7

Stone steps lead to carved wooden doors doubly decorated with the symbols of disciples and angels. A small square camera hums and spins as you approach, giving you a momentary shiver as you consider your latest dream. The doors open.

You enter a vestibule where normally a minister or priest would welcome parishioners, but now you hold weapons of various shapes, sizes and calibers, alongside wooden planks and carpentry tools that you use to fortify the defenses. After another set of double doors, you enter the main church area that has been transformed into several divided sections: a workbench with power tools, a medical station with a stretcher and various medical supplies, and further back, near the altar, long tables with monitors, computer parts and a continuous range of wires. The marble walls and stained glass, with carvings of religious figures and representations of the life of Christ, are partially covered by a long walkway, stairs and a system of pulleys. The transformation from cathedral to zombie survivor control room is impressive.

Your group walks to the center of the church and you notice a man standing in charge of the computer section.

He's tall and lanky, looking in his mid-20s, wearing a tie-dye T-shirt and faded jeans with dark brown sandals and a thick, full blond beard. He has tight blonde braids dangling around his face.

"Hey, come on!" he says, jumping up and down, then comes over for a big hug. "I'm Jason."

"I am Rezo. Nice to meet you."

"So who do we have here?" he says and goes over to Emma and Heather.

"This is my sister, Emma, ​​​​and Tom's sister, Heather," you say.

"Well, it's good to have you ladies here," he says, with a bow.

Tom passes by and pats Jason on the back.

"It's good to have you here, Jason. Uncle Lou says you'll be a great asset to us," he says and walks through a side door as you talk to Jason.

"So how do you all know each other?" asks Emma.

"I am a good friend of Carl, one of the owners of the Cathedral," said Uncle Lou, sitting on the edge of a folding table. "I drove a food truck, the best breakfast in town, and Jason was one of my best customers. After the outbreak, Carl told me about this safe house and called my closest friends. Jason answered, and we're here a few days ago."