'Danny, let go of the rungs!'
Terrified, the boy shook his head. A bullet whined directly over them, followed by a second.
'Danny! Do what I say. I've got you.'
A bullet slammed into the ladder, gouging the aluminum and making their ears ring. Jim grabbed Danny's waistband. With his father's presence reassuring him, Danny opened his eyes and looked back at him. More shots whined over their heads.
Jim breathed a sigh of relief. 'Good boy. Now look at
Martin and Mr. De Santos. Don't look down. And go as fast as you can.'
Nodding, Danny moved forward. A volley from below whizzed by them, but then Frankie returned fire.
Don pulled Danny inside. Jim raced along behind him. After crawling through the window, he turned back to Frankie.
'Come on!'
Jim and De Santos laid down a burst of cover fire, shooting indiscriminately rather than choosing targets. They alternated between ducking into the attic and then leaning out to shoot. The zombies ducked as well, scrambling for cover. De Santos shot one-handed, helping Martin steady the ladder for Frankie.
Not bothering to crawl, Frankie stepped onto the ladder and walked as carefully and quickly as she could, going from rung to rung. She concentrated, putting one foot in front of the other.
'I'm empty!' De Santos shouted.
Frantically, Jim searched his pockets. 'Shit. Me too! Martin, you have any more ammo?'
The old man shook his head.
'Just what's inside my pistol, and that ain't much.'
Jim turned back to the window. 'Hurry, Frankie!'
The pool zombie continued shouting and then sank beneath the surface once more. More of the creatures were scrambling beneath Frankie now, pointing upward and hollering. A hunting arrow soared past her leg, missing by inches. Another clanged off the ladder.
'Fuck me running,' she whispered, and began to walk faster. 'One foot in front of the other. One foot in
There was a loud clang, and the ladder tilted beneath her feet. Frankie reached out and grabbed the side, but her fingers slipped. Both she and the ladder plummeted downward. Screaming, the others could only watch as she splashed into the odd-shaped pool and sank beneath the surface. Between the darkness and the shadowy firelight, they could not see her.
Then, the ripples receded and the water was still once more.
Frankie did not resurface.
FIVE
'She's gone,' Jim whispered.
'Are you sure?' Martin asked.
'I don't see her. I can't see anything, between the darkness and the smoke. The power is out. But we'd have heard her by now, wouldn't we?
She would have to come up for air by now. The fall alone was enough. Or maybe she hit her head on the bottom. And you saw that thing in the pool...'
Jim leaned out the window, but another barrage of shots from the ground chased him back inside.
'We don't have time for this,' Don warned them. 'Those things are still outside.'
Martin was insistent. 'We need to look for her.'
'There's nothing we can do,' Jim said. 'She must be dead, Martin. We've got to accept it.'
'But-'
'There's no way we can go outside.'
'You're right.' Martin sighed.
Don hurried toward the attic door, looking uneasy. He beckoned for them to follow.
Martin bowed his head in prayer. He struggled for words, and finally found them.
'Lord, we ask that you please accept her soul into your kingdom that she may dwell with thee. Amen.'
'Look,' Don said. 'I'm sorry about your friend. I really am. But if you don't want to join her, I suggest we get moving.'
'Where?' Jim asked. 'We're fresh out of ideas.'
'And places to hide,' Martin added.
'My panic room first.' Don opened the door and listened. 'I've got to reload.'
'Your panic room's no good anymore,' Jim protested. 'They know we're in here now. They'll find a way through. If not, they'll burn this place down as well.'
'Exactly. That's why I don't plan on sticking around. It's not safe here anymore.'
'Then what?'
