[He flinches when the shotgun blast rips through the air, bringing chunks of ceiling and plaster dust down. Half-hunched, he raises his pistol, trying to line up his shot with the man hurling himself at Alfred. But the instant Alfred snatches the man’s wrist, Oswald realizes he’s in total control. The knife clatters over the step, and the sick, gristly splintering of bones sends a shiver under his skin. His leg throbs in sympathy. His body will never forget.
An uneasy silence settles over the mansion afterward, broken only by the creak and groan of aging wood as Alfred pushes forward, upward — a man possessed. Oswald limps after him, his gaze fixed on the second-floor landing. He steps past the flashlight and Rob’s body slumped over at the foot of the staircase. He’s one stair up when Rob springs at him, tearing at his coat with an angry, strangled gurgle. Oswald wails as his balance suddenly shifts and he’s dragged backwards. Adrenaline surges through him; it feels like he's falling forever before he hits the floor. The gun slips from his grasp, pain driving a whoosh of air out of him. Croaking, he struggles to breathe, to move. To make sense of the world through the lights flashing in his vision as he frantically gropes for his gun.]
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An uneasy silence settles over the mansion afterward, broken only by the creak and groan of aging wood as Alfred pushes forward, upward — a man possessed. Oswald limps after him, his gaze fixed on the second-floor landing. He steps past the flashlight and Rob’s body slumped over at the foot of the staircase. He’s one stair up when Rob springs at him, tearing at his coat with an angry, strangled gurgle. Oswald wails as his balance suddenly shifts and he’s dragged backwards. Adrenaline surges through him; it feels like he's falling forever before he hits the floor. The gun slips from his grasp, pain driving a whoosh of air out of him. Croaking, he struggles to breathe, to move. To make sense of the world through the lights flashing in his vision as he frantically gropes for his gun.]