Eva, Blanka, and Vedrana took inventory of the weapons they had left. The battle for the lodge had taken its toll on their munitions supply.

“How many rounds do we have?” Blanka asked.

“About two hundred rounds for the handguns, three rockets, and a half dozen grenades. We also have several boxes of shotgun shells. About sixty rounds, give or take,” Vedrana replied.

“That’s not much,” Eva said.

“I agree. That’s why we need to conserve. No more target practice.”

Blanka admired how beautiful the sunset was. Wolves and something else far more disturbing penetrated the night air.

“Do you hear that?” Blanka asked.

Eva listened and shook her head.

“I hear it, and it’s getting closer,” Vedrana said.

“Peeny peak, nobi’feck?” a voice said.

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“Defend,” Blanka said.

Eva removed several light sticks from her jacket and illuminated the immediate area. Beyond the low green glow of the perimeter, several shapes emerged. She counted at least a dozen people heading in their direction. Vedrana readied her Katana. Eva removed her gun.

“No bullets; try to conserve ammunition,” Blanka said.

A rush of shapes swarmed them. Some beings called out the nonsense words, while others screeched or made gargling sounds. In the dim green glow, Blanka noticed something else. These beings were wild-eyed and crazed. Dark stains appeared around their mouths.

“Hungret dum dat’e chic’k,” a female said as she attacked.

Vedrana cut off the attacker’s hands with one swipe of her weapon. Eva punched a man almost twice her size. His head flung back, Blanka heard a crack as his neck broke. The man crumbled, but others replaced the fallen. Blanka stabbed an attacker in the eye with one of her daggers. Then she heard a bloodcurdling scream, not from one of the mindless that was attacking, but from inside—it was Nigel.

“He’s in trouble,” Blanka said.

Vedrana nodded as she ran toward the lodge. Blanka and Eva opened fire, their futile attempts at saving ammo failed. There were too many. They dropped dozens of attackers, but new ones replaced the ones that fell. Eva ripped the throat from one man with her cybernetic arm. Blanka shot another point blank, and his head evaporated. They backed up until their backs were against the building. It was almost pitch black and more assailants were upon them. They fought their way into the lodge, but there were too many. They made a run for the basement and radio room, toward Nigel’s screams.