The inter of the cathedral has like everything else has a layer of moister covering everything. I have to light several glow sticks to help me see. I attach them to my webbing. The effect of the breach creating a bubble of clear space is before me. The wooden benches are all around and many smashed claw marks can be seen along most surfaces. The interior of the bubble is clear of all this. It sits in the rough centre of the cathedral between the pillars supporting the ceiling.

I step into the bubble and look at the crack in reality. The effects of this add to the ones that I am already suffering from just being in the zone along with the Grave Chill. The many perks of this job I tell you!

I search the rest of the cathedral and find no evidence of the Ghouls outside of the vandalism. All the religious artwork and other trappings are all defaced or destroyed. The main altar just outside the breach’s bubble is completely smashed. The confessional was also destroyed and left to rot. I move through different rooms and take my time. Eventually, I have gone through the whole cathedral and wondered if there is a basement. Dear God, I hope it is not a crypt! I find it.

I find the stairs leading down but discover that a sturdy door and metal gate are there. It is clear that they are both intact. I test the gat and find it locked. I decide not to try to find if there is another way down as it is clear that the Ghouls would have simply destroyed the door. I return to the main hall of the cathedral and head to the exit.

So, they are not here but where? The girl was sure that they were around here. Very little light was coming through the stained glass windows. The glow sticks were showing everything in green light.

I stop before leaving and head back. Checking the breach again it looks normal so I withdraw to the outside. I quickly load a green flare and fire it off. These flares are the product of a lot of R&D over the last few years to get anything like them to work in a zone. They were not infallible and all zone operatives carry numerous shells. They degrade as longer is spent in a zone but at a much slower rate. Firearms that work in zones were still ongoing.

I decide to load an emergency white flare into the gun. I decide to do it now in case I run into something I can’t handle but can delay until help arrives. Better safe than sorry.

I need to find the nest but there was no sign in it. I stand in the green glow-giving everything a sickly light in the fog. The blue flare went out. The second flare should have pulled everything that could see it towards me away from the people leaving. Entering the breaches bubble diffidently should have acted as an alarm bell to them. I look around.

Nothing.

I stand there thinking still looking around. What am I missing? I remove the glow sticks and drop them by the main door.

I think over the walk from the van to here. Could the nest be somewhere behind the cathedral with plenty of spaces and buildings? I am honestly stumped at the moment. There were also buildings in front of the cathedral that could be used.

The hour was getting late and I realised that I might have missed the Ghoul nest on the way in and the civilians could all be dead. They trusted me to get them out I should not have left them. I shake my head to clear that dark thought. Where the hell did that come from? It remained a lurking idea. The zone effects are getting to me.

I walk down to the builds in front of the cathedral trying to see what I am missing. Looking around I seek inspiration. Then a thought flashes in my mind the houses! They all had the doors and windows smashed from the inside. I remember that furniture was located in the overgrown gardens. They are located inside the zone exclusion area. These buildings were all still intact. True looters may be responsible but that was not high on the list of causes as most looters do not come back from zones.

I quickly head back the way I came to the houses. As I reach them the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Spinning I just catch a glimpse of movement at the edge of my sight. I glance back to the houses and then up the road. I get the feeling I have found the Ghouls or maybe they found me.

I cannot take a stand here if they have numbers. There is a restaurant across the road from the Van and barrier gate. I move down the road to the gate with my head on a swivel. I catch more movement. I am being stalked.

I get around the van and head over the road to the restaurant. I am not sure but there could be a movement to the left and right. The restaurant Au Beouf Gras by the sign is locked up but the butt of the handle of my axe allows me to gain entry. The smashing of the window causes a lot of movement in the fog. Not good. My hand unlocks the door from the other side. Entering I turn and relock the door mostly out of habit.

The dining area is large and has a lot of windows that would grant a good view. The area is split between a raised and lower section. I move to the nearest table and pull it over to the door turning it over to act as a barricade. I quickly add several chairs. This will not stop a Ghoul let alone several. I still do it just to get time to think.

Looking out I can just see the outlines of three figures in the fog. They must be gathering to attack. Fuck!

I head to the counter seeking a location to make a stand. I find the bar. Wine, wine and some spirits. Wait for spirits! I risk leaving my axe on the counter. I head to the kitchen with a plan to find some cooking oil and clothes. Returning to the bar I set about making some basic Molotov cocktails. They would not burn long but may give me the advantage I need. I need as many as I can so I rush their creation and growing fear doesn’t help.

I take a few swigs to help with my nerves along the way.

I am finishing my third when suddenly.

“ROOAARRRR!” Bellows outside. The anger is clear in the sound. It seems they may have discovered the corpse of the Ghoul I killed earlier.

This causes the attack to being. They assault the barricaded door. The door and wooded furniture are not providing much of a delay. More figures could be seen through the windows. I try to light one of the road flares I scavenged earlier. It doesn’t ignite I quickly pull out the second. Thankfully it lit and the room was bathed in flickering orange. I light the first now alcohol-soaked rag sticking out of a bottle. It lit but not to the same degree as outside of a zone. Throwing it at the doorway it smashed and then…

WHHOOOMMFFF!

Flames consumed the doorway and furniture. At that moment two female Ghouls were trying to force their way in. They are covered by burning liquid and start screaming. They fell back as I added two more bottles of spirits to the growing flames. The lit flare and other two Molotovs were on the counter. Apart of course! Along with other bottles of alcohol.

I am not going to die here!

I decided this and began to get psyched to do what needed to be done. My anger began to build to match the flames at the doorway and countered the fear I was feeling. I could no longer tell if the shakes I had were from fear or adrenaline.

The building was sealed until I entered so the moister covering everything was negligible. Smoke and flames were filling the room. I knew this is where I had to make my stand. Not a good place but it was what I had.

A male Ghoul came through a window and I rushed to meet it. It was surprised as it rose my axe drove deep into its head. I hit it sideways strike due to the celling restricting an overhead. The sickly yellow eyes clearly expressed their shock. As black gore and brain matter were spattered about from the wound. I wrenched my axe back and its body fell. They were not swarming me why?

Another male Ghoul came through another window. Hit crashed into a table causing it to mess up the landing. This allowed me to cross the short distance and strike at it with my axe. It saw me coming and attempted to dodge back.

My axe missed the head but dug deep into its neck. It screamed out in pain. Using its other hand, it tore the axe out of its neck. This knocked me back with its strength. I quickly recovered as it attacked. A clawed hand stuck at me but met my shield. I leapt forward using my mass and momentum to collide with the Ghoul.

This knocked it back and it fell over a chair on the floor. Not giving it the opportunity to recover I began swinging with my axe. Blow after blow fell on it. It used its arms to protect its head and torso as best it could. Black blood flew as each blow connected.

A strike got through and sank into the Ghoul’s head causing it to go limp as brain matter was pulled out with the axe blade. Around me, the screams and roars of the other Ghouls were increasing.

Looking around the fire was also spreading.

“I think I might have attracted all the Ghouls in the zone to me.” I say out loud.

I head over to the bar and realise I need to make a decision.

The fire was being affected by the zones effects and was spreading but not as fast as it should. The smoke was becoming an issue for me. Outside the Ghouls were making a lot of noise but still not have swarmed me. I was at a loss to explain this as their numbers would easily overwhelm me. I couldn’t tell how many there were out there.

I had to get out of here but they would take me down with numbers outside. Swapping my axe to my other hand I grabbed another Molotov and lit it. I quickly crossed the room to the window that the first Ghoul crashed through. Outside I saw a female Ghoul near the window. It snarled at me but that quickly changed to a scream of pain as the burning bottle smashed at its feet. Fire quickly consumed its lower body and it ran away screaming.

I went back to the bar and collected the last Molotov. The fire and smoke were getting to the point that I could not ignore them anymore. I had to go. It was doubtful threat the fire would take the building. The zone would soon begin to affect the fire by the damp moister in the air making it harder to burn other materials. But again, I was not going to take chances.

I ran back to the window and went through it. The paving slabs were burning but I went out to my right there were two Ghouls a male and a female. They were quickly introduced to burning legs. Screaming they ran from the flames trying to extinguish the fire on their bodies.

Around me were several other Ghouls who were all seemly surprised by my actions. Arming myself with my axe I began attacking the nearest. Full swinging room at last.

Black blood and howls of pain quickly filled the air. The Ghouls were scattered in all directions by my attack.

I was NOT going to die here!

My anger was building in my chest fuelling the adrenaline flooding through my body countering the zones effects on me.

I turned and went across a patio area and leapt over a low wall that had me back on the Place d’Herzeele. A female Ghoul with burns came over the wall to my left and attacked me. It got an axe swinging toward its head. It is managed to get a hand up to block. My axe cut through it taking a chunk with several fingers but missed the head and body.

The Ghoul screamed and fled back cradling its hand trailing blood. I began to head back the way I came when I entered the zone. The Ghouls followed.