and saw her wipe away a tear.
It struck me then, just how many people had put faith in Oswald. I’d never stopped to consider what those people would feel once he was exposed. How lost and confused they’d be.
Oswald himself stood near the stairs to the observation deck, frozen in place as his own voice played through the speakers, his eyes wide with horror. He looked around frantically, as if there might still be an escape route.
Then the crowd near him parted, letting someone through.
My sister.
Leading a pack of girls.
Serenely, they surrounded Oswald, enveloping him in their circle. Girls on either side of him reached out to take his hands. Solemnly, Maggie approached Oswald and began to speak. I was too far to hear what she said, but I imagined she was preaching to him, the man who’d always been the preacher. Oh, how things had changed.
* * *
Subject #8, Special Agent Mike Ruiz: Kaufman ran the show until that point. She was preparing to arrest Oswald, figuring we could bring him in on destruction of property. But then I saw him surrounded by those teenaged girls—holding hands with some of them… We’d heard rumors about him having inappropriate relationships with minors, and I couldn’t stand back anymore. I wanted to arrest the bastard myself.
* * *
The crowd behind me buzzed.
I glanced around and saw several members of the Lansburg Police Department making a beeline in my direction.
My heart stopped.
But they bypassed me and infiltrated Maggie and Oswald’s weird prayer circle. Maggie’s friends scattered. Oswald spun around, looking more desperate and afraid by the second.
Kaufman was on a walkie-talkie giving orders and directing her officers, but it was Agent Ruiz who stepped forward to put cuffs on Oswald’s wrists.
His arms pulled tight behind him, his face a mask of confusion at his own fall from grace, Oswald scanned the crowd one more time. His eyes locked on me. I couldn’t hear him, but I saw his lips move. “You,” he said. He struggled against his restraints, but Agent Ruiz pulled him back.
I looked away.
It was my moment. I’d won. Even if it was just for one night, I was the god and Oswald was the starfish. But for some reason, I didn’t feel accomplished. I felt more like Oppenheimer (Robert Oppenheimer (1904–1967): father of the atomic bomb), who, upon seeing his work come to fruition, was said to have quoted this line from the Bhagavad Gita: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”
Ishmael limped through the thinning crowd and came to stand by me.
“That didn’t go according to plan,” he said.
“That’s one way to put it.”
“I swear, dude, I did exactly what you said. I didn’t mean for anything to blow up.”
“I know,” I said.
My gaze swept the chaotic scene one more time. I’d lost sight of Mother and Maggie. I knew Father must be somewhere in the crowd too. I wanted to find my family and go home.
I told Ishmael as much, and he nodded in agreement. He leaned on me, keeping his bad ankle off the ground, and I supported his weight the best I could. Together we moved through the aftermath of what was both our greatest success and greatest failure.
* * *
Subject #12, David O’Grady: The cops had that health bozo in cuffs, thank Jesus, and I was ready to be on my way, but I heard another shout. I thought, What now? I looked over and saw her: my Prudence, running through the crowd, bucking like she had Satan on her heels. People leapt out of her way, not even trying to stop her. And I knew I’d have to go handle it myself. Just like I had to with everything.
Newspaper Article
The following article was reprinted with permission of the Lansburg Daily Press.
POPULAR HEALTH MLM ROCKED BY SCANDAL
By K. T. Malone
November 6
LANSBURG, PA—Details continue to emerge regarding John Oswald, commonly referred to as J. Quincy Oswald or “Oz.”
The founder and CEO of the multi-level marketing company myTality™, was arrested Saturday night following his involvement in the explosion of Lansburg’s lava lamp.
Daily Press columnist and owner of the blog lightbringernews.com, Adam Frykowski, has taken it upon himself to unearth information about Oswald’s past.
“For one, he claims to be from Texas,” Frykowski said, “but records cite him being born and raised in California. His birth certificate shows that he’s 37 years old, despite his claims to be over a decade older. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
Lansburg, normally an idyllic place to call