5

Everything is quiet as the boat sails to shore. The smell of salty sea air is invigorating. Being on the boat has been the most restful hours these past few days. Now, the anxiety of reaching land is palpable. The land is where zombies live.

"Let's get everything in quickly," says Tom. "We don't know what's in store for us. Guys, get the bags and get them ready by the bridge."

The group works hard to pull the many backpacks, rucksacks, boxes and other containers to the rear for unloading. Uncle Lou takes a lot of breaks, which catches the eye of Javier, who tries to motivate him. Emma is a workhorse and you accompany her as best you can. Heather spends most of her time complaining about the cold air, the earthy smell that rises from the mainland, the croaking of seabirds, and anything else that comes to mind.

As you approach the shore, the immense building looms over the shore with brown stone walls, high-arched windows, and two circular towers protruding from the sides with Christian crosses protruding from their tops. This building sits on a sloping hill surrounded by evergreen trees and brown foliage with several paths leading to the short pier.