Part Twenty Six

*An unrelenting force, a breaking point, a way forward...*

### Content Warnings

Cultists, sounds of gore and blood, murder attempt, alcoholism, suicidal ideation, fear of heights/falling, references to previous child death, murder, eye injury, chewing noises, references to starvation

## Summary

Arthur and John retreat to the estate. Arthur is deeply intent on killing Larson, but John is less willing. After retrieving their things, they realize that Larson has likely left for New York and they come upon Uncle. Arthur manages to stab him before Uncle can flee. Arthur briefly reflects on how he met Parker. Pursuing Uncle, they find themselves back on the ledge outside. Arthur falls, only pulled to safety by John. They find Uncle in the bedroom and Arthur kills him, leading to a mental breakdown involving his guilt for Faroe's death. John helps him through it. Before leaving Addison, Arthur plans to return and help the people by the fireside. They briefly stop at the kitchen, eat an apple, and descend back into the mine.

## Synopsis

Arthur and John enter the estate through a secret door. To stop Larson, Arthur reveals his intended weapon: the one he stabbed himself with. They enter into a pantry. Through the window, John mentions that it's night. Arthur is pleased and says he still has time to kill Larson and start fresh tomorrow.

John takes offense, and Arthur calls hypocrisy based on John's enjoyment of killing Eddie. In his frustration, Arthur accidentally accuses John of enjoying killing Faust, while John insists that this murder isn't reactionary and therefore undeserved. Eventually, John gives up arguing and they move further into the estate. Arthur removes his shoes to stay quieter.

They find a study, collecting both their bag and the flute. He also finds the dagger. Upon seeing it, John starts to plead with Arthur not to do this, and eventually apologizes to Arthur for failing him. Arthur explodes in response and reveals that he knows he's making a mistake, to John's shock. John relents, saying he can accept this.

Arthur and John move onto a bedroom. Arthur stabs the bed repeatedly before John informs him that nobody is there. Recalling what Matthew said about Larson leaving, Arthur starts to hyperventilate, before they're interrupted by Uncle playing with the music box. Arthur creeps into the bedroom and stabs him.

An altercation ensues: Uncle throws a piece of furniture at Arthur and flees. Arthur makes a move to follow, but John pleads for Arthur to stop: he is losing a large amount of blood from a wound at his shoulder. Arthur agrees to tend to his wound on John's promise that they pursue Uncle after.

They tend to Arthur's wound. John accuses Arthur of wanting to die and touch bedrock. This inspires a memory in Arthur: he and Parker met at a bar called Jack's. Parker bought him a Blood and Sand drink and remarked, 'You look like you've hit bedrock, friend'. Arthur wonders aloud whether he should have just given up: that he had become a heavy drinker after Bella and Faroe's death, and that Parker had come up to him in a bar, being nosy and wanted to help. Arthur says that Parker likely saw him as a charity case, with the way he kept coming by the bar, but never pushed about his past. Arthur concludes the reminiscing by reminding John that he killed him, and that John will make Larson's and Uncle's deaths happen. They retrieve the knife and proceed.

Arthur and John take the same route as Arthur and Yellow had previously: the ledge outside. John is audibly frightened as Arthur proceeds. At the jump, Arthur doesn't make it, and John pulls them both to safety.

They go to the window and find Uncle. Arthur attacks, stabbing him over and over, before shoving his fingers into his eyes. This leads to Arthur having a breakdown, where it becomes clear that his anger is mostly focused at himself and his involvement in Faroe's death. Arthur also reveals to John that Larson killed his daughter. John soothes him through it, telling him that he has suffered long enough and that Faroe would not want her father to lose himself in this way. John pledges not to let Arthur drown.

Arthur says that they have already won, as he enjoyed killing Faust. John disagrees and starts to recite 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening'. Arthur apologizes to John, and John apologizes for being gone so long. Before they leave Addison, Arthur says they're going to retreat and help the cultists. John also remarks that dawn has come.

As they enter the spare bedroom, Arthur remarks on the medallion they found on the corpse, and John recognizes it as the symbol drawn on the baby in the woods in Part 2. They also find a car to make their escape. Outside, Arthur says he feels lighter, more hopeful, and hungry. Retreating to the kitchen, Arthur eats an apple. They also gather rope and a black rain slicker. Arthur also promises to take John on a dinner out with drinks, music, and dancing; John says he would like to try a Blood and Sand. Together, they descend into the pits.

## Votes

* Chapter 126: **Kill [70]** / Don't Kill [69]
* Chapter 127: **Promise [101]** / Don't Promise [28]
* Chapter 128: Enter Through the Door [18] / **Enter Through the Window [84]**
* Chapter 129: **Head Back into the Mines [111]** / Leave This Place [17]
* Chapter 130: No vote.

## Additional Notes

* Arthur's remark as he kills Uncle ('*fuck your eyes!' )* is also what John tells Arthur in Part 8.