CLOZE PASSAGE FROM The Bumblebee Flies Anyway

The Handyman would be furious if he saw Barney climbing the fence so soon after the last merchandise, but Barney kept climbing, developing a rhythm now, matching his ________ heart to the rhythm ________ his breathing and the ________ of his body. He ________ the top, straddling the ________, his heart accelerating dangerously ________ his breath coming fast, ________ he felt triumphant as ________ clung there, gathering his ________. Looking down, he saw ________ Roon gazing up at ________, a smile on his ________, all the twitchings gone. The ________ time he'd seen Allie ________ smile: His face lit ________ the way a streak ________ lightening brightens the sky. ________ realized that Allie Roon ________ really wanted to see ________ was on the other ________ of the fence. He'd ________ to climb it.

Barney ________ noble, as if he ________ completed a mission for ________. Barney surveyed the scene ________ him: the junkyard in ________ its desperate glory. Acres ________ junk, a wasteland of ________ cars and trucks and ________ and buses, a metal ________. The vehicles were rusted ________ busted, sagging, some without ________, as if sunken into ________ earth, or maybe sprouting ________ the earth like evil ________. Barney sniffed the air ________, despite his inability to ________, could swear the smell ________ decay and desolation filled ________ nostrils. He realized this ________ the rear of the ________. No trees grew in ________ junkyard, no bushes, no ________. No one in sight. ________ living thing anywhere. Barney ________ his body and looked ________ his shoulder at the ________. Despite its shabbiness, it ________ respectable compared with the ________. But the junkyard had ________ parts and the Complex ________.

Turning again, Barney spotted the red sports car. The small car drew his attention because it stood upright and complete, its color vivid in contrast to the mottled and ruined cars surrounding it.