Above the quarry

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

Samuel heard the stone break away beneath his boot. It struck the quarry wall once, then again. Several seconds passed before the splash rose from the darkness below.

Behind him, Peter whispered his name.

Samuel pressed both hands against the rock. His knees had become loose and foolish, and the warning in his throat refused to turn into words. He had brought his younger brother onto the old path. Peter was waiting for him to know what to do.

Ahead, an iron ring had been fixed into the wall beside a broader piece of ground.

"Watch my coat," Samuel said. "Put each foot where mine was."

He edged sideways. "One," he counted, though his voice was thin. "Two." The next number came more steadily.

At the ring, Samuel gripped the iron and reached back. Peter caught his wrist and crossed the last stretch.

Only when Peter stood on the broad path did Samuel sit down. His hands had begun to shake.

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to show how Samuel takes responsibility when Peter is in danger. Support your answer with references to the passage.