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er。 At the same time； that hammer blow struck the front door again； and Jana could see it slowly bending inward； she grabbed a chair and wedged it under the knob。 The shutter at another window was being attacked； the claws scratching their way in。 Moore brought his arm up and fired； the things ducked away on either side of the frame。
Schiller saw a split growing in the center of the rear door； he backed away from it； watching the wood being broken with a horrified fascination。
A window on the room's far side buckled inward in a shower of slats and glass。 One of them had thrown itself partway through and now grasped the window's ledges to pull itself the rest of the way in。 Jana reached to her side for the decanter of rum and threw it； but the bottle broke just above the thing's head； Moore stepped forward； firing point…blank。
The muzzle flame exposed a face cancerous with rot and fungus； a lipless mouth gaped； the eyes holes of hate。 Moore fired again； and again； seeing the face explode into bits of bone and dried flesh； it hissed and fell back through the window。
Now the rear door was buckling。 Schiller forced his legs to move； putting his hands against the wood to hold the things back。 He could feel the incredible force of whatever was behind the door。
A window breaking； another； two more。 A skeleton's shoulders pushed forward； the grisly brown scalp glistening with glass。 Jana hefted a wicker chair and struck at it； but then the arms were in and it was too late。
Three more bullets remained in the automatic。 They were fighting their way in now through all the windows； and it was only moments before the doors would give way。 Moore felt the wild touch of panic grip him； shook it off； felt it return with a vengeance。 There was no time to get those shells from upstairs； but was there a chance they could make it to a terrace and leap from the porch before the zombies reached them？
He turned and fired at the one Jana was trying to fight back。 It shrieked and collapsed； sliding through the window。
The rear door split； Schiller stepped away from a gnarled claw that had burst through。 But others reached through as well； and they would be inside within seconds。
With a tremendous noise of cracking wood the front door caved in； and hideous shapes came through the jagged aperture； the one in the lead wielding a hammer； others carrying crowbars and wrenches。 Moore fired into their midst and knew he'd hit one of them； but even as he prepared to fire his final bullet； he heard Schiller shout that the rear door was down as well。 A stench of rot wafted over him； and a shadow loomed up； striking a blunt object down on Moore's right shoulder。 He cried out in pain； the gun slipped from his numbed fingers。
Then they engulfed him； clawing and biting； the teeth grinning and terrible； a hand flashed out； clubbing him across the forehead； and he fought back； his teeth clenched； not willing to let them take him without a battle。 He was thrown backward over a chair and lay sprawled on his back。 They huddled over Jana in a corner； their claws and fangs flashing； Moore crawled toward her as one of them grasped his throat and began to twist his head to one side； about to rip it from the neck。
〃GOD HAVE MERCY！〃 Schiller shrieked in German； backing against a wall at their approach。 〃GOD HAVE MERCY！〃
And a voice hissed； 〃Stopppppppp。。。〃 The sound was as cold as the touch of the grave。
The thing strangling Moore released its grip and stood up。 Moore coughed violently； shaking his head from side to side； a black curtain still obscuring the field of his vision。 They released Jana； she crumpled to the floor in a heap。
Schiller stood where he was； pinned to the wall； his mouth making whimpering sounds。
The things stood motionless； waiting； eager for blood。
A shadow moved； the clatter of boots across the floor； lightning flashed； illuminating a face destroyed by the ruin of rot； a face that had seen its own horror in a mirror。 One arm； wrapped in a tattered brown sleeve； slowly rose； the finger pointing。 The hand came out； almost touching Schiller's chin； but when Schiller recoiled in stark terror the thing paused。 Its head cocked to one side； it examined Schiller with burning eyes。
Moore crawled toward Jana； she was semiconscious； her face gashed and her clothing in shreds。 He huddled beside her and watched。
〃Nein。。。〃 Schiller whispered。 〃Nein。。。〃
The figure before him breathed heavily； the stare penetrating。 Then； with a tremendous effort； the gray lips moved。 〃Schillerrrr。。。？〃
The German shrank back； his shoulders pressed into the wall。
〃Mein Gott。。。〃 the thing whispered； its voice a dry rasp that made Moore's skin crawl。
Schiller blinked； screams of madness echoing within his head。 He couldn't believe it； wouldn't believe it； but he seemed to recognize the man…or what had once been a man…from a long time ago。 Another life。 〃Nein。。。〃 he rasped； shaking his head。 〃Not you！ You should be。。。 dead。。。 all of you should BE DEAD！〃
Korrin held Schiller's eyes for a moment more； then slowly moved his gaze to Moore and Jana。 He raised the arm again； flesh hanging in strings from the exposed bone； and pointed toward them。 〃Feindlich Teufel。。。〃 he whispered。
〃Nein；〃 Schiller breathed。 〃Nein； nein。。。〃
Korrin turned from Schiller； as he approached； Moore pulled Jana back against him； trying to shield her body with his own。 The living corpse towered over them； and Moore could feel the touch of its fetid breath。
〃ALL OF YOU ARE DEAD！〃 Schiller shrieked； his voice breaking； slithering into a moan。
Korrin's eyes were flaming slithering whorls of destruction。 They seared through Moore's flesh and muscles； into the bone and the brain。 The arm extended； and the hand； with its long； filthy nails； came down for Moore's throat。 He held his own arms up weakly to ward it off； but he was powerless to move。
And then suddenly； in a blur of motion； Schiller had picked up the gun lying on the floor。 He fired without aiming； a tongue of orange pierced the shadows。
Moore saw Korrin's head jerk to one side； saw the lower jaw hang on threads for an instant before being ripped away； leaving a ragged edge of flesh。 Korrin staggered backward； almost falling； but then regaining his balance。 He put his hands to his face； and the scream roaring through that broken mouth cast Schiller over the brink of insanity。 Still screaming； Korrin moved forward； his claws rising； Schiller squeezed the trigger again； aiming between the eyes； but the hammer fell on an empty clip。
At once the other crewmen had turned on Schiller； one of them struck out with a crowbar that smashed across the German's chest； and then they were on him； going for his eyes。 Korrin reached him； bending down toward the offered throat。
〃RUN！〃 Schiller screamed； his eyes glinting as the things covered him over。 〃RUN！〃
Moore hesitated； Schiller had saved them； but now the man was beyond hope； and the instant they finished with him they'd crave more blood and fluids。 He pulled Jana up； shaking her to make her move； and dragged her through the shattered rear door toward the kitchen。 Beyond th