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Dr. Kárpáti dives at the creature’s legs, trying to grapple them in a desperate bid to bring it down — but narrowly misses! The Professor sadly fares no better as he moves in to assist. Carruthers steps forward but cannot get a clear shot and earns a nasty kick to the groin for his troubles. Meanwhile, Sir Reginald continues to hold on to its neck and back, his legs wrapped around its torso, riding it like an American Cowboy from one of those Penny Dreadfuls the children read.
Eventually, the Gentlemen manage to overpower the creature and bring it down, giving Carruthers an opportunity to collect himself — his eyes still watering from the kick — and press the muzzle of his pistol to the Zombie’s head and pull the trigger. The sound of the shot is deafening and Sir Reginald — who is nearest to the flash — howls in pain, clutching his ears, just as everyone bears witness to the creature’s head exploding in a shower of gore and bone fragments! Carruthers reels at the sight, turning away to vomit on the stairs.
Then, in the aftermath of the fight, as the ringing dies down in the stairwell, and the Gentlemen and manservant all lie on top of the creature in a pile, their chests heaving from exertion... there issues an ominous sound from the bottom of the stairs, of stone and timber being flung with force. To their horror, the last of the creatures, who went tumbling over the railing with The Hanged Man, throws off the rubble which had been covering it, and lurches back up the stairs towards them! Its neck is bent horribly at an improbable angle, and a massive splinter of wood protrudes from its chest, its point sharp and menacing, yet clearly having done it no harm... The Zombie begins to climb the stairs!
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