Just inside the tunnel, where light stopped and darkness began, stood a wall of empty-eyed zombies.

“We’ve got some company.” I pointed them out to the rest of our crew.

Scott stepped forward. “Those are the things that attacked you?”

Mo’Lock and I both nodded.

I took out my gun, an unreturned police issue 9mm, and aimed into the crowd at head level. Although I was wasted, my aim was steady as I squeezed off two quick bursts. One of the zombies’ heads snapped back violently, and his body quickly fell to the ground like a rag doll. The others went wild, moaning and beating on each other. They wouldn’t cross into the light, but wouldn’t retreat either. Then the one I shot stood back up with a big chunk of skull missing, only seconds after the gunfire’s echo had faded.

I turned to Mo’Lock and Gundy. “This looks like your kinda job.”

Mo’Lock led Gundy inside and pointed, making sure the big guy was looking. “See those necklaces they’re wearing?”

“Around stinky men’s necks?”

“Yes?”

Gundy nodded.

“You and I are going to run in there and grab as many as we can. It kills them. Got that?”

Gundy sharpened at the prospect of violence. “Got it. Hank take necklace. Stinky man die.”

“Let’s go,” said the ghoul.

They charged into the tunnel, leaving me and the Frankenteens behind to watch and pray. It took only seconds for them to hit the zombie wall. From my vantage point, it looked like a riot had erupted: I couldn’t even make out the shapes of Mo’Lock and Gundy as the crowd consumed them. Amidst the furor, though, I heard sounds that hinted at some level of success. There was a distinct slopping and sloshing sound of thick liquid being spilled. Those things were going down in gobs of blood.

Problem was, there seemed to be too damn many of them. I got panicky and pulled my gun out again, edging into the tunnel along the wall. I began shooting into the crowd, thinking it served as a distraction if nothing else.

From inside the tunnel, we heard Mo’Lock shout, “We could use some help in here!”

I was glad to oblige, but Miriam and Scott didn’t share my eagerness. They were scared stiff. I ran into the tunnel without them, itching for some payback. I planned to blast first, then tear away their talismans before they could recover. I started shooting as I ran, but my heel hit a thick dark puddle and sent me sliding top speed into the thick of the fray. Through it all, I’d never stopped firing.

I clamored to my feet, but they were on me instantly. I remembered their dry, crusty touch from the stairwell. That time they’d blindsided me. This would be different.

I let them kick and punch at me. I didn’t care. All I wanted was a handful of leather, a sliver of glass in my palm. When I had it, I yanked. Time after time, I’d hear a satisfying yelp followed by the sound of hot stew hitting the floor, then I’d grab for more. It was like flushing away the enemy, one of the most satisfying fights I ever had.