As Allan raised his gun, the zombie screeched and... Changed.

Xynthia muttered a swear word as she realized what had happened. The creature before them was not a normal zombies: whatever Allan was seeing, it was not what she was seeing, and it was probably something human mind was not designed to handle.

She braced herself and... She changed too.

The young woman stepped between her husband and the undead and commanded: "Stop! The Mother commands it!"

The creature cocked its head sideways and clucked something that may or may not have been an answer.

Allan wasn't capable of comprehending the true nature of the creature in front of him, so his mind created its own horrific image instead. He knew what he was seeing was not the actual form of the monster, but his fear was very real. He stood frozen until his wife moved between him and the creature, breaking his line of sight. He looked down as he slowly started to back away, and dug into his pocket for his keys.

Xynthia heard her husband step back, but she didn't turn: as long as she used her ability to convince the monster she was facing that she was on its side, she had the same scary, alien aura as it did, plus she didn't dare turn away from the creature.

The monster was not a zombie like the others: Xynthia knew that trying to control it was pointless; the best she could hope for was keeping it busy, giving Allan time to come up with a plan. She hadn't considered, however, that there was another zombie behind her, and neither had Allan.

Allan turned, and came face to face with the zombie. The creature made an ungraceful lunge for the minister, but Allan just managed to keep out of its reach. He pulled the keys from his pocket and ran toward the vehicle. "Xynthia, get ready to run to the motorhome!"

Xynthia took a step backwards, then another - and then the creature spoke.

FATHER.... COMMANDS. ABOMINATION.... MUST.... DIE. SISTER.... YIELD.

Xynthia's mental barriers came down crashing to protect what little sanity she had left, as the woman realized what the creature was about to do.

Her otherworldly aura faded, and she smiled sweetly to the horrifying vision before her: "Aw... Sorry, I'd love to stay and play, but mom's calling me for dinner. I'll call you later. See ya!"

She spun around and dashed toward the motorhome. She had barely reached it when the creature let go another, even more horrifying howl. Its chest exploded  in a cloud of black ichor, and a mass of tentacles popped out of it.

As Allan turned on the vehicle, the monster *PLOP* began *PLOP* to *PLOP* run *PLOP* toward *PLOP* them.

As soon as Xynthia was safely on board the motorhome, Allan threw it into gear and hit the gas. "Hang on to something," he yelled to his wife as sped toward the creature.

The vehicle accelerated, but in the short distance available it didn't get to any considerable speed: the creature jumped... And pretty much splatted on the flat front of the motorhome.

The zombie didn't seem to have suffered much more than minor damage, however: it clawed its way upwards until it covered most of the driver's side front glass.

The tentacles coming out of its chest looked like a monstrous octopus, complete with a large toothed beak in their center and several sharp spikes coming out of each of them.

The creature started hitting the glass forcefully with as many limbs as it could.

Allan's voice was a mix of anger and frustration as he yelled at the creature. "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire!"

A muffled thunder resounded, and suddenly the zombie howled in pain. A moment later, white fire erupted from the hole in its chest where a tentacled monstrosity was still trying to break the motorhome's windshield.

The creature lost its grip and fell, and a sickening crunch and a small bump announced that at least one of its limbs had been crushed under a wheel.

Xynthia crumbled back on the seat.

"...so I packed as much firepower as I could and came here." Finished Tony, sipping on the coffee Mrs S had thoughtfully provided for him.

He tapped pensively on the cup: "I'm not sure exactly how this happened, but it seems the entire country was hit by the outbreak."

Nephi's eyes blink open and closed a few times, deciding whether to wake or not, and then open fully - to see Karen's face looking down at him.  Realizing where his head is laying, he blushes bright red as he rolls off the couch.  "Er, sorry about that.  Did I miss anything?" he says as he picks himself up off the floor.

"It's ok, you haven't missed much, just Anton here telling us his tale." Karen said before patting lightly on the couch cushion next to her hoping Nephi would have a seat right next to her.

Nephi looks around the rather full sitting room before sitting where Karen indicated, quite puzzled that she didn't seem to mind that he'd used her lap as a pillow.

Betty sat by listening intently after introductions had been made.  She looked around at the odd collection of personalities and realized that the house had beocome a sanctuary from the chaos outside.

"This is great," Geoff said, "but now that your family's reunited, would it be sensible for us to start planning exactly what we are going to do. If, as Anton says, this infection is spread throughout the country, the sooner we decide how we respond, the better."

Nephi thought for a moment before adding "I don't know how well the Doctor is set up here, but if we need supplies then we should visit members of my church that have been infected.  Church leaders have been telling us for years that all members should have supplies set aside to last at least a year.  If we know they're infected, then we know they won't need the stuff they've set aside."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea Nephi... though, why were your church leaders telling you to set aside a year's worth of supplies?" Karen asked curious about Nephi's church leaders more than the prospect of supplies.

The sounds of something like a truck could be heard pulling up outside the doctor's house, followed shortly by a knock on the door. "It's Allan and Xynthia," the pastor yelled from the other side of the door.

Nephi replied "Two reasons really.  1. In case the members had lost their income for some time - they could live off their supplies until they got back on their feet.  2. In case some major disaster happened, when everything has gone to hell and you can't be sure that you can get what you need."

"Hey sounds like the Rev and his crazy wife are back." Hector called out, with a slight terseness in his voice.

Monica moved to stand behind Hector. "Go ahead and open the door, hon. If they look infected, I've got your back." She aimed her gun at the door.

Geoff stood well back and opposite the main door and raised his pistol once more, the drill was getting slick now.

"Ok, ready." he said.

  "Okay....I do hope you guys know to wait for me to get out of the way before emptying those guns pointing at my backside though." said Hector with a smirk as he once again opened that door.....

Allan had his own gun in his hand, but it was held down and at his side. His other arm was draped protectively around his wife. The assortment of guns pointed in his direction didn't seem to surprise Allan. Not waiting for an invitation to enter, he stepped forward, slowly and cautiously, as if he assumed the others wouldn't shoot him. "I'm sorry, that took a bit longer than expected."

"So in other words, for a situation just like this." Karen comments as she watches the boys stack up next to the door before opening it to the preacher and his wife, at least that's what she could tell from the sounds of things.