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And at the last moment； I swerved left。 I jumped。
And started climbing the ladder on the wall。
Julia screamed； 〃Stop him！ Stop him！〃
It was difficult climbing； because I had my thumb hooked through the jug； the bottle kept banging painfully against the back of my right hand as I went up。 I focused on the pain。 I panic at heights and I didn't want to look down。 And so I couldn't see what was dragging at my legs； pulling me back toward the floor。 I kicked； but whatever it was held on to me。 Finally； I turned to look。 I was ten feet above the ground； and two rungs beneath me； Ricky had his free arm locked around my legs； his hand clutching my ankle。 He jerked at my feet； and yanked them off the rung。 I slid for an instant and then felt a burst of searing pain in my hands。 But I held on。
Ricky was smiling grimly。 I kicked my legs backward； trying to hit his face； but to no avail； he had both legs locked tight against his chest。 He was immensely strong。 I kept trying until I realized that I could pull one leg up and free。 I did； and stomped down on his hand that was holding on to the rung。 He yelled； and released my legs to hold on to the ladder with his other hand。 I stomped again…and kicked straight back； catching him right under the chin。 He slid down five rungs； then caught himself。 He hung there； near the bottom of the ladder。 I climbed again。
Julia was running across the floor。 〃Stop him！〃
I heard the elevator grind as Vince rode up past me； heading toward the top。 He would wait for me there。
I climbed。
I was fifteen feet above the floor； then twenty。 I looked down to see Ricky pursuing me but he was far behind； I didn't think he could catch me； and then Julia came swirling up through the air toward me； spiraling like a corkscrew…and grabbed the ladder right alongside me。 Except she wasn't Julia； she was the swarm； and for a moment the swarm was disorganized enough that I could see right through her in places； I could see the swirling particles that posed her。 I looked down and saw the real Julia； deathly pale； standing and looking up at me； her face a skull。 By now the swarm alongside me became solid…appearing； as I had seen it bee solid before。 It looked like Julia。 The mouth moved and I heard a strange voice say 〃Sorry； Jack。〃 And the swarm shrank； being denser still； collapsing into a small Julia； about four feet tall。
I turned to climb again。
The small Julia swung back； and slammed hard against my body。 I felt like I was hit by a sack of cement； the wind knocked out of me。 My grip loosened from the ladder； and I barely managed to hang on； as the Julia swarm smashed against me again。 I ducked and dodged； grunting in pain； and kept going despite the impacts。 The swarm had enough mass to hurt me； but not enough to knock me off the ladder。
The swarm must have realized it； too； because now the small Julia swarm pressed itself into a sphere； and slid smoothly forward to envelop my head in a buzzing cloud。 I was totally blind。 I could see nothing at all。 It was as if I was in a dust storm。 I groped for the next rung on the ladder； and the next after that。 Pinpricks stung my face and hands； the pain being more intense； sharper。 Apparently the swarm was learning how to focus pain。 But at least it hadn't learned to suffocate。 The swarm did nothing to interfere with my breathing。 I kept on。
I climbed in darkness。
And then I felt Ricky pulling at my legs again。 And in that moment； finally； I didn't see how I could go on。
I was twenty…five feet in the air； hanging on to a ladder for dear life； dragging a jug of brown sludge up with me； with Vince above waiting and Ricky below dragging； and a swarm buzzing around my head； blinding me and stinging me like hell。 I was exhausted and defeated and I could feel my energy draining away。 My fingers felt shaky on the rungs。 I couldn't hold my grip much longer。 I knew that all I had to do was release my grip and fall； and it would be over in an instant。 I was finished； anyway。
I felt for the next rung； gripped it； and hauled my body up。 But my shoulders burned。 Ricky was pulling down fiercely。 I knew he would win。 They would all win。 They were always going to win。 And then I thought of Julia； pale as a ghost and brittle thin； saying in a whisper 〃Save my babies。〃 I thought of the kids； waiting for me to e back。 I saw them sitting around the table waiting for dinner。 And I knew I had to go on no matter what。 So I did。
It's not clear to me now what happened to Ricky。 Somehow he pulled my legs off the rungs； and I hung in the air from my arms； kicking wildly； and I must have kicked him in the face and broken his nose。
Because in an instant Ricky let go of me； and I heard a thump…thump…thumping as his body went down the ladder； and he desperately tried to grab the rungs as he fell。 I heard； 〃Ricky； no！〃 and the cloud vanished from my head； I was pletely free again。 I looked down and saw the Julia swarm alongside Ricky； who had caught himself about twelve feet above the floor。 He looked up angrily。 His mouth and nose were gushing blood。 He started toward me but the Julia swarm said； 〃No； Ricky。 No； you can't！ Let Vince。〃
And then Ricky half climbed； half fell the rest of the way down the ladder to the ground； and the swarm reinhabited Julia's pale body； and the two of them stood there and watched me。 I turned away from them and looked up the ladder。
Vince was standing there； five feet above me。
His feet were on the top rungs； and he was leaning over； blocking my way。 There was no possible way I could get past him。 I paused to take stock； shifted my weight on the ladder； got one leg up to the next rung； hooked my free arm around the rung nearest my face。 But as I raised my leg； I felt the lump in my pocket。 I paused。
I had one more vial of phage。
I reached into my pocket； and drew it out to show him。 I pulled out the cork with my teeth。 〃Hey； Vince；〃 I said。 〃How about a shit shower？〃
He didn't move。 But his eyes narrowed。
I moved up another rung。
〃Better get back； Vince；〃 I said。 I was panting so hard I couldn't manage the proper menace。 〃Get on back before you get wet 。。。〃
One more rung。 I was only three rungs below him。
〃It's your call； Vince。〃 I held the vial in my other hand。 〃I can't hit your face from down here。 But I'll sure as hell hit your legs and shoes。 Do you care？〃
One more rung。
Vince stayed where he was。
〃Maybe not；〃 I said。 〃You like to live dangerously？〃
I paused。 If I advanced another rung； he could kick me in the head。 If I stayed where I was； he would have to e down to me； and I could get him。 So I stayed。 〃What do you say； Vince？ Going to stay； or go？〃
He frowned。 His eyes flicked back and forth； from my face to the vial； and back again。
And then he stepped away from the ladder。
〃Good boy； Vince。〃
I came up one rung。
He had stepped back so far that now I couldn't see where he was。 I thought he was probably planning to rush me at the top。 So I got ready to duck down； and swing laterally。 Last rung。
And now I saw him。 He wasn't planning anything。 Vince was shaking with panic； a cornered animal； huddled back in the dark recess of the walkway。 I couldn't read his eyes； but I saw his body tremble。
〃Okay； Vince；〃 I said。 〃I'm ing up。〃
I stepped onto the mesh platform。 I was right at the top of the stairs； surrounded by roaring machinery。 Not twenty paces away； I saw the paired steel tanks for the sprinkler system。 I glanced down and saw Ricky and Julia； staring up at me。 I wondered if they realized how close I was to my goal。
I looked back at Vince； just in time to see him pull a translucent white plastic tarp off a corner box。 He wrapped himself in the tarp like a shield； and then； with a guttural yell； he charged。 I was right at the edge of the ladder。 I had no time to get out of the way； I just turned sideways and braced myself against a big three…foot pipe against the ing impact。 Vince slammed into me。
The vial went flying out of my hand； shattering on the mesh。 The jug was knocked from my other hand and tumbled along the walkway； ing to rest at the lip of the mesh path。 Another few inches and it would go over。 I moved toward it。
Still hiding behind the tarp； Vince smashed into me again。 I was slammed back against the pipe。 My head clanged on steel。 I slipped on the brown sludge that dripped through holes in the mesh； barely kept my balance。 Vince slammed me again。
In his panic he never realized I had lost my weapons。 Or perhaps he couldn't see through the tarp。 He just kept pounding me with his full body； and I finally slipped on the sludge and went down on my knees。 I immediately scrambled toward the jug； which was about ten feet away。 That odd behavior made Vince stop for a moment； he pulled down the tarp； saw the jug； and lunged for it； vaulting his whole body forward in the air。
But he was too late。 I had my hand on the jug； and yanked it away； just as Vince landed； tarp and all； right where the jug had been。 His head banged hard on the walkway lip。 He was momentarily stunned； shaking his head to clear it。
And I grabbed the edge of the tarp； and yanked upward。
Vince yelled； and went over the side。
I watched as he hit the floor。 His body didn't mov