to rebuke him , the demon brother had a way of turning on him when they were alone , for no ( evident ) reason pushing him , shoving him , wrestling him to the floor , as the smaller brother drew breath to protest straddling him with his knees , gripping the breakable rib cage like a vise , thump-thump-thumping the little freak 's head against the floor , the moist hard palm of a hand clamped over the little freak 's mouth to prevent him from crying for help mama mama mama faint as a dying lamb 's bleating and so unheard by the mother in another part of the house downstairs in her bliss of ignorance not hearing the thump-thump-thump of the smaller brother 's head against the carpeted floor of the boys ' room until at last the smaller brother goes limp , ceases to struggle , ceases to struggle for breath , his pinched little face has turned blue , and the demon brother relents , releases him panting and triumphant .