Born 01 - Born

three other pools that look like this one. Pools full of women and children about to escape.
    "Emma."
    I turn and see Muriel. Her face is beaten up a bit but she is running toward me. I run and hug her.
    "I'm so sorry."
    "No, the infected. What could we do?"
    I shake my head. "No. I should have been prepared for them too. I never even gave them a thought."
    She hugs me tight and talks over the loud women panicking in the water. "Is this you?"
    I nod. "It's all I could think of. The building is going to be destroyed in a few seconds. The pool is supposed to be the best bet."
    She grips my hand. I grab Leo, who is starting to freak out, by the scruff of his neck and drag him into the water. It's cold and not inviting. Leo starts his splashing as he enters; he loves the water but he is more nervous than normal.
    People are looking at him and me and raising eyebrows.
    "To the deep end, ladies. If the ceiling collapses, it's our best shot at surviving.
    Those of us who can swim all swim in a chaotic hoard for the deep end. The others cry and scream at the shallow end. The noise is unbearable. Leo is panting and panicking. He wants out of the pool. I let him go. He knows best. His instincts are better than anyone's. He swims to the edge and climbs out. He slinks to the corner and sits there. A girl who doesn’t look much older than me follows him. She curls against him and cries.
    The noise is too much. Suddenly another noise rises over everything and shakes the building around us. I blow my air out and let myself drop to the bottom of the pool. I look up at the feet above me. They seem calm and collected for a second. Then it looks like red ink has been spilled into the pool. The water starts to froth and churn. I can't see above me anymore. My chest is crying out for air but I stay down there and watch. A woman is shoved under. I grab her hand and pull her down to me. I swim, towing her to the shallow end. The frothing water is everywhere. It looks like the rapids of a river. When I pull her out of the water, I am elbowed in the face. I see stars for a second but keep moving. I am shoving people out of the way. I drag the girl to the shallowest part and start patting her on the back hard. She chokes out the water and starts coughing. I am tripped and pushed under. Feet trample me. I grab the girl who was coughing and push her up out of the water. I am under water and drowning but holding her out of the water.
    A hand grabs the scruff of my neck and lifts me from the water. I look up to the see the worried face of the doctor. He points to the broken windows that lead to the outside.
    "Freedom."
    Leo is already out the window. He is watching me from the other side.
    I shout. "THE WINDOWS. BREAK THE WINDOWS MORE SO WE CAN ALL GET OUT!"
    The women rush at the windows and start smashing the lounging chairs against the already damaged glass. One window is broken and a girl is pushed through. I see her skin scrape against the glass. She screams. They are panicking. I unscrew the silencer and fire a shot into the cracked and ruined ceiling. The women stop and look at me. I walk to the dark-haired girl on the ground bleeding. "THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT? TO KILL EACH OTHER? SINGLE FILE, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!"
    The doctor picks her up and climbs out of the jagged glass. The women leave, obviously calmer, but still in a hurry. I climb out and ready myself with my gun. There is no one on the brown grass.
    The doctor shouts back, "RUN FOR THE WOODS!"
    The doctor is running across the grass with the girl in his arms. I hear a shot and he drops. The girl screams.
    I look up at the roof to see a sniper team. I aim and fire several times. The first four men drop off the roof, making the women and girls scream more. The fifth man sees me and shoots. I feel a hot burning feeling in my left arm but ignore it. I aim and fire and knock him back. He's too far for me to kill, but I know I winged him.
    "RUN NOW!" I scream. They all scramble. I grab the girl under the dead doctor and help her. Leo is running ahead, showing them the way. I look to the left and see a group of women with screaming babies fleeing for the woods. Some fall as gunshots ring out. Their babies fall with them.
    In my mind, I hear my father whisper to me. 'You can't save everyone, Em.'
    I shout at the women with me, "Run and break the branches. Stay together. I will follow the broken branches and find you. I will lead you to safety."
    "Emma, I will lead them to the trail of the