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The　nearest　zombie　loomed　over　Lorenzo；　and　raised　both　fists　above　its　head　as　it　prepared　to
strike　him　dead。
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CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
Lorenzo　brought　up　his　right　hand；　his　knife　hand；　to　protect　his　head；　and　tried　to　do　the　same　with
his　left；　but　the　earth　had　it。　He　pulled　at　it；　and　brushed　something　below　the　surface：　a　familiar
shape。　He　wrapped　his　fingers　around　it；　feeling　like　he　e　until　they　closed
around　hard　metal。　With　a　gut…wrenching　effort；　he　brought　his　hand；　and　his　lasgun；　tearing　out　into
the　open　and　braced　the　weapon　in　both　hands　above　his　face。
The　ork　zombie’s　blow　landed；　hit　the　gun；　and　Lorenzo　felt　the　vibrations　juddering　through　his
bones　and　thought　he’d　lost　another　lasgun；　thought　it　would　snap　in　two；　but　somehow　it　remained
intact。　He　realised　that　his　shoulders　were　in　the　earth　again；　the　impact　and　his　own　efforts　driving
him　downwards。
The　zombie　was　preparing　to　strike　again；　and　Lorenzo　turned　the　lasgun　around　and　pulled　the
trigger；　but　it　jammed。　Mud　in　the　barrel。　He　could　just　reach　the　zombie’s　leg　with　the　tip　of　his
knife；　and　he　slashed　at　it；　scoring　a　groove；　but　it　didn’t　react。　The　quagmire　was　sucking　at　the
back　of　his　head；　caressing　his　ears　with　cold　tendrils。
He　couldn’t　beat　the　monster。　The　best　he　could　hope　for　was　to　keep　it　from　killing　him　long
enough　for　the　planet　to　take　him；　to　fill　his　nose　and　mouth　with　its　substance　and　suffocate　him。
He　couldn’t　beat　the　monster。　So　he　stopped　fighting　it。
A　clump　of　flowers　protruded；　ridiculously；　from　the　zombie’s　thigh；　and　Lorenzo　strained　to
reach　them；　trusted　them　to　support　his　weight　as　he　hauled　himself　up；　mud　slurping　and　sucking　at
him　but　losing　the　contest　of　strength。　With　both　hands　full；　holding　his　lasgun；　his　knife　and　the
flowers；　he　couldn’t　defend　himself　against　another　double…fisted　blow　to　the　back　of　his　stooped
head。　He　took　it　with　gritted　teeth；　blinded　for　a　moment　as　he　almost　blacked　out。　He　felt　as　if　his
skull　must　have　cracked。　Then　he　felt　the　flowers　give　way；　their　roots　torn　clean　out　of　the
zombie’s　earthen　flesh。
Lorenzo　was　falling　back；　and　he　couldn’t　shift　his　trapped　legs　to　steady　himself；　but　he　threw
out　his　arms　and　found　the　zombie’s　legs；　and　he　hugged　them　tightly；　holding　on　for　his　life。　This
had　the　useful　side…effect　of　unbalancing　the　zombie；　which　reacted　too　slowly；　toppled；　and
splashed　into　the　quagmire　on　its　back。　Lorenzo　was　scrabbling；　clawing　at　its　cold；　wet　mass；　using
it　like　a　log　in　a　river。　He　climbed　onto　it；　dragging　his　legs　after　him；　he　pulled　himself　along　the
zombie’s　length；　yanking　dead　leaves　from　the　vegetation　that　coated　it；　simultaneously　trampling
the　zombie　further　down。
He　hauled　himself　upright　as　the　zombie’s　head　sank　underground。　He　used　its　chest　as　a
springboard；　pushing　off　it；　leaping　for　the　edge　of　the　clearing。　He　landed　with　both　feet　in　the　mud；
and　was　instantly　buried　up　to　the　waist　again；　but　as　the　top　half　of　his　body　fell　forwards；　he　was
able　to　grab　at　a　branch　and；　like　Storm　before　him；　use　it　as　a　lifeline。
He　glanced　over　his　shoulder；　to　see　that　the　zombie　was　thrashing　about；　resurfacing　and
beginning　to　stand—and　that　another　was　heading　his　way。　There　wasn’t　time　to　free　himself
completely　from　Rogar’s　grip。　He　settled　instead　for　dragging　his　backside　up　onto　the　dry　ground
beyond　the　clearing；　his　legs　still　in　the　mud　but　his　shoulder　hooked　behind　a　tree；　bracing　him；
allowing　him　to　resist　the　suction　force　from　below。　He　plunged　his　fingers　into　his　lasgun　barrel
and　scooped　out　as　much　mud　as　he　could。　Then　he　dug　the　butt　into　his　shoulder；　aimed　for　the
second　zombie　and　fired。　The　gun　whined　and　let　out　a　feeble　light。　The　second　zombie　lurched
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closer。　Lorenzo　pumped　the　trigger　again；　and　on　his　fourth　attempt；　the　lasgun　finally　coughed　up
dirt　and　struck　true。
He　had　aimed　for　the　knee　again；　it　took　four　shots　to　penetrate　through　to　the　bone；　and　then　the
oncoming　creature　collapsed　like　a　puppet　with　its　strings　cut；　and　disappeared　below　the　surface。
By　that　time；　the　first　zombie　had　somehow　managed　to　right　itself　and　was　bearing　down　on
him。　This　one　took　six　shots；　and　fell　less　than　a　metre　from　him；　hands　reaching　for　him。　He
thanked　the　God…Emperor　for　the　creatures’　sluggish　reflexes：　if　this　one　had　only　shifted　its　weight
onto　its　good　leg；　it　could　have　stayed　upright　long　enough　to　wrap　its　fingers　around　his　throat。
In　no　immediate　danger　now；　Lorenzo　took　a　second　to　scan　the　battlefield。　Myers　and
Armstrong　were　engaged　in　their　own　struggles；　each　beginning　to　gain　the　upper　hand—but
Braxton　was　in　trouble。
Three　zombies　had　surrounded　the　Validian；　overpowered　him；　and　pushed　him　headlong　into
the　mud。　His　face　was　buried；　he　couldn’t　breathe。
Greiss　had　seen　what　was　happening；　and　was　just　finishing　up　with　his　own　opponent。
Astonishingly；　he　had　whittled　into　it　with　his　Catachan　fang　until　he　had　exposed　its　spine；　which
he　had　then　seized　and　yanked　right　out　of　its　body。　He　tossed　the　wretched　creature’s　remains
aside；　with　a　sneer；　and　began　to　wade　towards　Braxton；　but　the　mud　was　up　to　his　stomach　and　his
progress　was　slow。
Storm　was　firing　in　from　the　sidelines；　and　as　Lorenzo　watched；　the　first　of　Braxton’s　attackers
fell　beneath　his　las…fire　at　last。　Storm　switched　targets；　and　Lorenzo　joined　him；　their　shots
converged　on　the　back　of　the　second　zombie’s　knee　and　burnt　through　it　in　seconds。
The　third　and　final　zombie　swung　around　to　greet　Greiss　with　a　hefty　punch；　which　the　grizzled
sergeant　dodged。　His　face　was　level　with　the　creature’s　stomach—with　its　greater　bulk；　it　looked
like　it　could　crush　him　with　its　thumb—but　he　drove　the　butt　of　his　lasgun　into　its　leg　and；　to
Lorenzo’s　amazement；　shattered　it。　The　bone　must　have　been　old　and　brittle。　But　this　zombie’s
reflexes　were　better　than　most。　Instead　of　falling；　it　swayed　on　one　leg；　and　looked　down　to　where
its　other　leg　hung　loose；　still　attached　to　its　body　by　muddy　tendrils。
Then　Greiss　laid　into　it　with　his　gun　butt　again；　roaring　like　an　animal；　and　slowly；　as　if　it　was
fighting　gravity　itself；　the　zombie　fell　and　was　gone。　Greiss’　path　to　Braxton　was　clear—but　the
Validian　was　gone　now；　too。
There　was　nothing　Lorenzo　could　do　for　him；　no　chance　of　reaching　him。　He　shifted　his
attention　to　the　zombies　still　standing；　supporting　Myers　and　Armstrong’s　efforts　with　his　las…shots。
But　his　eyes　kept　flicking　to　the　patch　of　mud　where　Braxton’s　head　had　gone　under；　and　he　found
himself　holding　his　breath　as　Greiss　propelled　himself　towards　that　spot　and　plunged　his　hands　into
the　shifting　earth。
Myers　was　free　of　ork　zombies；　but　his　struggle　had　cost　him。　He　was　sinking　fast。　Storm　leapt
back　into　the　quagmire；　and　waded　to　his　comrade’s　aid。　He　reached　Myers　and　gripped　him　beneath
the　arms。　He　tried　to　drag　him　free；　but　for　every　two　centimetres　the　pair　gained；　the　quagmire
reclaimed　one；　and　Myers　was　buried　up　to　his　neck　now。
Lorenzo　concentrated　on　freeing　his　own　legs。　When　the　planet　let　go；　it　did　so　suddenly；　and　he
fell　back　into　a　bush　and　lost　vital　seconds　disentangling　his　vest　from　its　thorns。　He　raced　around
the　edge　of　the　quagmire；　to　the　point　at　which　Storm　had　re…entered　it。　He　could　reach　him　from
here；　by　placing　one　foot　in　the　mud　while　leaving　the　other　braced　behind　him。　He　caught　Storm’s
reaching　hand；　and　pulled　at　it　with　all　his　strength。
Across　the　clearing；　to　Lorenzo’s　relief；　Greiss　pulled　Braxton；　coughing　and　spluttering；　to　the
surface—but　the　effort　had　cost　him；　and　now　they　were　both　treading　mud；　only　their　heads　visible；
helpless。
Armstrong’s　las…bolts　despatched　the　final　zombie；　and　he　was　in　trouble　now　too；　he　wasn’t　too
far　from　the　edge；　but　with　his　useless　arm　he　had　no　way　of　reaching　it。　Lorenzo　gritted　his　teeth
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and　pulled　harder；　and　at　last　Storm　stumbled　onto　the　bank　beside　him；　and　they　took　one　of　Myers’
arms　each　and　dragged　him　up　after　them。
Myers　was　trying　to　bring　something　with　him。　He　strained　and　pulled；　and　the　earth　released　its
grip　on　his　muddied　backpack。　Lorenzo　had　lost　his；　along　with　h