THIS PART FIRST POSTED ON THE 14TH OF DECEMBER, 2021.

When the time comes ... who will save us from ourselves? For there are no limits as to what mankind, humankind will try to ... let's say ... achieve. There is nothing sacred anymore. Is there anywhere that the Human race will not venture? Surely, there are areas where there is nothing to gain and everything to lose ... still we just have to go there, right?

Even in a world of scientific exploration, there are places we should simply leave be, we just can't, can we? If it is possible then we just can't help ourselves. We will be the cause of our own destruction, if not one way, then it will be another.

Sleigh bells ring
Are you listenin'?
In the lane
Snow is glistenin'
A beautiful sight
We're happy tonight
Walkin' in a winter wonderland

The full moon glows high in the nighttime sky unaware that the land it watches over is as different at this time than at any other time that has ever existed. The sky is falling, and it feels somewhat nice. A smooth white blanket laying peacefully across the land is a thing of beauty, and there has not been much of that in some time.

A one-time only ... winter wonderland ... is right here ... for a limited time, oblivious, almost at least, as to how the world really is.

'It's freezing in here' speaks Brad McCreevy upon a first entry into a cathedral in a town void of all life either living or dead, a town with which none of the recent arrivals have ever been to prior to this moment.

'Given the fact that it is snowing outside, it would hardly be Barbados in here' speaks Amber.

'Yeah well, churches are naturally cold as it is ... so ...' continues Brad speaking more words in one go than any in his company are used to hearing him say.

'There is electricity and we've got heaters so that's something ...'

'Is she alright?' Brad asks referring to a middle-aged lady, a member of this makeshift group, who is kneeling on a step leading up towards the alter.

'Would you be ...?' responds Amber, '... we have all been though the mill, but we can only imagine the hardships she has had to deal with.'

Shawn, Amber's twin brother, soon arrives into the church with a teenage boy at his side, a boy who finds it more than difficult to connect with anyone other than Shawn or Amber.

'See anything interesting?' Amber asks.

'Two sets of drag marks, three streets over so there are dead in the vicinity. The marks seem to be heading away, the ends closest to here are thinner so we are probably quite safe parking up in here for a bit. Lock any and all doors tonight if we can, and I reckon we are more than safe with being here a while. Perhaps we can make this building a base until the weather improves somewhat ...'

Amber and Brad agree, raising the point that watch should be kept at all times. If it were to become necessary to move on at any time, then having as much notice as possible will make all the difference.

'I am gonna go check this whole place out ...' Brad says. 'Surely there must be a nativity display around here somewhere. This is a church, and it is almost Christmas. Since this place might be a home for a little while ...'

'There hasn't been a Christmas in some time now,' Jenny says almost frowning, though Brad's zest to make thing feel better makes her smile.

She had made her remark with sadness though indeed, the sight of Brad and his newfound attitude does instantly change how she feels. There is a little guilt there too, perhaps she shouldn't have said something so negative. She wants to put that right, especially when Brad turned to look at her.

'Hey,' she says, 'how about I come look with you?'

'Fine by me' Brad says with a smile.

Christmas must have been something special in the McCreevy household for Brad's demeanour to change so drastically. Things might be picking up a little. Only minutes after beginning his rummage into side rooms down hallways, Brad returns.

'Hey guys ... look what I got.'

Brad had found a large star shaped display. It is a battery-operated light with working batteries to boot. He switches it on. Never before has something so simple created reason for a moment of joy. Indeed, with that light turned on Brad offers a loud and proud ... 'Merry Christmas', and a 'Merry Christmas' is sent back to him in unison along with smiles, tears, and hugs.

Sally gets up off her knees, moves up towards the alter then turns and has a good look around, not just at the church but those who have gathered within it. At some point in time, before she had actually met any of these people, she had at one time or other dreamed of each one of them. She had also dreamed of this place.

She is frightened in the here and now, more frightened than she has ever been before, not just because of the world and what it has become but more of the future, for she has never dreamed of a future beyond this place. There is something else of which she has deemed of and for whatever reason, she never connected that something else with this church. Whatever the future holds, it is quite likely to end here, and Sally is quite sure that there is nothing she can do about it ...

Beautiful Dreamer, wake unto me,
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;
Sounds of the rude world heard in the day,
Lull'd by the moonlight have all passed away!

I'd like to say that I dream of a beautiful future, a time where everything can be bright and carefree. I wish I could dream of beautiful places, lake houses with beauty extending out as far as the eye can see. It would be great to dream of a world where we all come together and be free of hunger, free of war, free of starvation and free of oncoming reanimated souls who want nothing more than to eat you alive. I wish ... and wouldn't that be nice?

I wish I do not dream of hardship and destruction. I wish I didn't dream of having to fight like hell just to see one more day. Most of all I wish not to dream of fire, the end of days after which there is nothing, nada, zilch.

The dead are alive, and they are coming out to play ... The world, as a whole, is about to become a playground of the dead and Satan himself will be organizing playtime. The dead are indeed alive, and they are coming out to play. The dead are coming ... tell everyone ... the dead are coming ...

https://youtu.be/k1oyZQtLZ6U

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL.