Instantly I was on my feet, leaping away from the edge as I whipped a rope around the front of my nail gun, tripping the safety. The first of the dark creatures pulled itself over the threshold and I fed it three 4-inch nails, sending it screaming back to the ground. More were coming, though. The shots had frayed my rope. I quickly re-wrapped it so I’d be ready to fire again. I had loaded two nail strips in, which equaled something like forty shots.

Six more beasts slithered up to my level, and I left them all writhing as the compressor cut on to power my weapon.

Behind me came a clattering. I’d forgotten the ladder! With a yell I charged toward that side of the building, shoving a body into space before kicking the ladder over. The ladder balanced for a suspended moment. Three of the things screamed impotently as the ladder tilted back and fell atop their squirming forms.

Two hours later they stopped coming. I dropped my bloody hammer and picked up the nail gun to get back to work.

I was out of nails.