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Gardner Dozois and Jack Dann - Down Among the Dead Men




Down Among the Dead Men

GARDNER DOZOIS AND JACK DANN

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This story was first published in Oui magazine because initially none of the fantasy or science fiction
magazines (including OMNI) would take it. It was too тАЬtoughтАЭ and possibly тАЬtastelessтАЭ a subject. There
is an actual vampire in this story, and in a world where humans are monstrous to each other is he any
worse a monster?

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Bruckman first discovered that Wernecke was a vampire when they went to the quarry that morning. He
was bending down to pick up a large rock when he thought he heard something in the gully nearby. He
looked around and saw Wernecke huddled over a Musselmann, one of the walking dead, a new man who
had not been able to wake up to the terrible reality of the camp.

тАЬDo you need any help?тАЭ Bruckman asked Wernecke in a low voice.

Wernecke looked up, startled, and covered his mouth with his hand, as if he were signing to Bruckman
to be quiet.

But Bruckman was certain that he had glimpsed blood smeared on WerneckeтАЩs mouth. тАЬThe
Musselmann, is he alive?тАЭ Wernecke had often risked his own life to save one or another of the men in
his barracks. But to risk oneтАЩs life for a Musselmann? тАЬWhatтАЩs wrong?тАЭ

тАЬGet away.тАЭ

All right, Bruckman thought. Best to leave him alone. He looked pale, perhaps it was typhus. The guards
were working him hard enough, and Wernecke was older than the rest of the men in the work gang. Let
him sit for a moment and rest. But what about that blood?тАж

тАЬHey, you, what are you doing?тАЭ one of the young SS guards shouted to Bruckman.

Bruckman picked up the rock and, as if he had not heard the guard, began to walk away from the gully,
toward the rusty brown cart on the tracks that led back to the barbed-wire fence of the camp. He would
try to draw the guardтАЩs attention away from Wernecke.

But the guard shouted at him to halt. тАЬWere you taking a little rest, is that it?тАЭ he asked, and Bruckman

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 Gardner Dozois and Jack Dann - Down Among the Dead Men

tensed, ready for a beating. This guard was new, neatly and cleanly dressedтАФand an unknown quantity.