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"Come on," Mercy said under her breath Then, as one man stumbled, fell, and was shortly covered by the monstrous creatures, she shouted it "Cooddamn you, come on! You’re almost here!"

Her hood was blown back and full of filthy snow, and her hands were absolutely senseless They could’ve frozen to the edge of the roof, for all she knew, and for all she was letting go She cheered the runners until she was hoarse At so circle of undead, and the four h, as red-​faced and dirty as the nurse atop the train

"Almost here!" she cried

And they were al down, though All of the They were so close, and it e Scra everything possible to hold to the roof, she hauled herself to its edge, just above the gap where one of the Rebels was losing steah to heave his and landed on the platform with a thud Her knees ached, but her feet couldn’t feel the impact, as they were already deadened from the icy air and the freeze-​and-​refreeze of dampness

"You!" she said, as if there were anyone else shein response, but it was unintelligible

"Stay with unbelt froht not The e fellow, brunet and heavyset but not so ardless, he looked heavy

Sending up a heartfelt prayer for the strength of the leather, she used the belt to lash herself to the platfor, too Then she ducked around the pole, held on tight with one still-​ungloved hand, and held out the other one

"Take my hand!"

He replied, "M hi, but she re down along the pole She leaned like she’d never leaned before, stretching herself out as if she could gain a few inches in height by pure willpower Her hand trailed farther froh

But all she had to do was let go with the hand that braced her Let go of the rail Gain that extra half a foot

Yes

"On the count of three!" she told him, since that orked for everyone else

He nodded, and beads of sweat on his face went scattering as he jogged forward, still forward, almost spent--she could see it in his eyes

"Onetwothree!"

She released the pole and trusted the gunbelt to hold her, and the pole to hold the gunbelt, and the platfor at her hips and straining He gave one last surge--probably the last surge that was left in him--and closed the space between them

Their hands met

She seized his He tried to seize back, but there wasn’t th for him to lend, so she did most of the work

He stumbled

She said, "God help me!" as she pulled hiainst the tracks, and he was hanging into help her help hione, really She’d asked too much of hi of herself left, so she wrenched him up a joint at a time

She had him by the wrists, and then the forear to bend and her are fro as if the buckles o at any minute

The Rebel’s eyes ide

She knehat he was thinking, as plain as if it ritten on his forehead She growled, "No Don’t Don’t let go Hang on"

And then a pair of strong hands was on her shoulder, on both shoulders So the Confederate with her