--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nick could see the gun shaking in Alan's…" description: "\"Nick could see the gun shaking in Alan's hand now, in tight, terrified spasms. \"Last night we put a magician in the river,\" Alan said, his voice low an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/sarah-rees-brennan-994_bigs_nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s_2692379.png" --- # Nick could see the gun shaking in Alan's hand now, in… ![“Nick could see the gun shaking in Alan's hand now, in tight, terrified spasms. "Last night we put a magician in the river," Alan said, his voice low and intense as if he was making a promise."Maybe we should send you to join him." "You know the rules," the woman whispered. "Don't shoot the…” quote by Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/sarah-rees-brennan-994_bigs_nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s_2692379.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/sarah-rees-brennan-994_bigs_nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s_2692379.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/sarah-rees-brennan-994_bigs_nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s_2692379.png) > “Nick could see the gun shaking in Alan's hand now, in tight, terrified spasms. "Last night we put a magician in the river," Alan said, his voice low and intense as if he was making a promise."Maybe we should send you to join him." "You know the rules," the woman whispered. "Don't shoot the messenger." Nick interrupted, leaning down to speak in her ear. "Do they say 'Don't cut the messenger in half with your great big sword'?” [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A tense scene where characters discuss dangerous missions and the cost of messages. **In simple terms:** Dangerous tasks and messenger risks. Key Takeaway Weigh mission risks carefully. Themes danger trust communication Mood tense dark dramatic Type fictional narrative When to use this quote - military operations - secret missions - team dynamics Key Concepts moral dilemmas heroic sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - Who bears responsibility for messenger safety? - When is secrecy justified? A Different Perspective Might overlook messenger safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Gun Shaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-shaking-2668105/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Last night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-night/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Lows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lows/) [Magician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magician/) [Making Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-promise-269964/) [Messengers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messengers/) [Nick Interrupted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nick-interrupted-2668106/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Shaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shaking/) [Shaking Alan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shaking-alan-2668104/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Woman Whispered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-whispered-1626118/) ## Related quotes > [“cam kept watching the woman.Then she whispered to Eric "that woman is hiding something.Shes wearing dark glasses and it isnt sunny out.Shes wearing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-adler/cam-kept-watching-the-woman-then-she-whispered-to-eric-that-woman-is/) [David A Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-adler/) > [“Oh my God!" a woman whispered loudly. "They're gonna do it on the front lawn!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-my-god-a-woman-whispered-loudly-they-re-gonna-do-it-on-the-front/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And into the darkness, to his sleeping woman, he whispered, “You don’t know this, baby, but some men have dream women too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/and-into-the-darkness-to-his-sleeping-woman-he-whispered-you-don-t/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“You’re a fucking miracle,” he whispered against my skin and I closed my eyes. I loved that he thought that about me. “I’m a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/you-re-a-fucking-miracle-he-whispered-against-my-skin-and-i-closed-my/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [When you say 'Yes' or promise something, you can very easily deceive yourself and others also, as if you had already done what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/when-you-say-yes-or-promise-something-you-can-very-easily-deceive/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [One who is slow in making a promise is most faithful in the performance of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-who-is-slow-in-making-a-promise-is-most-faithful-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In life, the one thing you can control is your word. When you give it, you're making a promise that you may forget, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-matoff/in-life-the-one-thing-you-can-control-is-your-word-when-you-give-it/) [Betty Matoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-matoff/) > [“Is it possible that the reasons you had for making that promise to yourself don't hold true anymore? Might it be the promise to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-harwood/is-it-possible-that-the-reasons-you-had-for-making-that-promise-to/) [Louise Harwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-harwood/) > [When you set a goal, write it down and then it's like making a promise to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dicicco/when-you-set-a-goal-write-it-down-and-then-it-s-like-making-a-promise/) [Tony DiCicco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dicicco/) > [“He who is most slow in making a promise is the most faithful in its performance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/he-who-is-most-slow-in-making-a-promise-is-the-most-faithful-in-its/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [Making a promise and honoring the word given is Hindutva for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uddhav-thackeray/making-a-promise-and-honoring-the-word-given-is-hindutva-for-me/) [Uddhav Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uddhav-thackeray/) > [When you say 'i love you', you are making a promise to someone else's heart. Try to honor it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-say-i-love-you-you-are-making-a-promise-to-someone-else-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He who is most slow in making a promise is the most faithful in performance of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/he-who-is-most-slow-in-making-a-promise-is-the-most-faithful-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [He who is slowest in making a promise is most faithful in its performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abusaleh-shariff/he-who-is-slowest-in-making-a-promise-is-most-faithful-in-its/) [Abusaleh Shariff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abusaleh-shariff/) > [When you say I love you, youre making a promise with someone elses heart . Try to honor it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-say-i-love-you-youre-making-a-promise-with-someone-elses/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Sarah Rees Brennan > [You’re crazy,” said her best friend, Angela, as the bell rang to signal five minutes before the first class on the first day back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-re-crazy-said-her-best-friend-angela-as-the-bell-rang-to-signal/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. "Do you remember how you used to believe I wasn't real? Sometimes I wish that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-wish-jared-began-and-stopped-breathing-in-do-you-remember-how-you/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“I saw strangers’ faces passing me, a brief sympathetic glance, a wolf whistle from a car at the soaking-wet girl. No help was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-saw-strangers-faces-passing-me-a-brief-sympathetic-glance-a-wolf/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Nick looked vaguely homicidal, but that was sort of his default expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/nick-looked-vaguely-homicidal-but-that-was-sort-of-his-default/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“You should wear whatever clothing you feel most comfortable in. Being comfortable in yourself is the best way to be attractive to others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-should-wear-whatever-clothing-you-feel-most-comfortable-in-being/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Jared glared. Some people, Kami knew, had bedroom eyes. She was saddened to have to admit that Jared had filthy alleyway eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/jared-glared-some-people-kami-knew-had-bedroom-eyes-she-was-saddened/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“There was silence in her head and silence beneath her window, and still she could not sleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/there-was-silence-in-her-head-and-silence-beneath-her-window-and/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“I'm not doing much, said Jared, warm in her mind, the amusement lingering. Just stuck in an elevator with this creepy Asian girl giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-m-not-doing-much-said-jared-warm-in-her-mind-the-amusement/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“The most annoying thing, perhaps, was that the elven troop were obviously good people and were being kind to them, and yet Elliot felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/the-most-annoying-thing-perhaps-was-that-the-elven-troop-were/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [She clenched her fist in his T-shirt, put her other arm around those too-broad, too-real shoulders. When he tried to pull away, she held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/she-clenched-her-fist-in-his-t-shirt-put-her-other-arm-around-those/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“You existing in the world is all I need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-existing-in-the-world-is-all-i-need/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [I don't want to seem ungrateful when you have given me this thoughtful, homemade and totally terrifying gift," Jamie told him. "But you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-when-you-have-given-me-this/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [She was kind of in love with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/she-was-kind-of-in-love-with-him/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Kami'd always retold her fairy tales to make the fair maidens braver and more self-sufficient, but she had never had any real objection to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/kami-d-always-retold-her-fairy-tales-to-make-the-fair-maidens-braver/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > ["Lay the knife at the tips of your fingers," Rob commanded. "So close youcan feel the blade against your skins. Then cut the shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/lay-the-knife-at-the-tips-of-your-fingers-rob-commanded-so-close/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) [Explore all 313 Sarah Rees Brennan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) [Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nick could see the gun shaking in Alan's hand now, in tight, terrified spasms. \"Last night we put a magician in the river,\" Alan said, his voice low and intense as if he was making a promise.\"Maybe we should send you to join him.\" \"You know the rules,\" the woman whispered. \"Don't shoot the messenger.\" Nick interrupted, leaning down to speak in her ear. \"Do they say 'Don't cut the messenger in half with your great big sword'?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sarah Rees Brennan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s-hand-now-in-tight-terrified/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s-hand-now-in-tight-terrified/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/sarah-rees-brennan-994_bigs_nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s_2692379.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/sarah-rees-brennan-994_bigs_nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s_2692379.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/sarah-rees-brennan-994_bigs_nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s_2692379.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nick could see the gun shaking in Alan's hand now, in tight, terrified spasms. \"Last night we put a magician…” — Sarah Rees Brennan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sarah Rees Brennan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nick could see the gun shaking...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s-hand-now-in-tight-terrified/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/nick-could-see-the-gun-shaking-in-alan-s-hand-now-in-tight-terrified/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```