You're just about to tell the kid he can come along, when the pleading look in his eyes turn to fright.

"I'm cold," Artie says suddenly. "Quick, hide in here."

The shift in his mood takes you by surprise. In a rush, he desperately takes your hand and leads you through an open door. He shuts and locks it, then backs up without bothering to flip the light switch beside the door. It doesn't matter. The soft sunlight through the curtains gives you a dim view of the room.

A round table takes up most of the center of the room. Small blue chairs surround it, and you're sure that on any given Sunday those chairs would be filled with little bottoms while the owners of them listened to bible stories or colored pictures of Moses or Jesus and his disciples.

"What-"

"Shhh," he says quietly.

You glare at him puzzled. Then a scream erupts from the main part of the church. He jerks at the sharp sound. You squeeze your eyes shut as more screams fill your ears. These screams are terror and gore in the form of sound - loud, desperate, and final. Screams like that should never be heard. As a compassionate human being, your first instinct is to help, but you know that to run back into the congregational room would be suicide.

Archie is backing up slowly, his eyes so wide that they look in danger of popping from their sockets. He stumbles into one of the blue chairs. Scrapes issue from the chair's legs as his weight pushes against it, and you know it's only a matter of time.

"Crap..." You reach out and gather a fist of his shirt to keep him from falling over the chair. As though doused in cold water, he snaps back.

"We have to hurry," he whispers, searching the room frantically.

The screams are fewer now, and you know why. They're all dying. Things are getting hazy. Fading. You shake your head. Time to focus - you can't afford to faint from fear. The door shudders on its hinges. Something wants in.

"Come on!" Artie cries.

His head is poking through a small window. You tear after him as the door begins to crack. Before it busted through, you've already escaped the church. Hand in hand with Artie, you're running. Nearby, there's the local gas station. Cars are scattered around, but it looks abandoned. You know this store, it locks down with barred windows. You could be safe in there...possibly even until the government gets this all under control. IF you can get in and IF the zombies haven't already claimed it.

On the other hand, there are vehicles and gas pumps. You could fill one up, then take off and head for a cabin or something - anywhere less populated. But whether your path will be clear, you have no clue. People have got to be panicking, trying to escape. The roads could be blocked.

Either way, you've got to get somewhere safe now!

To the store - SKIP TO CHAPTER 41

Take a vehicle - SKIP TO CHAPTER 42