the wrong end of his telescope. In the distance, he saw the blue telephone. It was off the hook and seemed to be smoldering. Then, through the windows, he saw something that seemed impossible. He saw rain still pouring down from the sky, streaking hard against the glass Excerpted from Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.