A week passes, then another. I'm kept busy, but my mind can't stop drifting. Another couple levels we drop, and five more people die. I don't know how long we'll survive. So when I see another soldier, I immediately ask her what's going on.

"They're in the building," she says. "We'd evacuate you guys, except obviously it's too dangerous."

"How long do you think this'll last?"

"Before they get to you or before we can kill enough to risk moving you guys? Because they'll get to you well before we can move you guys."

"Which explains the weapon crate," I say.

She nods. "We'll try to keep them at bay, but if one breaks free...they're not as acrophobic as we thought. They could easily come up here, especially seeing how many levels are gone."

"So if they come up here, and you say they can, we can shoot them down?" Constance asks. "That sounds really scary."

"Think about as getting revenge," I suggest quietly. Constance sighs. "I...."

"We'll go warn the others," I tell the soldier. She nods and goes back downstairs. I look at Constance, and she says, "I'll take the third floor, you take the second."

"I'd grab a gun if I were you," I say.

She nods. We part ways at the room with the crate, but not before she pulls me down for a kiss. I lock eyes with her for a moment, then run down the hall.

I figure Constance would be done well before me-the third floor only has a few occupied rooms-so I move quickly, hoping I can get done fast as well.

I have seven more doors to go before I hear the gunshot.

"Constance!" I scream, breaking into a run as the door opens. I ignore the person there and sprint downstairs.

I can smell it before I see it. A Creature, wearing tattered clothing, baring its teeth at the ceiling. It takes me a few adrenaline filled moments to realize it's dead. There's a distinct hole in its head, and Constance is standing down the hallway, holding up a revolver. Then she drops it and goes to kick the Creature in the head. "That's for my father, you bastard," she growls. Then she throws herself at me. She's visibly trembling. The adrenaline wears off, and we sink to the ground together, hugging each other tightly. "Oh my God, I can't-I can't believe it. I killed it, I actually killed one of those things...."

I hug her tightly and kiss her temple gently. "You got your revenge," I murmur into her hair. "It's not human anymore, Constance. One of its kind killed your father."

"I know, I know, but..." Constance takes a shaky breath and sniffles. "I still can't fathom it. I never imagined myself doing it, and I killed one without hesitation! How would you feel, Nate?"

"I don't know," I admit, "because I've never done it."

She nods into my shoulder, then looks up, because now everyone's running to see what happened.

Sure enough, everyone upstairs comes thundering down, led by none other than Elf herself. Apparently everyone on this floor has already come out of their room, but I hadn't noticed until now. "What happened?" Elf demands. Her eyes see the dead Creature and the revolver lying ten feet away from us and she puts two and two together. Her eyes go wide and round, and she gasps, "You didn't..."

"She did," I say quietly, rubbing Constance's back. "She was very brave. Constance?"

"I think-I think I'm gonna be sick," she mutters before standing up and lurching away from me. She makes it all of three steps before vomiting spectacularly all over the floor. Mike and I make our way to her as everyone else groans and ducks into their rooms or upstairs. "You okay?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "No, no, I'm not okay. I feel worse than okay. I need...I need to go to bed."

She allows us to steer her to her room, where she collapses onto her bed. Mike checks her over. "You don't seem to have a fever, but you're still very pale and clammy..."

"It's probably just a reaction to what just happened," I say quietly. He nods and stands up. "Better get a bucket," he mutters in my ear on the way out.

I grin a little at that and go sit by Constance's bedside. Gently pull the covers over her. She trembles and begins crying. I stay seated next to her and rub her back, murmuring to her, until she falls asleep and I'm about to pass out as well. I get up and leave the room to find Elf outside mine.

"She okay?" Elf asks as I approach her. I nod. "It's probably just shock. She doesn't feel warm or anything."

"That's good. I want to talk to you," Elf says, following me into the room.

"I'm really tired right now. Can it wait, Elf?" I sit down on the bed, then lean backwards.

"What will we do when more come?" she asks quietly. "How many of us would be willing to fight?"

"Ha! We're all wusses up here," I mumble. I'm way too tired for this.

"Exactly, Nate. Nate?"

"Mm?"

"They have to evacuate us at some point, don't they?"

"Probably," I agree. "But for now...Elf, I'm way too tired for this. Let me sleep."

"Fine," she stands up and heads for the door. "And Nate?"

"Yes?"

"I don't think Constance threw up from the shock of killing one. I'm just saying." And on that happy note, Elf leaves the room.